Subject:
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Re: A brief reflexion on power sources
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Sat, 26 Jul 2003 16:07:51 GMT
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Viewed:
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1132 times
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In lugnet.trains, Ludo Soete wrote:
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In lugnet.trains, Pedro Silva wrote:
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In lugnet.trains, Mark Riley wrote:
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“Pedro Silva” wrote:
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Plus, under this line of thinking, the introduction of DCC by LEGO would
become a much natural step for the consumer - “I now have too many trains
to control, so now I must get myself a new control-system”... ;-)
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What would be really nice is if Lego built train motors that
accepted the plug-in style DCC decoders. The motors would
ship with a dummy plug that merely routed power from the track
to the motor and headlight connector. When you want to
upgrade to DCC, all you do is remove the plug and drop in the
decoder of your choice.
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So, if I understand you correctly, the “new” motor would consist of two
parts: -Part A, motor and headlight connector (already attached to wheels?)
-Interchangable parts B and C, one being that dummy plug you mention
(default in every purchased motor?) and the other being the decoder (*).
That sounds nice. It even would allow for a “part D”, where instead of a
dummy plug we’d have a connector to a batterybox. Come to think of it... the
only mod to the current outside design would be something like “cutting out”
a part of the box (two plates thick, 2x4 in surface?) and have that portion
transformed in brick A, B or C.
This of course raises the possibility of other customizable options, one of
which being triple-wheeled motors (again),
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Note that, with the actual train motor design, it’s impossible to DRIVE on 6
wheels, only on 4 wheels and 2 free running wheels.
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Oh, I know that. I meant with the same design in size and outer shape. The
interior of the motor would have to suffer adaptations, but hopefully none of
these would mean the new design would require the modification of the older
trains to fit it.
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another one being “non-engine” motors
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to perform acessory actions, DCC controlled (a maintenance crane,
perhaps?)...
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Note that any 9V motor (exept train motor) can be used with a DCC decoder
without modification!
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It can?
I lack knowledge of electronics to understand how a comprehensive DCC system
works, I tossed this only as an example. If it works already... :-)
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(*) - I take it that LEGO would not accept a non-LEGO decoder?
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Why not? Why should they re-invent the wheel? Any development of a new system
cost money, so the obvious way is to chose an existing system at a REASONABLE
PRICE. Why should a decoder with sound implementation cost over 150 Euro? If
you want to be successfull, you’ll need low prices for it and reliability.
Most of the people doesnt want to use DCC (NMRA or MAERKLIN or whatever
system) because of the cost. And if you want it completely automated, you
need feedback to the processer (or PC) and in this case you end up with a
bunch of wires, and then you lose the ease of transportation to different
events. Hooking up all those wires ....
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Precisely to simplify the whole matter. LEGO electrics are usually very
“userfriendly” - any DCC system by LEGO would have that appeal if wirings and
controls could be externally simplified by providing readymade accessories
that did not require extensive modification. In a world of mass marketing, that
is a crucial move IMHO.
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A view of wires ONLY to operate the points with a PC.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=276456
Kind of overview on the station. Note the wires on the station building,
where i use white LED’s for internal lighting.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=276965
Here you see the wires and pcb’s used to operate a signal post at the left
side of the track.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=276964
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This is one example of what I mean. LEGO could provide the readymade signal,
with a simplified “plug” for all DCC wires at once - the non-specialist costumer
would be less intimidated by that, don’t you think? In a way, the adoption of
LEGO’s own DCC material might be a good way to attract more and more folks to
DCC.
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DCC is nice, but there are also some witdraws. I have large problems with
single motor trains at low speed, especialy on points. Most of the time they
stop because of an open cirquit (left track to left wheel to left wheel
spring bar to DCC connector to decoder to DCC connector to right wheel spring
bar to right wheel to right track). Thats why i use double motors on my
trains, witch results in a higher price (2 motors instead of 1). Also the
motor on itself is a verry simple thing. It can’t stack energy at low speed,
because there’s no flywheel atached on the motor shaft, something model
trains have and also react better at low speed. There’s still a lot of work
to do if you want to have a single motor train (shunter) running reliable on
a track at low speed. As long as you only want to operate the trains with
DCC, then you don’t have a lot of wires, but once you are used to it, you
want more, and then start the ‘trouble’ with the wires.
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Thank you for this information. Not having access to real-life examples of train
modelling at this level, I’m hoping that can learn as much as possible about it
at Zwolle later this year.
About the need for double engines - could it be the case that the introduction
of that new engine box with the same shape but internal modification could mean
as well the upgrading of the motor device itself? It’s been 13 years since the
last introduction of new trains material; isn’t it time to start thinking “new”
again?
Pedro
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: A brief reflexion on power sources
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| (...) Just connect the motor wires on the motor output from a DCC decoder. As simple as that. (...) I agree with that, but it needs a verry good thinking befor acting. I didn't buy a RCX because of the cost and its limited I/O (input / output). If i (...) (21 years ago, 26-Jul-03, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: A brief reflexion on power sources
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| (...) Note that, with the actual train motor design, it's impossible to DRIVE on 6 wheels, only on 4 wheels and 2 free running wheels. another one being "non-engine" motors (...) Note that any 9V motor (exept train motor) can be used with a DCC (...) (21 years ago, 25-Jul-03, to lugnet.trains, FTX)
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