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BlueRail Trains - Bluetooth Locomotive Control


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Pandora has listed the textbook features of steppers, but I am not sure that any one, except perhaps the low speed controlability, is of great significance, and some features make implementation unlikely in the face of the present success of dcc.  Its an interesting discussion, but as "davetheroad" has mentioned this is off the topic here.  A new topic is appropriate I think. Pandora?

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Sorry to carry on Pandora's thread, but from a personal standpoint I don't see that much of an advantage over a conventional DC motor. Any Stepper motor accuracy is immediately compromised by the layout operator. Unless some kind of sister product is launched in conjunction with model loco's fitted with drive accurate stepper motors, that allows millimetre accurate location of the loco on the layout. Positioning and moving of the loco is still achieved through the co-ordination of hand and MkI eyeball at a distance of anything from three to twelve feet. In most situations the use of a good quality DCC system or indeed a top quality DC system, teamed with a high quality DC motor, competently installed in a well set up loco, currently offers a level of slow speed and movement accuracy probably beyond the control co-ordination talents of most human operators and certainly do not present any real compromises when used with current layout/track location technologies.

 

In other words do model railway layouts really require the high tolerances provide by stepper motors in the first place?

 

Just my thought.

Edited by Nile_Griffith
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1 ) A key point is that by using DCC technology platform  we have digitized everything bar the final link, and that final link is the 12V DC motor in the locomotive.

 

2)  Replacing the "analogue" 12V DC motor with a "digital" stepper motor offers very fine control  of operation especially at very low rotational speeds with high torque,  a stepper motor offers this  level of quality of control at lower cost than an equivalent 12 V DC motor.

 

You can get that today (and for probably the last 10 years) with a decent decoder due to the way they work with PWM drive to the motor and BEMF feedback. Even 3-pole toy train quality motors can produce surprisingly good results. Modern 5-pole or coreless motors even better.

 

3)  A locomotive with a stepper motor would still be compatible with existing DCC technology, if  a stepper drive DCC decoder were designed and manufactured, no need to scrap existing DCC technology.

 

You would need extra connections, so no 6-pin decoders for the smaller scales. Marklin's C-sinus motor requires extrra connections. If anything needs to change I would go for a brushless DC motor with a position encoder, rather than stepper motor, but it would be over engineered and is completely unnecessary for what is, basically, a toy.

 

There's simply nothing to be gained from changing.

 

Andrew

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Article on the Nordic Semi-Conductor web site......  Here

 

If you don't already know the Bluerail app is available for Ios and also Android. I was put off looking at this system because it was initially only for Ios. now they have almost completed the android version I can use my cheap android tablet. The boards are not available outside the USA but they will be once there are sufficient orders, 50 I think, to fund the application for European certification. The boards are apparently already compliant but they need the promised cash to pay the application fee!.

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If you don't already know the Bluerail app is available for Ios and also Android.......

 

 

Indeed it is Dave. 

I posted about it and posted the YouTube video on the previous page of this thread.

 

I think interest in the UK will to a certain degree be dependant on how soon they can get the smaller versions of the boards (decoders) into production.

However, I'm tempted to buy a couple of the first (larger) version if or when they are available over here.

I might even pick a couple up on my next trip over the pond.

 

 

 

.

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Indeed it is Dave. 

I posted about it and posted the YouTube video on the previous page of this thread.

 

I think interest in the UK will to a certain degree be dependant on how soon they can get the smaller versions of the boards (decoders) into production.

However, I'm tempted to buy a couple of the first (larger) version if or when they are available over here.

I might even pick a couple up on my next trip over the pond.

 

 

 

.

 

I have ordered two for evaluation purposes and intend to fit the first one in a old tender drive Hornby Princess Royal class. As this locos task is to pull 12 coach passenger trains around the layout at a scale 60 mph plus the tender drive handles the job OK but suffers from excessive stiction from a standard start. I will fit the bluerail board in a passenger brake coach  which can also hold one of those little Bluetooth speakers for 'onboard' sound.

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  • 1 month later...

BlueRail Trains posted this on their Facebook page, a couple of days ago (29th July).......
 

 

The BlueRail board has passed emissions testing clearing the way for availability in the UK, EU, Australia and New Zealand.
We are working out details of getting them over there, which we will communicate through our mailing list.
Thank you very much to the patient hobbyists who have signed up for these boards in advance.

 
 
.

Edited by Ron Ron Ron
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  • 2 weeks later...

Running a DC N gauge layout with a single BlueRail Trains decoder board (i.e. digital control of DC trains on a DC layout)........

 

 

 

 

 

 

Novel idea I guess. That and the fact that the BlueRail board app would allow you to play sounds through a hidden speaker(s) on the layout it makes a very economic and efficient way of adding functionality to something like an "N' gauge layout where individual loco control via DCC isn't required or considered impractical. 

 

I think BlueRail where talking about producing a board with a larger current capacity for "O" gauge models. Again the same idea could be used for small "end to end" style layouts and providing you have access to a smart phone or tablet device, you could have a wire less controlled layout with a degree of sound for less than the cost of a well specified DCC sound chip.

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  • 2 weeks later...

These are some shots of the dead-rail kit from Bluerail which I'm Beta testing for them.

Its an amazing bit of kit which I just connected to a 16mm scale loco that I'm working on at the moment, and away it went. Yes I've not set it up properly and yes its got US sounds but WOW very simple to use.

Once my charger arrives it'll be fitted to some of my O gauge locos and given a spin on Bucks Hill, will report back on that.

 

Short clip of testing the board,

 

 

IMG_3571_zpswpkpmex1.jpg

IMG_3569_zpsxvlhmoiw.jpg

IMG_3575_zps9ncbwqph.jpg

 

Simon

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These are some shots of the dead-rail kit from Bluerail which I'm Beta testing for them.

Its an amazing bit of kit which I just connected to a 16mm scale loco that I'm working on at the moment, and away it went. Yes I've not set it up properly and yes its got US sounds but WOW very simple to use.

Once my charger arrives it'll be fitted to some of my O gauge locos and given a spin on Bucks Hill, will report back on that.

 

Short clip of testing the board,

 

 

IMG_3571_zpswpkpmex1.jpg

IMG_3569_zpsxvlhmoiw.jpg

IMG_3575_zps9ncbwqph.jpg

 

Simon

 

 

Nice to see one in the flesh so to speak this side of the pond. Very much looking forward to getting my hands on a couple.

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Also looking forward to getting my hands on a pair of the boards. I will be using them deadrail but don't want to buy a deadrail kit!. All I need is the battery wires attached to the board. In fact IMO it would be better if they just supplied the board with a couple of SIL sockets soldered to the battery pads.

 

I am sourcing my own batteries and will use a 2S pair feeding the bluerail board via a hobbyking switch/battery protector and a Pololu 12V voltage regulator, at least that is the idea.

 

Have you found anyone here in the UK that can supply those little 1" cube speakers that feature on the bluerail site?

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I would probably use the Groove Cube via amazon at the moment.

 

Simon

I was looking at the groove cube shutter as it only about 1 inch square so can fit in a wagon/coach etc. They are available in the USA for less than $15 new but when I checked on Amazon UK they want over £50 for one!

 

Where is the justification for that?

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Also looking forward to getting my hands on a pair of the boards.

I will be using them deadrail but don't want to buy a deadrail kit!.

All I need is the battery wires attached to the board.

In fact IMO it would be better if they just supplied the board with a couple of SIL sockets soldered to the battery pads.

 

 

 

I think that they supply exactly what you want.

 

The 3 options available for the first board are...

Track Power Board

Battery Power Board

Dead Rail plug & play system (i.e. the kit mentioned above)

 

http://bluerailtrains.com  (click "Buy Now" to see the products)

 

 

 

.

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Have you found anyone here in the UK that can supply those little 1" cube speakers that feature on the bluerail site?

Hi...

A colleague of mine at Swansea RMG has recently taken delivery of twelve at £3.49 each from eBay

I don't know which store he used but they came over from China I believe.

I've actually installed the Bluetooth module and battery taken out of one of them into into the fuel tanks of a 4mm Heljan Class 47 - I had to replace the speaker which is mounted in the body.

I will also be using the module (which is tiny) in a couple of my 7mm locos paired with larger speakers.

I'll report back when I've tested things....

I'll be ordering a Bluerail chip as soon as they are available....

Randall

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dave Rees has announced that CoastalDCC are supplying these boards.

 

Thanks for the tip Simon.

 

I see the recent email from BlueRail Trains mentions this and also that consisting will be introduced later this month..................

  

 

I'm happy to report that arrangements have been made for BlueRail boards to be made available to the UK through Coastal DCC in Ipswich. 

I've found Kevin Dickerson to be a great guy to work with, and provides great customer service.

We will be sending him a shipment of boards in the next couple of days.

He will probably reach out to you when he has boards, but I will put his contact info at the bottom of this email should you want to get in touch with him directly yourself.

I've sent Kevin a list of who reserved boards which he will be referencing.[/size]

 

The BlueRail board is being reviewed in the October issue of Model Railroader (if anyone over there reads that magazine).

We plan on releasing consisting later next month, to be followed by some additional updates we're excited about, so things are looking up.

We look forward to the boards arriving in the UK soon.

 

David Rees

BlueRail Trains

 

 

Coastal DCC

Kevin Dickerson

website: http://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/

email: enquiries@coastaldcc.co.uk

phone: 01473 710946

 

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Edited by Ron Ron Ron
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