Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Trainlover9943 posted:

I'd love Lionel to come up with a way to run older legacy engines on the Universal remote (UR). It would a cool way bring the whole legacy catalog together. I'm sure it's just a pipedream but it would be cool. Any one else think so? 

I do think it would be cool but doesn't that remote operate on Bluetooth?  In any case, I don't see it happening.  They want us to upgrade $.

Trainlover9943 posted:

I'd love Lionel to come up with a way to run older legacy engines on the Universal remote (UR). It would a cool way bring the whole legacy catalog together. I'm sure it's just a pipedream but it would be cool. Any one else think so? 

I could rigs such a device up like that for sure. I have already been working on something I am calling the LC Gateway and it should certainly be able to do what your asking. First I am working to add features to the existing LionChief Remotes such as track switching, demonstrated here: https://youtu.be/ZtITYrEDdwc 

But I have also figured out the code to make a train side module. I do not have any legacy equipment to test this with so for now it will have to wait until I join a club where I can play with legacy gear.

Aside from a module in the train itself. It would be much easier for me simply have my gateway board bridge the signals from the Universal Remote into the serial port of a Cab-1L or Legacy base. Would something like that serve the purpose you had in mind? or are you only interested in a train side LC upgrade module.

Last edited by Ryaninspiron
Landsteiner posted:

I think a bridge that sends Universal Remote LC or Bluetooth signals to the TMCC or Legacy base would be the most practical since it doesn't involve surgery on the Legacy/TMCC locomotive and all the negatives involved.  

Good point! For some reason my brain at 5am after an all nighter of programming did not consider the value of the locomotive involved. I was too busy thinking about whether it was possible. Not to mention it would make sense for someone who owns a Legacy locomotive to also have the legacy base to run it. Considering that I already have that LC Gateway project of mine up and running, adding the ability to output serial to the Legacy/TMCC Base really is no big deal. Now I just need to get access to one to try it. 

BOB WALKER posted:

What seems to be gaining shape is that Bluetooth is slowly emerging as the best long term approach for model train control.

Looks like it. My Bose Bluetooth  headset attaches to my iPad and iPhone at the same time. It will even pause a movie on the iPad to answer a call. So yeah. Now..... if only Bluetooth could be small.... oh yeah! It is. But since manufacturers arent likely to go backwards, maybe someone can come up with a small board that can go between track voltage and loco power. Converting AC conventional in a DCCish Manner so a whole layout could sit at 18V. 

Marty R posted:
BOB WALKER posted:

What seems to be gaining shape is that Bluetooth is slowly emerging as the best long term approach for model train control.

Looks like it. My Bose Bluetooth  headset attaches to my iPad and iPhone at the same time. It will even pause a movie on the iPad to answer a call. So yeah. Now..... if only Bluetooth could be small.... oh yeah! It is. But since manufacturers arent likely to go backwards, maybe someone can come up with a small board that can go between track voltage and loco power. Converting AC conventional in a DCCish Manner so a whole layout could sit at 18V. 

It sounds like your talking about something I was discussing recently. I was thinking of building a Bluetooth LionChief Conversion Board for postwar locos. running the couplers and even lights is easy, so far I have a vague idea for the motor circuit. I just need to learn to build my own open frame ac motor speed controller first. I took some electrical engineering classes when I was in college so I have almost enough background to get started. For now I am going to start off by using the LC remote to trigger postwar loco couplers and build up from there.

Ryaninspiron posted:
Marty R posted:
BOB WALKER posted:

What seems to be gaining shape is that Bluetooth is slowly emerging as the best long term approach for model train control.

Looks like it. My Bose Bluetooth  headset attaches to my iPad and iPhone at the same time. It will even pause a movie on the iPad to answer a call. So yeah. Now..... if only Bluetooth could be small.... oh yeah! It is. But since manufacturers arent likely to go backwards, maybe someone can come up with a small board that can go between track voltage and loco power. Converting AC conventional in a DCCish Manner so a whole layout could sit at 18V. 

It sounds like your talking about something I was discussing recently. I was thinking of building a Bluetooth LionChief Conversion Board for postwar locos. running the couplers and even lights is easy, so far I have a vague idea for the motor circuit. I just need to learn to build my own open frame ac motor speed controller first. I took some electrical engineering classes when I was in college so I have almost enough background to get started. For now I am going to start off by using the LC remote to trigger postwar loco couplers and build up from there.

Ryan

I’m talking even easier than what you’re describing. I mean regulate the voltage to the motor as simply as MTH did with the IR track lock-on 20 years ago. Horn bell and headlights would be a bonus. 50-1012  the circa 2000 board was pretty small and however it controlled track voltage was pretty smooth

https://mthtrains.com/50-1012

Last edited by Marty R
Marty R posted:
Ryaninspiron posted:
Marty R posted:
maybe someone can come up with a small board that can go between track voltage and loco power. Converting AC conventional in a DCCish Manner so a whole layout could sit at 18V. 

It sounds like your talking about something I was discussing recently. I was thinking of building a Bluetooth LionChief Conversion Board for postwar locos. running the couplers and even lights is easy, so far I have a vague idea for the motor circuit. I just need to learn to build my own open frame ac motor speed controller first. I took some electrical engineering classes when I was in college so I have almost enough background to get started. For now I am going to start off by using the LC remote to trigger postwar loco couplers and build up from there.

Ryan

I’m talking even easier than what you’re describing. I mean regulate the voltage to the motor as simply as MTH did with the IR track lock-on 20 years ago. Horn bell and headlights would be a bonus. 50-1012  the circa 2000 board was pretty small and however it controlled track voltage was pretty smooth

https://mthtrains.com/50-1012

I thought you might have meant something like that at first but I was thrown off when you said "in a DCCish Manner so a whole layout could sit at 18V. " I figured the only way to keep the track at 18v was to put the entire motor controller inside the loco. if I was instead to regulate the power to the track that would be way easier and the thought crossed my mind earlier today. I realized that since most people who run conventional already setup track block sections to handle multiple locos then controlling the whole thing from the transformer output side would be a much cleaner solution. The track voltage just wont be a constant. 

I came up an idea for a double module adapter this morning so that I can just add bluetooth controlled couplers, lights, and horn to the postwar loco but also add a second module to between transformer output and track. That way I can control the speed and just use the original E-Unit for reverse controls. I could even automate the pulses to the E-Unit and make the whole thing run off the LionChief remote or app. I may set something like that up this weekend. You would have the option of leaving out the lights, and coupler controls by only using the track side module.

Last edited by Ryaninspiron

For what it's worth, over the past four years I have extensively tested several bluetooth based loco control systems. All performed flawlessly and operating range is considerable. In each case the smart device app was a dream to use. I also run AC and DC conventional, TMCC and LC. My opinion is that bluetooth will eventually win out as the preferred mode for remote control.

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×