Comments on: Battery Powered Locomotive https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=battery-powered-locomotive Model railroads and model trains Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:13:36 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: John https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-5307 Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:13:36 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-5307 In reply to Bob Miller.

Bob, can I get a little more information? I have large scale layout using NCE to power and control locos. I am tired of track conduction errors — cleaning the track — but love the NCE controls. Are you saying you still power the track to control the engines? How is that an improvement?

]]> By: Bob https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4913 Wed, 11 Dec 2013 19:21:38 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4913 I have powered DC track with 9V battery, works fine (once electricity was down), Locos moved slowly though. Depends on how heavy is your loco. You might need to make it a bit lighter, in order it would move faster.
But if you want to run battery powered loco on live track, then you need to remove power connection between track and motor. Then im sure it will work fine. But you kinda cant control loco moving.

]]> By: Al D. https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4772 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 00:21:24 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4772 This group is dedicated to dead rail model railroading.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DeadRailSociety/

]]> By: Jay https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4765 Sun, 24 Nov 2013 20:03:15 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4765 In reply to Bob Miller.

How did you do it? Do they have sound?

]]> By: Bob Miller https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4759 Sat, 23 Nov 2013 04:16:22 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4759 I converted all my DCC Locomotives (Steam On30) to battery power. I still use my NCE equipment to run my system, the only difference is that I don’t use track power, don’t have to clean the track and don’t worry about shorts since there is no track power.

]]> By: Jay https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4755 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 17:09:09 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4755 To convert to a battery power, the first thing to do (depending on how old the loco is), is to change the motor to one that draws very low current, preferably a can motor. This should also be a low-voltage motor too (6v), so that you don’t need lots of batteries to try and pack into your loco. The best battery choice (because of size) are Lipo batteries, compact and powerful. You will also need a remote controlled power converter, that allows digital-proportional speed and reversing voltage polarity. That is the tough part, where to get this? Off hand, many RC cars have this, Xmod, Mini-z etc. These operate at 27Mhz AM, and you can find used ones on Ebay for around $50 each with controller. These cars do used 4 AA batteries (6vdc). Remove the circuit from the RC car, and install it into your loco. If you can’t put 4 AA’s inside the loco, you can put two 3.7v lipo’s in series (7.4v), it should still work. Warning: Lipo batteries charge very different than nicads etc! You will need to get the proper charger for you Lipo batteries to be safe. Also, shorted Lipo batteries are dangerous, and can cause fires. For safety and simplicity, if you can use alkaline batteries, then that’s easier. You can use a length of wire, taped inside the top of the loco shell for the antenna, that should work. Connect the battery source to the control board via a switch to turn off and on. Connect the motor drive output to the motor, close it all up, and you are good to go.

]]> By: Bernard Hallas https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4747 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:42:17 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4747 Back again, on the web I found one “blog” entry /thread with lots of information. This is not the one I first read but it might help.
model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/5489

Good Luck
Bernard

]]> By: Bernard Hallas https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4746 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:35:29 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4746 One railway modelling site/magazine -maybe a narrow-gauge one- featured an article where a guy used a rechargeable battery (Cell-phone?) and a radio control receiver from a R/C model aircraft to run a loco (HO or 00 scale) 0-6-0 or 0-4-0
He used a simple model aircraft radio controller to control the loco. it was wired to be able to go forward and reverse and variable speed. It was independent of track power. He had a switch wired to disconnect the battery from the control circuit and switch it to a hidden connector to charge the battery. The voltage is lower than the usual for full power, but he claimed it was perfectly adequate for scale speed shunting (switching) operations and allowed for 4 or 5 hrs of operating time before needing a recharge.
Hope this helps, Let us know of your progress.
Regards,
Bernard

]]> By: Sarah https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4745 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 06:23:46 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4745 My first ever train in 1979 was actually battery powered. It was a little black OO tank engine on standard track, but the controller sat on top of two 9v / 12v batteries, and when I got a second train for Xmas that year, it was mains powered, and I just unplugged the previous controller, and plugged in the new one. What I’d do now, is get a big 12v leaisure battery (like they use in caravans), hook it up to an invertor, and run the layout like that – which I was planning to do when my layout was going to be in the garage.

]]> By: John Mc Cabe https://blog.model-train-help.com/2013/11/battery-powered-locomotive.html#comment-4740 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 01:56:35 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=2882#comment-4740 I’ve never put a battery into a loco, but it should work, as long as the speed is about the same as your regular locos. Without the battery, you can also make it a dummy. Take out the motor and make it as light as possible, leaving the wheels and couplers, then couple it behind other locos.

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