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Model Railroading > What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five years?Date: 01/04/19 09:00 What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five years? Author: ChrisCampi I would love a Iowa Proto type throttle linked to a off the self, RTR deadrail powered switcher.
What advancements would you like to see? Date: 01/04/19 10:03 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: MojaveBill More use of digital printing to make available models of equipment not popular enough to be sucessful in the mass market.
Over the years I have done a lot of kit-bashing of stuff not available in the market. It's been one of the most enjoyable aspects of this hobby which I have been enjoying for most of my 83-years. Digital printing can make this even more enjoyable by allowing individuals and manufacturers to produce limited runs of single models, etc. I have always seen DP to be successful by being available in hobby shops and places like Staples, etc. Hobby magaizines could help by publishing software along with plans for equipment and other items. Bill Deaver Tehachapi, CA Date: 01/04/19 10:37 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: holiwood battery power locomotives
Date: 01/04/19 10:40 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: MrMRL 100% independant Li-ion battery powered diesel/steam motive power. Ditch track wiring, bus soldering, feder wires, power boosters, etc. No more dirty rail issues, dead frogs, dirty wheels. The technology is there, just look at your smart phone... Keep-alive tech is already heading in the right direction, it can certainly go further. Plus, packing your locomotive frame with rechargeable hi-efficacy batteries would certainly add enough weight.
Mr. MRL - my $0.02... Date: 01/04/19 10:42 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: joemvcnj Someone end the MRC near-monopoly on power packs.
Mass produced, cheaper rolling stock that if need be lacks some details to the Nth degree or plausible realities as opposed to exact replicas. People in the 1960's and 1970's got started on Varney, AHM and Tyco. With passenger cars and locos now costing 10X what they did then, which is more than double inflation, there are barriers to the hobby and to hobby shops, which are dropping like flies. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/19 14:45 by joemvcnj. Date: 01/04/19 12:27 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: MarkG The expansion of products for the openLCB/LCC standards into locomotive control area. The biggest drawback with the current DCC system of digital locomotive control is it's one way communication structure (command station to decoder only). The current structure of LBC/LLC is a peer-to-peer system which allows communication between all of the "nodes" (read decoders) on the bus. As of now it's all aimed at off-loading the current DCC bus accessory control handling but leaving the locomotive handling to the current DCC system. I'd like to see new decoders available that can auto-select the mode being used - LBC or DCC - and run with it. There is plenty of information in openLBC/LCC if you Google it as well as a tour by someone who has installed the current implementation of the LCC system (search for LCC tour in the YouTube search text box).
best regards, Mark G. Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/19 12:35 by MarkG. Date: 01/04/19 12:30 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: icancmp193 I'm a big fan of dead rail too, because I absolutely hate wiring. If we could get the battery size down to fit in a single locomotive, I'd be thrilled. More time for rolling stock, structures and scenery!
TJY Date: 01/04/19 12:39 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: wjpyper Battery Powered locomotives in S and O.
Bill Pyper Salem, Oregon Date: 01/04/19 14:10 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: SeaboardMan You guys need to visit s- cab.com. I have Neil’s system and it works great. He shows some HO installs, but I’ve been putting it in O scale critters and now traction work equipment. If my stupid iPad would accept jpegs I’d include a photo. But it’s basically two small circuit boards (one a decoder, the other control for the battery), and a battery. Check the site out.
John Date: 01/04/19 15:48 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: CPR_4000 That Iowa Proto throttle is pretty cool! Never saw that before.
Date: 01/04/19 17:01 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: mahnud Reliability and stability in memory, settings, anything related. Our options now are almost infinite. The turnouts, memories, addresses, decoders all need to be short proof, reliable, and consistent.
Date: 01/04/19 17:06 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: goneon66 MrMRL Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > 100% independant Li-ion battery powered > diesel/steam motive power. Ditch track wiring, bus > soldering, feder wires, power boosters, etc. No > more dirty rail issues, dead frogs, dirty wheels. > The technology is there, just look at your smart > phone... Keep-alive tech is already heading in the > right direction, it can certainly go further. > Plus, packing your locomotive frame with > rechargeable hi-efficacy batteries would certainly > add enough weight. > > Mr. MRL - my $0.02... outstanding idea. heck, i'd even switch to h.o. scale if this happened.......... 66 Date: 01/04/19 18:27 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: pullmanboss At 82 I'd be content just to see myself still in the hobby in five years.....
Tom M. Date: 01/04/19 19:29 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: atsf121 Other than California Cars in HO? ;)
I hadn’t heard about the LCC system, need to read up on that. Combining that with battery systems and wireless control could be really interesting. I would want to see better detection/signaling systems. I would love to see plug and play signals that just hook into a detection system and can be programmed for ABS, CTC, etc. But my big dream would be automation. I want detection blocks for my hidden staging loop that can park 2 short trains back to back. And then advance the second one up when the first train pulls out. Maybe even take over the control of the train as it exits the visible part of the layout and turns down the sound until it’s off, maybe turns the lights off, and parks the train in the deisgnated slot without any control from me. Do the reverse when I want to bring the train out of staying - turn the lights on, ramp up the sound, and then turn control over to me. Nathan Posted from iPhone Date: 01/04/19 20:09 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: genevasub In HO: ITTX flats with pedestals, a large range of AFFORDABLE '60s and '70s autos for open racks, a RTR ATSF horse express and an ATSF container flat ala SF Chief while we're at it!
Posted from Android Date: 01/04/19 20:18 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: MojaveBill All good candidates for digital/additive printing...
Bill Deaver Tehachapi, CA Date: 01/04/19 21:54 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: needles_sub Civility on groups.
Date: 01/04/19 22:00 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: MC6853 I think I'd rather have to clean off dirty rails and wheels than worry about keeping 150 locomotive batteries charged, and remembering which ones need to be charged... Battery-powered things suck because they're always either dead or dying... The tablet I'm using to type this is a good example, with 6% charge left... And heaven help us when they start really shoving battery-powered automobiles down our throats...
To each his own, obviously, but I think I'll stick with electricity... Innovation I'd like to see? Complete elimination of cheap crap plastic HO couplers from the market... Every manufacturer should be using metal spring-loaded Kadees or something similar on all of their products... Period... Posted from Android Date: 01/04/19 22:51 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: Fizzboy7 I'm not suggesting they bring em back, but I was a huge buyer of dummy locomotives when Athearn was making them. A five or six unit consist only needed to have two or three powered units. So it was about 30% less cost to get a large consist moving. And I always thought, big (SP) loco consists were always more impressive than small loco consists. Perhaps today it makes less sense, since many Class 1's are stacking less locos on the point.
Would also love to finally see the demise of the Kadee trip pin. "The Kadee trip pin: ruining the authenticity of fine modeling for decades." Okay, I'm going to get heat for that one. Lastly, there is still a lack of modern 53' trailers in HO. We've had the same two from A-Line (now Athearn) since the early 90's. A new Hyundai or Great Dane would be widely used on every pig train. Jason Eminian Smith Brothers Hobby Center Northridge, CA Date: 01/05/19 07:37 Re: What would you like to see in the hobby in the next five year Author: U-3-b Like others have already mentioned, Dead Rails and battery power!
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