Crest Revolution Wireless Control

You might want to look at the Crest Revolution system.  I've been using this for some years on my large outdoor Garden Railroad and now am using one for my small 2 x 16 foot 'N' scale 1 engine layout.  It will power up to 5-8 amps, so a half dozen 'N' or 'HO' scale engines could be run in a consist if so desired.  I normally run just 1 or 2 engines at a time in a consist.  The current receivers also have sound, so putting a speaker under the bench gives great sounds.

http://www.crest-electronics.net/

http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=15151431

There is also a base unit for up to 15 amp applications, but all you would need is using the single smaller unit, which is what I use.

http://shop.crest-electronics.net/CRE57000SD-REVOLUTION-SET-W-GENERIC-SOUND-CRE57000SD.htm

I run the layout in a single block, but if more blocks were needed a dedicated receiver for each block could be controlled through a single hand held unit.

Having fun in Ohio,

Mark

Consider DCC

With the low price of DCC decoders you could use one without installing it in an engine but simply connected to the rails. This would also afford the opportunity for sound from a speaker under the table or headphones. Wireless decoders or receivers would be a one time purchase for a set up like yours and you could certainly re-use the components if you decide to expand. I would recommend CVP for a throttle and receiver to start. 

Neil

...

Donated Engines

Are those the engines you received for free from the manufacturers
for the school project? Maybe they could send you some DCC decoders as well. If it's for the school project.

They are mine,

,the club does have a DCC system but I would like something for myself

Decoder motor output> Rails = Not Reccomended

Not everybody has a few

Not everybody has a few hundred bucks to jump into DCC. I believe this chap is still in school.

Well, that's certainly . . .

 . . .  encouraging. 

Trainmaster, you might look into RailPro, which is wireless DC. All the advantages of DCC (consisting, constant track voltage, sound) but a lot less hassle. Check good ol' ebay for something used.

Wireless

About ten years ago I saw kids at a train show using a Aristo Craft 10 Channel Train Engineer but those are not even on ebay anymore. It was a 27 Mhz system and did ok. The downside was a short on the rails could smoke it if the short stayed there too long. I happened to find a repair website for that system.

The Crest is the only one I can see now for DC.

Rich

one way

A cheap way to control a small DC layout with a throttle nearby is to find one of the old tethered cab throttles that work off the power pack power. Should be some around for basically free if everyone hasn't thrown them away by now? Another way would be to get another cheap power pack and wire the layout as two blocks with one power pack mounted on the left leg and the other mounted on the right leg of the layout. This should keep you within arms length of most switching tasks.... .......DaveB 

Poor man's wireless

@Prof: Points taken as I am personally battery powered so had not tried using a decoder to power the rails. You may have saved some $$ for me had I tested this idea. 

Pat one point I used a household wireless lighting controller that my DC pack plugged into. Set the voltage to a reasonable top speed and vary the 110V input. Word pretty well around a Christmas tree. The reversing switch was a 110v relay plugged into another controller so it toggled the output from the power pack to the rails. Not a project for the faint of heart but safely wired and encased in a j-box this setup worked for several holiday seasons. 

Nowdays these devices are also wifi or Bluetooth controlled from a phone so some wireless control could go beyond the small hand held controllers used for lighting and outlet control. 

Neil

Two inexpensive RC options

Good day - There are two inexpensive radio control systems that I have experimented with over the last few years.  The first uses an LED dimmer and is described here:

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Articles/RadioControl-LED-8Amp/index.htm

It does not normally have a reverse function but I give several options for adding one,

More recently I used a very simple LED control unit that makes adding a relay for direction control a snap.  It is here:

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Articles/RadioControl_multi-channel-RF/index.htm

Both require some soldering to add the relay but may be what you are seeking.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

dave

Thanks for all the help,

 A member who prefers to remain anonymous has let me know they have an older Prodigy DCC system for me so I guess I am going DCC anyway! 

DCC

Very nice.

There are small decoders that will easily fit in most locos.

The smallest I have used is the Digitrax DZ125 decoder. Not much bigger than a US dime. Hardwire or comes with eight pin plug. I think it was upgraded to a DZ126.

Some decoders have a 9 pin plug.

Good luck.

Rich

 "I think it was upgraded to

Yep, I just put one in my TT scale SW-9 switcher which is smaller than most HO locos....DaveB