R/C Miniaturization Revolution

[FJ and G]

For more than a century, model railroaders have had moving trains but not moving cars and trucks on their layout, except for fixed-guidance systems.

That may soon change, however.

Radio Shack has a taste of the future in their offerings. R/C cars in 1:87 scale and 1:30 scale (but not yet O scale) that operate with miniature batteries and are remotely guided.

(One could put the 1:30 scale motor inside an O scale truck but that would be some work)

It's only a matter of time before our O scale trains are R/C (yank out all that wiring), as well as accessories. And, I can see the day that a truck backs up to a loading ramp for transshipment aboard a train.

It's the wave of the future. Cars and planes have been riding the crest of that wave. But model railroaders are stuck to tradition. Eventually, this will be the 3rd revolution in toy trains (command control was the 2nd revolution)

Dave Vergun

[cnw1995]

Dave, I agree. When I saw the cheap battery-powered engine sold by K-Line that has an infared controller, I told myself this could be the future if the battery was easily rechargeable - like that mini-trainset Radio Shack sold this past Christmas - the little engine runs into the engine house and was powered up again. Like some of our garden railway brethren, it was change the way we looked at our trains.

[TurboOne]

If you check out Walthers catalog for HO, Faller, and a few other europeans have had moving vehicles for a while. Besides cars, trucks, and buses, they have ski lifts and trams. They look awesome. I also saw a tram for G scale in one of our local shops, but nothing for O yet.

Tim

[jimhaleyscomet]

Existing battery operated cars typically have a relatively short life (6 minutes) because they operate at speeds way over scale. I do have an small RC tank that has slow speed and resonably long life. Existing RC designs would need constant supervision unless it is on a rail or "control strip" in the pavement.

I don't think there are any technological barriers to getting RC cars on the O layout. It is simply a matter of design/tooling expense and if the market would support that expense.

[Buckeye Riveter]

With the money pumped into drone technology by the military, it is my understanding that the model airplane hobby is going through a technological boom. I believe that much of this battery technology will be showing up in model trains very soon.

Time will tell.