Running JMRI on Raspberry Pi

A Raspberry Pi makes an excellent dedicated JMRI server - low power, quiet, and always ready.

Hardware Requirements

• Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB+ RAM recommended)
• MicroSD card (32GB+ recommended)
• USB DCC adapter (Digitrax PR3, etc.)
• Power supply
• Optional: Small monitor for setup

Installation Steps

1. Install Raspberry Pi OS

Use Raspberry Pi Imager

Choose "Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit)"

Enable SSH in settings

2. Install Java

sudo apt update

sudo apt install default-jdk

3. Install JMRI

Download JMRI for Linux

wget https://github.com/JMRI/JMRI/releases/download/v5.x/JMRI.5.x.tgz

tar xzf JMRI.5.x.tgz

4. Configure USB Access

sudo usermod -a -G dialout pi

Auto-Start on Boot

Create a systemd service:

[Unit]

Description=JMRI PanelPro

After=network.target

[Service]

User=pi

ExecStart=/home/pi/JMRI/PanelPro

Restart=on-failure

[Install]

WantedBy=multi-user.target

Headless Operation

Run JMRI without a monitor:

• Use VNC for remote desktop access
• Or run with WiThrottle server only
• Access via web browser on local network

Performance Tips

• Use Pi 4 for best results
• Keep SD card free space available
• Consider USB SSD for faster storage
• Monitor CPU temperature