Mode of power update

[Anonymous]

Just wondered if everyone is happy with the power supplies they have chosen.If you could change it,what to and why?

[bman36]

troybetts,
So far I have only used track power. Considering batteries as well as live steam. We'll see what the future holds! Later eh...Brian.

[RhB_HJ]

Right now still on analogue for whatever little is powered.

Will be all ZIMO DCC (I have the control etc. etc.) just as soon as the "which sound decoder???" question gets sorted.
I will roll my own sound (just like in HOm) so getting the best of all possible worlds is important.

I find with any DCC, going slowly and deliberately pays off in a big way. Do the research and then buy! Make sure whatever you buy actually delivers what the mfg promises. And while you're at it read all the foot notes and fine print some mfgs like to attach to their wares/operating instructions.
There are plenty of people out there kicking themselves everyday because they got painted into a corner.

Having a system that only operates correctly when the moon is in a certain quarter, the sun sets at a specific time and the wind is blowing in the right direction is strictly for those who

a) don't mind buying more than one system
b) enjoy wearing a hair shirt
c) are so laid back it can't possibly bother them.

[;)][}:)][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

I have recently changed from analogue DC to DCC AC (LGB MTS) and the system is great but the problem has been on going faults with the modules and poor support from the importer, I have no faith in them. When it is working and it has only been working at its full potential for 10 days in six months, it is just wonderful, can't beat it. But it has just got to get better from here on or I am going to make a formal written complaint to the Trades Practices Commission, and here in Australia, with our consumer protection laws as they are, this is serious.


Rgds Ian

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

I have recently changed from analogue DC to DCC AC (LGB MTS) and the system is great but the problem has been on going faults with the modules and poor support from the importer, I have no faith in them. When it is working and it has only been working at its full potential for 10 days in six months, it is just wonderful, can't beat it. But it has just got to get better from here on or I am going to make a formal written complaint to the Trades Practices Commission, and here in Australia, with our consumer protection laws as they are, this is serious.


Rgds Ian

Ian,

DCC actually uses bi-polar DC.

I've sent you an email regarding the MTS problem. I'll check with my buddy if he kept the email in question. May take a day or two.

As mentioned elsewhere, I'd go for a full refund and tell them to forget it.

BTW you being a battery person and all that, living in OZ I'm surprised you didn't go with RCS! Forget about cleaning track and all that other stuff. Have you talked to Tony??

[grandpopswalt]

I use batteries (Nickle metal Hydride) and radio control. I have an electronics background so I build all my own controls (not the radio equipment). With 3000 mah batteries and a quick charging system between runs, I'm able to operate almost indefinately.

No more worries about dirty track and poor rail joints, just get the big stuff off the tracks.

Grandpopswalt

[Anonymous]

Yeah,

Thanks HJ but with my layout spread over several courtyards, Ii really need MTS or something like it, thanks for the support. My hand controller and points module just arrived in the mail for about the fourth time, after being gone for nearly three weeks; so i'm trying to keep my hopes up but thanks again.


ian

[Anonymous]

As I check around I think I must be crazy to want a computer controlled for Phase 1, then 2, 3, 4 and I might say others.
But then are they all that cracked up to be[?]

[Anonymous]

I think I must be stuck in the past Troy, I have a 5amp, DC to the track unit and I don't see me changing. Saying that it's going to be a single track with the consist going round and round with me watching & drinking beer. I've been following the guys reports on different systems and battery technology seems to be moving on and up. Ian seems to be having bad luck with his LGB system & looks like he's heading for a legal route via local govt. I think i'll just sit on the fence on this one & see which comes out on top.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[bman36]

Hi guys,
My biggest deal with batteries is being able to stay on top of them being charged. When I used to fly R/C I would rush home to fly only to find out my transmitter or receiver was'nt ready to go. This meant watching the weather, anticipating use, and cycling batteries as necessary. That irritated me. I realize now that technology has changed a lot so I am not going to rule batteries out yet. Later eh...Brian.

[BudSteinhoff]

I did not vote because there was no 'track power radio control'
I have been using Aristo on-board receivers and switch receivers with 24 volt track power and am completely satisfied with the system.
I also have added and run the DCS system for the MTH loco's at the same time with the on-boards equipped loco's.
Bud[8D]

[Anonymous]

Some very interesting answers.Just for the record I'm still using analogue but would love to move into the DCC sector.The problem is the investment and getting the right system.I logged on to a MTS forum and to be honest I did'nt have a clue what they were talking about.They seemed very worried about various numbers.I don't want to spend lots of numbers(ie,pounds)and be worried about others.The difficulty is finding a straightforward guide to what's needed step by step.I'm not worried about the electrical side as I'm an electrician but my wife won't let me be a rich one!
Heeeelllppp.Troy
Ps,anyone in England using a DCC system that isn't LGB?

[RhB_HJ]

Troy,

Here's my recommendation:

a) get the "Digital Command Control - the comprehensive guide to DCC" book (ISBN 91-85496-49-9), once you're done with that have a look around what the price brackets are.

b) After that download the manuals from the mfgs you figure you can afford. Note: by the time you add on all the "extras" with some mfgs to get a reasonably good system you're at the price of the excellent systems. Pity is lots of people don't realize that 'til it's too late.

c) after wading through the tech specs and instructions, head for the forums and start asking questions. Trust me 4 years back I had no idea what a CV is other than a curriculum vitae.

It takes some work, but it isn't rocket science. Yes, it helps if you're used to reading manuals and don't get flustered.

BTW the documentation from LGB MTS is getting better, it used to be much worse.

Way back I recommended to them to get someone who is fluent in English and German, knows all the electronic terms and knows how to write.
Tall order, but not my problem! [;)][}:)][:D]

[Anonymous]

I am going to use DCC, but I would like a few battery powered units in reserve.

[Anonymous]

So far I'm using Aristo RC track control but have purchased an Aristo on-board system to give that a try.
Now all I need is the knowledge and confidence to get the thing installed.
I like the idea of constant track voltage with on-board receivers...no batteries to charge; maybe I should go that route.
Larry T.

[Chompers]

So far i am still using a 5-10 amp Controle master 20 ( not sure what the amps are) that i recieved from my grandfaather at the age of 4. that worked great when i had 1 engine, but now i am running 2 and possobly 3 in the neer future. i want to go with the LGB mts, i know that it had problems with the first verson, but LGB is making a new system that wont have the old glitches. should i go with it? or some body else???????????????????????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chompers

So far i am still using a 5-10 amp Controle master 20 ( not sure what the amps are) that i recieved from my grandfaather at the age of 4. that worked great when i had 1 engine, but now i am running 2 and possobly 3 in the neer future. i want to go with the LGB mts, i know that it had problems with the first verson, but LGB is making a new system that wont have the old glitches. should i go with it? or some body else???????????????????????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chompers,

Assuming that you will need to retro-fit the decoders, there is little reason to go with MTS, never mind which version.

Massoth, the OEM of LGB MTS, makes a DiMax1200 which delivers a cool 12A and the new version will have several "wrinkles" that sound very interesting. They are also working on a new handheld which will have some real features.

BTW the MTS being a skimpy in the tech specs department is not Massoth's doing, no more than it was Lenz's in the previous incarnations.
Any OEM will tailor the control to what the manufacturer orders. The question is always: does that mfg know what DCC is all about or is this just going to be one more item in a large product line? I let you provide the answers.

If you would like to read a review of the 1200 go to
www.easternmountainmodels.com select the English version, click on "Services" and then "GARTENBAHNprofi". The review is in issue 1/2004.

BTW GARTENBAHNprofi is a glossy German garden railways mag. The summary translations are provided by a friend of mine and yours truly.
Starting with issue 2/2004 we are translating the whole shebang - by popular demand - but there are no pictures i.e. to get all the context of the write ups one needs to have the original German magazine.
The translations are so far provided as a "free of charge" PDF.

There is a summary of the contents listed with each translated issue. Lots of interesting stuff that hasn't been covered by the North American press. [;)][:)]

[Chompers]

are you shure RhB_HJ? i have heard a lot of goood things.

[Anonymous]

Hey all, I didn't vote because I don't as of yet have any. I'm thinking of going battery/radio control. I talked with Tony Washlam with RCS via e-mail due to wanting a ready run battery radio control setup and not having to figure how to make various components work together. I was told however it might be a trick involved in getting batteries into a LGB 260 Mogul. With a total layout of 250 foot of track(future) I see battery power as the only way to go.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chompers

are you shure RhB_HJ? i have heard a lot of goood things.

Nah, I'm just spouting off as always.

OK let's look at some of the nitty gritty:

MTS still operates with 14 (fourteen) speed steps, the decoders have two F functions, one for lights and one for the rest which up to now meant if you weren't using LGB's engines with the custom interface to the sound you handy-capped yourself right off the bat.
The bus and general architecture of the system is as slow as molasses compared with full feature systems like Digitrax, Lenz, NCE and ZIMO.
Unless you get one of the recently upgraded systems all F functions are sent in serial mode. The upgrade that's coming/available applies to only the newest generation of decoders i.e. all the old stuff will continue working in the same "less than stellar" fashion, some of the older decoder are just plain dumb (in an electronic sense).
The newest generation of decoders (55021onboard) has all kinds of goodies built in that the MTS2 (current system) can't even make use of. That's left to systems that play nicely with the NMRA-DCC features that have been added above the very basic standard.
When you add up all the accessories that you may buy (this depends on what you want to do) the total is within 10% of a high-end system with the difference that MTS2 is at best (actually very best) a mid-range system with considerable limitations.

What LGB MTS has going for itself is the "no brains required" factor i.e. they tell you it is "Plug and Play" (plug and pray is more like it!) because they supply the engines with decoders installed.
The praying starts when you need technical help; the manuals are getting better, but are still a joke compared with what other mfgs provide. If you want to find out what the decoders can do you're on your own. LGB will only provide the info on what the MTS2 control can address.
And on and on and on it goes........

You can read all about it by going through the archives at YAHOO GscaleGroup, has all been discussed ad nauseum.

Last but not least, the upgrade path on MTS is an absolute insult to the consumer. You want it upgraded? Send the whole system to LGBoA, EPL or Massoth! Have any problems after the upgrade, please send it again!
This compared to downloadable upgrades from the Internet, which are mostly free of charge (at least in ZIMO's case). Yeah, I know you're not upgrading...... tell that to the people who bought MTS1 and MTS2.
And then there is the small matter that, in my opinion, MTS is not good value for the sticker price.

My recommendation still is: read up on DCC, the start comparing feature by feature with the price tag firmly in mind.

[Anonymous]

Hi all
I couldn't vote as it only allows you to pick one.
My line has live steam, standard annalogue track feed and currently under construction an
IP Engineering Lolly Pop Farm battery powered rail motor perhaps that should be kit bash
as a new propper chassis is being built for it.
In the planning stage is Jarrdi a local timber companies
Locomotive as a manual control battery powered locomotive .
By the way you missed one spring power I believe there are a few of them about
regards John

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the very useful information RhB_HJ.This is the sort of thing we need.The stuff behind the adverts.It's a bit of a minefield really.Troy

[Chompers]

ok so if i only have 130 feet of track out side then who should i go with.??????????????!!!!!!!!!1

ps i don't need and thing for switches, already built my own switch box.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chompers

ok so if i only have 130 feet of track out side then who should i go with.??????????????!!!!!!!!!1

ps i don't need and thing for switches, already built my own switch box.

Chompers,

Who runs what in your neighbourhood? Anyone doing Digitrax? Lenz? NCE?

Having some buddies who run the same system will be of great help when you run into problems i.e. they are there, rather than on the Net.

[vsmith]

If your layout is small and track powered I HIGHLY recommend Aristo's Train Engineer system.

I have the Basic Train Engineer which allows me mobile control of the train no walking back and forth between train and powerpack. Its dead simple to install and works like a charm!

[:D]

[Chompers]

RHB_HJ as far as i know i am the only one in my neighbor hood that even likes trains. (small neighborhood) so no one to help. [:(][:(][:(][:(]

vsmith tell me mor about the train engineer. one of my favorite hoby stores uses it to controle its layout frome N to G.

[Anonymous]

As seen in the other thread I have gone over to MTS.
I currently have a train engineer handset with an "elect trains"transformer and transmitter.This is one of my Dad's sets that stopped working when one of the trains derailed.He gave it to me to see if I could fix it .Has anyone else had this poblem before I send it to the the electronic fixer people?Troy

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys

After much reading, research and discussion around the traps I have taken a leap of faith and ordered a Lenz Set-100 and 2 x LGB55021 for my 2 Stainz. I find it hard to justify spending bigger dollars for a lower feature MTS system. I love LGB trains but the controls it would appear are some thing else.[:D]

Thank you for your informed and honest opinions, (some maybe slightly biased)[:)]

Regards
Martin

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys

After much reading, research and discussion around the traps I have taken a leap of faith and ordered a Lenz Set-100 and 2 x LGB55021 for my 2 Stainz. I find it hard to justify spending bigger dollars for a lower feature MTS system. I love LGB trains but the controls it would appear are some thing else.[:D]

Thank you for your informed and honest opinions, (some maybe slightly biased)[:)]

Regards
Martin

[toenailridgesl]

I am currently running one live-steamer and 4 Batt-R/C locos. Have another 5 locos that need track power but haven't bothered to hook that up in over 2 years.
Am about to convert the rest to R/C-batt except the B/mann Climax which is going on ebay.