Hi Folks! I’m new to G-scale model railroading. I’m having my backyard landscaped this spring and a G-scale railroad will be included. My question is this: Which is better? Battery operated remote control operation or electrically operated model railroading? I’m sure there must be signficant differences in performance and operation, but as a newbie to the hobby I’d love to get the pros and cons from an experienced community. Thanks for the help.
G-man,
The debate over power sources - analog (good ole track power with a power pack), track power with r/c (Aristo Craft Revolution), DCC (I can’t speak on it), and battery r/c will lite up a board with all kinds of ‘my way is better’n your way’ discussion. Each has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Some will be more pertinant depending on where you live.
It would be my recommendation to acquire a copy of ‘Garden Railway Basics’ by Kevin Strong. He covers all the basics on each type of control, and will give you a mostly un biased perspective on topic. Once you have gotten the basice with out bias, you will be better prepared to ask more detailed questions regarding your particular circumstances.
Welcome to the hobby and please don’t take it that I am avoiding the question, I would like to see you get straight forward information with as little jading as possible.
Bob C.
First, let me truly and proudly admit that I am an “Analog Dinosaur” (transformer pushing electrons down the rails). Secondly let me very quietly whisper in your ear, “the word BEST has caused many an ‘internet black eye’ on these pages.” What is best for me may not be best for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to each and every method of garden railroading.
Analog: Advantage: Take it out of the box and it is ready to run and enjoy. No waiting for special order parts to arrive an modify the engine. Block switching (as is common in the smller scales) allows trains to run in opposite diredtions along the same track. Flip a switch or two and park a train at a siding to wait for the oncomming train to pass, just like twelve inch to the foot scale. Disadvantage: Horn sounds only a prepositioned magnet locations. If I should run upon a cat slumbering on the rails, I cannot honk the horn to move the cat.
I am a firm beleiver that “best” is how you enjoy the hobby, what fits into your budget, how profecient you are in making the modifications needed to enhance the engine. I would suggest looking up a club in your state and going to one of their open house runs to get a better idea of what is available and how well it will work for what you want to do. By all means, get the book mentioned above, but also have a look at what it does.
Since I have very obviously NOT answered your question of what is best, I should also tell you that on these pages, when we do get into arguments we keep it civil and are ladies and gentlemen about it, unlike what happens all too often on the page of the smaller scales. In these pages you will meet a wide array of folks, like Gregg, who I admire as a Wizzard of Electronics, and Vic, the master of G-Scale in a 3 foot square, and dozens more with outstanding skills and knowledge. Please do yourself a favor, ask as many questions as you like. Someone here has faced the same problem and found a solution. I onsider mys
(donning wizards hat)
(and thank you kindly Tom!)
I’ve done some analysis and written it down:
http://elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=68
But go to my site and read the Beginners FAQs, etc.
There can be a “best” system for an individual, based on his goals and aspirations, but you may not have considered all the pieces of information to decide this.
This decision is not independent, it also relies on size of layout, operational style, climate, how many trains, etc.
Greg
Thanks Bob, Great response! Lots to consider and think about. I will indeed get a copy of the book you recommend. Happy Railroading, G-man
Thanks Tom, I appreciate the comprehensive reply. Interesting to note your self-proclaimed title “analog dinosaur”. I understand the penchant for “analog” over “digital”. I’m a professional photographer and went to digital photography in the late nineties and early twenties after three decades of analog imaging. My assessment is there is nothing like analog (film) photography for getting and developing the best images for many reasons I won’t bore you with in this reply to you. Bottom line: I went back to analog photography, and people constantly inquire as to how I achieve such beautifully enlarged (24" x 36") images (not knowing I used a film with high dynamic range and extremely low ISO, high-resolution capability), something digital photography is still struggling to achieve. So, “analog dinosaur,” you’ve met another “analog dinosaur,” photographically-speaking anyway. Happy Railroading and thanks for the great response, G-man
Hi Greg, Thanks for the response and the interesting link. I appreciated that. I will indeed visit your site. I enjoy “seeing” as well as reading about other hobbyist’s garden railroading layouts. Happy Railroading! G-man
I changed over to battery power having experienced what mother nature required for track/train maintenance to keep the juice flowing. If your line is short and you have time to clean track and pickups then track power is for you. If not then consider battery power with its addition costs - throttle, receivers, batteries, chargers… I have four engines running on 1K of track so that much cleaning took up too much time plus I wanted to be able to hand a throttle to a kid and have them run trains.
My two cents,
Rex
Thanks, Rex: I appreciate all the input from Garden Railroaders like you. I’m formulating the opinion that battery-power would actually be my best option, at least for now, because my G-railroad track layout will be less than 100’ and on basically level terrain. Lionel, I noticed, makes some nice G-scale starter kits with radio control unit included, so maybe I’ll start that way. If the G-scale bug bites hard, then I can go electrical later without having invested too much in the beginning. G-man
There are alternative track materials that do not need “cleaning”, which is normally meant to mean “removal of non-conductive oxidation”.
I use stainless steel track and NEVER “clean” the track, I do wipe off debris before a run, 5 minutes for about 850’ of track.
Greg
G-Man
Both Rex and Gregg have raised isues you will need to consider as you build your empire. Rex battles with snow and ice, while Gregg and I must battle the warm sun of San Diego. I would suggest you include in you decision matrix your local micro climate. If you deal much with snow, then battery power, I beleive, would give better operating time and of course the need for a snow plow.
Track cleaning: This is a given as we are outside in the dirt. Twigs, leaves, flower petals must be removed prior to any run. At times I have had to contend with K9 droppings and chicken deposits. More than once I’ve had to rescue an engine that lost the encounter with a sleeping chicken inside the tunnel. Cleaning for electrical conductivity is an entirely different creature. In the begining I used a dry wall sanding stick with a green scotts bright pad. I do have a small fleet of battery powered engines, a Goose that was scratch built by Vic that runs on 4 “AA” batteries, and about a dozen “Light Brite” engines that run on “C” cells. When launched, these guys tow around a car with green scour pads below to clean the rails. Almost every year Wallmart has “Light Brite” sets (engine/tender and 2 cars with some plastic track) in their christmas toy section. I wait till just over a week after the “after Christmas clearance mork downs”, once they hit $20 I buy all they have left. These things are NOT designed for outdoor use and the rubber “O ring” on the drive wheels break off and the engine become usless. A quick spray paint and they make nice displays in a “city park”. The cars make for some nice trackside structures.
There are basically three typs of rail. Gregg talked about Stainless Steel, non-corrosive very conductive of the electrons. I preffer brass myself. In the beginning I tried a mix of stainless, and three brands of brass. SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed aka Wife) declared her prefference for the LGB brass as it develops
Thanks again, Tom, for the additional advice. Interesting notes about climate, type of rail, cleaning, etc. Actually, I’m leaning toward a battery-powered train with the plastic tracks that you mentioned… at least in the beginning. The layout I envision will require less than a 100’ of rail and a single engine with three or four cars. Here in California, rain or snow is a rare event (except this year due to El Nino). When it does rain, we’re lucky if we get a quarter-inch; ecstatic over a half-inch or more. I’ve lived in California (San Francisco area) for 23 years and I’m still waiting for my first snow… 
… very mild temperatures all year round. As for rail cleaning, well… plastic doesn’t require much maintenance except for the debris and possible doggie waste. As my layout will run across a wooden 4-foot high retaining wall with a 12-inch wide cap, there’s not much chance of canine crap ending up on the tracks (cats are another story). Lionel offers a decent battery-operated starter kit for about $100 including a radio control unit but not a battery pack. The rechargeable battery pack is just another $29. Of course, little track comes in the kit, so I’ll have to purchase extra. All said and done, though, I’ll only spend a few hundred dollars to ensure that my garden railroading pursuits are more than just a passing craze. If I really end up getting “into it”, then I can easily switch to more sophisticated stuff; if I lose interest, then I only lose a small amount of money. So, it’s battery power (at least at this juncture in my new hobby) until I can determine if garden railroading is my “cup of tea.” I do like the idea of operating a garden railroad, especially as an entertainment factor when I have backyard guests as in barbeques, parties, and other social get-togethers; the down-size is that my backyard isn’t all that big. It’s about 70’ wide but only 15’ deep before you reach the retaining wall. I appreciate
I ran using track power for some seven years or more. Having brass track meant that it needed cleaning now and again - dependant on weather and season. Around three years ago I made three battery trailing cars (with Aristo Train Engineer Rx installed) and have mostly run battery power. I still have track only locos so maintain the need for both operating methods. Dual facility allows for visitors requirements with their locos.
The principal advantage of battery power has been, in my operations, the ability to run switching locos very slowly: track power can, I have found, been less reliable for switching purposes.
I guess it is all part of the learning that it needed with outdoor ops.
G-man, excellent decision. Not because it’s battery over track power, but because you’re dipping your toes into the water with this hobby, and it’s better to start in the simplest way possible. Money is a big consideration for most people, so bravo for being conservative. I’ve had little enjoyment with my layout since I over-complicated it at the beginning. I’m trying to work my way out of that mess.
Garden Railways magazine and the forum are truly great resources for you. You might also consider joining a local G scale club or simply visit a few outdoor railroads. You’ll begin to see what’s possible and what feels best to you if you decide to build you starter layout into something more.
Thanks for the response. Yeah, after realizing just how complicated a sophisticated garden setup can be, I determined battery power is best for now. If the bug bites hard, then I’ll go full throttle! G-man
G-man If you are in the SF Bay area, you have another great resource available to you - BAGRS, (www.bagrs.org). They are hosting a big show in July, in Santa Clara, and you should definitely invest a week in that - see lots of garden railroads, visit the exhibition hall and see all the cool stuff, get lots of ideas! Mark
Hi,
I’m relatively new to Garden Railway and five years ago I faced the same question you are asking. In our area we don’t have an abundance of Garden Railroading enthusiasts to consult with. I know of only two other Garden Railway’s besides mine, one is track powered with an excellent Bridgewerks transformer system, the other is battery operated with Remote Control using the Airwire 900system. Both work extremely well. I spoke with both operators at length. There are pros and cons to each system.
The track power operator has transformer power supplied to multiple locations around the layout through underground conduit installed before the layout landscape was done. He keeps his track clean with an LGB track cleaning Loco to ensure good power to the power pick-ups on his locos, tenders and rolling stock. He has installed jumpers across all track joints to ensure consistent power to the rails across the layout. He uses LGB Code 332 track. He can operate any locos right out of the box. Debris that falls on the track such as leaves, paper, etc, will stop the train as it interupts the flow of power from rail to power pick-up.
The Battery/R.C. system using Airwire 900 components also works very well, doesn’t require multiple power/track connections, doesn’t require track cleaning, no jumper wires across rail joints, and debris on the track won’t stop the train if it doesn’t derail. But, and this is where the expense comes in, all locos will require conversion from track power to battery/r.c. using whatever manufacturer’s circuit boards you decide to go with. Batteries don’t last forever either.
After looking at both options and doing alot of reading on the subject I based my decision on our local conditions and my skills with taking things apart and fixing them. We get a bit of winter here in Canada. Heavy frosts that will freeze any mois
Hello Phil, Thanks for that comprehensive comparison between electrically powered and battery powered garden railroading. Actually, it didn’t take me too long to realize I would better benefit from battery power. I had not invested in locomotives before resolving which operating system I would choose, so converting from electrical to battery was not an issue for me. I have a backyard that is bordered by a long retaining wall that’s about four feet high. So, my railroad is limited to running the length of the wall and then returning in the opposite direction via curved sections of track that bring the train back to the single rail system after reaching the end of the wall. Thus, battery powered locomotives serve my purpose quite well. I use a rechargeable battery pack that rides in the tender of my locomotive, and I have the option of using six c-cell batteries if I so desire. Of course, the c-cells must be discarded after a few hours of operation and replaced with fresh batteries. The battery pack allows up to seven hours of continuous operation, which is perfectly suitable to operating the train during barbeques, social get-togethers, or just enjoying a leisurely morning or afternoon in the sun (plenty of sunshine and mild seasons in California). Thanks, again for the great write-up, and I will copy and file the information should I ever decide to expand my railroad, incorporate more sophistication, and go electrical. Best Regards, G-man
I cross analog control with onboard battery. I enjoy the earlier large scale models, espicaly the old Kalamazoo 4-4-0 Americans. They suffer from poor electrical pickup, espicialy outdoors. I use a Onyx 5500mah NiMH battery in the tender with a common Tamiya style quick connector between the engine and the tender On the bottom of the tender there is the female side of the recharging jack. On the back of the tender is a micro double pole/double throw with center off toggle switch. The up position is to run, center off, down to recharge the battery via the jack on the bottom. There is no RC or speed control, the 7.2vt 6 cell battery gives a nice train speed, not to slow and not “Ballest scorching” passenger speed. The battery will run the old 4-4-0 for about 5 hours before slowing and requiring a 30 min recharge. This set up will work for most any single motor steam or diesel engine. I have installed it in LGB steam and diesel, Aristo Alco FA-1 and the little Kalamazoo American type. I just set everything on the track, flip the toggle switch, then sit on my deck and enjoy. I am free to talk to others, do yard work ect, and catch a glance of my train running thru the garden. Very relaxing! The battery pack was around $35 at the local Hobbytown and the charger was under $25. Very affordable. I can install either a simple RC or what the Brit’s call a critter controler. Those have a little knob that can stick thru the top of the tender or diesel hood, disguised as a wood barrel, or other diesel detail. Turning that knob will vary the engine’s speed. Those are around $35ish dollers. So also afforable and all avoiding the cost of RC and needing either RC for each engine, or Crest decoders for each one. Mike
I started out 20+ years ago, doing research (before algore) and wanted a system reasonably priced, made in an English speaking country, and dead reliable.
I started with the Aus RCS stuff, still have it all, as do the vast majority of folks hereabouts, and we run it very regularly.
New stuff is RailLinx, and US RCS, of which I have two.
Stil have some locos with NiCads, still run just fine, everything else is NiMH.
I don’t think we lost any batteries last night, and we were at it for over six hours.
You will not find a 787 on the railroad, full stop.
TOC