Using a R/C loco as the power plant for a small 0 gauge layout

[Richard Gawler]

This tender (7mm scale) contains a battery pack, radio receiver and motor controller. The tender is coupled to the loco for other trials, but the output from the motor controller is electrically connected to the track. The motor in the loco coupled to the tender is electrically isolated.

I am using the controller to drive the Minerva Manning Wardle, which it seems to do very well. The controller will drive a Dapol 58xx instead of the MW just as nicely.

It seems to me, I could build a small, self-contained layout running with one loco in steam and powered by this tender. The loco in steam could be the loco attached to the tender (of course) or, with a changeover switch on the tender and some “pickups” on the wheels to put the power onto the track, any analogue loco with a compatible motor. And I get a wireless handset which always seems a pleasant way to control a train.

I wonder, do other people do this?

 

[michael mott]

An interesting concept having a mobile power pack.
Michael

 

[Bonky]

View attachment 173378
This tender (7mm scale) contains a battery pack, radio receiver and motor controller. The tender is coupled to the loco for other trials, but the output from the motor controller is electrically connected to the track. The motor in the loco coupled to the tender is electrically isolated.

I am using the controller to drive the Minerva Manning Wardle, which it seems to do very well. The controller will drive a Dapol 58xx instead of the MW just as nicely.

It seems to me, I could build a small, self-contained layout running with one loco in steam and powered by this tender. The loco in steam could be the loco attached to the tender (of course) or, with a changeover switch on the tender and some “pickups” on the wheels to put the power onto the track, any analogue loco with a compatible motor. And I get a wireless handset which always seems a pleasant way to control a train.

I wonder, do other people do this?

Yes, I do something very similar; I can recommend FosWorks kits.
Richard

 

[Bill Campbell]

Hi Richard

I experimented with this type of setup using the output from the RC receiver as the track supply. The power source was 12v from a transformer, suitably smoothed. It worked very well with locos that we’re DC only but not reliably for DCC fitted locos - I think the high frequency motor drive from the receiver conflicted with the DCC decoder’s ability to run on DC.

The reason for the trial was to give wireless walk-around operation on a large club layout.

Regards.

 

[Richard Gawler]

I tried a third analogue loco yesterday and this one ran well too. So I have now tried four locos, two from kits and two RTR.

I think I am fortunate in that I don't really enjoy sound and I am happy to ignore DCC - but I do like the wireless control.

I have just one concern: do we know whether there is overload protection on the output from these recievers? For example, if someone rests a screwdriver across the track or even connects a additional analogue controller to the track. I am using the Cobra ESC-161.

 

[Richard Gawler]

I experimented with this type of setup using the output from the RC receiver as the track supply. The power source was 12v from a transformer, suitably smoothed. It worked very well with locos that we’re DC only but not reliably for DCC fitted locos - I think the high frequency motor drive from the receiver conflicted with the DCC decoder’s ability to run on DC.

The reason for the trial was to give wireless walk-around operation on a large club layout.

. . .

I have just one concern: do we know whether there is overload protection on the output from these recievers? For example, if someone rests a screwdriver across the track or even connects a additional analogue controller to the track. I am using the Cobra ESC-161.

The answer to my own question is an emphatic "no", and I must fit a fast blow fuse in the output of the controller. Probably 3A for 0 gauge.

Steve Foster (fosworks.co.uk) is very good to talk with and it sounds as though there are quite a few people out there using his Fosworks system in new and original ways. I need to go away and have a think about whether I wanting to connect my system to the track because I can or because I have genuine use for the facility.

 

[Richard Gawler]

I have spent hours trawling the web trying to find a switch able to connect the controller to the motor or to the track, or the track to the motor. In fact I was thinking I was going to have to devise some kind of home-made slide switch.



Then I found a miniature double pole, three-way slide switch and realised this will do the job perfectly if wired up like this.

The fuse can go in the tender, tucked into the chassis between the frames. I am still pondering whether the switch should go in the tender or the loco. The pickups for the track need to go in the same model as the switch, to minimise the number of wires between tender and loco.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Personally I'd shove as much in the tender (including the switch) as you can as it has a larger space in which to work and has fewer delicate parts to potentially damage when handling.

I assume you would only require 2 wires between the two which can be connected by JST (or smaller) micro plugs and sockets.

 

[Richard Gawler]

Absolutely - the more I can get into the tender, the easier it will be to build the loco to look like a scale model.

I might have four wires between tender and loco: two for the motor and two for an LED in the firebox. The LED would act as a "power on" indicator.

If the slide switch and the pickups are on different models (or I put pickups on both models) then there will be a fifth and sixth wire for the pickups, which is starting to get out of hand.

I have pondered making the two chassis live to save one of the wires going across from the tender. This is electrically doable because the controller runs from its own power source. I think such a connection would be best reserved for one of the firebox LED wires (and not a motor wire) in case I want to add DCC one day. I have made a coupling link from double-sided PCB material, and this could take both of the wires for the LED.

The big decision I have to make is whether the make the switch accessible when the model is on the track. I fancy putting it on top of the tender, hidden under a toolbox. The decision may be made for me when the switch arrives and I see how much space it needs.

 

[Richard Gawler]

I have given up on this idea.

The three-way slide switch has arrived but looks like it might barely handle 50 or 100mA not the 1 amp claimed in the advertisement. There isn't room in the tender for a bigger switch.

In addition, I cannot get my head around the configuration settings for the electronic speed controller. I think it will be best for me to keep the controller set up for the loco coupled to the tender, and not expose myself to wanting to try different settings.