Model Railroading and New Technology


Heh heh heh :D

While I have a laptop and enjoy using it, I have no desire to run my trains with it, or a smart phone or anything else. There are apps or similar software for those who want to use them, and more power to ya! As for myself, I find my NCE throttle simple enough to use. I also remember something Mr Scott said in one of the Star Trek movies: "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain!"

After going from records to 8 tracks to cassettes, to CD's to MP-3's I have no desire to go through the same crap with my railroad. ;)

Another old schooler heard from!
 
I was browsing around an online dealer and I saw this under throttles.
http://www.ringengineering.com/
Its called RailPro. Its a wireless controller with a touch screen.
Now this has real promise as far as premise.
Too bad it will fail.
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Well maybe in itself it will fail, but in fact the gauntlet has been thrown down. Each manufacturer will most likely try to adapt their present control stations to do similar and offer updated decoders. It is now up to the NMRA to set some standards. However protectionist, patents and copyright will have to be avoided first so that it will eventually end up similar to what we have in DCC now, each mfg. building their own control stations and software but each type station will have to be compatable with all future new type decoders. I seriously doubt if they would try to to include the decoders that are available today
Cheers
Willis
 
while i'd love to see some more thech, i think things are developing in a natural way and natural pace. software-wise those who want/can to spend money go with firewald's traincontroller. those who don't, go with JMRI (i'm using withrottle as well). those are pretty elaborate systems (and you can help with JMRI if you have what they need).

hardware-wise, digitrax and NCE hardware perhaps is not of 21st century tech. but if you have money to spend look at ESU Ecos (they are imported into US as well). and as always - see a need? fill a need. if you have an idea and believe it can make money you sure can try and build it.



Rotorranch said:
Scooby, I didn't miss the point at all. Perhaps you missed the point of my post.
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i must say I as well missed the point of your post , Rotor.
but the bold blue lettering sure does make it look very special.
 
Rotorranch said:
Scooby, I didn't miss the point at all. Perhaps you missed the point of my post.

I don't need, nor do I want, a layout that has a controller such as you mention. Nor do I need or want a cell phone. I'm happy with knobs and switches. It suits me. Just as my analog knob and dial controlled 30 year old microwave suits me. (Try to buy a new computer controlled microwave and have it last for 30 years!)

My MRC Twin-pak controller has been kicking for almost 45 years! And the knobs and switches are right where they ought to be. I even bought another one off ePay a few years back so I can run more trains on my analog layout.

My rotary phone is still working after almost 50 years. Try that with your cell phone!

And I drive a 47 year old car, too, (complete with a 47 year old tag!) and a 37 year old pick up truck. No computer controls there either. See if your 2011 Prius is still running in 30 years, or less.

About the only thing I want a computer for is ePay and browsing forums, and some email. And since 1998, I'm now on my 4th computer. If they last 3-4 years, I figure it's a good one.

"Buttercup"
MVC-130F.jpg



Rotor (from the backwoods near Atlanta, Gawga)
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You sound like me, Rotor... :)

We don't have a cell phone, cable TV, or even a microwave. A wood stove is the only heat source in our home, and our refirgerator is the Hotpoint my parents bought when I was born. It runs perfectly after more than 60 years of constant operation, and is actually quite energy efficient. :)

So naturally I enjoy the detailed handwork of modelling as well as the simplicity of low tech DC operation. :)

Greg
 
I think that's a pretty cool aspect of the hobby. If you want to keep it simple, you can. If you want everything computer controlled with touchscreen throttles, you can. And every level in between is also possible. It would be completely different if all locos were DCC and didn't support analog, but that's not the case and I never see that happening.

For me, it was mandatory that I be able to control via computers and use iphones to control the locos. I was not going to spend $80+ for each throttle to run more than one train. I would like to be able to control each turnout as well, but that cost is more than I can put into it right now. I am willing to settle for sending my son over to flip the turnouts.
 
cdouglas said:
I think that's a pretty cool aspect of the hobby. If you want to keep it simple, you can. If you want everything computer controlled with touchscreen throttles, you can. And every level in between is also possible. It would be completely different if all locos were DCC and didn't support analog, but that's not the case and I never see that happening.

For me, it was mandatory that I be able to control via computers and use iphones to control the locos. I was not going to spend $80+ for each throttle to run more than one train. I would like to be able to control each turnout as well, but that cost is more than I can put into it right now. I am willing to settle for sending my son over to flip the turnouts.
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RotorRanch:
You suggested using your phone to control your track from 1500 miles away and then suggested I try Virtual layouts.
That Is what I meant by missing the point of my post as it was geared toward the throttle aspect of the hobby.
However, I do understand where you are coming from. They don't make things like they used to anymore as evident with warranties. As soon as they expire, your product dies within 6 months. This is by design as companies actually research fail rates and WANT their products to fail to keep customers buying their products.
P.S. I really like Buttercup!:)

Cdouglas:
I find it mandatory as well to have touch screen capabilities. Currently, if your controller gets old or a new feature comes out, your stuck with your old paddle/controller. Buttons also fail. I have a drawer full of Comcast remotes to prove that. With Digital, all you need is a software upgrade or you download the latest version and viola, your got he current offering.
I find that very handy and useful as this hobby progresses.
 
It's not just the old guys. I'm 20, and I'd rather not have everything I own stop working because I drop my cell phone. DCC caught on because it's simpler and more powerful than DC blocks. Using a more complicated (and therefore screwup-prone) system to do the same thing you could with old tech just doesn't make sense to me.

That said, a diagnostic app (with a plug to a test track) would be seriously cool. You could pull up all the CVs, program the sound effects, tinker with it in real time, troubleshoot, the lot, independent of the layout controls. And the ability to update the system's not a bad idea either. (I'd still prefer getting something that already works to something that the designers are still working on!)

Scooby, pop the remotes open and wipe the circuit boards under the rubber buttons with rubbing alcohol. Wipe the rubber too. You'll have a drawer of working remotes. :D There's no fixing a touch screen.
 
RW&C said:
It's not just the old guys. I'm 20, and I'd rather not have everything I own stop working because I drop my cell phone. DCC caught on because it's simpler and more powerful than DC blocks. Using a more complicated (and therefore screwup-prone) system to do the same thing you could with old tech just doesn't make sense to me.

That said, a diagnostic app (with a plug to a test track) would be seriously cool. You could pull up all the CVs, program the sound effects, tinker with it in real time, troubleshoot, the lot, independent of the layout controls. And the ability to update the system's not a bad idea either. (I'd still prefer getting something that already works to something that the designers are still working on!)

Scooby, pop the remotes open and wipe the circuit boards under the rubber buttons with rubbing alcohol. Wipe the rubber too. You'll have a drawer of working remotes. :D There's no fixing a touch screen.
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Just what I need, my Little ones with a remote each!!:eek:
There is already way too much Nickelodeon and Disney on my TV's. haha

Back to point, aside from the throttle aspect, you bring up another reason why I wanted on-screen functionality. Diagnostic and CV controlling without having to know binary and hexadecimal would be ideal.

I'm currently DC myself, so its not like I am a DC basher.
I use an MRC Power Supply and a an MRC Blackbox for sound, light and smoke activation.
That is all my son needs right now and he is a happy camper.

I'm just looking forward to when he is a little older. Being as how he is growing up in the digital age, he is sure to want to incorporate that.
And seeing as how the only reason I got into this hobby was due to my son, I will be obliged to follow him.
In any event, wheather it be DC, DCC, IPad/IPhone, the important part is that my son and I will do it together.
 
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