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Reply to "Any Idea How to Mount LionChief Wireless Controller to Layout Surface"

We wrestled with the idea of conventional (bulletproof) versus LionChief (less bulletproof) versus Legacy or DCS (too complicated).  A requirement was to have two kids run two trains on two loops AND allow crossover between the loops.  We felt LionChief was a little easier to understand versus having an inner loop on one transformer, and outer loop another transformer, and having to pass control between transformers if moving a train from one loop to the other.  Yes, that's just what we did in the 1950's, but many of these kids will only have the hands-on opportunity for a brief time so a fast easy learning curve seemed best.  And LionChief seems targeted to that.

If the LionChief controller is too fragile, I may just have to enclose it inside something with robust unbreakable controls that connect to the LionChief controls hidden inside.

This is a 4x8 layout and I wanted minimum O36.  Some years back I had built the 4x8 plan from “Twice the Fun” by Ken Hoganson in the January, 2015 issue of O Gauge Railroading magazine.  This is an exceedingly clever design and has broad curve switches, some broad curve track, and O36 minimum otherwise, but uses expensive remote switches which I found to be a bit fragile.  (I have attached that plan for anyone's amusement.)

But for the children's layout, I wanted to use O36 manual switches and found a plan online that was minimum O36 with two loops.  The "secret sauce" is the little jogs in the inner loop near the crossovers which allow sufficient space between tracks at the opposite side of the layout.  I modified the plan just a little to add a "yard" and a sketch of the result is attached.  Just in case, I'm insulating the loops from each other at the crossover switches.   For LionChief, all track will get the same power, but it could be changed to a two block two transformer conventional system in the future if desired.

Also, did some maximum speed testing on a couple of LionChief sets and found that 16 VAC from a transformer calmed things down to about 60 scale miles per hour (down from 104 mph for one of the engines!).  And if using the DC LionChief set provided "Wallpack", placing 4 or 5 diodes in series with the power (each diode drops about 0.6 VDC) achieved about the same result.  I used 10 amp diodes, but 3 amp diodes is probably enough for the 2 amp 36 watt Wallpack.

Attachments

Images (2)
  • SLORRM O Gauge Layout Final: Tentative minimum O36 two loop track plan with O36 manual switches
  • Layout 1 plan track only: Plan redrawn from January, 2015 issue of O Gauge Railroading magazine

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