Does Anyone Still Use Dynatrol To Run Their Layout?

[Anonymous]

Greetings, gang.....

I was wondering if anyone out there still operates their layout with a non-DCC control system, specifically Dynatrol, which is one of the first successful command control systems from the 1980's, before the advent of DCC.
For those who have never heard of it, it's an analog carrier control system as opposed to digital, but is a reliable and proven system, can be made to operate with infrared wireless throttles, and even with DCC. Surprisingly the product is still supported, now by a new owner who is constantly "bringing it up to spec" and improving it, and for those of us who want (or need) a simple command control system, this is it, especially if you're on a budget and can't afford a DCC system, but want to move beyond the DC power pack (not that there isn't anything wrong with that!)
Some of the hobby's more popular layout owners have used Dynatrol before they took down or rebuilt their current layouts, like Tony Koester's Midland Road, and Lee Nicholas' UC&W, Chuck Hitchcock's Santa Fe, and RPI's NEB&W. One of the hobby's better kept secrets (and that I happen to operate on), Harold Werthwein's large Erie layout, STILL uses Dynatrol in a big way, 20 years and running!
To see what makes up Classic Dynatrol, the website to see all the component parts is at -
http://www.classicdynatrol.dynu.com
If you happen to be one of those "closet" Dynatrol users, and were wondering, "does anybody out there still use this stuff?", the answer is YES! I have recently taken over moderating a discussion group dedicated to Classic Dynatrol on Yahoo Groups at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dynatrol/
Our motto is, "Just because it's not DCC doesn't mean it's not worth using!!!"

Thanks,

Ralph Heiss
S. Plainfield, NJ

[Anonymous]

While I don't use Dynatol on my HO scale modules, a friend of mine in another city has quite an extensive HOn3 layout that uses Dynatrol. I had a cover article on the layoyut on the February 1998 issue of "Model Railroading" magazine. He asked me to send a few photos from that article to the Classic Dynatrol website, and they are the first four ones in Customer Photos section of the site - "Don Shouldice's railroad, The Crystal River".

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

Thanks for responding, Bob!

I know of the pictures of which you speak.....Hopefully, I'll have some of mine up there two once I get my layout built, and the Dynatrol installed!

Ralph Heiss
S. Plainfield, NJ

[MichaelWD]

Yes I still use Dynatrol for my layout. It is working great for me. You do have to watch out for the new channels 19 20, sometime they will give you trouble on an old system. I put a 19 in a new engine and could not get it to run. I had to go back to an old channel. There are several people in the area that still use it . Dan Bucci that has the Classic Dynatrol live only about an hour away so repair is not that much of a problem
Mike Dickinson