Battery Track Power “Track Power”

Blimey, this is what I was using to propel my trains 60 years ago, and on the garden paving in summer (well, there wasn't much garden and it was all paving :devil::devil: ) . Lone Star 000 die-cast trains on die-cast track :nod::nod:

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Here's what my ancestors used to make fire hundreds of years ago, and it was wireless and no batteries!

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Well, I can see the benefit if you are going to show a layout where there isn't an AC socket supplied to plug your kit into or you don't have a power inverter from 12v or cumbersome generator to hand. People who live "off grid" would have little need as they usually have sophisticated solar panel driven or other means to generate electricity outputted at what one might consider mains AC voltage to power standard household electrical equipment. An interesting niche product for those in power cut prone areas and showing at village fetes or who want to have an interesting diversion from the rigours of that bucket list climb of Mount Everest to hand.

But as the panacea to all outdoor model railway enthusiasts to liberate them from the tyranny of a stepped down fixed point power supply ? I always thought
the real benefit of, at least modern NimH and Lipo, batteries was was the energy density they have and subsequent benefit they offer so that they could be mounted "on-board" negating the need for that tiresome, for some, maintenance of a full layout. Max

My analogue mains powered controller lives indoors and has a, splittable, cable going out of a window attached to the track. It's operated by an RC link. It's called an Aristocraft Train Engineer and you will have to seperate it from my cold dead hands to get me to give it up :)
 
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maxi-model said:
It's called an Aristocraft Train Engineer and you will have to seperate it from my cold dead hands to get me to give it up :)
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:eek::eek::eek:

Burn him! Burn the heretic!! ;)

:giggle::giggle::giggle:
For the snowflakes:
This is a (probably poor-taste) tongue in cheek comment, designed to raise a wry-smile.
 
dunnyrail said:
Love those old Rovex Controllers, usually made from Bakelite I believe or some very Hard Plastic. Wonder what it looks like inside and what sort of Batteries it used? May even still work with a decent NiMh Battery Pack?
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Very easy to use alternative batteries as the inside is an open space but you would still only have the most basic of controllers, forward, stop and reverse. It takes two of the big square batteries but I'm not sure of the type number. I have some PP9s which work with some packing but the proper ones are even bigger.

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Paul
 
The older lantern batteries had a flat strip for the positive. - Like the diagram in the bottom section of your Rovex..
This meant they were 'nearly' in-line, and I reckon the slightly skewed strip-contacts would have been OK. :think::nerd:
 
There is some talk they were type 126 batteries (replacement shown below

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But these don't have a square footprint

Apparently sold by Hornby too, see on right:
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(nuts, the second picture shows the big black plastic box, but only visible in editing mode I guess)

And reading, indeed two 6 volt "lantern type" battereis, perhaps the metal plates allowed them to reach the terminals with one in the center and one on the corner so to speak.

That would give 12 volts with a commonly available battery.
 
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voodoopenguin said:
Very easy to use alternative batteries as the inside is an open space but you would still only have the most basic of controllers, forward, stop and reverse. It takes two of the big square batteries but I'm not sure of the type number. I have some PP9s which work with some packing but the proper ones are even bigger.

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Paul
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Looks like the old lantern 996 6v batteries with the spring contacts. We used them in our lanterns at work
 
Thanks for all the responses in my hijacking of this thread! Amazon sell the 996 and helpfully give the battery dimensions, they would be a perfect fit in the box so I guess they are the ones.

Paul
 
-bbbb said:
I kind of like the idea of solar powered track instead of batteries:
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Back on Thread (well sort of 75%) but interesting Experiment. Be interested to have more detail as Solar with Converters etc blub blub blub to this non-tech guy. Did have an interesting Conversation (some 6 or so Years ago) with a guy that ran a Coffee Van at Waterloo Station. All his Electricity coming from Solar Pannels on top of his Van. Think that Heavy Duty Batteries were also involved. So this is a possible Solution with Batteries and Inverters to supply Mains to our Controllers. Not sure of the Cost Effectiveness but possibly well worthwhile to reduce your Daytime Train Running Power Supply Costs. That is if you want to spend some Money.
 
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