Squeaky wheel Ray, stay after them.
Healthwise, beside being tired from my long term condition, I've caught a rather nasty cold, so I haven't been downstairs in a few days.
I think GRJ's co-ax cable solution is going to solve most of the problems. I'm also going to introduce a reset button to the system in case the sensor unit locks up. Press the button, and it will drop power, causing it to reset. Parts are ordered.
You might enjoy ATCS monitor. It's a free program, but you have to join a private Yahoo group to get it. It looks like a dispatcher's panel, and shows where trains are in real time. They have kits for locations all over the US and Canada. The only one I ever use is the BNSF Twin Cities Terminal Wide. That's the one that covers the area that I model almost perfectly.