Radio Control - Pro's and Con's ?

[Hobby]

I'm sorry for offending at least two people with the 'driving the track' analogy. 

You're not offending anyone, Tom. It's just that the way we "control" our locos is the same, regardless of the method used. We are not sat in the cab. (Most) Of our trains are driven by electricity either taken from the track (DC/DCC) or unscale sized batteries (RC), and, in 009, even if we use steam it doesn't tend to use coal or oil. It just strikes me that people who make comments like " driving the track" (and that has tended to be DCC people rather than RC users so far) miss the point that the whole model railway set-up, especially in smaller scales like ours, is a compromise. At the end of the day regardless of whether you push a little lever on your RC transmitter, twiddle the knob on a GM Walkabout or press some buttons on your DCC control panel you are still "controlling" what the loco/train does just like the driver of a real loco.

I just see comments like that as a form of "one-upmanship" which in my view has no place in our hobby. Up until now it's been a (very) few DCC people who have done it, please let's not have the RC people doing it as well.

Let's just agree that it's a different way to start and stop our trains and leave it at that! Please! ;) :)

[Graeme Dunbar]

I knew what you meant Tom! I'm sure plenty of others did too.

In pre-DCC days it was typified by the terms "block control" and "cab control" for DC.

[Hobby]

So just call it what it is Radio Control, DCC, DC, etc. No need for any other designations that can confuse...

[Graeme Dunbar]

Because not all DC systems are created equal! At least not unless you have just one controller. When you have more than one controller there is the option of tying each one to specific electrical sections (Block section control) or have them follow the locomotive around through electrical sections (Progressive cab control) - drive the track or drive the train.

A number of  people may have a version with two controllers and simple to-me to-you switching, and perhaps a third centre-off position for each electrical section.

An old but still very good book that covers pretty much everything on pre-DCC electronics for model railways is Model Railway Electronics by Roger Amos:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Book-Model-Railway-Electronics/dp/185260591X

Block section control and permissive cab control are introduced in chapters 28 and 29.

[Stefan Krebs]

Hey folks,
Can I ask where I went wrong? My last comment was jocular, and I thought I made that perfectly clear by the way it was written, including emoticons?    >:(
The statement of 'driving the track' is so obviously wrong, it doesn't deserve further attention beyond pointing out that it is inappropriate and counterproductive; - which was the intention of my comment.   ???
And no, I didn't take offence, it's in my nature to pierce the balloons of inflated claims of ALL battle slogans with the needle of sarcasm.    :D ;D :laugh:

Some of the comments here are as confrontational as the eternal battle between 2- and 3- rail, and between AC and DC
I thought by now you have enough battle-lines with Brexit, Scottish independence and Irish customs boarders to vent your belligerence? Do you now need to spoil a hobby with even more trench warfare?   :-\

Stephen is a wise man, and he deserves proper council and unbiased advise.
Stephen, no need to invest a fortune: go now and by a cheapo 'Christmas Toy Train Set' with infrared control, and test-drive it to destruction. They are already heavily discounted, and you can gain experience with R/C. Just remember: they are designed as toys and comparatively robust; once you scale it down you get a maintenance issue. That statement applies to AC, DC, DCC and R/C, but not necessarily in equal measures.

And the rest stop jumping up & down, I know the difference between infrared - and high frequency (radio) wireless too, for what Stephen wants to know it DOES NOT MATTER.

If you got a problem with that, you might want to contemplate that you're arguing merely about whether to use the rails (DCC) or the air (R/C) for signal transmission, and whether to supply power through the rails (DCC and R/C) or through a battery (again DCC and R/C).

Time to bury all war hatchets and wish each other Merry Christmas, live up to the spirit!    :laugh:



Merry Christmas to you all, and a happy new year
Waldschrat

[Webmaster]

Can all please COOL IT FOR CHRISTMAS please! >:(

[garrywhiting]

OK, Enough is enough, this topic is now locked

Garry
Content Moderator