Large Scale Central

Which way do you control your trains

General Discussion
#1

I’d like to see one of those surveys set up on this forum so we could see how we run our trains, be it, standard rail power, DCC, or battery power. I don’t know if this forum can do that, that is is the software in place, or not. These surveys do show where we stand today and in some cases there is a place on the survey that you can check in the box on what you want to do in the future. I would think its somewhere around 60% track power, 30% DCC, and 10% battery power, but that’s just a guess on my part. I guess we all can post on what we have, but a survey would be so much easier to look at and give us a good idea where we stand today. I’m pretty much on a island here in Ft. Worth, Texas, the area just doesn’t offer much for an area the size of DFW. This forum is my lifeline to the outside world, so this is where I get most of my info, so every little bit helps.

trainman

#2

I am primarily set up for track power, either directly or with use of an Aristo Basic Train Engineer RC throttle unit.

I also use knife switches to control power supply to various sections of track.

I also have a few el cheepo battery/RC trains as well as a couple of simple on/off battery powered models.

#3

I’m indoors using aluminum rail. All engines are R/C battery with G Scale Graphics Railboss 4 control. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#4

Two track powered loops with two TE’s

#5

Battery, R/C.

#6

John;

All but two sparkies are track-powered, regular DC. The Piko camelback is DC/DCC. The Piko track cleaning GE 20 tonner is battery. I use it without the cleaning pads to keep something running at steam-ups. It can pull one or two small cars that way. The four live steamers are all manual control. The next Roundhouse live steamer I would like to have will be R/C, but still need to save a LOT before it becomes a reality.

Regards, David Meashey

#7

All Airwire RC and battery.

#8

I’m battery or track or live steam. Depends on the mood and the loco. Track power is my least favorite.

You might find Peter Lucas’ survey done a few months ago to be useful.

http://www.mylocosound.com/linked/largescalesurvey.pdf

#9

Battery/RC, but I’m adding the ability for DCC as well.

#10

Track but switching to battery a little at a time

#11

Just jumped into battery Railpro.

Jason

#12

still track power with aristo TEs

#13

Staying with track power, have to many locomotives I would have to convert if I wanted to go battery.
Our layout is only about 200’ of track and even after sitting un touched for the last three seasons it still only took 15-minutes to get the rails shined up to run trains.

I do have one locomotive setup for battery (USAT GP38) this way I have something to bring over to friends houses to run. Did have a K27 that was battery powered but it couldn’t make it across the bridge I built for the pond so now another LSC member has it.

#14

Began converting to battery power a couple of years ago with Airwire/Phoenix, now converting my four USAT GP-9’s, F3 A/B, NW-2, and LGB Moguls to Railpro.

#15

DC Track power. We have a small layout, so the bugaboos are usually quick to isolate and fix. We have the PIKO “Clean Machine,” which revealed the beauty of battery power, but converting everything is cost prohibitive and not worth the effort given how we run and enjoy the Triple O.

Eric

#16

Battery RC, using AirWire, Revolution, and Phoenix for sound.

#17

I use track power with a Revolution 15 amp capable base station receiver so I can run as many as 6 MUed locos at once pulling a long train up loops and grades. Outdoor track is stainless steel with many wired feed points, so oxidation is not a problem; under house track is brass not exposed to weather, so oxidation, which can play havoc when out doors, is more reasonable to maintain.

-Ted

#18

Li-ion battery, 2.4ghz. Revolution RC and MyLocoSound in all locos on aluminum rails.

Li-ion battery packs and LED lighting in all passenger cars and cabooses.

In the future, I’d like to try the 2.4ghz. Revolution DCC RC with battery, but really happy with my current setup.

I also have one live steam Aristocraft 0-4-0 with RC. Runs great but, to me, its more of a curio than something I usually run.

Adam

#19

I have seven live steamers, one manual and the others radio controlled using stick transmitters designed for model aircraft. I have eight battery radio controlled locos using, in alphabetical order, Deltang, Fosworks, Piko, RailBoss, RCS and Revolution plus one trackpower. I use these for testing compatability with our soundcards (and also for fun (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif))

Regards

Peter Lucas

MyLocoSound

#20

traditional DC trackpower.

running automatized by epl system.