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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Mon, 28 Jul 2003 19:12:46 GMT
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Viewed:
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3054 times
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In lugnet.trains, James Powell wrote:
> Some thoughts from someone who has a little experience:
>
> Decoders: Should be built into the motor, non removable.
What with a motor with blown up decoder? Buy a new motor, or better, should the
motorblock be able to open, as in the 4.5V and early 12V era for replacement?
> Cost for commercial decoders is ~19 usd for a "series 3" decoder with 1/2 function outputs.
I'd like to see following external functions:
1) Front / rear light on/off with adjustable light strenght.
2) output for sound module
3) output for decoupling the train from the first car (see Maerklin)
> That is retail. Should be able to make them for under $5 when made for a commercial
> company...which puts them into the range of not breaking the bank (assuming that
> the train motor costs ~$10-15 right now to make).
>
> There is little noticable difference when operating a decoder equipped engine on
> 9V dc, except that it won't fly off the curves. (and that shouldn't disapoint
> too many people :).
Thats tru.
>
> I'd rather see lego go with DCC protocol rather than developing its own. DCC is
> not hard to make (from an electronic standpoint), is mature, and has a world
> wide backing. This would also allow lego to produce the bare minimum of
> equipment that is modified (I'm thinking of 4 things- points that are easier to
> throw, the train motor, and a accessory decoder that is in a ~1x4x6 brick or
> so...even perhaps a 2x6 brick and a slightly modified RCX 1.0 with more
> hardkeys, and a single output rather than 3).
>
> Use the RCX 1.0 design as the basis for the power unit, that gives a cost figure
> of ~120 for the base station, and away we go.
But don't forget to be able to add a booster if someone wil run 10 or more
trains at the same time on a layout (for example Lego World or Brick Fest)
>
> Unfortunately, we have been whining about this for years, and nothing has yet
> happened.
Dont forget, Lego is a toy, no model building.
Regards,
Ludo
>
> James Powell
<Snip>
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: A brief reflexion on power sources
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| Some thoughts from someone who has a little experience: Decoders: Should be built into the motor, non removable. Cost for commercial decoders is ~19 usd for a "series 3" decoder with 1/2 function outputs. That is retail. Should be able to make them (...) (23 years ago, 28-Jul-03, to lugnet.trains)
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