Even the battery that enables my micro quadcopter to work (it sits in the palm of your hand) is too big for HO diesels. It MIGHT fit in some larger steam tenders. It runs the 4 motors of the quadcopter for 10-15 minutes, so it might run a loco pulling a train for 20-25 minutes on a charge. That's not nearly enough. On the roll recharging is definitely needed until somepone makes the magic battery. Like small speakers, we are pushing the laws of physics here, trying to get a battery super tiny yet have lots of energy storage.
And sure this BT thing works great in demos. What about a club setting where 30 people all are trying to run trains with BT cell phones in close proximity? Whar about trains running under scenery made the old way with screening and chicken wire? Tunnels were always the bane of that hokey IR system some seemed to love (they might still be around), runnels with metal involved will cause issues with any form of radio signal, which is a non-issue with DCC since the control signals come through the rails.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Even the batteries we have now will get you two hours run time.
I also am on the list for the 1st boards. About 2 weeks ago I tried to download to my I-phone 4s the Bachmann App, my phone is not worthy it said. I tried again during the Black Hawk game last night and it was still unworthy. I emailed Bluerail last evening and this morning the reply from Dave Rees was that the I phone 4 will not be surrported by the new IOS app. I appreciate the quick response from Bluerail and will look into upgrading our phones.
IMO Blue Rail is not the answer to all the issues that some may have with DCC but its a start. My previous system was RAIL PRO and it was great, so easy to set up and use, but I thought expensive. Blue Rail at 75 or 85 dollars for the start up boards is a great deal. It will only get better and it will help in my FULL conversion to DEAD RAIL, which is my goal by the start of 2017.
TomO
tloc52 I emailed Bluerail last evening and this morning the reply from Dave Rees was that the I phone 4 will not be surrported by the new IOS app. I appreciate the quick response from Bluerail and will look into upgrading our phones.
Hmmm, purchasing a control system that requires that I upgrade my cell phone? Something seems wrong with that, but I'm not completely certain what that might be.
Another thing, i saw people complaining about installs though in the email then mention it has an 8 pin llug easy install
We are getting rid of the landline as the only calls we seem to get on it are annoying telemarketers and such. The advantage of having a landline in an emergecy pretty much went out the window when they switched from copper lines to FIOS. But I digress.
Anyway I have 15 locomotives a mix of DC and DCC and I am wondering if given that the Bachmann locos work on both system if this plug in might be a way to upgrade some of my DC locos to operate in a DCC environment. I suppose I could just hardwire DCC decorders too.
Joe Staten Island West
joe323 We are getting rid of the landline as the only calls we seem to get on it are annoying telemarketers and such. The advantage of having a landline in an emergecy pretty much went out the window when they switched from copper lines to FIOS. But I digress.
I'll call your digression and raise you one.
I acquired a cell phone in late 2008 so when I moved to the DC area the following year I cancelled my FIOS internet + phone service since there was no reason for me to pay for two separate phone services. Having a cell phone and a landline basically is a redundant cost; and with other high expenses, it was a no brainer for me. I haven't had a land line since 2009.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
My landline went as they kept raising fees, ended up being $35 a month for local, pay $25 for unlimited everything now and can take with if expecting something important, yes we have one cell dedicated to home. It also acts as a backup if one of our private phones malfunctions (never happened but you never know). Also this talk about emergencys, more likely for the land line to die than the cell over the short term.
tloc52 I also am on the list for the 1st boards. About 2 weeks ago I tried to download to my I-phone 4s the Bachmann App, my phone is not worthy it said. I tried again during the Black Hawk game last night and it was still unworthy. I emailed Bluerail last evening and this morning the reply from Dave Rees was that the I phone 4 will not be surrported by the new IOS app. I appreciate the quick response from Bluerail and will look into upgrading our phones. IMO Blue Rail is not the answer to all the issues that some may have with DCC but its a start. My previous system was RAIL PRO and it was great, so easy to set up and use, but I thought expensive. Blue Rail at 75 or 85 dollars for the start up boards is a great deal. It will only get better and it will help in my FULL conversion to DEAD RAIL, which is my goal by the start of 2017. TomO
rrebellAlso this talk about emergencys, more likely for the land line to die than the cell over the short term.
That wasn't the case when part of the Midwest and New England area grid went down in Aug '03. All electricity and cell phone coverage went out for 2-3 days but landlines stayed up.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
rrebell--thanks I have thought of that. No decision is needed today as we will be looking at a few different cell providers. I am not locked into any IOS phones but whichever one I can get "free" for a new contract is the way we will go.
I am looking forward to trying a couple of these boards out.
Thanks
maxman--here is the entire email. Its not the boards that are the issue it is the phone. Remember the BlueRAil system uses a newer type of Bluetooth.
I am sorry to report that the iPhone 4s was the first Apple device to support Bluetooth Smart, so the iPhone4 does not work with any of these trains. That's a bummer, I know. Let me know if I can answer any other questions. Dave Rees
Am I disappointed, sort of. Is a new phone a huge new expense, not really. We've had the phones a few years so we got our use from them and they were of course "FREE" when we rolled into the new contract. I know nothing is free, that cost is some where. It will all work out good in the end.
One thing for sure--his customer service response time was exceptional and says alot for him and the new company.
tloc52maxman--here is the entire email. Its not the boards that are the issue it is the phone. Remember the BlueRAil system uses a newer type of Bluetooth.
Yup, I know it is the phone. I still would not purchase a product if it required me to make an (substantial) expenditure for another product to be used.
tloc52 rrebell--thanks I have thought of that. No decision is needed today as we will be looking at a few different cell providers. I am not locked into any IOS phones but whichever one I can get "free" for a new contract is the way we will go. I am looking forward to trying a couple of these boards out. Thanks TomO
There should be no issues with the number of people or running through tunnels or even in the next room.
Pete Steinmetz
Dead Rail Society
www.deadrailsociety.com
On30 Modeler
Encinitas, CA
I run DCC and Dead Rail at the same time. I have not converted all my locos to Dead Rail. Our club CSC On30 runs both NCE DCC and ll varieties of Dead Rail (CVP, Tam Valley, and Blue Rail) at the same time as guys running DCC. There is no peoblems or interfearance.
I look on Blue Rail as a compliment to DCC not a substitute for DCC.
Blue Rail Supports sound now. I ran last weekend at Fullerton Railroad Days with a Blue Rail equipped 4-4-0 with steam sound. I was running with battery power.
Is Blue Rail for everyone? No. It does have a lot of features for a low price. One of the best features is it will be expandable and upgradable without much extra expense.
Check out their web site. There are many videos explaining the system and it's features. www.bluerailtrains.com
Bluerail has sound. It always has.
Pete
You are comparing the cost of DCS vs DCC. We are actually talking about a $70.00 blue tooth board. Pay $70.00, plug it in, and you are running your train with sound.
There are a lot of us that are running Dead Rail. The high quality batteries work just fine.
I've run the BlueRail System at train shows. No problem with distance. This is Bluetooth LE. There will be no interferance. Scenery is not a problem.
i am running the BlueRail board with battery power. I ran close to 5 hours on the smallest battery I have.
CHARLES STEINMETZ Bluerail has sound. It always has. Pete
Sort of. The last I checked, BlueRail has sound coming from the app, not the loco itself.
CHARLES STEINMETZ You are comparing the cost of DCS vs DCC. We are actually talking about a $70.00 blue tooth board. Pay $70.00, plug it in, and you are running your train with sound. Pete
With DCC, I can equip a non-sound loco for $20 - $30(I do have a few sound locos, but the vast majority of mine are not). At a $40 - $50 cost difference, it doesn't take many locos to pay for a DCC system, and once it's paid for you'll save that money for every new loco you buy.
CHARLES STEINMETZ I've run the BlueRail System at train shows. No problem with distance. This is Bluetooth LE. There will be no interferance. Scenery is not a problem. i am running the BlueRail board with battery power. I ran close to 5 hours on the smallest battery I have. Pete
Can you tell what battery you are using ? I installed a Lipo 11.1v 450 ma in a E6 dummy B unit, this thing is huge but it does the job.
Jack W.