With the idea that it is fun to control these engines with total realism and control, I wonder how many use RC to control their layouts outside. Especially larger layouts that require allot of track. Battery power consumption must be one consideration I’m sure, but also running multiple units (engines) at one time and on different tracks. Honestly, I have never done any RC trains before and wonder what you guys think of it.
Thanks Stacy K.
I’m all battery R/C and I wouldn’t head in another direction. It’s perfect for me. Maybe not for others. I like the independent running of locos and not having to clean track. But, I love R/C stuff cars, trucks tanks planes…
Some swear by DC power, some DCC others by battery. We all have our reasons. 
Terry
Terry Burr said:
I’m all battery R/C and I wouldn’t head in another direction. It’s perfect for me. Maybe not for others. I like the independent running of locos and not having to clean track. But, I love R/C stuff cars, trucks tanks planes…
Some swear by DC power, some DCC others by battery. We all have our reasons.
Terry
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Thanks Terry for your thoughts on this subject. The track cleaning is a pain alright. That is a selling feature for RC in my opinion. Excellent point.
Yes, everyone has their thing I suppose, but I am fascinated with RC. I do have some experiences in it, though I am far from the expert. LOL
Stacy K
Stacy,
When I started in this hobby in 1985, I sued track power. Small layout, about 110 feet. After a couple of years of running, I was disgusted with the constant cleaning of track and fixing rail joints! I removed that layout many years ago because I just plain lost interest because of the constant maintenance. Fast forward to 2007 and I started in Fn3 narrow gauge. Talked to some people about new technology in the hobby and decided on RC/battery. Everything contained in the locomotives…batteries, sound and motion control. I have been thoroughly satisfied with that decision. I use Airwire and Phoenix sound. Two steam engines and a Berlyn Work Goose #6. As a matter of fact, I had all my engines running for Easter for our granddaughter. My Bachmann Connie ran a three car passenger train with a eight pound brass Accucraft long caboose and two AMS J&S coaches at 7 pounds apiece. That engine ran for 5 hours with one or two short breaks. I then ran it at night for another 2 hours straight. Brought it in in the late evening(the engine was STILL pulling strong and the batteries didn’t need charging. I charged them anyway because I always do that to have them full when I want to run again. It only took thirty minutes to bring them up to full charge. I judge I had a couple of hours use still in them. I know others have definite opinions about how to power their equipment. But I find RC/battery to be the best for me.
If you are into multiple lash-ups with modern diesels, these are easily programmed to be controlled by one controller as a consist. I have a friend in Washington who controls four or five units pulling 75 car trains…all with one controller…all on batteries in each diesel. Very cool system! Just my .02.
Stacy, if all you are going to do is watch your locomotive chase its caboose, and so far, you have insisted that is all you want to do, then track power will be sufficient for your needs. To do anything else would be a waste of money.
On the other hand, if you want to operated a miniature transportation system, then I would recommend that you consider radio control/battery power. You won’t regret it.
I think Stacy is looking at R/C as a way of avoiding cleaning track, rather than enhancing the operational aspects of Large Scale. In which case a battery only, switch it on and let it run set up, without R/C, would work.
I’ve been R/C only since 1996, using Tony’s RCS and another system too. Never wanted to go back to the track power.
One loco is STILL running its 18 year old nicads, BTW although they are getting pretty tired
Installing a Batt/RC system in an engine depends a lot on how you plan to operate your layout. Like Steve said, if all your going to do is have long modern freight trains winding through the scenery, then RC is not very cost effective.
But at the end of the run, if you plan on breaking down those trains and delivering the cars to their final destinations (local industries), the way some of us run our layouts, then RC is a viable option.
And to make it more interesting, there are computer programs that will print out a manifest that will tell you what cars go to which industries and what cars need to be picked up.
See:
http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/20217/operations-on-the-j-amp-b-novem
http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/20217/operations-on-the-j-amp-b-novem
http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/19595/operations-on-the-rgs
http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/19672/train-ops-2013-picture-thread
Just one more way to run your railroad…
The railroad (outdoor, dirt level, in and around the trees and bushes) is eight years old now. The control system is Crest Train Engineer 27 Mhz. which I purchased jst before the REVO launch.
The fist six years were track powered but a switch to predominantly battery took place two years ago. I prefer battery power: there is a much finer control when switching I find.
I do however, still have a couple of track powered locos and that track powere facility still exists but is not often used,
My consists tend to be small (small railroad) of up to eight cars. I do have one small loco (Aristo Center Cab) which is battery powered and has simple control which will run around and around. It usually pulls five 1:22.5 coal hoppers. Ideal when I have other jobs in the garden to do,
I run a little of everything. Im one of those roundy round guys, never got into operations. I started out with track power and enjoyed it but found out that it was harder to run in the snow. Track cleaning was not an issue since I have a smaller layout but if it was bigger it would have gotten old, cleaning track. I eventually added some battery trains using the simple critter control. It was a basic knob located on the train that controlled the speed of the train. It was about the cheapest way to get battery power. It worked out well but the biggest issue was when I got derailments, I had to run over and turn the knob off. Then I switched to live steam and never turned back. I still operate my track power and battery when I just want to sit a relax or working on the layout. I have one engine hooked up to RC and two live steamers hooked up to RC. It definitely makes operating easier.
I recommend RC only because of the ability of control you have with it. It’s more fun when you can slow things down and blow the horn when you want to. As for the power debate I just laugh at everyone as I don’t pick a side as I can switch between both track and battery power on all of my engines. If someone has track power or I run on the clubs layout great I run track. If there is no power I switch over and run battery and still have fun and all of my capabilities. I am running the QSI system here.
Another option is R/C track power. I use a Bridgewerks UR-15 along with a USA Train Power 10 amp power supply. I have about 175 feet of track and can run two trains at a time, but not individually. I installed on/off switches in all my locos so I can stage a train on a siding or spur and turn it off and run a different train for a while. I run either roundy round or operations as the mood strikes me (my railroad, my rules). So far track cleaning is not a big chore with my brass track in Florida.
Got to go now, it’s time to run the railroad!
I really like the idea of battery RC but the trouble for me is the cost. I have too many locos. If I had just a few it would be a different story. Track power is easy. I buy a new engine, take it out of the box and off it goes. Steam? Diesel? They are already to go at a moments notice.
Now concerning track cleaning yes it needs to be clean but not sparkling. I’m pushing 500 feet of track and it takes 5-10 minutes to run the scotchbrite pad pole around. I would say that even the RC guys need to clean their tracks of leaves and other clutter before running. Half of my RR uses rail clamps and the rest still has the original joiners with conductive grease in them. Occasionally one fails but they are easy to fix. I used many 5’ pieces of track to eliminate as many joints as possible.
As for siding blocks I use insulated joiners on all my sidings and household light switches mounted in a trackside shack. Look to the October 2013 issue of Garden Railways for the full scoop. My benchtop yard has 8 switches. I have enough power with my crest transformer to run 3 trains at once using a Aristo train engineer to control the track voltage. If one train is catching up to another I have 2 passing sidings where the track can be shut off to let the train pass or to slow the other down. This adds to the fun especially when I am having my train races where I will have 4-5 small locos tearing up the track chasing each other.
Battery RC sure is nice but if you don’t want to spend the extra dough to outfit each loco or wait for the battery to charge up track power is the way to go.
The aspect of r/c and battery that hits you immediately (when you try it) is that your focus shifts from running the layout (which is what you do with track power,) to running the locomotive like the prototype.
You can go anywhere, independent of other trains (better watch where they are going though!) You don’t need to worry about track section switches, or reversing loops. You are controlling the loco, not the track.
It’s a whole new perspective, and most folk love it.
I run Batt/RC. My favorite locos have onboard receivers and sound. The others use a “control car” with the controls inside that car. I have set up several different types of cars to hide the control. Gons, box, hoppers etc. I simply move the receiver to the one I want to use.
I like roundy-round and operating.
Clearly a lot of people use battery power.
You do ask some questions though where battery power has issues, and one is multiple units. Not all systems can control multiple locos in a single train. VERY FEW do it well, where the bell, horn, etc only operate the lead unit (especially when running backwards).
Another R/C issue is range, if you were running a long train, and had a helper at the rear, you could have difficulties keeping both locos in range well enough to keep the locos “well coordinated”
But, for many battery operated people, this is NOT an issue, because typically they do not run long trains, or multiple units or locos at the end also.
There’s also scaling problems, I have a goodly number of locos and the costs of 10 or more chargers, and many more battery packs makes it too expensive for me to go to battery power.
Again, most people will only have a few locos, or share a battery car, or not run multiple locos at one time, so it’s not an issue for them.
Greg
Stacy Krausmann said:
With the idea that it is fun to control these engines with total realism and control, I wonder how many use RC to control their layouts outside. Especially larger layouts that require allot of track. Battery power consumption must be one consideration I’m sure, but also running multiple units (engines) at one time and on different tracks. Honestly, I have never done any RC trains before and wonder what you guys think of it.
Thanks Stacy K.
HI Stacy… I’ve been battery-R/C operated for almost 15 years… For the most part, batteries, sound and R/C components are in tenders or battery cars using interchangeable, rechargeable batteries… Started out gel cells then moved to Li-ions…
I’ve used most of the R/C systems in those 15 years and have settled on the REVOLUTION with which I’ve been able to very successfully run an ABBA consist using one receiver controlling all 4 units. It pulled a 50 car train on one of the 325 foot mainlines and handled a 1.5% grade just fine. Receiver, battery and sound were in a trailing “battery car” behind the 4th unit. All units were “daisy chained” wired together with multi pin connecters to provide power to all units and sound to the speaker in the lead unit.
A 3 unit RDC consist is controlled the same way. Battery, receiver and sound in the middle unit the powering units 1 and 3. Rechargeable battery is stored under the removable radiator cover on the roof.
I’ve been battery-R/C control for 10 years. I started out with Airwire and settled on the Revolution system from Aristo Craft now Crest Electronics. I use Li-ion batteries with Phoenix sound in my locomotives.
90% of our club is battery power. It makes if easier and funner when we visit different railroads because more then one train can run on the layout at a time because we are not limited with track power.
My layout has close to 400 feet of main line with a second loop being installed in the next few months. I love that I don’t have to clean track so that I can run my trains. Plus I love to watch my grandkids follow their train around the layout and blow the horn or whistle anytime they want.
Battery guy from the onset, thanks to a Big Guy named Tiny (RIP)
I never even considered track power, and enjoy the operating freedom…or I did, we’re rebuilding-again!
I began with Tony’s RCS/EVO and I’m still pleased with the systems. I recently purchased a Rail-Boss from Del to get it a go too!
Much depends on how you want to control your trains. If you’re just looking for round-and-round type of operation with little interaction, then track power is fine. Save your money on receivers and sound systems and buy another loco or three. You can even do basic operations–switching out a siding, etc. without any major fuss. I would recommend finding a power supply that allows you a wireless handheld remote to control your trains, but those are fairly easy to come by. (Older-generation Train Engineer trackside units come up fairly regularly on ebay, or Bridgewerks and I think a few others offer that option as well.)
Once you start wanting to add sound that you can control on command (i.e., not relying on track magnets to blow the whistle), then you’re looking at some kind of command control system, be it track or battery powered. You’ve just added anywhere from $100 - $350 to the cost of each locomotive you buy for a decoder or decoder and receiver, etc. You’re playing at a whole new level in terms of the work involved to install the sound and control electronics in your loco, but the control you get as a result is night and day different from turning a knob on a big power pack. As Pete mentioned above, you’re controlling the locomotive at that point; blowing the whistle, ringing the bell, applying the brakes with some systems to slow down and stop… it’s a brave new world, and you can experience it with either track or battery power.
I run battery power–I have for 30 years now. It’s a very low-maintenance approach to building a railroad. You lay your track where you want it to go and don’t worry about electrical conductivity or any of that stuff. The trade-off is that you’re limited by needing to make sure you’ve got charged batteries. Li-Ion technology over the past 5 years has made this much less of a concern than it ever has been previously. I can charge a pack and leave it on the shelf for a year, and it will still be mostly charged when I do finally plug it in to use it. That, and I’ll get 2 - 3 hours run time out of a pack the size of a deck of cards.
On the flip side, if you’re running trains that are power hogs (5+ amps per train), then you’re going to be swapping or charging batteries much more frequently, and track power is probably the better option for you.
It’s not an “either/or” thing. You can wire your railroad to handle both. Lots of folks do. That way you’re covered. I think once you equip a locomotive with battery power, you’ll never run it on track power again, but having track power available allows you to run others’ trains or to run your new acquisition while waiting for the battery stuff to arrive.
Later,
K