Newbie Battery Questions

Preface: Do your Homework on this, it's worth the effort!

I too decided the RCS Brand of Control, but began with their EVO Throttles....the EVO's operate with a simple 2 stick radio (like an RC Car) and can trigger sound and directional lighting if you want. I recently purchased a few of the "Specials" close-outs from Tony, and dug up a few radios too...minus the Battery/Charger one can be into RC Control for less than $100...now that is pretty cost effective!

Looking over the Slope tender I have here, it appears to me that everything "might" go into the shell which would allow operation w/o a trail car. Not that a trail car is bad (how I started) but it is another option.

My boys (5 & 4) can operate the RCS TX-24 (deck card sized) remote with ease as well! It has been and continues to be a great choice for control of our trains.

I have one loco fitted with Dallee sound, an LGB switcher, it works for the kids...even if a little "rough" for me...I've not heard their steam sounds so I can't comment. I use(d) Sierra for my Steamers.

Here is a link to the EVO Page :

http://evo-rc.net/home.php

and the RCS for comparison:

http://www.rcs-rc.com/index.php

for further info you could give this guy a call, he has been Very Helpful to us! He is my RCS/EVO Rep.

Dave Goodson 425-823-3507

Good Luck, and if I can be of any help, please don't hesitate to ask!

cale

Yes, you can do Trail car thru the tender....

actually you could do tender with batt and a trail car with batt....double the pleasure/double the fun!....(sorry got carried away!)


with my 14.4v consisting of (2) 7.2v Nicad packs (as supplied by Dave) I get 3-5 hours with my Bachmann Annie...that of course will vary upon amount of track and total cars in tow....

here is a link of my first ever install...It consisted of a 18v drill pack in an AMS Stock car with an EVO throttle running to a Bachmann 45 tonner controlled by a Futaba radio:

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42328&SearchTerms=drill,batteries

A trail car set up with an RCS Elite/Basic Throttle would be nearly identical...

Tony of RCS makes all sorts of oddities to aid in the install, esp with a trail car!

The horn and bell buttons do get the most use on my TX-24 when the boys are operating!

cale

Sound Dealer:
You can buy direct from Dallas of Dallee and I would...

http://www.dallee.com/

Dallee Electronics, Inc. [[email protected]]


He does not have sounds avail online, but he can play them for you if you give him a call.

though you may find an Aristo-Craft Dallee card say from Ridgeroad for about $86. Those particular cards are not programmed the same as the "Steam Locomotive Sound Sustems" avail from Dallas...How do I know? I have one (see above) and you can't just blow the horn...it has a series of random horn/whistle blast avail and it cycles thru to the next in line each time you trigger it with the TX- it's described as "Auto-Horn / Whistle play patterns". Now Dallas will re-program it for you, for $35...which gets you close to his price of $109 for the "SLSS" that needs no programming.

Again, I'd just buy direct from Dallas, he seems to be a fair guy, and has been responsive to email and tele calls. Now some will prob jump in and toss Dallee out with the bath water (it is a mono card---chuff stops when whistle sounds-you're kids will never notice), but it appears to me that you are looking for a reasonably priced sound card to keep the kids interested that will operate with the RCS brand of control? if so, Dallee may fit the bill?

There is another I like: http://www.smallscalerailway.com/ but unlike Dallee the bell and whistle are not TX trigger-able, all those sounds are played according to the voltage being applied to the card...ie: faster you go, whistle plays different sound, slow down the bell begins...See their website for further...Again, this chap seems to be a nice fellow and there are a few here that aren't interested in triggers and have praised this little card!

RCS Dealer:
Dave Goodson of NWRCS...number listed above

http://dnkgoods.home.mindspring.com/index.html
Cale

Since Sierra Soundtraxx quit the LS Market, the only other real alternative for me and my RCS are Phoenix (more cash, of which I am not privy to).