OK, I am convinced going wireless is the way to go. So what I need is advice on wireless systems and also on batteries to use to power my locomotives.
I did this professionally for 20 years. All of my engines and those of the guys who operate here use the older 27MC RCS system. Dead reliable. It is now owned by RailLinx, and the radio portion has been upgraded to 900MC, which is directly upgradeable on the newer, older RCS throttles. I started with NiCads, still have several sets in regular use. Once the charger technology caught up with the battery technology, I moved to NiMH, as charge density is double of NiCads. I use Smart Chargers that shut off when done. I would not, and will not, use 787 batteries, don't even want them in the shop of my railroad. I know of issues in outdoor trains, and just am not happy about them. They are on the fourth, or fifth "upgrade" of cells, every one supposedly fixed the problems, yet the latest and greatest in use by Boeing....well, you read the news. I have Bachmann Porters, old and new, old one with no sound, new one with radio, batteries and sound all on-board. Climaxes, same thing. I was the voice of one crying in the wilderness for a long time. Soundly despised by many. Yet, radio battery is now really the way to do it outdoors (and in), for depending on your locale and climate, keeping good contact between rails and wheels is..difficult. It isn't just the track, it's the wheels and pickups. Heck, by first edition Shay, with the plating worn completely off the wheels, will pull an unbelievable amount of stuff up my grades. Also, you can use closer to scale rail code, I use 250 and 215 Llagas, and aluminium, so it's far cheaper that doing anything else but plastic rail. I dislike knobs on transmitters.....we run in all weather, rain, sleet, snow....and we slip the transmitter in a ziplock baggie and run. Knobs cannot be operated inside a baggie, and some of the transmitters with knobs are literally bathtubs. You will find the sockets used by some manufacturers are pointless...to the extent to install proper batteries, sound, you need to gut them out. I have a big box of them to show the guys here. Have fun! Dave
I've converted everything over to the AristoCraft Revolution system with Lithum Ion batteries from: http://www.all-battery.com/148vli-iobbatterypacksandmodules.aspx I use the 14.8 volt type at 6600ma. So far I've not had any problem. Mark
Boeing and Honeywell didn't either...at first. And, depending on available space, adding in plug-and-pray socketry can be......impossible.
I'm switching over to Air Wire drop ins, and 14.8 volt batteries from all battery. The drop ins are easy to do. I been running A/W for 10 years, been a very good system. Don
