Where to buy?

O.Olesen

O.Olesen

Registered
Dear Forum

Having trawled through lots of interesting posts in many of the threads in here, I now know that I've made the right decision.

Since my G-layout consists of an increasing number of 120 centimeter modules layed directly on the floor and combined by single pieces of track in ever changing combinations whenever the grandchildren is visiting, I have decided to go with battery power + RC operation (mostly to avoid all the wiring).

But my real challenge is to get hold of the needed items.

Here in Denmark garden railroads/railways are not very common. There is no specialist shops available, and only a few of the remaining trainshops have ever heard of G-scale. (I buy my G stuff from either Germany or Holland).
Our RC shops only sell cars and drones and perhaps a single RC boat if lucky. Where ever I have said: "RC Trains" they look as if I've just landed from Mars.
And my normal LGB supplier in Holland have no stock (or knowledge) of RC systems.

In different posts I have seen some very neat controllers that looks much more handy than my old RC set that looks and sizes the dashboard of an italian scooter.

So my humble request for Your help is where to buy the RC stuff?
I would appriciate some links to good and informative webshops with expertise in batteries and RC systems for electric garden trains.
 
I think you are finding out that the RC aspect of this hobby is still a bit of a cottage industry IMO, at least outside the US. We have our very own forum member who sells the necessary stuff in the UK but I will let him reveal himself!
 
idlemarvel said:
I think you are finding out that the RC aspect of this hobby is still a bit of a cottage industry IMO, at least outside the US. We have our very own forum member who sells the necessary stuff in the UK but I will let him reveal himself!
Click to expand...
There is also Fosworks and Brian Jones.

http://fosworks.co.uk

I have been a recent user of Fosworks Products and been very happy with the service provided. Look at my recent Railcar Thread.

http://www.brianjonesmodels.co.uk

I have used one of his Sound Units but do not favour his Radio Control as he uses the big car/plane/biats hand control stick stuff. I did link mine to an Aristo Crest which while being superb for control may not be in production at this time.

There are others out there in UK and US but I mentioned the ines I have used.
 
idlemarvel said:
I think you are finding out that the RC aspect of this hobby is still a bit of a cottage industry IMO, at least outside the US. We have our very own forum member who sells the necessary stuff in the UK but I will let him reveal himself!
Click to expand...

As if by magic! The shopkeeper arrived..

Hello 'O' ;) (please introduce yourself)

Have a look round here:

http://www.rctrains.co.uk/

No problem shipping to Denmark. For information, and to 'waste' (:shake::shake:) a few hours, have a look at Rik's Railway blog. - Rik originally started RC Trains, and has documented his railway and experiments here:

https://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/

Enjoy!
PhilP
 
philip,,,, i need a transmitter with a range of at least 50 m,,, more would be better for a couple of live steam loca and i like your transmitters but they are too weak at 30m,, is there any way of boosting the signal,,,
 
daveyb said:
philip,,,, i need a transmitter with a range of at least 50 m,,, more would be better for a couple of live steam loca and i like your transmitters but they are too weak at 30m,, is there any way of boosting the signal,,,
Click to expand...

Simple answer 'yes'.. Though getting the Tx modules can be a PITA! :(

Live steam, so metal bodied..
Where / how have you got the aerial, and how is it orientated?

You may find it just needs a receiver with the extended aerial, so it can be in 'free-air'?

phil@rctrains.co.uk

If you would like to take this to email?
PhilP.
 
At the risk of alienating some very nice gentlemen here , I am forced to say that we use R/C , the type which is used on model aircraft and trucks and tanks .
We use the standard hand held transmitter , receiver and speed controller , some three channel and some greater (or four and up if you have difficulty with addition) .
My reluctance to raise this (said the actress....) is having had dreadful arguments with they who will only consider using the special-to-type stuff , about which I shall say no more .
The point is , aircraft r/c is more readily available , there is a huge range (in both senses) and more to the point the use of servos can add extra functions--my son has just finished a model with a driver who waves on command , he did it tongue in cheek to sil
ence those who say that static dummies do not enhance a model .
I shall now partake of my afternoon Egyptian PT and dream of the day when I shall not be castigated (no , not castrated) for daring to point out that there are several ways of doing things without my girlfriend slapping my face .
 
But the OP has already stated that he does not want a large aircraft type transmitter.
 
Play nicely peoples.. ;)

The 'standard' model plane Tx has the advantages you state. - Many models, much knowledge etc. But the 'box' is quite big.
The 'train' specific products tend to be smaller.
Yes, there is plenty of expertise out there, but you are 'converting' something for model aircraft / cars to a train. - The speed controllers tend not to have the fine range at low-speed we want, for example.
At the Receiver end, you tend to have a receiver and separate Speed Controller. - We do not necessarily have the space for this, with batteries, sound cards, etc.
'We' (the small manufacturers) can easily craft our offerings to a Customers specific needs.

A Customer 'pays their money, and takes their choice'.

Both will work. End of..

We could also argue Internal Combustion model aircraft are 'better' than Battery Electric. Live Steam is 'better' than Electric-powered loco's. DCC is 'better' than Analogue DC.

None is 'better'.
They are different, and one will suit one person, and another someone else.
 
Of course there's orsiz for corsiz . That should not detract from the readily available small 1000' range transmitter , and its accompanying truck , car or loco fitted hardware . I can fit out a 3 channel loco with superb slow speed control for less than 60 quid . The transmitter is hand held using a pistol grip , speed can be controlled by variable trigger or wheel . It is not large and leaves one hand free and you have no need to walk along with the loco to control it .
Before arguing the physical properties , look for (preferably) r/c for boats , trucks or cars . You may be surprised and even maybe venture into r/c , leaving all that nasty track cleaning behind .
The r/c is up to you , I prefer the truck/car/boat type , some of which have a staggering number of functions and can control your points as well . But that gets a bit techy for some , we aren't all geniouses , so keeping it simple will endear you to the advantages .
All I am saying is consider all types of remote--if you want infra red , go for it ; anyway , enough , let's keep a level playing field with these type of discussion , push your personal likes by all means , but not at the expense of equally good alternatives .
 
I would normally suggest going to a local garden railway meeting, G Scale, 16 mm, or antyping, and see what others are using. As people say horses, for courses & personal preference. Unfortunately that may not be helpful in your case!
 
Paul M said:
I would normally suggest going to a local garden railway meeting, G Scale, 16 mm, or antyping, and see what others are using. As people say horses, for courses & personal preference. Unfortunately that may not be helpful in your case!
Click to expand...

I did not enter into wireless control without looking at all things attractive , even going so far as to hide a slave in the bushes with a long piece of fishing twine , until I found the need for two , one to haul out and one to haul back . The science of pullies (alright , pulleys) was beyond me at the time , but I had to learn fast in order to cut down on the food and digs bill . With reference to it being too late to pick the right horse , you are right , they make a lot of manure . Like.......whoever .
 
Dear all

Thanks for the input and especial to PhilP. I have looked at both RCTrains and Rik's Blog - and they seem to give all the answers I needed. Lots of studying ahead.

Sorry for the initial lack of introduction, so here goes: I am 65 yo business analyst and proces consultant still working. Living with the misses near Aarhus in Jutland, DK. Though former HO scale modelbuilder, I am now totally into operation and to have fun with trains.
Converted to G-scale to have something grandchildren also could play with. Got 7 Grandchildren and when they visit, we set up The Daily Mixed Beverages, The Eastboud Cookie Special or a fast running Sunday Candy Express through the whole house.

That is why I will go for the smallest and simplest transmitter. No lights, no functions, just direction and speed in a one hand unit with a knob large enough to be controlled with your thumb. To have the other hand free to load/unload cars, couple/uncouple and throw switches.

The battery/RC set up will give me one more advantage. The grandchildren could operate a loco each at the same time in whatever direction and returnloops without any tricky wiring (as DCC, but that would be more expensive)
And yes, it will probably lead to some front end crashes, but running old and cheap LGB/Playmobil engines at reduced speed, I really don't care. Most important is the fun and the loads - which might be lost if a train crashes (grandfather rule) forcing them to cooperate at the siding and stations to secure their loads until destination is reached - going from one end of the house to the other and back again.

Whether the "better" engines that I buy/build for my own use (shunting) also will be Battery+RC is not determined yet. Primary target is to get all the "toy" engines converted first, so the above mentioned operation can begin.

And this then is the background for any posts I might make in the future in this forum..

Kind regards and best wishes for the weekend
Ole O.
 
mikanmart said:
At the risk of alienating some very nice gentlemen here , I am forced to say that we use R/C , the type which is used on model aircraft and trucks and tanks .
We use the standard hand held transmitter , receiver and speed controller , some three channel and some greater (or four and up if you have difficulty with addition) .
My reluctance to raise this (said the actress....) is having had dreadful arguments with they who will only consider using the special-to-type stuff , about which I shall say no more .
The point is , aircraft r/c is more readily available , there is a huge range (in both senses) and more to the point the use of servos can add extra functions--my son has just finished a model with a driver who waves on command , he did it tongue in cheek to sil
ence those who say that static dummies do not enhance a model .
I shall now partake of my afternoon Egyptian PT and dream of the day when I shall not be castigated (no , not castrated) for daring to point out that there are several ways of doing things without my girlfriend slapping my face .
Click to expand...
I can understand why many would use the type of RC (stick systems) to which you refer. Just for me the smaller type that PhiliP and Fosworks supply work for me. That Is because I run Timetables and have to walk around with a Clip Board for the Timetable while twidling the knobs with the oth hand oh and manipulating a knife for uncoupling as well, thus a 2 stick setup does not work for me. In fact I have two or three systems kicking around waiting for my round to it to kick in to sell on via the forum. So no animocity but having seen the many stick systems that Casey has in his shed I certainly do not have the space for the stick systems myself.
 
Ole,
I would suggest you also look at RCS in Australia.
https://www.rcs-rc.com/
Tony Walsham (the owner) regularly posts on US forums and is easy to reach. His systems are somewhat similar to RCtrains, as they all use 2.4Mhz, and I suspect use the same TX chip from Deltang.

The other option not mentioned here is wireless or bluetooth operation from a smart phone. There are lots of people experimenting with it and several commercial products, like Bluerail (http://bluerailtrains.com/) or Blu-Tom, who has a facebook page but I'm not sure where he's got to.

The "Deadrail Society" covers many battery options:
https://www.deadrailsociety.com/dead-rail-suppliers/
 
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