Ken S Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Hi, A friend has an Eisenmann speed controller, a company I'd not heard of before. I note from googling that the company was active in dolls, teddy bears and other toys and researching here on RMweb revealed that Eisenmanns were once UK agents and collaborators with Lima. I wondered whether this item was rare and found several for sale references internationally. They transpired to be the same item from an English company and are offering it at a penny under £400. I'd have thought these were a common item even though, as in my friends case, all the others are still languishing in attics across the land! This ebay one is stated to have been made in Italy , though my friend's one has "Made in England" moulded on the casing. Can anyone shed any light on these controllers. please? Perhaps they were made to accompany Lima train sets in UK? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Given it appears to have only 3 speed (voltage) steps in either direction and no other functionality, I would presume it's for some long forgotten motorized toy and not specifically for a model railway. If it were mine, it would have hit the trash bin long ago. Andy 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted June 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2020 12 minutes ago, Andy Reichert said: Given it appears to have only 3 speed (voltage) steps in either direction and no other functionality, I would presume it's for some long forgotten motorized toy and not specifically for a model railway. If it were mine, it would have hit the trash bin long ago. Andy It looks like a mains powered version of the one in this set. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIMA-assorted-OO-track-including-points-Power-Track-Battery-control-Case-012A/153979311273?hash=item23d9e1d4a9:g:1gAAAOSw0sVe2~Dc I'd still expect it to belong in the bin, even for 3 pounds! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 really? doesn't look anything like the Lima one to me 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibelroad Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 £400 pounds would buy a quality DCC set up, as others have noted this is fairly useless even if it works and would probably be unsafe. Responsible disposal at the local recycling centre would be the best option. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted June 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, WIMorrison said: really? doesn't look anything like the Lima one to me Same principle with the 3 speeds. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 A Ford Model T had 3 speeds also but I wouldnt say that was the same as the EisenMann controller either;) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff park Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Might be handy as a source of power for LEDs, assuming it's in reasonable nick 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken S Posted June 28, 2020 Author Share Posted June 28, 2020 Thanks for the thoughts. No surprises there , then, so I'll stick with my trusty H & M Duette It's still a mystery as to why, amidst all the rubbish "vintage" controllers on ebay, this type doesn't appear. Obviously that collector's shop has decided that it has the only surviving one in the world. Actually the greater mystery is how this item came to be in friend's attic at all, as she says her ancient kiddies never had an electric train set. It came to my attention because it was in a bag of mangled scrap tin she gave me, that used to be the kids' clockwork 0 gauge Hornby (and yes, I did give the controller back to her, just in case it might be worth a million, though warning her that I thought even to get into double figures as a curiosity would be pushing it!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d00m Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 It did come in British Outline HO Lima trainsets mid to late 1970's. I Had one! Long since binned. Only real use for it would be accessories such as lighting. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 That photo prompts a question: How long has the double square symbol been in use? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Unusual for any train set to come with a controller capable of 28VA, must be pretty heavy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff park Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 47 minutes ago, Crosland said: That photo prompts a question: How long has the double square symbol been in use? As far as I can find 1976, which feels about right, quite recent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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