Track v battery power - my perspective
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2017
- There is and has been a lot of discussion about the comparative merits of battery power vs track power for garden railways. Here is my contribution. It's very much a personal perspective - because, for me, shunting and running narrow gauge trains at realistic speeds are my prime motivations. Others views may differ, primarily because they have different interests and objectives. However, for me, battery power and radio control offer me reliability, flexibility and controllability. For more information see riksrailway.blogspot.com
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Being able to allow the rails to become tarnished also makes the appearance more realistic
Yes. I have to agree. Also, grubby rails make adhesion better than polished rails when pulling heavy loads
I found a great deal on some old 5' brass track. Plastic ties still had color to them, so the track was worth the price to me. Without cleaning them at all, i hooked it up to my 15amp bridgeworks power pack for dcc locos. No issues with stopping trains, sputtering lights, nothing. Sufficient Power goes a LONG way
Just getting into Gauge 3 and definitely going battery. It does away with all the hassle of wiring, dead spots, isolating track etc, etc, and for me, I know it will feel closer to actually being in the cab.
Thanks - the voice of hard-earned experience always rings true.
Going radio control,best move I made.
It seems RC battery-powered trains are the future. Can't wait to buy my 1st G scale soon. Happy railroading!
What a grown-up attitude and delivery ! No talking down at people , but a very personal view . EXCELLENT !
Wow! That's very kind of you. Considering I think of myself as a 70 year old "teenager", that's praise indeed! 😊
I agree, with your assessment . When I started my logging rai road I investigated the two options, track and battery power , to me as well it was a no-brainer. Though the initial cost is higher , the smoothness and reliability definitely justify the cost in the long run.
Nice set up , by the way !
Thanks. It's certainly not a decision I've regretted. Life is so much more enjoyable since I went over to battery RC
I really admire your all work and patient. Amazing pearl in internet. Thank you.
Very interesting! You have a good speaking voice for videos.
Excellent very informative video. Thanks for posting
For me too, a no-brainer !!! Thank you for this, am new to the garden scene and have beem messing around with scratch- built battery power locos on a meccano chassis. They work well but bugger all control… now… radio controlled… 😎… thats the ticket i need. Thank you again. 👍🏻
It's difficult to get Deltang RC equipment now, but Micron Radio Control produce a compatible alternative
@@rikbennett9 i have a running loco using a 6VDC motor and battery pack. So presumably i can just introduce the receiver/controller and a RC handset into the circuit?
That's more or less all there is to it. If in doubt, have a chat with Andy at Micron or Phil at RC Trains. They will advise you on what's needed. Their email addresses and phone numbers are on their websites.
@@rikbennett9Thank you. Appreciate the insight.
Very interesting and informative for anyone considering a garden railway. Thank you.
What a charming video. I'm not a Railway modeler myself but I was fascinated by this. I remember visiting a friend of my parents home when I was young who had a model steam railway in his garden. As a child I was blown away by it. Now I'm looking at your web blog. I may get the bug!
Good luck. Once bitten ........
It's not just better to rail power. It's simply perfect.
Thanks Jorge. I agree completely.
Just as a bit of advice for anyone who runs track power, do yourself a HUGE favor and pick up an LGB Track Cleaning Locomotive. Trust me, you won't regret it.
For what you do and how you run I totally agree with you never really had a problem with track like that before but I do like the idea of radio control
I just joined a Garden Railroading club in my area, and they all use Battery operated Locomotives. And honestly, around here, that makes a lot of sense.
Are you near the coast?
@@rikbennett9 Yes actually. American coast, but still.
nice video. love your trains.
Great story and reasoning ..... Money is the only problem ...
Interesting. I did an analysis at the time and worked out that RC was quite a bit cheaper than DCC. However, RC compared with DC is a bit more expensive - but not excessively so.
Very informative, thank you. I dabbled in the hobby a few years ago and after a break of several years I'd like to try and get back into it again but I really need to decide which direction to go! Just been going through the boxes, I've got lots of American stuff, lots of LGB, live steamers, you name it....but my first passion is British narrow gauge and I admire what you've done. I need to think long and hard about what I really want from the railway. But British outline battery RC is definitely the way I would like to go.
Things are improving since I started out 12 years ago. Accucraft now produce UK rolling stock and a couple of steam outline battery locos (though not cheap). Plenty of reasonably priced diesel outline battery locos to get you started.
I agree, Myself I run both battery and rail, have 6 of my most used locos on battery the others rail. Lots of advantages on battery and some cons. Keeping all charge is a routine, not bad depending on run time I can go months before charging. I use Railpro one thing I like is I can link locomotives together and they will communicate with each other. Pros and Cons to each. Nice layout, foliage adds to the look.
I am probably following you down the same path. I am also trying to make sure I can run track powered locos as well, especially for visiting locos and some I don't see me converting. Very helpful points made.
Thanks John - good luck - it is an interesting path .......
A brilliant explanation of a very valid point. The only true drawback of battery-powered trains (including Garden trains) is that it requires the level of expertise where one would be comfortable taking the whole thing apart, rewiring, refitting, etc. While I concur that to many enthusiast that might be an advantage rather than a drawback, it's really not particularly straightforward if you have zero background in this kind of thing (as is the case with yours truly here). At the same time, this kind of skill is very much worth the hassle - not just for the trains - and it does indeed look as though the joy you get from running a garden train layout with zero interruptions is immense.
I only have a very small layout on my apartment balcony which I set up this summer but already I am starting to feel very disheartened by the whole clean-your-tracks-before-you-even-think-of-running-the-choochoo aspect of things. So, as you can tell, I am seriously looking into ways to convert my Stainz and Mixnitz to battery power this upcoming spring.
Thanks for your kind comments Borislav. It really does make an enormous difference running on battery power. I am sure you won't regret doing the conversions. I have two examples of how I converted my Stainz loco on my blog which you might find useful. After you have done one, the next one's become easier and easier. One of the cheapest ways is to use Bluetooth on your phone such as LocoRemote.co.uk
So, a year later, and I have a bit of an idea...
"Live Electric". Electrified rail (and catenary if applicable), but set at a fixed voltage. Locomotive has RC control on-board (or at least a motor controller controlled via a servo tester) and pulls power from the track (and catenary system if applicable) like a conventional rail-powered model. A small battery pack (or a supercapacitor bank) stores power for when the train goes through a "dead zone" - this pack doesn't have to be very big since it's primarily acting as a backup. Rectifiers for each wheel and contact pad (and pantograph, if applicable) allow for the locomotive to effectively ignore the polarity of the input electricity, and voltage regulators keep the model's internal voltage limited to around 7.5v regardless of input, as long as the input isn't beyond the maximum input voltage of the regulator. This would basically fill that last gap of "live" power mechanisms (alongside live steam and live diesel), and also allow the use of advanced motor technology such as brushless motors which would massively reduce the amount of maintenance necessary on the model and to improve model performance when applicable (such as HSR units which are supposed to be stupid-fast but are generally represented by poor-quality models that do not live up to the performance of the original).
That sounds really ambitious and very clever. It certainly overcomes the problems of poor running but it wouldn't suit me. It still involves some track cleaning which used to take me ages - unless your supercapacitors are really high volume or even batteries. .... But then, if you're installing batteries .... 🤔😏
@@rikbennett9 Well, part of the idea is getting around needing to charge the batteries separately. This also means that, in theory at least, you could run the layout on higher voltages as long as the voltage regulators can handle them AND run it on AC, which is much better for long-distance transmission.
@@VestedUTuber That sounds like good logic. I'll be really interested to hear how you get on. It could be a useful compromise between track and battery power.
great information thank you
excellent. battery the only way to go.
Thanks for that. I'm just about to make the jump to battery power. I've struggled with track power for eight years and have much invested in that, but after continually loosing electronics to the electrical storms here in Florida and coping with sandy soil, irrigation systems and dirty track, I'm ready to follow the battery path.
Good luck, Martin. I don't think you'll regret it
Thanks for that! --dunc
Great informative video!
Thanks for sharing.
( Getting back into outdoor G scale now 7 years after a hurricane destroyed my previous outdoor layout.
At that time, I was just purchasing transmitter and onboard recovers, using " keep alive super capacitors", that seemed to work fairly well).
I thourely enjoyed your narration, and modelling.
Thanks again.
Hi Larry. Best of luck with your revival. Let's hope it fares better than the predecessor. And I thought the weather was bad here in the NW of the UK! ;-)
@@rikbennett9
Thank You so much, He Rik.
Christ, it's hot over there now, here as well.
I'm wondering if you can start to have a track buckling problem, especially if any track is in direct sunlight.
You're concept of not needing to clean the track that much, is a big time saver, allowing one to enjoy the trains while maybe doing gardening, or trackside modeling.
( I love modeling old NYC Elevated, and Subway operation, as well as trams.
Over the past year, I started to model a temporary 25 foot long, O scale, 1/48 scale Victorian era built, NYC El structure, shuttle line.
This is because, MTH manufactured, all NYC, Old Subway equipment.
This uses a DCC control system.
This 2 track shuttle line runs automatically, using Reed switch es and Hall effect sensors.
This is somewhat temporary, untill I can rebuild a larger G scale system deeper in the backyard).
Thanks again, He Rik.
You're work is great!
Hi from Norway. I liked this intro. I will have to make the same change in the future as hand cleaning will be too big a chore here!
Oh yes - I remember track-cleaning. It used to put me off running the railway. Much better now. I can be up and running in ten minutes.
As you say - a "no-brainer" indeed - you're preaching to the converted here, but good luck with your evangelical quest to spread the word far and wide.
I think perhaps one of the biggest obstacles we face is that the track power enthusiasts have got so much time, effort and cost tied up in their outdated systems, that they just don't want to face up to the reality of the situation.
However, we can look forward to ever improving battery power technology - and the possibilities that go with it - that will eventually lead to the demise of the evolutionary cul-de-sac that is 'outdoor track power' ... :-)
I wouldn't call track power an "evolutionary cul-de-sac". Fact of the matter is, both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. Sure, track-power requires more maintenance, but it's a lot easier to automate for people who just want to see trains run and you can even somewhat automate track maintenance - remember, the LGB Track Cleaning Locomotive exists. RC may be more reliable on unmaintained track, but the amount of effort needed to automate a battery-operated layout means that for most people it's relegated to manual operations-focused layouts only.
If anything, the only evolutionary cul-de-sac here is the use of DCC on operations-focused outdoor layouts.
Your trains look great! My RR is track powered and I have similar issues with short wheel based locos going over the points at slow speeds but I mostly run 2 truck engines. I do have 2 battery powered engines, a custom RS3 diesel and a 38 ton Shay and it is a joy not worrying about the condition of the track but one still needs to be leery of twigs and other such junk on the track that will cause derailments. Happy RRing!
Great to hear, Todd. I did wire in some power buffers to help the short wheelbase locos over the pointwork which improved their running - but it was never quite as good as battery power.
I just subscribed. This video you made is what made me determined to go to battery power with RC. A really well made video!
I certainly haven't regretted the move. I now have 22 battery locos - ruclips.net/video/n4s9sZ4xpck/видео.html
@@rikbennett9 I just watched this. Very enjoyable!
Thanks for this awesome content. My first G Scale setup is going to be RC! 🔥
Glad to hear it's been useful
@@rikbennett9 this video is very informative. I want to avoid headaches and just enjoy the hobby. My first locomotive is gonna be a Piko 25 Ton Diesel one. Am super excited to get one. I just don’t wanna deal with a lot of wires and cleaning tracks.
I wouldn’t even consider using track power in the garden and, as my main interest is live steam anyway, I’m not going through all the cleaning for someone’s occasional use.
I can only agree. I practice every time to reach the slowest speed. Currently without Slomo. Whether with a rechargeable battery or a steam locomotive, this is the same. Also the one with the remote control must have a special use. I must be able to build and configure them myself. The possibilities of the deltang elements bring me great benefits. I can simply combine it.
At my age it is important to explore new. I learn a lot. My mind remains fit.
Step by step, for years, I've built my garden runway like this. Simple and natural, no cables, no rail power. All soft with hand lever. All drives of the locomotives are self-sufficient with battery on board. No contact problems. Sufficient capacity. Each drive has a freebound receiver. With a TX handpiece, I control what and how I want. Of course, I also have to clean my range of branches and obstacles. But the rails retain their natural dirt. Something is with me more: the batteries must be slept. That goes with plugs fully automatic. The real steam locomotives require preparation and follow-up, also they must be charged. As I said, the mind must still be vigorous ...
Then you can make the locomotives slow. When they snap so slowly, one learns to dream a little ...
Greeting Herny
Thanks Henry. I do have one live steam loco but only run it occasionally. I find it's too needy. Battery locos tend to look after themselves.
Even though I have lots of 00 gauge stuff I should be using, I must admit watching your videos really makes me want to do G scale garden railwaying. Though I mostly fear the expense required for such a thing.
The biggest outlay would be the track. Rolling stock can be kit built for less than the price of 00 stock if you get it from places such as IP Engineering or HGLW. Secondhand track can be picked up reasonably priced.
To charge the batteries the locos could always pick up current from the rails at a key location, say a coaling stage or engine shed. That would save the hassle of having to plug them in to a charger or remove the batteries to be charged.
Interesting idea, but I don't find charging a problem. Most of my locos only need charging once or twice a year as I swap them around for running sessions. I can get 12 hours running or more between charges so can use them two or three times for operating sessions before they need to be recharged.
thanks
Battery also allows for much smoother pulling away!
Absolutely!!
Couple of thoughts about powered rails. 1. Depends on how it's done and controlled. 2. Your clip of cleaning only cleaned the top of the rails (cannot tell if you've ever cleaned the inner side of the rails). 3. There are very good auto-cleaners that will also disperse conductive fluid on the rails. 4. The type of metal certainly matters a lot, have heard good things from brass.
Thanks for your take on the hobby, for me, if I were to do this in my scale (HO) it would be very challenging (though still possible). I've considered track power with capacitors to smoothen out the flow as well, might give that a try when I get back into the hobby outdoors.
Hi. The beauty of battery power is that I no longer have to even think about cleaning the track. I can have a train up and running very quickly with just a bit of track clearance (eg removing leaves, twigs, plant growth), whereas previously I would also then have to polish the rails and keep them clean through an operating session. I did use capacitor 'power buffers' which did improve slow running but didn't entirely eliminate stalling.
@@rikbennett9 Oh! I didn't realize that you had tried other electrical components to solve the issue.
You may have a point about batteries in the end, given how easily tracks become dirty. Still unsure of how to do it at a smaller scale, will get there some day. Thanks!
@@TmanaokLine Here's a video I made at the time (before I discovered battery power) - ruclips.net/video/RcUf8-bD4es/видео.html
Thing that annoys me with the hobby, has always been the "added expense" that never stops adding. Its actually something that has kept me sticking to DC for so many years, while everyone around me went "DCC".. I bought up a lot of cheap power packs that were top of the line, and engines that "weren't suited" to DCC conversion. But over the years I have seen some very excellent examples of " I don't want to pay through the nose for everything and I can do it myself" examples, and Radio control is just another one of those things that I consider in that category. For example, there are several European modellers who have gone to using wood as their main building material, they build their switches and track out of wood, they build their locos out of wood, etc. but they have a bit of a struggle with their mech's: and R.C is the answer in these situations. Large scales you can make the battery packs bigger, and hot swappable (they go flat, you connect another recharged battery, and away you go). I myself have messed around in a lot of scales, Z, N, HO standard and narrow gauges, some 0 scale, but I am not a fan of a lot of these products, especially the smaller scales, because of the expense, and disappointing running. As much as I have enjoyed them when they did run, the work involved, does not give the result I desire. I am really over wiring track work and endlessly keeping wheels and track clean.. it sucks away the fun, and everyone instinctively wants to tap that stalled locomotive, even if its not your own.. (funny watching it at exhibitions when this happens, someone's prized models stalls, and automatically without thinking some guy goes to give it the 5 finger shunt onto the cleaner bit of track.. and the fight begins). So yeah, I am rapidly becoming a fan of dead rail. Meanwhile I am watching the worlds market places, the hobby is getting incredibly expensive, its having built in obsolescence into it, and the costs of shipping and additional taxation is pushing these things out of reach of a normal hobbyist. We like our phones and laptops with a decent battery that lasts, and now it looks like, its time to use that technology in our models.
Hi Leslie. I'm with you on much of this. Most of my modelling is done on the cheap. I do have one live steam loco but seldom run it as it is a lot more 'needy' than my battery locos. But probably the main reason I don't run live steam is the expense. I can build four or five battery rc locos for the cost of one of the lower priced live steamers. I started with DC, then went to DCC and then sold all my DCC stuff to invest in battery RC. RC works out cheaper than DCC. A Deltang receiver is around half the price of a DCC Decoder. A Deltang transmitter is between half to 2/3 the price of a DCC handset (or a lot cheaper if you build your own from a kit) - and, of course, there's no outlay on a Central Station - just batteries and a charger. So, I've no regrets about switching to battery RC - and no more track cleaning - ever!
Many years ago and i'm talking 45 years ago i radio controlled a Lima 00 western, and to see it run so well made me vow i would never use track power again.
To manage that in an 00 loco 45 years ago is really impressive. I'm a recent convert by comparison - but, like you, I would be reluctant to go back to track power.
@@rikbennett9 it wasn't that difficult to be honest, radio control had been available for a long time and all it took was to connect a simple 27mhz system to the motor. What was amazing was the interaction between the loco and the track, the subtle feel of the track the loco reacted to.
Nowadays with the benefits of dcc and much better batteries and miniturisation the possibilities are so much better. I have a wireless dcc system with no track power but full dcc operation that i call 'DCC AIR'. It's still in the test stage but perfectly functional and will be working on my 'Intermodal' layout when finished.
I wonder if a charge circuit could be added to the existing track, charge controller, rechargeable batteries to the engine.
Could charge at stations and setting stop timers for charging time.
Would be tricking as youd need to have diode blocks to make up for change in polarities with change in direction.
New lithium cells are quite small and charge quick and you wouldn't need to carry as much energy if charging on the fly.
I wonder if that could be intergrated into a smarter controller for multiple trains sharing same lines🤔
So many possibilities😂
Hi Willy
This has been mentioned to me quite often. To be honest, I never have a problem with locos running out of charge. I can easily get three or four full running sessions out of a loco from a single charge. Most of my locos only need to be charged once a year. I just keep a log showing when each loco was last charged. I once did a test run for a loco which is equipped with three 18650 li-ion cells and it ran continuously for 12 hours. More than enough time for my running sessions - ruclips.net/video/WovQQ0SNdQg/видео.html
Battery power is definitely the way forward. I just wished commercially available locos where available as a battery option, especially in other gauges such as N and 00. For years I've stressed over power getting to the loco and I think, as you say, it's a no brainier!
I think it's only a matter of time, the way battery technology is developing.
Simply awesome layout. Since Im from the states I would like to know what make/model your loco and cars are.
Hi Sorry about the delay. Only just spotted these messages. For some reason I didn't get alerts. Around half the locos are scratchbuild bodies on LGB of Piko motor blocks, the rest are kit builds from a variety of sources. Check my blog where I've described how I built all my locos - https//riksrailway.blogspot.com
Tally Ho I say there sport, good show I must say .. Time for Tea and sit back and relax as the trains run through...I was thinking the same thing here in the Colonies ,,, you know America... I would like the track to charge the batteries as well. Ok, lets give it a try I say there Gov...Looking forward for your report...
Thanks Stephen. Yes, I must admit it does sound like I've got a plum in my mouth. I think it must be my telephone voice. My mum is a cockney and my dad was a farm worker in Kent so as a kid I sounded more like Dick van Dyke than Mary Poppins! Good luck with charging from the track. I've not found anyone who has managed to do that successfully yet.
Wonder if you can introduce loop charging so that when locos stop in certain places like stations or goods sheds their onboard batteries are RF charged? Put some coils embedded between the rails and pickup coils on the underside of the engines so they will slowly charge whenever parked over a coil.
Nice idea. I don't find charging too much of a problem though. I can easily get a full day's running from a single charge so can charge in between sessions.
You could always have the track permanently powered up and the battery locos top up their charge whenever they have a good connection with the track. It would only require a bridge rectifier block (or 4 x 1N4001 diodes) plus a series resistor to limit the charge current for the batteries. It wouldn't matter the orientation of the loco as the bridge rectifier would sort out the correct polarity.
Alternatively you could just have the loco sidings and sheds with powered up track and the locos would recharge their batteries and this could be used to model the time it takes to re-coal and water a loco in the sheds.
Over 20 years ago I once created a similar arrangement for somebody who wanted carriage lighting the stayed on when the track was powered off at stations. The carriages also had darkness activated switching so the lights only came on when the layout was in darkness.
An interesting idea, but I prefer the reliability of using an intelligent charger (iMax B6) to monitor the charge and health of my li-ion battery packs. I'd need to wire in charge controllers into each loco to be certain the li-ions were charging correctly.
What's good about battery power it frees up your rails so they can be utilized as electrical feeds for accessories such as lighting in outbuildings, street lamps, etc
I did wonder about doing that, but decided it would mean still having to keep up maintenance for electrical continuity etc.
To assist in charging the batteries, you could supply a fixed voltage to the tracks, use diodes to ensure the correct polarity to the batts to charge while enjoying your railroad. If you keep the inside of the rails sanded/clean, the flanges should be able to be your pickups. Just an idea! Good point tho.
Hi Dennis. I have toyed with the idea but I've always wondered if it would work reliably. Firstly, li-ion cells need to be carefully monitored to ensure they are not overcharged. It is possible to get balance charging boards but I would be concerned about the stability and reliability of the current from the track - particularly as I no longer clean my track or check for continuity. I think it might work indoors, but would it work outdoors?
Batteries are like coal or diesel fuels. One must understand fuel consumption rates.
Something I was thinking about when you started on battery power, what if you gave the locos rechargeable batteries, and had a charging track wherever you store the engines? As in, the battery can be charged through the track.
Just a thought.
It could work. You'd need to install circuitry in each loco to manage the charging though - unless you only charged one loco at a time on the track - which would defeat the objective somehow. Interesting thought.
Ge Rik, technically no you wouldn't need to do either of those things. First, keep the entire track energized not just a track where engines are stored, so the battery never discharges much (in some cases you could even use a capacitor), have a track cleaner car which need not keep the track pristine, just able to conduct a bit and bad spots aren't a problem.
Second, set the track voltage level just below the battery pack float charge voltage, which keeps the pack nearly charged but never overcharged. For example with NiMH cells that could be around 1.38V/cell, or Li-Ion around 4.2V/cell (Li-Ion being more sensitive to overcharge/lifespan-depreciation), though frankly I like the idea of a constant voltage track with supercapacitors instead of batteries, but with any of the above, keeping it R/C rather than voltage controlled.
What was the link of the company that you got the transmitter kits from?could you send me the link please?many thanks-BRIANPANNIER
rctrains.co.uk/
We've been using LGB DCC outdoors with big capacitors installed in the locos and these things just run and run. The capacitors prevent jerking and stopping over the points... one of our big mallet engines has a capacitor storage so long that it is still chugging away 30 seconds after it is put back in its box. Really, the capacitors make the world of difference.
Yes. I wouldn't try running 0-4-0 locos on DCC without them - eg see. riksrailway.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-i-fitted-my-own-dcc-power-buffers.html
Love your vidoes. I'd like to make the simplest of "beginner" locos from scratch and I like the concept of the unit at 3:45 in the vid. Regarding the motor, what kind of output rpm and gear reduction would you recommend? Do you typically run brushed motors, or have you used brushless as well? Thanks in advance.
Hi. The loco you mention was an IP Engineering kit - www.ipenginnering.com/ezee-loco-coach-kits - This particular model is no longer available. On the link is a chassis similar to the one I used, with a 3v brushed motor and 40:1 worm gears. Hope that helps.
Rik
Another good source of cheap loco chassis is HGLW. I've used their basic chassis as well (£20GBP). www.hglw.co.uk/Locos.html
Maybe there's an in between way where you plant a small battery or indeed a big capacitor before the engine, so it'll get a steady flow of current, even if the rails is a bit dirty? Seems like that would be the ultimate solution.. no need to recharge batteries, but still all the advantages of battery powered driving.
I did add capacitor buffers to my locos, but it was only partially successful and I still had to keep the tracks clean
you are dead right, not going to argue with ya, now i would like to buy or make, how did you think i discovered this vid, thanks for sharing!
This is just an idle thought. Battery power seems to be the way to go, but there remains the problem of recharging. How about a hybrid system where the loco is driven by a battery, but large sections of the track are electrified and there are pickups to a battery charger? This is extra components in the loco, but it might be possible to use a smaller battery.
Hi Patrick. When I was running RC Trains, I had a couple of customers who experimented with just what you are suggesting. The difficulty that they faced was trying to ensure there is a regular supply to the charger and hence the battery - and then you get back to the same problems of track powered locos - making sure the track is kept clean and there is reliable electrical continuity across rail joints. In the end, they found it was easier just to put the batteries on charge between sessions. I easily get 10-12 hours running from a charge and so very rarely run a battery flat during a running session.
@@rikbennett9 Okay, thanks. That makes sense if you can get that long from a single charge.
Nice informative video on batter power vrs.electric power. How long can you run on batteries before you need to change them out? And how many different radio frequencies can you have at one time to run as many choo choos as you have?.... I like your train layout....thanks for sharing from ShadyHills, Florida. USA. And Merry Christmas 2019.
Hi William. I'd say the lifetime of a battery pack seems to be five or six years, though I've got some which are older and still going strong. With 2.4ghz, you can theoretically have thousands running at the same time, though I usually have no more than five locos running at any one time.
@@rikbennett9 LiFePo4 batteries must be the best type for this application?
@@mcplutt Hi Svein I've only ever used them once so can't really comment. I tend to use 18650 li-ion cells as they are in plentiful supply, reasonably cheap and have a good power to cell count ratio
I really like to go to RC with my next layout but I have no clue how or where to start
Hi Marty. There's an article on my blog all about getting started with battery and RC
riksrailway.blogspot.com/2013/10/getting-started-with-battery-power-and.html
i know its annoying but people who have live steam locos have it even harder. doesn't mean it isnt hard for all of us though
how long does the 2 fully charged aa batteries last?
It's difficult to say as I've never run the loco continuously until the batteries run down. It certainly gives me at least 2-3 hours of run time but could be a lot longer.
@@rikbennett9 wow! that is excellent for only 2 AA sized batteries.. thank you very much for your reply.. you have a beautiful railway. I love how the plants and the moss has settled in..
Quick question, is it possible to run both in parallel? Charge the batteries off the rails as you're using the battery to run the train 💁♂️🤔
In theory this would work - but I've not found anyone who has managed to do it successfully. In addition, you would still have to keep the track clean and maintain for electrical continuity - which is one of the bugbears I've now eliminated. I don't find charging a big issue. My locos only need charging once or sometimes twice a year. They can do two or three full running sessions on a single charge - so charging is not really something I find onerous
Great video, I converted an lgb stainz loco to rc using two 7.2 volt li-on batteries in series, works great except for a high pitch noise from the engine motor when operating at low speed. Have you experienced this with your locomotives? Any help in getting quiet running locos would be appreciated. Geonorm
What speed controller are you using? It sounds like it might be something to do with the PWM output from the controller.
@@rikbennett9 Rik, I am using a RCModelpart XYS-BL20 DC 4.5 -8.4V 20A. I am running the loco with about 15Volts, I see now it more than the voltage printed on the esc. Can you recommend one that will work.
Rik I also used an VGEBY ESC Brushed 7.2 v -16v with the same result of engine motor whining.
Hi
I don't use ESCs, they are built into the receivers which are part of the Deltang / Micron set up. I've emailed a mate of mine who uses ESCs and once I've heard back from him I'll let you know. I know the Mtroniks Viper Loco works well, but it's quite pricey. There are cheaper alternatives - www.mtroniks.net/prod/Locomotive-Speed-Controls/Viper_Loco_10_HV.htm
My suggestion is to try removing one of your batteries and operating at just 7.2V. I operate an LGB block with 2S LiPo and it gives sufficient max speed for me.
eg. If you use 14V battery and run with just 5V on the motor there will be a lot more audible whine than if you have a 7V battery and run at 5V motor volts.
Is this normal g scale or 16mm?
It's nearer to 16mm scale, though some of my models are 15mm scale
What system are you using
Deltang. I find it offers the greatest flexibility for what I want to do
@@rikbennett9 thanks
Can this be done to bachmann big haulers and new bright rail kings??
I can't see any reason why not. You might need to use the Rx66 receiver controller to cope with heavier loads on the motor.
@@rikbennett9 thankyou, I’ll look into it!
What about live steam? Like the roundhouse engines that are fitted with slow-moes.
Hi John. I do have one live steamer (a Regner so it runs slowly and smoothly), but I only use it occasionally. I find it is far too needy. It runs for twenty minutes and then needs feeding. My battery locos can run continuously for twelve hours or more before needing to be fed. That suits the way I want to run my trains far better than stopping and starting every twenty minutes. I also have five locos on the go during running sessions and I'd end up spending more time sorting them out than running them. I suppose it depends on how you want to run your trains. Battery power suits my needs more than track power or live steam.
Have you a source for real diesel or steam engines (instead of battery)? Also, do you care if the metal rails transmit or have shorts - or did you just disconnect them from AC? Have you thought of adding 3D realistically painted track if you no longer need AC (and can you link to the render files)?
Hi. I do have one live steam loco, but only use it very occasionally as it takes too much time and effort to keep it running. I prefer battery powered locos as they are best for the way I want to run my railway - slow running and reliable shunting. I have thought of 3D printing track, but don't really need to use it as I have plenty of brass track for now and into the foreseeable future. There are some files on Thingiverse - eg www.thingiverse.com/thing:976643
ok with Johnson
Why not use both, charge onboard batteries when there's contact through the rails?
It sounds very good in theory but I've known quite a few people who have tried it without success. Each loco would need to have charge monitoring circuitry installed and a consistent supply from the track. This will be possible if the loco remains stationary, but once it starts moving then the supply can become erratic.
@@rikbennett9 But with the right circuitry it would work. In fact it's quite simple, and with the low cost of electronics today you don't have to spend a lot either. I've been into electronics for fifty years, doing a few years in professional business as designer/prototype builder before turning to light&sound and imagery for theater/concert/cinema, and I can't imaging this being near difficult.
As I said. I think it's ok in theory. One of the advantages of battery only is there's no more need to keep the track surfaces clean or maintain electrical continuity across all the trackwork. Since going over to battery I've never had to scrub the rails clean or solder jumper wires across rail joints or point blades and frogs. Also, with unpolished wheels and track, adhesion is improved. I get well over 12 hours running from one charge of a loco and find that's more than enough for one or two complete running sessions between charges. So, even if it is theoretically possible, for me the practicalities don't really add up.
@@rikbennett9 Well, I'm not gonna argue with you, it's your choice, so, if you are happy with it...
@@rikbennett9 But you have a nice railway, I wish it were mine 🙂
what about RC steam power?
Not got any experience of that so can't comment. As I said in the video, it's my personal perspective of the journey I've travelled so far
Ge Rik I can definitely see the practicalities of battery power over track power. I think track power is more suited to indoor as I only have battery power and manual steam power. you have a lovely railway and wish I had as much stock as you.
I was very keen to accumulate enough stock to be able to run realistic freight services. This has meant I've sometimes had to compromise on quality for the sake of quantity. Once I finish all the outstanding jobs on the railway, I might start replacing some of the less detailed wagons with better alternatives. Regarding locos - I've scratchbuilt around around half of them, kitbuilt nearly half and 'bashed' the rest from RTR stock.
@@minaturesteamengines5799 it's taken nearly ten years to accumulate the amount of stock I now have. None is particularly well detailed but it's what I need to run my freight operations, which is a passion of mine.
you seem to like smalll green locomotives
You noticed. Decided that the locos would have the same livery - and small tank locos and diesels seem appropriate for the railway.
Dead rail has a great future. 12 v replaced 6 v; nickel silver replaced brass; DCC replaced DC; dead rail is superior to track power. Technology advances.
I’m surprise that nobody is directly charging the batteries with the track power. seems obvious to me… What am I missing. You get the best of both worlds, battery to run the motor and intermittent less reliable electricity from the track to charge the battery
If you look at other comments you can see we've discussed this. Personally, I don't find charging up my locos to be a problem and as each charge lasts over ten hours of running time I can't remember the last time a loco ran out of charge during a running session. And I never have to clean the rails.