General Discussion (Model Railroader)

Some company will make a track cleaner that only needs to be applied once a year. I can only hope!

justincase65 wrote:

Varnet wrote: I'm looking forward to having digital couplers on everything some day. It will be fun to switch/shunt almost completely hands free!   This is what I'm waiting for.  I've thought about it a lot in fact.  With decoders in each car and a solinoid switch that works each coupler it could be done.  Unfornutaely, I don't think DCC can handle that many decoders at a time on a layout particularly the larger layouts with hundreds of cars to program.

My DCS 200 can handle 100-120 seperate decoders at once.

Average train length 15 cars, not a problem.

I think uncouplers already are coming onto the market, they use modified switch machines and are quite expensive. Frankly Im sticking to Kadee which I hope is still around 50 years from now.

I would like to see something like DCC. But you carry a handheld unit like DCC and it sends the signal to the engine. The engine will carry a reciever that takes the signals from the handheld. That way no programming would be done and no electricity would be going through the rails. And every month you would have to give the engine a quick recharge 1hr charge.

I believe more model railroaders will continue to patronize special interest groups and other media that cater to their particular interests rather than rely solely on general interest publications. Although HO probably will remain the scale of choice with the majority of modelers, more people will model in the minority scales and gauges (look what's happening with O scale and Large Scale thanks to Bachmann, the internet, and other companies). With the exception of the largest LHSs (eg. Caboose Hobbies, Trainworld) more LHSs will fold and online shopping will increase.

I open the box on my new piece of  N scale rolling stock and notice, the couplers are.. RAPIDOS!!  groan.....

A couple of trends:

1. Technology will make things cheaper, better, and faster.  Both in model production and electronics.

2. Any piece of equipment that has a following will be offered commercially, albeit in a small run.

3. Modelers will be more attuned to subtle differences in prototypes.  The differences between Frisco's Alco Russian Decapods and Frisco's Baldwin Russian Decapods will be significant - as will be the difference between "in service" and "preserved" variations. 

4. We'll see layouts based on prototypes that are not reasonable to model today, like a substantial layout based on the South Shore Line (a 20 car roster would be a significant part of the importer's run of brass cars - and what about all those catenary towers!).

5. We'll see more "unusual" layout concepts.  Someone will model a railroad museum.  Someone will model a "retro" layout with 1950's and 1960's trains.

6. We'll see more "what if" layout themes.  Expect to have a good idea of what a PRR 4-8-4 would have looked like - and someone to build a live steam model.  Also expect to see a layout based on mergers happening differently.

7. There still will be LHS, but they will either be one man shows or big stores.  However, most of the basic hobby supplies (wood, paint, plastic stock) would be available retail.

8. The "community" of people with similar interests would be worldwide.

9. There still will be lots of straight DC layouts and "plywood central" layouts in 3-rail O.  

Greg H. wrote:

I ran into an artical in an older book ( printed in the eartly 70's or so ), where the author made a fairly good argument, for doubling the voltage ( and dropping the amps by half ), that the trains run at.   Since then keep seeing I seeing it show up from time to time and it's still a fairly good argument, but time will tell.

IIRC didn't the old GE Astrac system run on 24 volt AC? I think I remember a comment by Allen McClelland where he said that the higher voltage made contact problems pretty rare, but if you forgot and laid put your bare hand on the track (it was constant voltage) you'd know it!

George

oleirish wrote:

I think It will be radio control even in the "N" scale.Think about It??no wires under the lay out,no block controls,ECT,ECT.radio is getting smaller everyday!It is allredy used in "G" scale,and some "O" scale,"HO" is close allso at the present. JIM

Great minds must think alike, I model Southern Pacific in N scale and I agree that this is where the future lies, in fact I stated today at our open house that I don't believe DCC will be around much in a couple of years, but Radio Control with battery powered locos will be all the rage, if track voltage is involved, it will only be to keep batteries charged.

Teditor 

I don't think there will be much of a change in the future as many think. I think the biggest change will be in the powering of our layouts while the basic modeling skills will remain the same. As far as rolling stock goes, depends on what the railroads come up with in the future. Of coarse the introduction of new and better building materials will have an impact to like foam has in the past few years. Now you in the DCC community, don't get mad at me, but I think this DCC thing is just stepping stone for better things to come just like the 8 track tape decks of the past. Now on the lighter side of things. This was seen on the nightly news in the year of 2019. John Smith was arrested today during a routine traffic stop for haveing bomb material in his posession. Several spools of wire, nails, and plaster were found in the trunk of his car. Mr Smith stated to the officer it was for his U scale (new scale of the future) model railroad layout he is building. Howerver Mr Smith could not produce the required license for this activity. Bail is set at $3 millon. Dec. 27, 2021. The Child Protection Agency (CPA) has banned the production and sales of electric trains. Mr and Mrs Tom Thumb allowed their 5 year old son to play with his Christmas gift and in so doing the son dropped the locomotive on his bare foot causeing a 1/2 inch scar on his right foot. The CPA has found this to be a hazzard to our children. And the list goes on. Ken

oleirish wrote:

I think It will be radio control even in the "N" scale.Think about It??no wires under the lay out,no block controls,ECT,ECT.radio is getting smaller everyday!It is allredy used in "G" scale,and some "O" scale,"HO" is close allso at the present. JIM

How would the radio control work? You would need a some very nice electronics in the engines. The R/C hobby cars are far more pricy when it comes to the electronics and radio controlled systems. Would the engines run on a battery then? Just wondering, I have not seen any trains yet with R/C and wondered if it was the same as R/C cars.

In 2032, a new model railroad control system (an over-the-air control and power system) called SkyNet will become self-aware.  It will then launch a nuclear strike against humankind, ushering in the rise of the machines and a long, devistating war for the survival of humanity.  The resistance will be led by a model railroader named John Conner.

"Hasta la vista, baby!"

loathar wrote:

I hope it doesn't advance too much more. I get tired of things getting so expensive that I can't afford them anymore.

I agree 100% sadly though things will change, manufacturers have a knack of finding ways to plunder your wallet, IMO advancement in technology is not always a good thing.

 

IIRC didn't the old GE Astrac system run on 24 volt AC? I think I remember a comment by Allen McClelland where he said that the higher voltage made contact problems pretty rare, but if you forgot and laid put your bare hand on the track (it was constant voltage) you'd know it! George

I don't know.

I thought the article was talking about 24 V DC but DC could cause some safety issues.   I can see where 24 V AC could be better suited to such an application, and as far as safety is concerned would probably be better

I have never been bitten by 24 V AC, but, I have been by 120 V AC, when I was taking a plug from a socket and my fingers had slipped a little to far forward and bridged the gap - not something I would want to do again but it was survivable for the amount of time it took to remind me to be more careful - I imagine that 24 V AC would be more so, just a good bite to remind you to be careful.

I would think that directional control is probably a PITA with AC as compared with DC.

justincase65 wrote:

I don't think DCC can handle that many decoders at a time on a layout particularly the larger layouts with hundreds of cars to program.

???? Where did you get an idea like that????  Current DCC systems can handle 9999 decoder addresses.

jusincase65 wrote:

With decoders in each car and a solinoid switch that works each coupler it could be done.

What I don't understand is why one would want that, very unprototypical. 

loathar wrote:

I hope it doesn't advance too much more. I get tired of things getting so expensive that I can't afford them anymore.

I really really really do not understand this.  Things are SO relatively cheap now compared to what they used to be and they are better to boot. 

A most simple example - in 1979 an Athearn Blue Box GP9 cost me $18 street price.  The detail was terrible with a way wide hood and it sucked 2.5 amps on start up.  Now an Athearn RTR RS-3 retails for $90 with a street price of about $50.  Lets see, as I recall minimum wage was $2.10 back then, so it took me 8.5 hours of work to make enough money for the loco.   Now depending on which state one lives the minimum wage is an average of $7.  So it now it only takes 7.1 hours of work to earn a similar Athearn locomotive.  And that is a much better locomotive.  Better looking, better running, and consumes much less power.

Any economic factor I can come up with results in cheaper models of higher quality.  I think the real issue is no one is willing to settle for comparable products.  Everyone wants to compare the new top quality stuff to the old run of the mill stuff.  That is just not a reasonible comparison.  Holding one's model expectations constant, the prices have come down through the years.  

And to stay on topic, I believe that will be the trend into the future.  There will be much better and more variation of models produced.  The high end models will will continue to raise the bar on what is expected.  People unwilling to be satisfied with what they used to have will gripe because things are getting too expensive, but those will be the same people that blast the old things like brass track, locos without can motors & fly wheels, DC, and other things that are being put down today.   I am certain there are model railroaders out there that are more satisfied with, have more fun, and enjoy their "toy train" layouts much more than some of those with all the most modern, top of the line, and trendy things available in the hobby today.