How do you control your railway?

[Toeffelholm]

Hi,

How do you control your railways?
Analog? Or trackpower independent RC? Or do like the comfort of DCC control, with all it's possible functions?

Beside all whymsical modelling, trains should do what they are thought for, move!
So what do you like best?

Regards

Juergen

[Vitto]

Straight DC for me, I do have a Basic Train Engineer from Aristocraft/Crest, which is a poor mans RC controller for track power. Works really good.

[Bill Wray]

Battery + RC is my preference. I have converted three of my LGB locos so far. The fourth (a Stainz) should complete soon. The biggest challenge is fitting all the components into the smaller ones, especially the batteries. Some of the avaliable Li-Ion batteries deliver adequate voltage and mAh in a small package.

I have also retained (switchable) track powered option on all my conversions, just in case.

[Rowan]

As my main track is indoors, I use Remote Control Systems gear on one track, and LGB on the other. Outside, on the small 66' ovalistic track, I use Remote Control Systems gear.
Most of my models are powered by motor blocks, which are quick and easy interchangeable.

 

 

[JoeCool]

I use the old school DCC ( Dial Control to Comfort speed). LOL

[Emettman]

For my garden, very basic track power.
Twelve track sections, six on each control panel, with no more than two engines moving at a time, though I can have five or six trains "in play"
Point control: seven of eleven are spring-operated, thus automatic, the other four have mechanical remote control through "wire in tube" methods.

It perhaps isn't how I'd do it were I starting out now, (gigahertz R/C and battery power, probably) but with a large range of locos mostly 12 years old and a track that works,  it's too much to change.

I have a portable G-scale layout under construction:  cheap plastic track and very cheap cannibalised R/C battery power single-speed locos.

[dmaynard]

When I built my railroad I looked at DCC, but the folks I was talking to couldn't explain how to do what I wanted automatically with DCC. I have 2 reverse loops and single track bi-directional mainline, the twist is I have 2 stop blocks in one loop so 2 trains can run around the railroad at a time taking turns. So I set the thing up with a home brew relay controller and spring switches on the loops. I eventually bought an Aristocraft Train Engineer (TE) so that I always have the controls in my hand, after the neighbor kid decided to "help" my Pacific climb to the summit by cranking up the power. Yea she made it to the summit alright, around the reverse loop, started downgrade and then took a romp in the weeds.    Now I have learned a bit more about DCC and would wire for it so that I don't have to make sure I choose 2 locomotives with similar speed characteristics, but with almost 30 locomotives on my roster, now it would be too expensive and time consuming to go DCC. I am still trying to get sound into most of my locomotives.

So the short answer is TE controlled DC run through a relay controller.  So I can set the speed then sit back and watch 2 trains play tag all day long if I want. 

[trainboy]

i have 6 live steam locomotives i set them out and off they go (maybe remote control one day)
the rest of the locomotives are battery powered with just a few AAs, however they all are wired with an emergency stop that is controlled by a photo cell if it picks up and light change that it thinks is dangerous i.e. a derailed loco or car it will kill power, this however posed problems for tunnel operation so i wired a command prompt post at the entry and exit of the tunnels, or any were i wish,this remotely turns on an led hidden in a lamp box that will keep the photo cell from tripping and then engages a push button/touch sensor on the locos under body so that id there is pressure a change (like an unplanned derailment) power will kill and the loco will not fall off the track and keep trying to go) with this system i can set down the locos and let em run, but it gets better once a loco is stop ed is must manually be turned back on (like a breaker box) but if i am indoors or away at the time of the running the locos main control will sent a message to a main receiver then a message will be routed to my train computer, then the computer will send me a text message telling me what loco has stop ed and what was tripped to make it do so. This system had also been used on some of the live steam and more expensive locos so that once they pass certain check points i get a loco status message on my phone as well. Currently i am working on a video system along the lines so that i can also get a video message as the loco goes by to see how its doing. The best part all done with old spar parts and cheeps off the internet so each loco transmitter system only about $10.
I am currently working on buildings and landscapes that will be triggered to work differently as a loco passes (like loco time boards and signals) 

[Rowan]

I want one of these that Train boy has......... then I'll know if my Fortuna Flyer has left the tracks by way of an SMS to my cell while I'm at the flicks..........

 

PS Train boy........ you astound me...... I have just one live steamer which I have enough trouble keeping up with......with your six it must be real challenge... even with photo cells, sensors, texts etc

[Toeffelholm]

Hi,

I'm pleased to see that RC seems to enjoy popularity also among you.
Usually modelrailroaders are more likely to prefer DCC, and apparently some of them just because it's there, not because they really need 24 functions ore more.

I'm using RC control as well and I have a Spektrum 2,4 Ghz system. 2,4 Ghz because I have no more problems at all now with disturbances from the motor (brush fire), and Spektrum because they provide the smallest receiver I could find (Most 2,4 Ghz system are not compatible among each other) .

I placed it for example into my Lister truck.



Togehter with very tiny esc all fits in the back of the Listers frame and ..

... oh sorry, have to leave, just getting a telegraph from the Lister driver, this damn penguin has jammend his foot in a switch again ...

Juergen



 

[Fritz]

Beware of Toeffelholm-Juergen and his penguin!  They are remote controllomaniacs. They´d built  RC into the next bottle opener, while you are not looking. 

Last year, when I was not looking, they pinched one of my Gn15 locos to try to make them run with 2,4 GHz and Lipos.



After a few days they brought it back and it works very convincingly. I only wish, they´d offer smaller  transmitters.



Have Fun

Fritz / Juergen

[G-man]

Trainboy,

You are amazing. Such is the younger generation with computers. When one of us pre-computer guys gets in trouble we go find some youngster to fix it for us. 

Sounds like you got a system there that would be very useful all the way around.
How about posting pictures or doing a blog on site so we can all benefit?

[Toeffelholm]

So, am back again and trains are rolling again.
brought Theodor (the penguin) bach to the shepherd, were he usually lives.
A bandage with a tincture of Stupidiumoxide and the leg will qickly be ok.

Back to the topic. Would be very interested what esc's (motor controller) the RC guys among you use?

Juergen
 

[trainboy]

I would love to do a small article or something.
If anybody wants one i can make a cheat-matic (a wiring diagram that's wayyyyy to simple, i don't understand electrical diagrams) if one would like to give it a try.
as far as rc goes, i wanted to hook it up to one loco of mine but i have seen what happens if they slip out of range. (poor man, a friend of mine completely totaled a fully scaled down live steam triplex, ouch) so im still a wee bit skiddish.
-TB
P.S. Rowan yeah i love live steam, but the best part they where all free from scrap i had lying around, there not top of the line, but i love them all the same.

[Rowan]

TB, then they fit right in here on this forum......... Do you have pictures to post? Love to see them.
Cheers