For a # of train shows for a few years I have been running 3 of the Lionel Battery larger G scale battery trains with LionChief control. I use 8 rechargeable Ni Cad AA cells in battery trays wired in place of the 6 C cell batteries they normally use. They run for most of the day before needing a battery change. The kids control them with the LionChief wireless remotes.
So they work so well I thought I might try it on our garden railway O gauge layout using some LionChief engines that will run on AC or DC track power. I have been testing engines with my DC transformer with volt and Amp meter and the following barely move the meter drawing very little power and run at 6 volts; The smaller LionChief engines like Thomas and the small kids style switchers, or the latest GP 38 like this; http://www.lionel.com/products...nchief-gp38-2034220/
I have tested a Thomas with 8 AA rechargeable batteries removing the center rail pickups and running the wires from center rail and outside rail pickups to the batteries in a trailing gondola this works very well. So you have remote control with the LionChief remote, but it does need a fairly clean site line to the engine or it can loose the signal when passing behind large objects or tunnels.
Most other Lion LionChief engines I have tested draw .8 to 1 amp at 12 volts these are typical range of LionChief engines steam and diesel with 1 or 2 motors. So what would work for a battery configuration for these that draw more power and need about 12 volts to run? Can anyone recommend a rechargeable RC battery pack that would work? By Simply removing the center rail pickup and wiring the typical track power pickup wires to a plug to a trailing rail car that could carry the battery pack I would expect this would work very well with little cost to get dead rail running for a garden railway layout.
