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My wife and I have decided to make our holiday layout permanent. We're going to expand it some--here's a very rough preliminary track plan:
chnm.gmu.edu/courses/omalley/plan.jpg
We have to work around what's alredy on the ground.
So I'm trying to figure out control options. We have an aristo pacific and an lgb mogul and a number of LGB four wheelers. We have two power supplies and two aristo 10 amp controllers. I'd lie to be able to run a more sophisticated and flexible setup without going broke. Control systems are hard to understand. I hate to say this, but it's pretty clear the guys who write the manuls and explanatory material for this hobby are not now and never were English majors in college.
So here's what I think I know
1. Aristo train engineer--reasonably priced. as I understad it, I could install a remote reciever in each loco and run them independently--correct? Can I trigger sounds in locos? Can I trigger LGB turnout motors? Maybe? Pros: inexpensive, can work with all brands (I think). Cons--limited features
2. MTH: I like their cars, I like the 1/32 scale, I like the Hudson. The DCS system seems really sophistcated and flexible. Cons--proprietary, can't run the little LGB locos or the mogul easily or even the Pacific without expensive additions that are more than I paid for the engine. I'd pretty much be putting the other stuff away and committing to MTH
3. LGB MTS--I haven't even looked at this, LGB's production is all messed up and there stuff is pricey. Should I?
4. Airwire--I have no idea what this is/does/how it works except that it's wireless remote control. Their "web presence" is willfully opaque
5. Battery/RC-seems intriguing, but the whole conversion process also seems time consuming, expensive, and daunting
I know there are other systems, but it's really hard to figure out.
I'm thinking I don't want full-on DCC, and that I'll probably just buy some Train engineer onboard recievers and TX units and call it a day. Aristocraft is really a juggernaut--they have so much stuff at reasonable prices that it's hard to ignore
Any thoughts?
chnm.gmu.edu/courses/omalley/plan.jpg
We have to work around what's alredy on the ground.
So I'm trying to figure out control options. We have an aristo pacific and an lgb mogul and a number of LGB four wheelers. We have two power supplies and two aristo 10 amp controllers. I'd lie to be able to run a more sophisticated and flexible setup without going broke. Control systems are hard to understand. I hate to say this, but it's pretty clear the guys who write the manuls and explanatory material for this hobby are not now and never were English majors in college.
So here's what I think I know
1. Aristo train engineer--reasonably priced. as I understad it, I could install a remote reciever in each loco and run them independently--correct? Can I trigger sounds in locos? Can I trigger LGB turnout motors? Maybe? Pros: inexpensive, can work with all brands (I think). Cons--limited features
2. MTH: I like their cars, I like the 1/32 scale, I like the Hudson. The DCS system seems really sophistcated and flexible. Cons--proprietary, can't run the little LGB locos or the mogul easily or even the Pacific without expensive additions that are more than I paid for the engine. I'd pretty much be putting the other stuff away and committing to MTH
3. LGB MTS--I haven't even looked at this, LGB's production is all messed up and there stuff is pricey. Should I?
4. Airwire--I have no idea what this is/does/how it works except that it's wireless remote control. Their "web presence" is willfully opaque
5. Battery/RC-seems intriguing, but the whole conversion process also seems time consuming, expensive, and daunting
I know there are other systems, but it's really hard to figure out.
I'm thinking I don't want full-on DCC, and that I'll probably just buy some Train engineer onboard recievers and TX units and call it a day. Aristocraft is really a juggernaut--they have so much stuff at reasonable prices that it's hard to ignore
Any thoughts?