A New Generation of Model Railway Power?

[MJI]

I just want 4mm scale size working 16CSVTs and 12LDA28B and C

[davetheroad]

Recharging without handling - whether achieved by induction, rail contact or magic moonbeams - seems ideal to me on the count of damage reduction on small scale models.

 

Recharging through the plain track rails - which have to be in place for a model railway - seems so natural a solution (minimum incremental cost of kit for a start) that it somewhat baffles me that I have read insistence in the past that this not even be considered for on board battery recharging!

 

The major benefit I see is maintenance of the convenience we already have: in that because the battery can be continuously topped up whenever on plain track with no user intervention of any kind required, the model is always ready to go. The thought of having to monitor charge and take action to recharge over 70 locos does not appeal.

 

I chanced on this topic late but as I have been building a BPRC layout for 4 years I offer some opinions based on my experience.

 

Firstly a couple of years ago I tried out 2 Bluehorse boards from BlueRail Trains in the USA. They use the latest version of Bluetooth Radio to deliver the commands to the board which can draw its power from DC or DCC via the rails or from an onboard battery. What I found interesting was that the board could seamlessly switch between power sources. If the track power was absent it switched to the battery. In effect the battery was a replacement for stay alive capacitors but with a vastly increased run time. Onboard charging via the rails was not included but there is no reason why it could not be. They have developed a new much smaller board but not released it yet. such a board would be an ideal solution. run with whatever power source you want or mix and match them on your layout. I would opt for onboard battery because that is how I power my 45 BPRC locos and I don't need track power so, although I could energise some plain track I don't fancy refitting power pickups and losing the benefits of less drag that I have with battery power.

 

The track still needs cleaning, I do mine about twice a year and the wheels get cleaned when the stock is serviced, that is when I remember to do it.

[Dagworth]

One of the problems of the contactless powering and R/C compared to DCC or possibly cab control DC, (unless it is continuous and can also monitor the position of the train,) is that without following the train manually around the layout you have no idea where it exactly is.

You would need some sort of GPS system that it is accurate to a few mm to track the train(s) so that they are actually where they should be.

I have heard rumblings of such a scheme but AFAIK nobody has a pratical working system.

 

Keith

http://www.gamesontrack.co.uk/indoor-gps-our-real-time-positioning-system.html for one. I saw a different version in operation at Utrecht earlier this year.

 

Andi

Edited December 18, 2018 by Dagworth

[davetheroad]

Check out the S-Cab site for a system that charges from the rails and auto switches between track power and battery

 

http://www.s-cab.com/

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Check out the S-Cab site for a system that charges from the rails and auto switches between track power and battery

 

The projects shown on the blog are particularly helpful, clear and well described. Of what I have seen so far this system appears to me to have the best potential.