G scale | Battery Power
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Have you noticed that converting your trains to battery power seems rather costly? While there are many benefits to this added cost, that make such an investment worthwhile, there is some relief to be found! Consider some of my ideas in the video for getting the most from your battery/RC systems.
Rockwall Canyon preferred Suppliers for Battery + RC:
1. RCS of New England for Railpro RC (plus other brands) and Li-Ion batteries. Provider of components and full service installations. rcsofne.com/
2. G Scale Graphics for Railboss4+ RC and automation
www.gscalegrap...
Great explanation on the how you're using batteries and air wire to control your trains. I've been running O scale 3 rail locos on battery power about a year now on my outdoor 3 rail layout. Tired of cleaning track, I decided to go dead rail and have converted serval of my Lionel LC+ locos to battery power. Could not be happier. Slight cost factor yes, but well worth it in the long run. I like your layout construction, perfect height for viewing and maintenance. Well done. Ron// 🚂🙂
Thanks Ron! I catch your videos from time to time, great work! I hope more and more come to see the advantage of O scale / 32mm in the garden. Battery was a such a game changer for me...once you have a 100ft of track it gets tough to make it work and keep it going. Now, when I want to run trains its go time.
@@RockwallCanyonRR so true, cleaning track outside is no fun. Since I converted to dead rail it’s turn on and go. Shocked I did not do this from the beginning. 🚂👍
getting ready to build my first simple garden railroad and want to start out with battery power so i don't have to do as much wiring. thank you for up-to-date information. enjoy running your trains!
Thanks so much! Best of luck, and hope to see your progress someday!
Awesome video i appreciate the info.. I'm still all track power so far but will definitely go to battery when I start building a bigger outdoor layout some day... there's no way I want to clean miles on track...... Thanks 😎👍
Thanks for watching! Glad to offer some ideas! I plan to do a little more on battery installations in future videos, but in the mean time I'll add some useful links to this video.
Great video. I started off with battery which is beneficial because I can simply use airwire's decoders and not need to purchase the additional converter component.
really good. i like your thinking - in fact if someone had the money to develop a new company they could revolutionize model railways both in the USA and Europe saving time, effort and money.
AMEN!
Awsome thanks so much for sharing.
For me this is important as I'm moving away from using 6 C cell batteries (9 volts) in my New Bright Bear loggers express train to a single 7.4 volt camcorder battery (though I might make it radio control as well). I'll do the same to even the Bachmann big hauler line of trains.
A question for O scalers: can I run a 3rail battery powered locomotive on 2 rail track? Do I remove the pick up rollers? Thanks.
Most likely...
First off, yes, I think it would be necessary to remove the rollers. Otherwise, they may get caught on switches.
Secondly, 3 rail O scale trains run on AC, batteries are DC. However, most newer models actually have DC motors. They use rectifiers to transform the AC track power to DC. You would want to disconnect the motor leads from this circuitry and directly connect them to your battery/ rc speed controller.
I guess those are 1:29th scale models running on G track. Your tutorial is most helpful. I have question. Are DCC and decoders required or not at all? Many thanks.
That's correct. G track is also known as Gauge 1 (45mm gauge). For standard gauge, trains ought to be 1:32, and for 3ft gauge ought to be 1:20.3. The great compromise came when the powers that be declared 1:29 for standard gauge and 1:24(ish) for narrow gauge. This way, in model form, the trains are about the same size so they can be combined in trains. I currently only have one 1:24 scale car, and it is a cattle car. It's a little out of proportion, but within a train of 1:29 cars, it gives the rough appearance of being an older wooden standard gauge car.
And no, DCC is not required for G scale. Most brands have compatibility for it now, but you can just run off regular DC. My trains are all battery powered and use non-Dcc receivers that have some dcc-like functions.
Are there control boards that I can plug my 2.4g receiver into that allows for sound? Specifically for steam.
Hi, I'm actaully not much if a sound guy, so I might not be the best to ask. I do know that mylocosound works well with 2.4ghz Railboss, and that Revolution and Railpro provide sound with their 2ghz recievers.
Can you do a vid on how to convert a normal analog style loco into battery power?
Sure! I'll have one going in for an RC install in a couple weeks. The majority of G scale trains are analog, and its just a matter of isolating the motor leads from the rest of the electronics and then being sure the track pickups are disconnected.
@@RockwallCanyonRR I have a bachmann 4-6-0 analog loco and I wanna get that piko rc kit and would like to use track power.
@rc4life445 Del from Railboss RC just sent a newsletter this week with an install guide for the 4-6-0. I'm not sure this link will work, but if not, perhaps sign up for the newsletter and it might come directly. His system is similar in ways to piko, do this will likely be useful. mcusercontent.com/d820e78a3b20d70652e7a6b21/images/378c6398-9bbf-62a7-0743-8e5850c809c1.jpg
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Is there a way to convert a track power engine to battery power and do you have a video on how to do that. I can’t find any helpful videos on youtube
Hi JT, I'll work on something new to help you out. Most G scale engines do require some rewiring to convert to battery, but there are a few tricks I can show you to get things rolling.
I was thinking a Hobbywing 1080 brushed esc. Would that be in the ballpark? 12v 80 amps about $40.
If you already have it, I would definitely give it a try. However, I think you'll find that you may want something with a little higher voltage output, though. Bachmann, Aristo, and USA trains all have 18vdc motors whereas LGB use 24vdc motors...and those 24vdc motors make a huge difference. 12v will definitely work, but the trains will run slowly. My first battery powered engine was an Aristo FA1 with a 12vdc lead acid battery. Thanks to the low speed, I was able to run it with just an on/off switch.
@@RockwallCanyonRR ahh I c, cool, didn't know the voltage was that high.
The average price of a 18volt 7ah lithium battery is 75.00. A 18v 6ah Milwaukee M18 battery on Ebay is about 25.00. I just take the battery out of the case.
Oh wow that's really a huge savings! Thanks for letting us all know. This is right up my ally...back in the 90s when I first tried out battery power, I used to use 2 Makita 7.2v NiCd batteries rubber banded together with a connector pin between them to make them run in series at 14.4v! Worked like a champ and my dad could still run his tools when he needed them!
@@RockwallCanyonRR Yes ebay also has a Milwaukee M18 Battery Adapter/ Holder so you can use the batteries without taking the cells out of the case, Now you have a excuse to buy a set of M18 tools lol. I also picked up a used M18 charger. The battery in its case is to big to put in my Loco so I took the cells out of the case but the battery and adapter would fit in a box car or dummy engine. The chinese copy batteries can be had from 2 to 8 Ah. I gave 25.00 for 5Ah.
Marty Cozad was using dewalt batteries a long time ago and being a contractor he was already using them
Where do you buy the trains?
Largely online...dealers like Charles Ro, Reindeerpass, RLD Hobbies, and also used on ebay or local ads.
Hi mate nice railroad how long is it? Richard Courtney Adelaide south Australia 🇦🇺
Thanks so much! 1 full lap is just a little over 1,000ft. Are you working on a layout as well?
@@RockwallCanyonRR yes I am working on a garden railway it's 28 metres long end to end American and European 45 mm track lgb Richard Courtney Adelaide south Australia 🇦🇺
Wow!! so there are battery operated G- Scales trains? if so where can one shop for them?
Absolutely, it's been popular for over 20 years now. At the moment only PIKO sells a ready to run battery powered model (a nice, but tiny switcher). Newer models of Aristo Craft trains have battery plugs factory installed that allow you to use a trailing battery car. USA trains locomotives can be easily converted to battery/RC with Airwire drop-in boards that allow you to have the battery and RC in the engine. Check out rcsofne.com for full service support.
@@RockwallCanyonRR THANKS! I'm considering a garden train and battery powered seem to be the way to go
Do you know where to get plastic track painted to look real?
Not sure...do you mean for display use? Almost all G scale track has pre-colored plastic ties with metal rails. Train-Li occasionally sells plastic rail, but again it's not painted but rather rust colored extruded plastic.
@@RockwallCanyonRR i meant that all plastic rails would be cheaper than brass with plastic ties and since the engines do not need AC, i want to buy plastic (if it existed).
@@WeedMIC I see what you mean now... So there is not really a plastic option yet. TRAIN-LI has the plastic rail, but nobody seems to be happy with it outside. I'm not sure if it's just the variety of plastic or what the issue is. Basically the cheapest option is aluminum rail. AML occasionally sells track with the heavy code 332 AL rail in 6ft lengths. LLGAS, AMS, and Sunset Valley sell track with code250 AL. Code 250 in quarter inch tall and code 332 is 0.332in tall. However, if you go AL rail be sure to have it tacked down to wood or some form of hard roadbed. These rails bend easily and I find them troublesome on gravel roadbed where people, animals or things might accidentally come in contact with the track at ground level.
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