I will spend £150 - £250 on a loco but nothing on a controller

[Pierre Le Brun]

20 hours ago, Pierre Le Brun said:

 

Hi I've just taken delivery of my Morley controller and connected it up to my small N gauge Layout. I found the start up, slowing down and stopping to be very good. I bought the Crawler version. So far I'd give it a thumbs up. I also like the auxiliary power for lights etc which is DC. My Gaugemaster Combi's auxiliary was AC and caused me problems with Led's. 

 

[Pierre Le Brun]

I also bought a Gaugemaster Twin Track controller. Quick comparison between my Gaugemaster & Morley. Gaugemaster is half the size all steel and more robust. Morley is mostly plastic with aluminium front. The Morley has additional controls on long leads. I did find the Gaugemaster D had the edge on slowing and starting. Hand held Morley controllers are great for youngsters. If I had to keep only one it would be the Gaugemaster (but my wife likes the look of the Morley) 

Later I tried running my Gaugemaster scenic Sound module from the Morley 12v dc auxiliary connection, it produced a stuttering sound. So its not a smooth DC output. Haven't tried the Gaugemaster auxiliary yet. 

 

 

Edited February 3 by Pierre Le Brun

[Colin_McLeod]

On 24/01/2024 at 11:20, Michael Hodgson said:

 

You can't have Duette-style controls for speed and direction on DCC, because the direction cannot be aligned to the direction of the centre-off knob because forward/reverse are relative to the loco rather than relative to the track.  Turn the loco to face the other way and it will move in the opposite direction.

It works for Hornby Dublo three rail where the forward/reverse are relative to the loco rather than relative to the track.

[kevinlms]

14 hours ago, Pierre Le Brun said:

 

Later I tried running my Gaugemaster scenic Sound module from the Morley 12v dc auxiliary connection, it produced a stuttering sound. So its not a smooth DC output. Haven't tried the Gaugemaster auxiliary yet. 

 

 

Not surprising, as usually on such devices, the DC is just taken off after the bridge rectifier. For best trouble free operation, use a separate regulated DC supply of sufficient rating. Sharing power supplies is never a good idea and trying to save costs, will end up causing problems.

 

The 'cost saving', is of course the whole point of this thread!

Edited February 4 by kevinlms
More info

[kevinlms]

14 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

It works for Hornby Dublo three rail where the forward/reverse are relative to the loco rather than relative to the track.

Yes, but noone outside possibly a specialist collectors market, is ever going to bring back 3 rail. Anything is possible, given the modern possibility of limited production runs, but they tend to be expensive per unit. Not what Hornby Dublo 3 rail was ever intended to be.

[Pierre Le Brun]

On 04/02/2024 at 03:12, kevinlms said:

Not surprising, as usually on such devices, the DC is just taken off after the bridge rectifier. For best trouble free operation, use a separate regulated DC supply of sufficient rating. Sharing power supplies is never a good idea and trying to save costs, will end up causing problems.

 

The 'cost saving', is of course the whole point of this thread!

Agreed, I have a separate DC plug for Lights & Sound module. The Gaugemaster DC auxiliary doesn't  work either. 

[APOLLO]

First OO layout, around 1973, under construction 

 

 

3 Codar controllers, the bees knees at the time, slide controls with regulator & simulator (acceleration / brake).

 

I still have them, one controlls the colour light signals brightness and the other 12V layout lighting.

 

I later went to ECM's, and when they died I now use Gaugemasters - they're superb.

 

Brit15

[melmerby]

On 04/02/2024 at 05:57, kevinlms said:

Yes, but noone outside possibly a specialist collectors market, is ever going to bring back 3 rail.

Plenty of new 3 rail H0 available in Europe and also AC motored locos.

Quite a lot of 3 rail 0 in the USA

Edited February 5 by melmerby

[Coldgunner]

On 05/02/2024 at 16:44, APOLLO said:

First OO layout, around 1973, under construction 

 

 

3 Codar controllers, the bees knees at the time, slide controls with regulator & simulator (acceleration / brake).

 

I still have them, one controlls the colour light signals brightness and the other 12V layout lighting.

 

I later went to ECM's, and when they died I now use Gaugemasters - they're superb.

 

Brit15

 

I love it! definitely fitting that 70's era stereo HiFi mixing desk vibe on your console

[APOLLO]

24 minutes ago, Coldgunner said:

 

I love it! definitely fitting that 70's era stereo HiFi mixing desk vibe on your console

 

The 70's stereo was at the other end of the layout, along with a home made nixie tube digital clock !!

Those were the (young, daft and happy) days !!!!!!

 

 

Brit15

[Coldgunner]

much sought after kit these days

[melmerby]

19 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

a home made nixie tube digital clock

Back in fashion with the up-cyclers, usually incorporated into something that should've stayed in the skip😀

How about using alpha-numeric ones for a DCC controller, using valves for the dcc system because they give a warmer waveform😉

 

Last time I looked, working Nixie tubes were getting quite expensive.

Edited February 7 by melmerby

[GrumpyPenguin]

On 17/02/2023 at 14:51, Legend said:

I suppose a Controller is just not as sexy as a new model locomotive . People can admire the rich colours handsome lining of a Caley 812 but a controller is purely functional and not thought of in the same way , although an essential piece of equipment

Could not agree more.

 

Of course, the same can be said regarding wiring - some people are quite happy to strip back old household wiring but not spend £25/50 on some nice new cable to wire an extensive layout.

[Pete the Elaner]

54 minutes ago, chiefpenguin said:

 

Of course, the same can be said regarding wiring - some people are quite happy to strip back old household wiring but not spend £25/50 on some nice new cable to wire an extensive layout.

 

Or use telephone wiring, which is designed to use 50v to carry a very low signalling current only, not rated for anything like the 1A which a loco can possibly draw when hauling a train. 

[kevinlms]

13 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

Or use telephone wiring, which is designed to use 50v to carry a very low signalling current only, not rated for anything like the 1A which a loco can possibly draw when hauling a train. 

Telephone wire is generally worse than that, because it is single stranded and prone to breaking. Yes, multi-stranded cable was used in exchanges, especially for relay based equipment, but what was used in customer (subscriber) premises, was almost always single stranded.

 

Just because it might be available for free, doesn't always make it the best choice.

Edited February 23 by kevinlms
More info

[Penlan]

On 05/02/2024 at 16:44, APOLLO said:

........ I now use Gaugemasters - they're superb.

The main trouble I have with the Gaugemaster Combi's, is their use of a Red LED to show there's power passing through it.   I always think there's a short somewhere, why not a Green LED?

[Ramrig]

On 07/02/2024 at 15:59, APOLLO said:

 

The 70's stereo was at the other end of the layout, along with a home made nixie tube digital clock !!

Those were the (young, daft and happy) days !!!!!!

 

 

Brit15

Never mind the stereo, I like the fact you have 3 EM2’s in blue with the double arrows on the side. A good mix of stock there.

[G-BOAF]

Its funny, as a child, for my first few years in railway modelling I was happy using an 'hand me down' triang controller (it was already getting on a bit and potentially of dubious safety in hindsight). All fine until the variable resistor burned out; I was then gifted a brand new twin track Gaugemaster model D by my family. Now it must be said that running Margate tender-drive locos, I'm not sure there was much of a change in performance from Triang to Gaugemaster. BUT I now appreciate that is is a lovely analogue controller for higher-quality models. Certainly in comparison to the cheap split-from-set Bachmann controller I purchased a few years back (for use 'on the road' primarily as it is compact enough to go into a duffle bag, as well as now illuminating Mk2 stock in my display cabinet from time to time).

 

Many years on, having obtained a number of sound fitted models (particular livery or number combos only available sound fitted, etc). I figured I should get a DCC controller, but as the o/p summarised, I fitted into the 'loathed to spend a loco-worth of money' (or two locos-worth) on a decent DCC controller. And the basic Bachmann/Hornby trainset controllers with limited function access didn't really appeal given the price (£150 for a basic DCC controller going up to fn10), with more expensive units up towards the £400 mark (in the days when locos were 100-200, not 200-300!!!)

 

Roll on 2021 and Amazon USA were somehow selling brand new [1] MRC Prodigy Advance2 packages (with backlit handheld) for $229 and I was convinced, helped by visiting overseas family and 'importing' it personally back to the UK! c.£170 for a 'full fat' controller has certainly been worth it for operational flexibility, making best use of sound locos and illuminated coaches. Its been hugely fun. The problem has been the ongoing cost of chipping those locos I want to use with my DCC-sound equipped collection!

 

[1] the first delivery I had from Amazon looked decidedly 'not new', worn box and a handset that defaulted to 2 not 3. A quick return later and I was presented with something that, aside from a small amount of shelf wear, was mint and pristine in the box.

Edited February 29 by G-BOAF

[fezza]

I don't think good controllers need to be expensive. Don't tell anyone, but from an electronics point of view most aren't that complex.  For DCC I use an old Bachmann Dynamis handheld and it is excellent for all but the most advanced needs. I use a  Gaugemaster feedback controller (cost £40) for DC and it runs my old Triang Hymek as smoothly and slowly as any DCC controlled loco. It also provides added sound which I actually quite like - a lovely growl when starting a heavy train.

Edited March 3 by fezza

[kevinlms]

On 23/02/2024 at 22:03, Penlan said:

The main trouble I have with the Gaugemaster Combi's, is their use of a Red LED to show there's power passing through it.   I always think there's a short somewhere, why not a Green LED?

Years ago in the late 1980s a new small phone system was installed in a customers premises. As the installing tech proudly showed the customer a new feature as a first.

The LED for the phone line showed green for the line that was ringing and red for line that was in use at another phone, or it was NOT programmed to ring at that phone. So green only for when that phone, programmed to ring a particular line.

 

The tech and a few levels of management (there for the photo opportunity, as the first install of this new system), were rather deflated, when the businesses owner, asked if there was an alternative colour scheme, as he was colour blind and couldn't tell the difference!

There wasn't and I don't know I ever saw one with LEDs except red and green. Of course these days with colour display anything is possible.

[jpendle]

49 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

There wasn't and I don't know I ever saw one with LEDs except red and green. Of course these days with colour display anything is possible.

That's because the only other colour available back then was yellow.

 

The Blue LED was demonstrated in 1972 but it wasn't until 1989 that a useful Blue LED was made.

 

Regards,

 

John P

[mikesndbs]

Has anyone yet identified the difference between the Vector and Crawler by Morley? 

 

They are the same price now but still say there are additional components.

 

I wonder if they just reduced the smoothing capacitors as per my findings?

 

Love to know?

[rodent279]

On 17/02/2023 at 21:36, Michael Hodgson said:

controllers can now be individually isolated from the power pack using WW2 Lancaster bomb release switches. 

Like this?