TWControls

You have to purchase a license. The easiest way is to contact your local Rockwell distributor

The free version only works with the 1000 and 1100.  You will need a paid version for the Micrologix 1400.  It isn't very expensive though, less than $200.  Here are instructions on downloading the free version. https://www.theautomationstore.com/rslogix-500-downloading-and-installing-rslogix-500-and-rslinx-for-free/

  those are all good brands of PLCs.  With the exception noted below, I would choose one to really focus on learning.  Once you pick up one, the others will come easy.  Two things to consider when choosing which one.  Which brand is the most common both in your plant and in your area.  Then which one can you get a PLC to play with.  Start by asking your employer if you can borrow one of the spares that hopefully they have sitting on the shelf. My one exception to concentrating on learning one brand first is going online and viewing the PLC code.  You should know how do do this with all the brands.

Congratulations on your new job!  You've taken a big step by realizing that this is a big opportunity to advance your career. Do you have a PLC you can practice on?  That would be the first step.  What brands of PLCs are at your plant? Here is our lesson series on RsLogix 500 https://www.theautomationstore.com/rslogix-500-industrial-control-panel-trainer-lessons/ Here is a series on control panels https://www.theautomationstore.com/designing-and-building-electrical-control-panel-lessons/ There are lots of good articles here. https://www.theautomationstore.com/articles/

The RSS file would be easiest

That looks like a very fun project.  Go ahead and post your RSS file here, I'd love to see what you have done.  One note, there are analog versions of the Micrologix 1000 and analog expansion modules for the Micrologix 1100 so later you could do some upgrades to control the train speed.  Good luck and keep us posted!

Whether it is right, good, wrong, or bad is more a matter of opinion. I don't think any further good can come out of this discussion unless AuSquirlNutz comes back and post the program so we can understand what is being done in it.

Can you post your program?  It could be an error but there are times it could be done intentionally.

Glad you got it and thanks for coming back and letting us know.

Here are step by step instructions for downloading a program.  Instead of creating a new program, you will open your existing program. https://www.theautomationstore.com/rslogix-500-downloading-a-program-to-a-plc/ If you haven't already, here is how to configure RsLinx for serial communications with the Micrologix. https://www.theautomationstore.com/rslogix-500-configuring-rslinx-serial-df1-rs-232-driver-to-communicate/

See attached plcprogram.pdf

Have a look at https://www.advancedhmi.com/.  If is free and should do what you want.

Understood but what do you want to do on the laptop?  What software are you wishing to push PLC data into?  Or do you just want to display it?

Between devices as in between two AB devices or AB and ...?  AB and communicate to AB without any additional software are hardware.