Video

 Joey,

 I took the liberty of re-posting your video so it is embedded.

Bernd

Thanks Bernd, always count on

Thanks Bernd, always count on you my friend.

question

Is this possible in ho

It's possible in N gauge

I've done it on HO but with track power.

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/radio-controled-260-steam-engine-in-ho-gauge-12193015

Check out some of David's video's at the Deltang web site.

http://www.deltang.co.uk./video.htm

Enjoy.

Bernd

Changing connectors, RTR providers

Dear Joey,

Um, charging connection via a 3.5mm connector? Given that it is virtually guaranteed that such a connector will short it's terminals together during plug/unplug, I have to say I'd be scared to do this to LiPo batteries. Also, is the connector disconnecting the reciever when the charging plug is inserted?

For those who are looking for a "RTR provider", consider TrainWorkX / The Model Works Australia
http://themodelworksaustralia-com.webs.com/product-page-1

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS Joey, would love to see a thread covering your experiences as a Touring/Exhibition modeller in the US.

IR control and plastic track

My soon to be under construction garden railroad will run Lego trains which are battery powered and IR controlled. They will run on Lego's plastic track. Lego trains are something akin to S gage.

Since I live in New England the track and buildings will have to be brought inside during the winter months.

I plan to use the Tortoise and lizard bash RR as a track plan.

Excellent, this thread is

Excellent, this thread is about pros, cons and sharing of information. The guys I deal with just happen to use the brand that is mentioned, but I have seen other reputable brands and I will check out the one you mentioned.

Prof, I can't answer your question about the charging ports but I will mention it to the gang and maybe they can touch on it. If you would like, I can give you contact info for these guys and their chapter (version) of the dead rail society. My layout is not what I would call a touring layout (at least not how I interpret the meaning of touring). It is just a portable/sectional layout display to which I incorporate my products into, to show what can be done in small spaces etc. It wouldn't be much of a thread

Patiently waiting...

I keep hoping that battery power and radio control becomes industry standard in HO so that I don't have to do any wiring on the new layout.  I'm sure that won't happen until after I've done wiring, as that is my luck. Then everything will switch to radio control on dead rails. 

Randy

You don't have to wait

Randy,

Do what I've done. Install R/C and use track power for now. When it all becomes battery powered you'll be ready to go.

Bernd

Getting there..

I'm still waiting for someone to produce a radio control system for model railroads with ALL of the features readily available from DCC today.  Specifically of interest to me (in no particular order):

• Size - I can get some REALLY tiny decoders with excellent motor control.
• Sound - I really like some of the sound decoders coming out these days, and I suspect they'll continue to improve.
• Addressing - I can pick up any throttle and select any locomotive on the layout.  Also, the addresses can be something obvious and intuitive, like the road number.
• Price - I can get a good quality decoder for less than $15, maybe $20 for the smaller versions.  Throttles can be had for around $60, and a basic DCC system for around $200.
• Simple Throttles - A UT-4 is easy to use one handed and without looking at it.  I may be old fashioned, but I like a throttle knob. It just feels right in my hand.
• Tuning - I can fine tune the operation of a locomotive without opening the shell, once the mechanical tuning and decoder installation is finished.
• Motor Control - I can get good, inexpensive decoders which control even mediocre 12 volt motors beautifully.  In other words, I don't have to think about what kind of motor is in a model - just isolate it and go.
• Open Technology - I can combine components from any DCC manufacturer out there, meaning that I am not bound to a single company's products.

There are plenty of other things I like about DCC, but those are the big ones.  Please understand that I don't intend this list to be a "Why DCC is better than R/C" list.  Rather, it's a call to potential manufacturers to show what features would make me consider R/C instead of DCC.  If I could get all of the above for a comparable price, I would likely go R/C just to avoid the problems of putting a signal on the rails.  I suspect that it will happen sooner or later, either as a modification or extension of DCC, or a complete replacement.  There are a few products on the market which are close, but not quite there yet in my opinion.  Hopefully discussions like this will further the trend.

a radio control system with ALL of the features

The big problem with battery power is that locos take a lot of current to run so it's hard to get equal performance for equal length of time from a battery system compared to a power system feeding thru the rails. We have basically the same thing as the North East corridor where they run high speed high power traIns hardwired instead of battery powered. Batteries make sense on things that don't have a built in power supply system but are not as efficient for things that do......DaveB

Dear Ken, In order of

Dear Ken,

In order of appearance:

The Deltang recievers are significantly smaller than many currently-offered "train-focussed" DiWiDCC systems.

Check some of the example installs on the TrainWorxAustralia website.

Tough issue. Some RC car controllers have sound implemented now. However, there are significantly-less "rivetcounter" audio bods in the RC car world, and those that are do not appear to have anywhere-near the "must absolutely match Loco # XYZ as it sounded after it's 3rd rebuild circa Feb 199x, with the Nathan y-chime horn and the 4th bell suffering a ripped diaphram" level of required-sonic-detail as model RRers do. In short, no RC manufacturer is ready for the onslaught that would ensue if they attempted to release a "train sound equipped" reciever (Equally, having seen the abuse that current DCC Sound decoder manufacturer's recieve, no RC reciever manufacturer would be willing to even try. Safer to stick with the RC Car, Plane, and Boat markets who buy more and complain less).

The Deltang and similar systems use digital "Binding" to link any given throttle handset to any given loco. One doesn't need to know the loco number, it's literally

- press "discover" button on Throttle
- press "discover" button on Loco
(or wave magnetic wand, or rock the loco off/on the track to initiate a "power-on" condition)
- and wait for the LEDs on both loco and throttle to "flash in sync"

It's not quite ESP, but it is "bind this one to that one" simple.

Prices I'm seeing suggest around AUD$60 for a basic reciever, and AUD$88-120 for a throttle (which can be bound in realtime to any reciever-equipped loco). So your "$200 starter set" is well within striking range.

Check the pic, it doesn't get much simpler...

http://www.deltang.co.uk/tx21-2.jpg

Unfortunately no, not at this time, but see below.

Given that many of the Deltang recievers are engineered to work with 3.7 LiPo batteries, and precision low-volt motors, the motor for a DiRx loco is likely to be of a better spec than "just whatever the loco came with". Ergo, little/no tuning required, because it'a already a "decent performing" motor as is

If we consider the "wireless signals in the air" as the equivalent of the "DCC signals as carried by the rails", then yes, AFAIK Deltang and some other RC transmitters/recievers can be used to control/react to each other.

However, whether the "compatibility matrix" between any given transmitter and any given reciever is as seamless, or as documented as the DCC systems we as model RRers are familiar with, is a seperate and entirely different question...

I hope this helps...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Help!

Prof,

Google can't find TrainWorxAustralia. Comes up with a museum in Australia.

User of Deltag R/C. Bernd

Track power...

Track power is what I want to get away from. I think one day soon we will look back amazed that we used to put up with shorts as much as we do.  Even the best-executed layouts suffer from shorting when an errant operator runs a switch or something.  It is something over which the layout owner has no real control, other than telling me, err..I mean the errant operator, to not come back.  I don't think I've ever been to a completely error-free operating session. If the locos were all battery-powered about 98% of those errors would be eliminated.  Or am I missing something?  

Randy

Or am I missing something?

 I think you are unaware that most of us don't have any problem with track supplied power or shorts and prefer maintaining it to trying to get sufficient power out of an onboard battery?  .DaveB

Could be missing something

Well having a short will shut down the rest from running into the derailed locomotive. What do you think?

Bernd

I would go with small

I would go with small batteries and track power to recharge them in the smaller scales.  2.4 gig R/C radio equipment can be had for a small price.  How about 6 channel receivers for $6.00 ? 

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__28554__OrangeRx_R615_Spektrum_JR_DSM2_Compatible_6Ch_2_4Ghz_Receiver.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__18827__OrangeRx_R415_Spektrum_DSM2_Compatible_4Ch_Micro_2_4Ghz_Receiver.html

How about WiFi 4 channel receiver.  you can use your phone to control the model, maybe the makers of WiThrottle could make this work. http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__21430__Hobbyking_IOS_Android_4CH_WiFi_Receiver.html

Remember when?

Remember back when you had to find a pay phone and spend a dime to make a phone call?

Remember back when cars were big, newspapers had multiple sections, and a BetaMax was an amazing thing?

Remember back when our model trains were powered through the rails?

Dead Rail is the future of the hobby. I've lost all interest in running my small On30 locomotives on DCC, with frequent dropouts. They sit idle every night because after a day at work, I don't want to clean the track again just to run a train for a few minutes. I've gone to great lengths to improve reliability, adding Keep Alive capacitors, extra contacts, etc. It's all a huge hassle. The technology will improve, battery performance will expand in smaller packages, and HO (and even N) will benefit.

The technology is proven, and when I convert to Dead Rail, I won't be looking back...I'll be ripping up track. I can finally run on track that is modeled to the same level as the scenery around it and the trains on it. Rickety, crooked track with sags and rough joints would add tremendous character and fun to my railroad. If I modeled a class A railroad with multi-unit consists, it might not be a big deal...but for those who run smaller locomotives, it is a huge advancement. It's not for everyone, but don't knock it because it isn't for you...

Verne, my sentiments exactly

Verne, my sentiments exactly

And this thread was meant to explore the concept through discussion and nothing else. I couldn't have cared any less what brand Steve installed in the locos. If it works, and they all work, that is what counts.

I still have DCC locos and a few with sound that I will keep. But for those small  short wheelbase porters, davenports and such that need to negotiate the tight curves on my display layout, Battery is the way to go for me. Now with that said, when I am comfortably able to have battery/radio and sound together in the same loco, I will probably do that and eliminate DCC all together. < ---I said, "when "I" am comfortably able". 

Joey Ricard

Right on, Verne

That is exactly what I mean. Dead rail is the future, and the way we're doing it now will just seem silly by comparison.  You guys that say you have no trouble with your track power have my deepest respect.  I have operated on a lot of very nice layouts and haven't seen one yet with zero electrical problems.  A slight hesitation over a switch, losing power momentarily so that the loco goes through the start-up sounds again, these kinds of things are fairly common. Things will be so much easier with battery power, dead rails, and r/c control.  It can't get here fast enough for me.  

Randy

Batteries

I see the weak spot as batteries.  Having a sufficiently small battery that has 3-4 hours of life is in my mind the barrier.  A counter might be a system that charges off the rails.  There would be be power to engine tie up tracks and selected other tracks so that during dwell times the batteries could be charged. 

The goal would be to get the entire package in an HO Pocher/Bachmann/IHC 4-4-0.

It should be possible

I have an idea on how to do that.  Unfortunately, I don't really have the motivation or money to make it happen, but I might know somebody who does.  I'm working on my half of the project, though.

A counter might be a system that charges off the rails.

 That would be better than having to run on battery alone but it would still be more complicated than no battery and clean tracks. If one is running outdoors batteries make a lot of sense but inside the house they seem like more trouble than they are worth when a keep alive capacitor can take care of the momentary loss of power problem.. .....DaveB

small On30 locomotives on DCC, with frequent dropouts.

   It's odd that N scale  locos are much smaller and operate flawlessly on powered rails? Maybe it's the loco design and not the track's fault?? ..DaveB