So my layout I'm building has grown...and grown and will now be going in the garage with the 4x11 part at the back of the garage and a 2' wide section running almost 18' down the side of the garage with a yard and reverse loop going under the yard. Anyway the added growth has left us needing at least one handheld type controller so we can work the yard from the regular MRC pack and run the layout with the handheld. Can anyone recommend an affordable system that I can patch in a handheld(doesn't need to be cordless, 8-10' would do) or something? I haven't been into this hobby since the 80's and electronics have come along way, but I'm not interested in doing DCC and that's all I'm finding everywhere. I have to sleep tomorrow I will check the classifieds? and see if anyone wants to part with thier old system as well.
I still use the old MRC Model 55 walk-around Cab control - and for cordless, I have a Basic Train Engineer from Aristo-Craft. The MRC is hard wired of course to an old MRC 1500 power pack, but still works great - I saw one at a hobby shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan that specializes in used stuff for $12.00 a while back. The Aristo-Craft (Crest) unit cost me less than $50.00 - and to power it I use an old $3.00 Bachmann power pack I picked up used.
I was thinking that if I can't find anything I can either build one or gut a low end MRC pack and make my own handheld box for it, or build one if I can find a good reastat to use and just wire it off of my MRC with the throttle all the way up. I'm very electronic savvy it wouldn't take me much to do it. Thanks for listing some brand names I can try googleing them tomorrow and see what I can find before I go to homemade measures. Come to think of it if can get just that part I have a big beast 30 amp 12V fan cooled power supply from my RC car days I could use as a source....
I found a plan for one online after some searching, I'll try to give it a shot, we'll see what radio hack has in stock though... This one looks simple enough for me to try to start with. http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/851.HTM
The Longview Kelso & Rainier Ry uses the Crest/Aristo Craft radio control throttles for most of the layout. The power supply was home built and is built into one of the layout pieces. The system works well for running but is a bit slow responding for switching.
For $40.00 assembled, tested, and with 1 year warranty this looks like a fair deal - wonder if anyone that has this unit could report on it. The only issue I have with my Aristo-Craft walk-around is that after you bring the engine to a halt, the unit will turn on some voltage after a minute or two - I have to shut off the power supply when I'm done operating. You can notice that the light on the engine is on if you leave the power on. Not sure this is causing the motor to over heat, but the motor sure isn't turning... EDIT - Just looked at my Arito-Craft manual - the unit is under warranty for 5 years (just FYI).
Hey Stuart, Your obviously electronics savvy, so I have a question: This throttle I am building uses AC power supply, I'm assuming I can take the bridge rectifier out and run my DC power supply? I have a monster 30amp 13.8V supply from my RC cars days. http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/851.HTM I got a bunch of radio shack parts and the thing is built except for they didn't have the dual op amp(I did get a socket and installed it so I could finish my board), MPSA13, or 500K trimpot. Thanks, Ryan
