Does anyone make a walkaround throttle for DC systems? I'm not going to convert to DCC because of the expense, but would like the convenience of a walkaround with the new layout.
Thanks Paul. I checked out their website, but it's not clear how the throttle is installed. Is an RCS base station required in addition to the throttle? Or does the walkaround throttle use the owner's original power pack, e.g. MRC Tech-II?
By reading the instructions it looks like you will need a DC power supply to hook to the RCS base then it is hooked to the tracks. First line in the instructions is "ALL OTHER THROTTLES MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE TRACK OR CAB" so I would say this is a stand alone unit. At one of the LHS's I go to the club layout they have uses a hand held DC throttle that I believe hooks between a standard throttle and the rails but I don't know who makes it and won't know till I get up there again in a couple of weeks.
I bought one of these 1.5 amp for my N scale - it seems to work fine but I haven't really used it very much yet. You can use the AC supply from an existing power pack. http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/Index.html http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=91736&highlight=walkaround
The MRC Controlmaster 20 is a walk-around hand held throttle system. It has the capabilities of unplugging the handheld controller. The memory keeps the train going until you plug in at the next jack on your layout.
You could get the classic Hogger walk around throttle. Don't know if they make em anymore, but I see them at train shows all the time. I'm going to use my old one to convert a Digitrax Zeypher Walk around for free. Or, you could make your own. I once made a walk around throttle that I used with an old Bachman pack. All you need is a small project box, a Potentiometer of the right ratings and a dpdt switch. I used standard telephone wire. and jack. 2 wires go to the powerpack and two go to the track. If I were redoing it today I'd probably use Cat 5 Ethernet cable and run wires in parallel cause they're such a small gauge. Or, I'd use 2 pair of large gauge speaker wire and just wrap them together with Gaffers tape. Anyway, it worked well enough
Great info, guys, thanks. I didn't realize the market for DC control was still that large. I especially like the concept of the MRC Controlmaster "plug & play". Now it's study time to determine "Technology vs. Desire vs. Budget".
MRC makes them. I had an MRC Trainpower 5 that I used for years before switching to DCC. I still have it. It was the best DC throttle I ever owned/used. MRC still makes ( I think ) DC packs w/ walk arounds. On mine it was a matter of plugging a standard phone cable into the back of the pack, running it to a bus, and then dropping off connection points around layout fascia as needed. Pretty simple and reliable. In some ways, I miss that old DC pack.
Are you on a tight budget? Are you able to use a soldering iron? There are a lot of simple circuits available to build your own throttle. Check around I know several N-Scale/NTRAK clubs used simple hand-held, home built throttles before going to DCC. You Go Ahead and Shop Dear, I'll Be JUST a Little Longer in This HOBBY SHOP........ tom
Tom, thanks for the reminder. I believe MR published something of this sort years back. Now all I have to do is find which box, yet unpacked from our move, contains that issue....? BTW, can a homebuilt handheld be used with an MRC Tech-II 2800, or at least one side of it? Or must I use the handheld in conjunction with its own (home-built) power source? Edit - Just had a brain-f**t....maybe I can open up the 2800, disconnect the wiring to the built-in speed controller and reversing switch, and wire it to a controller and switch in a handheld box........?
Harry here in snowy Colorado Springs ... You guys won't believe this -- but I got around the expense of all that and used power packs as a walk around throttle -- I am in the same situation considering expense; I have roughly 100 operational diesels. I used eight foot extension cords to extend the distance and telephone cable for the 12 volt power line to the master for four cab-controls control panels. It's not glamorous and wouldn't win any awards, but it works and easy to maintain. # # # hed
Hank, If you can find one, Rix Products made a DC handheld throttle a few years back - very simple. It has a base unit that runs off the AC accessories side of your current DC power pack. The handheld unit is a simple rheostat and switch in a small plastic box at the end of a cable. I found one new in the box a few weeks ago, buried on a dusty shelf at the local hobby shop. Got it for $20. Probably the best $20 I've spent on the layout. Nice low speed response on the rheostat and just the right sensitivity to input. I support your choice to stay with DC. If you're like me, a modeler first and operator second, it's hard to justify the cost of DCC. Entry level controls for $250, decoders at $25 a pop, and all the other supporting gadgets add up mighty fast. I can clean track and wire up my blocks for a lot cheaper for a long time. Happy Trails.
It's not as cheap as the other options listed but this is the model I use. Innovator Walk Around Throttle It is very easy to install, and it has full memory feature so you can walk around the layout using multiple phone jacks. It also has a set of auxiliary contacts so you can activate sound or light functions.
Mr. Hedley, thank you. The Innovator's operation is what I had in mind, but, as you say, the cost may be a factor.
