Subject:
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Re: New Press Release about Power Function Trains
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:57:05 GMT
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Viewed:
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11758 times
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In lugnet.trains, Steven Barile wrote:
> if you guys think this is a good idea please post here... they are reading it!
> And I'll remind them too.
>
> SteveB
Here are my 2c on the entire thread thus far,
I'm still concerned that the 4 wide battery is too wide to conceal in the hood
of a 6 wide mode of a typical American road switcher (i.e., just about every
American locomotive built since 1968). I guess that means a bunch of powered
boxcars and push along engines. Since there will still be situations where we
might want to build the battery box into a 4 wide hood, please make it in black
and without any unnecessary corner cuts so that we can build it flush into our
models. Even better, make it in a few colors, but if only one color, please make
it black.
It would be nice if the new system offered easy multiple unit connection- one IR
receiver could power multiple motors at the same power setting (more than two)
with a single output port (I believe PF has two output ports, keep the second
one free for auxiliary functions), off of multiple batteries (again more than
two), much as you can run two motors off of the 9v system right now. Which would
likely require a little intelligent power management, but not a ton (e.g., an
extension of what SteveB has already suggested in this thread).
It would also be nice if the batteries were dynamic enough that they could be
used in combination with the 9v system without undue wear (e.g., delivering
power on dirty or far flung portions of track, receiving power elsewhere, all
while completing a single loop)
One of the nice possibilities of the IR system is the ability to control
multiple trains on one loop. It would be great if there were a feedback option,
so an IR transmitter could be sitting with "stop" and then get an
acknowledgement back from the train when one came into sight on the target
channel (perhaps it already can, I've not played with PF yet). That way, you
could put two "stop" spots on a loop and run those trains at the same frequency,
when both stops become occupied, start the trains again.
It would be nice if Lego somehow continued to support the legacy 9v motor (at
the very least, potentially a subcontractor for replacement wheels or other
parts). Yeah, wishful thinking.
Finally, in terms of the trains, at least for our train shows, we get people
asking about the trains that "look like real [American] trains". The Super Chief
and BNSF were great in that regard, back when they were available I don't know
how many people I told, "just go to lego.com and check under the trains." I hope
Lego produces more licensed sets like that. Oh, and since the space folks are
getting a sticker sheet on PAB, how about a PAB train sticker sheet to coincide
with the release of the PF trains (I already have ideas for what to put on
it...).
Benn
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: New Press Release about Power Function Trains
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| --snip-- (...) --snip-- I would hope the box would be black too but I suspect the first PFS trainset will determine its colour (or colours if we're really lucky). Remember, though, that a lot can be concealed in the cab of a train leaving no more (...) (17 years ago, 28-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
| | | Re: New Press Release about Power Function Trains
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| (...) Well, I may be missing something, but why not? PF connectors will stack, so you could connect a bunch of PF battery boxes in parallel, and stack a bunch of PF motors off each output (again, in parallel). While this should be possible, I'm not (...) (17 years ago, 28-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: New Press Release about Power Function Trains
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| Metal rails and metal wheels is a good solution. :) Those burned out motors turn out to be a great way to pickup power from rails (when properly modified) that can be rerouted to the battery box charging port. BTW there is some talk about the Pf (...) (17 years ago, 27-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
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