Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Hello all, I would like to know if there are any other ways to control 0 scale or 00 scale model trains? Are there other systems other that DCC and DC? Maybe something like wireless control used on RC cars, boats and aircraft. If so the does it require battries onboard or does it still utilize power from the track? Maybe if any can even provide me with a link to any other website of thread, it would be good enough. Jeremiah. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted November 17, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 17, 2012 Hi Jeremiah, Great timing, the current edition of Model Railway Journal has just the article you need. Cheers, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 it's got me thinking too.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 I am sure I have seen radio control of a GWR tank with on-board batteries but that was some time ago......and the Carlisle O gauge MRC were into discussing it in 2002 using NiCad technology... "we brought part of our test track and, as we have not yet wired the track, several radio-controlled locomotives. The interest shown was exceptional and many people went away convinced of the practicality of the system and its advantages. " http://www.gauge0gui...article15_8.htm Now with the advent of affordable LiPo batteries there should be no reason why it shouldn't be a feasible proposition, as they have no memory problems, charge quickly and a locomotive could take charging current via the wheels on a specially energised piece of track, [or even get little top-up charges] whilst 'taking on water' etc. Doubtless someone here will have an amused incontinent moment brought on by my suggestion.......... Doug Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Back in January1986 a couple of months before he died I was taken by Teddy Boston (I taxied him) to a place somewhere in north Leicester where there was a complete GW layout all of which was radio controlled. Power was by batteries in wagons. I can't recall anything else about it, but it was well developed then. Maybe someone else knows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Glad you didn't need 'Tena for Men' John! D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted November 18, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 18, 2012 My old Hornby 0 gauge clockwork had knobs out of the cab to work it and I have seen similar done with electric models but probably a bit too hands on for you. My 16mm live steamers are either manual control or radio control. I also have DCC for indoor railways and have a cordless device (sadly no longer available) which is good but you still need pick-ups and frog switching. If you try www.gwr.ork.uk and look for Ray Green's Bodmin you will see someone has done want you want. The MRJ article is similar but doesn't show a working layout. If I was starting in 0 gauge now I would look at something similar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Not wireless, but of course there have been various systems over the years for electric control through the rails of model steam locos. The Hornby system is probably the best known, but the Manchester MRS had a similar system in O gauge (?) many years earlier, and there was an indoor SM32 layout with electrically-controlled live steamers in the Modeller in about 1980. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakydoke Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Apart from DCC, there are other digital control systems available, such as the Marklin digital system, Selectrix (several manufacturers make equipment for this) and American RTR manufacturer MTH's own system, DCS. The latter is very much a proprietary system, Marklin less so as it can be used with other brands of RTR model. Selectrix is mostly used in European outline N gauge. RC operation can be obtained through a number of different manufacturers systems; some relatively primative and others which use far more sophisticated digital technology. These are mostly for 0 and larger scale models. There are even wireless systems using DCC with radio communiction to the receiver and decoder in the trains, but using on-board batteries to provide the motive power; e.g. CVP's AirWire system and the new Tam Valley Depot's DRS-1 wireless DCC kit, which turns any DCC system (e.g. NCE, Digitrax, Lenz, ESU etc,) into a RC setup. An alternative digital wireless system is RailPro. This is a quite new and sophisticated system that uses radio to send digital commands back and forth between trains, controllers, accessory modules and other components, but power comes from the track and not batteries. It is only legal to use in the USA though. In 0 and other large scales, Massoth DCC and RC equipment is quite popular. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thanks guys. I like the sound of RAILPRO. Have any website so that I can check it out? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 ... with the advent of affordable LiPo batteries there should be no reason why it shouldn't be a feasible proposition, as they have no memory problems, charge quickly and a locomotive could take charging current via the wheels on a specially energised piece of track, [or even get little top-up charges] whilst 'taking on water' ... I believe this concept to be a winner for several reasons. Charging 'just happens'. Potentially no need to remember to do anything, or to handle locos or items of stock with lighting, for them to recharge. On a layout constructed for the purpose, just a few lengths of plain charging track at planned locations chosen by the layout builder - maybe only the stabling roads on shed for example - are energised for charging. No need to wire layouts to any extent for track power. Point motors can be powered through the rails since the rails are no longer providing continuous power to locos, there's yet more layout wiring dispensed with. A track system design revision with rail powered point motor and decoder integrated in every point will be a step forward in 'plug and play' in layout construction, and it would be possible to design in a sectioning system for train location too. If the loco charging system is flexible, the loco will still operate remotely controlled on existing DC or DCC wired layouts, charging from the available track power. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 19, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 19, 2012 I believe this concept to be a winner for several reasons. Point motors can be powered through the rails since the rails are no longer providing continuous power to locos, there's yet more layout wiring dispensed with. Won't you then get the same problem as when trying to feed loco power to the track with just one pair of feeds? If you have "yet more layout wiring dispensed with" that infers using the track joiners as conductors between sections and we know how unreliable that can be! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Won't you then get the same problem as when trying to feed loco power to the track with just one pair of feeds? If you have "yet more layout wiring dispensed with" that infers using the track joiners as conductors between sections and we know how unreliable that can be! Keith Sorry Keith, pressed the wrong [like] button! As someone old enough to remember brass rail and steel rail joints I'd agree if the same standards pertained, but with nickel-silver and modern joiners you don't get the green corrosion, and I've not suffered from lack of connectivity using D.C. running, [although my layout is very small]. A small application of 'Electrolube' prior to joining would make it even less likely? Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 This might be of interest in this thread........... http://www.protocab.com/information.html Happy reading! Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thanks guys. I like the sound of RAILPRO. Have any website so that I can check it out? Here is what you are looking for...... Ring Engineering home page RailPro home page RailPro FAQ's Comparison - RailPro v DCC RailPro Videos . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Some more on wireless DCC with on-board batteries..... Tam Valley Depot DRS-1 (dead rail wireless DCC with on-board battery power) This is NOT a different DCC system. It can be added to any DCC system to provide DCC operation without power routing through the tracks. Unfortunately it can only be legally sold in the US. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Not radio control, but there have been a few battery powered layouts - I seem to remember a UK outline HO layout powered by rechargeable batteries in one of the magazines a few years back. The batteries were connected to a handheld or panel mounted controller that took 12V input. I can't remember the exact technical details but apparently it gave a much smother power supply than rectified AC power from the mains. This might be worth considering - I gather from my Indian colleagues that the power supply in Bangalore isn't very reliable, which must be a bit frustrating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 19, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 19, 2012 Sorry Keith, pressed the wrong [like] button! As someone old enough to remember brass rail and steel rail joints I'd agree if the same standards pertained, but with nickel-silver and modern joiners you don't get the green corrosion, and I've not suffered from lack of connectivity using D.C. running, [although my layout is very small]. A small application of 'Electrolube' prior to joining would make it even less likely? Doug I started with Triang grey base (Series 3?) steel track which was pretty useless over more than a few joints. Next I went onto Wrenn fibre base track (you had to wire some of that by necessity), and then Peco code 100 (about 40 years ago!) That last one was an loft layout about 16' x 12'. None of these would |I have trusted any quantity of rail joiners! I now have code 75 with all rails connected to a bus, much more reliable IMHO. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Andy Dell of DEMU demonstrated a voice-controlled variation of DCC at one of the exhibitions (Burton ?) a couple of years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 - battery powered and radio controlled, awesome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nightstar.train Posted November 19, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 19, 2012 if you go down the pure RC route then nowadays you can get some very small 2.4GHz receivers. These are digital and bonded to the transmitter (much like bluetooth) and you can get transmitters that can remember several bondings to switch between on the fly. However you will be limited to about 8 different ones. You can also get some very compact RC speed controllers to go with the receivers. Just make sure they can deliver enough amps the motor you want to drive, and also that have some means of venting the heat they might generate, although at model rail levels of power that shouldn't be a problem. The main problem is where you put the batteries if you don't want power from the rails. Unless you use a wagon or a coach even the biggest OO loco will have a short run time. Not so much a problem in O gauge though. You could also have a conventional DC layout, and install an RC unit and speed controller instead of the usual controller and have a radio control conventional layout. If you got a transmitter and receiver that could do six channels you could also use RC switches to control different sections. All this is fairly pricey though as it's designed for boats and planes, which have different requirements to our trains. If you use DCC there are many systems around that are wireless, some even let you use an iPhone for example. Some of them are very expensive, but i use the MERG system, which is very cheap by comparison. DCC control station, booster and USB interface are about £80, free software on the computer then a couple of quid on an iPhone app and i can drive trains from my phone! The wonders of modern technology. Chips are about £15 per loco, whereas a tiny 2.4GHz receiver will be at least that, with the speed controller extra. It depends what you want it for really. For a large outdoor layout then i'd go for batteries and RC, but for an indoor layout I'd go for normal DCC or DC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted November 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 19, 2012 - battery powered and radio controlled, awesome. I mentioned this yesterday it is actually infra red control just like a TV zapper. Interesting viewing it also featured in Railway Modeller some years ago. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I have a G scale set up which would be a natural for battery and r/c... primarily it will get me past the shoddy state of my hand-built track, no need to worry about conducting electrickery through the rails, they can be painted rusty! I shall be following this thread with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakydoke Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 The world has moved on a long way from traditional RC solutions. They only have one-way communication and very limited in functionality, even if using modern digital RC kit. Even worst, the IR stuff is pretty archaic. There are now digital wireless systems with much greater capability, particularly for an application such as model railways. Unfortunately, it seems many in the British modelling scene are living in a time warp. That's not meant to be an insult or slur on anyone here, but it does reflect some attitudes or lack of awareness when it comes to changes in practise or the availability of modern materials or equipment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagaguy Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Back in January1986 a couple of months before he died I was taken by Teddy Boston (I taxied him) to a place somewhere in north Leicester where there was a complete GW layout all of which was radio controlled. Power was by batteries in wagons. I can't recall anything else about it, but it was well developed then. Maybe someone else knows. If anybody has all the back issues of Model Rail.I seem to recall that there was a large GWR layout with all the locos fitted with battery power & RC controlled.Sadly,I no longer have my pile of magazines but I think Chris Leigh is a some time contributor to these forums,perhaps he may remember the article. Cheers,Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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