York1, I think that that’s exactly where the hobby shouldn’t go. In my experience, track power is much superior to battery power and, anyway, we don’t need miniature Wabash Fireballs (private joke).
pennytrains, I happen to like the new scale models. I can’t afford them, and I don’t need their kind of features. As such, while I like them, I don’t want to buy them. Here’s the issue: if I want to buy new trains (for a variety of reasons) but just want a train, what do I do? Does MTH sell basic conventional stuff? Menards? Lionel? Nope–none of them do. It’s all spendy command control in some way or another. Now, 3D printing on the other hand–I expect that to become immensly important to the future of model railroading. And I expect to help make it so… 
But a multi-color printer is overkill. Most of the colors that are available in PLA or the like are too garish to be realistic, and painting the model makes it look better anyway.
I’ll give my 2 cents as someone now in my 40s, returning to the hobby since my senior year of high school. Sure, I’ve bought model railroading and train magazines in the interim, but I am now back full-force as an adult with disposable income.
So. Much. Has, Changed. In a good way, I think. The quality of models on the market now are what, in my mind, equate with the Overland brass models of my teen years. I remember seeing the Overland ads on the back cover of Railroad Model Craftsman, always too expensive for me. I remember Model Railroading magazine (kudos to ScaleTrains for hosting all the issues!!) and their “diesel detail” segment, pointing out all the aftermarket details that could be added to a stock model. Now it seems the models come delivered mostly accurate with fine, road-specific details. How much is lost from the hobby by foregoing the “super detailing” of years past? Or am I one of those oddballs that think half the fun is improving the model? Now it seems half the inventory of detail parts at Walthers are out of stock, and I end up scouring eBay for the parts needed for a project.
I don’t have a layout and my city apartment is not conducive to one, so I model subjects for static display. The new locomotives I’ve bought are DCC-equipped, for the future when I do have a layout. DCC is another monster to tackle… I know the younger folk grasp the electronics and controls quicker than me, but it is a learning curve.
I think exposure to an operating layout does wonders for kids. I remember going to a train show in a shopping mall as a child which piqued my interest. There was no internet but there was a LHS. How do young kids have exposure to the hobby today? Social media is great, but it’s no substitute for seeing an operating layout.
I’m on the other side. I think the hobby should go there. If you read this forum, look at how many issues there are with wiring, power issues at turnouts, track cleaning, etc. Those are problems which would almost all go away with battery power.
Certain sidings could be wired for the parked locomotives to recharge. As batteries continue to evolve, longer runs of trains would be possible.
I probably won’t live long enough to see it, but I wish I could have it now.
It does seem that model rr technology is about 20 years behind.
Think how much quicker a layout could be built and finished if you didn’t have to worry about all the wiring and electrical.
Maybe this is personal experience, but I’ve never liked batteries in anything. Still, I suppose that it could be more useful in the smaller scales… where, of course, it would be harder to do!
behind what? what are you suggesting, battery powered locos with direct wireless control?
Our granddaughter has a battery powered 0 gauge garden layout.
Now (with the help of her father, (our SiL)) she is interested in radio control.
The internet does not replace any in person shopping experience. It does, however, provide a variety and depth of information, product variety and concepts one could never experience from one local hobby store. I am very new to the hobby, building my first layout, and am fortunate to have a local hobby store to visit and kill time in, as I did in record stores in my youth. That being said, the bulk of my education and purchases have come from the internet. Interacting with hobby shops all over the country, both big and small, and independent vendors on ETSY, has been interesting and gratifying. Couldn’t be done without the internet.
I’ve run real locomotives with rc controllers almost 20 years ago.
But model rr is still stuck on wiring the track. Game controllers, power tools, garden tools, vacuum cleaners, earbuds, all wireless and rechargeable. Hard to imagine how ho locomotives can’t be done similar.
the available space in HO and much worse for N gauge limits the amount of electronics that can be added.
consider the components
- decoder
- speaker if sound
- batteries
- radio receiver
just need a diode to demodulate the DCC signal. a wifi, bluetooth or RC receiver are much larger
And it wasn’t that long ago that people didn’t think you could have sound in a ho locomotive.
It’ll happen.
Yes, but the question is if it is worthwhile.
why wouldn’t be?
consider a battery powered, direct control loco. no track power wiring, no command station or boosters
you would need power for electrically controlled turnouts and wiring for signals. But a different approach would be needed for block occupancy, perhaps current flow between the rails like the prototype
Agreed. My LHS has limited HO and very little N Scale (what I’m modeling in) and I generally only go there for advice.
I’m a corporate pilot so I get to fly all over the country and when I do I visit all the hobby stores I can. I like to SEE things before I buy them or even see things for inspiration. For instance I happened on to Woodland Scenics’ N Scale deer that I bought at Midwest Model Railroad outside Kansas City. That place is wonderful btw.
I’m fairly new to this hobby and very quickly learned that I don’t know what I don’t know. Not having a LHS must be hard for new modelers. I’ve learned SO much from store owners over the last few months. I don’t know that I would be where I’m at if not for them.
Exactly the point that I was making earlier.
Rich
I would be all for dead rail if there were absolutely no wiring required and a charging station for locomotives so you wouldn’t need to replace batteries.
Maybe something like a laser pen to aim at and operate turnouts. Maybe it would be mounted on a throttle or smart phone.
But definitely no wiring to make it worthwhile.
Rich
I’m considering that. I’m also considering where I put that big paper I wrote on how batteries are overused in technology.
Wait- the railyard is going away? I know they talked about it a couple of years ago and it sounded like there was a succession plan in place. I really hate to hear that. I am down in Danville and we do have a fantastic club but no local shop. We are about an 1:45 to Railyard, and an hour and a half to Nicks in Raleigh and an hour to Mikes in Thomasville. (plus there is Chucks further down in Landis) Of the three I wind up at Railyard the least as I always wind up in Roanoke less than Raleigh so don’t get there as much. Nicks is actually expanding with a two story addition designed like a switch tower and always has folks in there. I am sure I will wind up at Mikes more now as our son just got married and lives in Lexington, NC now. Mikes however doesn’t have nearly as much but it does seem like they are always expanding stock and they have a used room that always has something neat. I do think the loss of hobby shops hurts the hobby. The loss of Little Choo Choo across from the transportation museum in Spencer really hurt a lot in terms of visibility for the hobby.
Jim
with walk around throttles there’s no longer a “need” for machine operated turnouts, manual turnouts are fine and harder to reach ones can be operated with fascia mounted cables.
as I said, signals and block detection require wiring
Well I would suggest that the “need” for powered turnouts depends on some other modeling goals or wants.
My modeling choice is to have manual turnouts where they would be manual on the prototype and powered ones where they would powered.
This of course is linked to the desire for detection, signals, and CTC control.
One persons advancement may be meaningless to others.
Sheldon