Radio control

[9380IPIT]

Is it possable to fit a trans./rec. decoder into a HO engine?.

[Chris Odell]

Hi, the short answer is yes, but it depends on the size of the loco and space inside for the required tech.
I found this website...
https://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/rc_model_rail.html

And Hornby have a bluetooth wireless control system...
https://uk.hornby.com/hm7000

But both types of kit are too large for most 009 sized locos for now, maybe in a year or two.

Also need space for batteries/stayalives if looking to not run power through the tracks, which is more space and weight per loco.

In an ideal world I will run power through the tracks and have stayalives in each loco (which I am doing now). Then will eventually have a wireless way to communicate with each loco rc/bluetooth for start/stop/speed etc so that even if the loco is running across dead/dirty rails they can still be fully under control.

It is a way off yet for decoders/equip small enough for 009, but certainly possible in larger locos.

[9380IPIT]

Thank you.

[B.Meldon]

Yes it can be done in 009!

See this link:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/121188-the-skarloey-railway-with-battery-powerradio-control-009/

...and this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hodstXk9mmc

[9380IPIT]

I have just come across the following. It might be old but it makes intersting reading.    The Skarloey Railway with Battery Power/Radio Control (009)

[Keith Lawrence]

There are at least 2 members of the NGRM forum who have RC'd OO6.5  so I don't see any reason why OO9 isn't feasible!
 Check out Petersmith1940 or Jamesm over there.

Keith

[Hugh Norwood]

There is a fair bit of RC threads over on ngrm-online. (Under the "Power (non-DCC" heading.
.. and yes they do have 009.

[Frank]

There is a useful,if slightly dated, article on fitting simple radio control to an 009 loco on the main society website here:

https://009society.com/news/selected-articles-on-aspects-of-009-modelling/

https://009society.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Radio-Control-Chris-Ward-loco-Handout-4.pdf

The main issue is that the small receiver described here is no longer available. The original manufacturer was unable to continue to produce his receivers as the components became obsolete and unavailable.  Micron have developed a replacement for the larger and higher power receiver ( https://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/product/micron/mr601a.html ) but not yet the small one.

But an HO loco, being bigger, may have enough space for the currently available Micron mr601 receiver.

Frank

[Peter Halford]

I've successfully been running Radio controlled OO9 locos for several years having read Chris Wards article. The locos have Kato tram mechanisms which leaves enough space for the battery and the small receiver formerly availbe from Micron. When I saw the article in the August 2024 Railway Modeller describing fitting a decoder to the Peco Large England I wondered if, with some modification, a battery and receiver could be accommodated.
However I can't find any details of the dimensions of the chassis. It looks as if the die-cast metal split chassis could be cut down to provide more space and some lead used to replace the weight. The batteries I use are approximately 35mm x 10mm x 5mm. The decoder shown in the arlticle is 12mm x 10mm x 3mm.

Any thoughts anyone. 

[Hugh Norwood]

There is not a lot of free space in the small England.

If you cut down the chassis to provide space for the decoder, I can't think where you would find the space for the lead...

You might be able to fit a battery in the tender..

[Peter Halford]

I was thinking more in terms of using the chassis only as available from Peco and building a freelance body. It would just be nice to have a loco with the motion visible rather than a skirted tram loco. 

[JulienW]

I think it could work, but as Hugh suggested there is very little space in the loco body once the chassis block is in place.

With the right design of body you could generate the space, but the problem might be getting the right shape of space for the battery, charging switch and receiver needed for RC. Though you might get them in a tender under a full coal bunker...

Personally I'd go for a smaller (in volume) chassis - maybe the Bachmann N scale Percy, perhaps. It might also be worth considering one of the N-Drive chassis, though you might need one of the DCC friendly versions to make wiring to the receiver easier (and I'm aware that the lead times for such special orders can be long).

[Frank]

It would be worth exploring space in a tender for some of the equipment, battery and/or receiver.

For information, I have been fitting RC into 009 locos and other scales for several years and have found that since you are not relying on wheel to rail electrical contact you do not need as much weight for good running if you are running fairly short trains (which 009 trains often are). I usually do not add any weight to my  locos. 

I once fitted RC to an OO tank loco as a demonstration (I do not run any OO models myself);  I had to cut away a lot of the cast weight on the chassis to get the two batteries into it but it ran well with no replacement of the weight.

Frank

[Peter Halford]

thanks,

I'll look at the other options suggested.

[Hugh Norwood]

I was thinking more in terms of using the chassis only as available from Peco and building a freelance body. It would just be nice to have a loco with the motion visible rather than a skirted tram loco. 

It is a very nice runner; I have a Model Engine Works Chiemsee Bahn tram loco body on one.
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