Does anyone run a Aristo Doodlebug on batteries? Is there room?
You can easily use a QSI or RCS, Airwire w/sound and battery in the doodlebug. The parts will fit into the baggage area at the front of the loco. The main challange will be where to put the speaker if you use sound. In my kitbashed M-190 doodlebug, the speaker is facing down over the motorblock. I had to drill holes in the pan .
JimC.
Thanks Jim,
I've been out of the "business" for about 15 years and l am finally approaching retirement in a few months and anxious to get back into it. I have about finished my 175 feet of track and thinking of switching to battery and the Doodlebug caught my eye, You convinced me, a Doodlebug it'll be or maybe a RDC3. I have a couple F-1's that haven't been down the track in 15 years!
Jim
The Hartland Locomotive Works Doozie Rail Bus and trailer is a very good candidate for battery operation, too. I use CVP's AirWire900 and Gel-Cell 12 Volt rechargeable batteries in one of them.
http://www.h-l-w.com/EnginesAndCarsPage.html
I haven't put sound into it, but there's plenty of room for a Phoenix sound system and speaker.
I would think there is room for batteries, sound etc.-it is a pretty long engine judging by pictures. I think it also has the Aristo Plug and Play socket, so Aristo Revolution control could be easily installed. I have found that 12v Sealed Lead-Acid batteries are cheap ($) http://www.mouser.com/Power/Batteries/Rechargeable-Batteries/Sealed-Lead-Acid-Battery/_/N-5gbq/. Wire two in a series and you would have good power. Phoenix sound has a Doodlebug sound system.
pimanjc- I like the Doodlebug!
IRB,
Thanks for the kind words.
Neither of the two stock Aristo doodlebugs I have had were fitted with the PnP socket. Consequently, I used the QSI w/Magnum adaptor board and the G-wire board for control of lights, motive power, and sound in the M-190.
The only wiring components that were significant [outside of the lighting circuits] were the in-line inclusion of two or three small capacitors [...to help avoid flickering lights or jerky running I suspect.]
pimanjc The only wiring components that were significant [outside of the lighting circuits] were the in-line inclusion of two or three small capacitors [...to help avoid flickering lights or jerky running I suspect.] JimC.
Those capacitors are probably only for RF suppression to comply with European emission requirements. I suspect they are the same type that Bachmann puts on all of their circuit boards, and people are advised to cut them out when installing a decoder in order to avoid degraded performance.
I did cut them out. Here is a picture of the wiring harness I built. The picture does not include all lighting wiring. I have those in separate JPGs.
pimanjc Neither of the two stock Aristo doodlebugs I have had were fitted with the PnP socket.
Neither of the two stock Aristo doodlebugs I have had were fitted with the PnP socket.
How old are your Aristo's? I think the new ones have the PnP socket. Maybe I'm wrong.
Have a read on page 64 of the June 2010 issue. Jack and Adam DiSarro have a nice project there.
Tom Trigg
ttrigg Have a read on page 64 of the June 2010 issue. Jack and Adam DiSarro have a nice project there.
just read it.
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