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Fos Works RC

2K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  RioGrandeFan 
#1 ·
Has anyone messed around with Fos Works RC products? I ordered a transmitter and receiver from The Train Department and I am having issues with the receiver. I got it all bound up and working and now it doesn't work and the servos are just bouncing around like it's glitching. I am wondering if there is a way to reset the receiver.
I have tried fresh batteries and different servos with no luck.
Thanks.
 
#6 ·
I have contacted FosWorks and he said it is most likely the servo, I have tried 4 new servos so far with no luck.
I was able to "reset" the receiver by turning the power on and off several times. Kinda weird. One thing I noticed with my receiver was when I turn off the transmitter the red LED on the receiver stays solid, it should start flashing indicating there is no signal from a transmitter. After I did the "reset" everything is working fine. This reset I did was not recommend by FosWorks but I am pretty familiar with RC as my second hobby is RC cars.
I am still waiting to see what FosWorks says.
 
#7 ·
Talking about Fosworks, does anyone know about compatibility between Fosworks and RCS-RC from Australia. Unfortunately with Tony passing, there's no mention of anyone continuing his line.

If they aren't compatible I might be looking to sell off my RCS stuff to someone more invested in his line. Right now my collection from Tony is two TX and maybe 3-4 RX.
 
#8 ·
Talking about Fosworks, does anyone know about compatibility between Fosworks and RCS-RC from Australia.
I did ask Steve Foster if I could buy/use his system in the USA, but he mentioned they are not FCC approved. Not sure it matters.
I'm pretty sure they are not compatible with RCS. The 'archived' website says:
" RCS SYSTEM CONCEPT & DESIGN BY TONY WALSHAM.
RCS "AUTO BIND" RX's SUPPLIED BY XENON R/C IN CHINA.
DELTANG Tx2 CORE MODULES SUPPLIED BY ANDY RUTTER "

Unfortunately with Tony passing, there's no mention of anyone continuing his line.
"The lovely Julie" (as referred to by Ben, the website guru,) has emailed many of the old clients and supplied a list of remaining inventory that can be purchased. It did not sound as if anyone was taking over.
If they aren't compatible I might be looking to sell off my RCS stuff to someone more invested in his line. Right now my collection from Tony is two TX and maybe 3-4 RX.
I have a couple of Tony's TX, and they are DSM2 compatible. I buy micro-receivers designed for drones, and other DSM2 receivers, e.g. Orange. With a DSM2 receiver, you can hook up an ESC for electric use, or servos for live steam. Very convenient to only have one TX for all your trains!
 
#9 ·
Hello Manfred,
our OMNI radio is not compatible, as the RCS radio is based on a Chinese cloned version of the old Spektrum DSM2.

OMNI uses a completely different radio protocol of our own design, much better for garden railway operation in today's busy radio environment.
Best regards
Steve Foster
 
#10 ·
Quick question regarding the Fosworks transmitters.

How easy or hard is it to switch between multiple locos using 1 transmitter on the fly? I'm starting to look at systems to operate a mix of live steam and electric locos (Accucraft and Bachmann) and want to keep the number of transmitters needed down (plus single source, keep everything cross compatible, etc.).

Thanks!
Craig H
Grass Valley, CA
 
#11 ·
Craig,
I asked that question on a Zoom meeting on Tuesday to one of the FosWorks installers who happened to be there.
He said that the latest multi loco transmitters have a rotary switch, the largest has 30 settings.
Once the transmitter for that loco receiver is bound, you just have to turn the switch.
If you select a different loco while one is running, then that loco will just continue at that speed until selected again.
I think that I have that all correct, but of course best to confirm with Steve Foster.
Not sure if you can mix live steam and electrics though as perhaps the transmitters are different.
Sounds easy. I just have a 'old' one for one loco, unless I re-bind it every time.
Cheers,
David Leech, Canada
 
#12 · (Edited)
Fosworks supply the Omni Tx 4.3 (3 loco)Tx 4 10R (10 loco) & Tx 4.30 (30 loco). The last number in the series denote the number of locos you can switch on the fly. Theoretically you could bind a complete separate set of locos to the same TX, just so long as you use them at a different time.

I use the TX4.3 in conjunction with FRX24-5A-SL to operate battery powered Bachmann locos fitted with ESU sound/ESC DCC cards. You can access 12 functions on the ESU card from the Omni TX/RX as supplied here. They will be the same functions on all locos. I have had them fitted to both non DCC and DCC ready Bachmann locos as well as those with the PnP board. The guy who has prepped these for me to fit is working on a direct fit to the Bachmann PnP PCB of the ESU card, rather than using the Bachmann adapter board. Most Bachmann locos have sufficient "headroom" above the PcB to do this.

Fosworks can supply fully wired up installations as part of their service. I am not sure if the exact same TX/RX combo can be mixed and matched for live steam applications. So you might have your live steamers on 1 TX and the electrics on another. However, Roundhouse in the UK offer Fosworks Omni kit as an option for both battery and live steam locos in their range as an alternative to the usual (for the UK) twin stick or thumb wheel TX's. E mail Steve at Fosworks, he's good at working out your needs and providing an easy to install solution.

I have no connection to Fosworks and I have, on pre existin installations, twin stick, thumb wheel and RCS (Tony Walsham) RC kit + a whole load of Fosworks used with analogue installations (like MyLocoSound). Hope this helps. Max

Range is here Fosworks P.S. David you beat me to it by seconds :)
 
#14 ·
The RCS I have has 3 proportional servo knobs, reverser, throttle, and blower/whistle trill.

Or I can use the one controller to control a double header since both RX can be bound to the one TX and run at the same time. Channel 1=loco 1throttle, channel 2= loco 2 throttle, and both locos would have reverser on channel 3

Is this something Fosworks can do? Or do you have to flip a switch to control a different loco? And when you make that switch, do the controls jump to wherever the knobs are currently? The Airwire for my son's Thomas needs you to turn the throttle knob to it's previous position before it will respond to a new throttle command after selecting switching locos.
 
#15 ·
How is the install going on your C-18? All my servos just showed up. I have a plan but it's not too late to get more ideas.
 
#16 ·
I haven't done anything yet. Here is how plan to mount the throttle servo. I have no idea what I plan for the reverser. Receiver, batt and switch will be in the tender.
I did install new sight glass with a blow done valve on the top. It seems to be way more reliable and accurate, I also wasn't a fan of reaching into the cab near the firebox to burp the glass much easier with the valve on top. I plan to run a copper pipe from the valve through the floor of the cab.

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#18 ·
mount the throttle servo.
I put the servo on several of my locos in roughly the same place as you show, but inside the cab instead of outside. On my C-16 I ran a brass tube across the top of the cab, lightly threaded at each end to bolt it in place, with the servo on the rod.

I used a horn and rod on my C-16 and then switched to 1/8 delrin chain and sprockets, as you can adjust the ratio more easily. I also wrote a thread on servo throws which you might find interesting:
Servo Throws over 90 degrees.
 
#17 ·
I never had problems of reliability on my sight glass, and the complaint I have about my blow down is trying to get it to stop leaking if I use it. It doesn't leak if I leave it alone. I like the look of yours, but if mine isn't broke, I'm not gonna fix it.

The servo placement is the same as I plan. Are you going to use servo horns and rods? A friend of mine used chain and sprocket on his C-19 throttle and I think I'll try the same.

Do you plan on adding a servo for the blower?

Is the Fosworks system for the C-18 or another engine?
 
#19 ·
My sight glass compared to my other locomotives was pretty bad, and like you once using the blow down valve it always leaked I could never get it to not leak and actually when I was tightening the valve the glass broke.

Where are you putting the reverser servo?
I am not putting a servo on the blower and I just installed the Fosworks into my k-28 but have another receiver and servo for my c-18. I used threaded 2-56 rod and clevis on my k-28 and probably same on the c-18.
Here is how I did my k-28 throttle.
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