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Author Topic: RC or ELECTRIC?  (Read 4428 times)

Offline Richard

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RC or ELECTRIC?
« on: April 28, 2014, 19:35:59 »
If you would rather have an Electric Train ...

Some of us still miss the original Playmobil/LGB electric trains. Fortunately, LGB is still around. The NEW 2014 Catalog is now available online:
http://www.lgb.de/de/service/veroeffentlichungen/neuheiten.html
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2014, 20:17:11 »
Thanks for the link Richard. I just wish LGB would make the turn table again. Used it goes for $1000 and I really need one desperately. Those LGB trains and wagons in the catalog are so beautiful, more like models than toys. Electric all the way, we only need to upgrade to digital.

By the way did you get permission to show the LGB catalog yet, companies need to not let customers see it?  ;) You could be in-deliberately  ruining the market  :lol:
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Offline playmofire

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2014, 21:49:19 »
I've got one piece of LGB rolling stock, a coach from  this set:

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/lgb-passenger-starter-train-set/?gclid=COKD4tiThL4CFYrjwgod9p0Ajg

It's more detailed than the Playmobil ones,, but I don't think it will be as robust.  My next buys are going to be some of the Glacier Express coaches from UK DS.

As for RC or track powered, I've got two steam R/C locos, two 4018 trains and three track powered steam locos, two diesels and a works train, not quite complete, but complete enough.  (It just lacks the exhaust pipes and the grab is one from the DS truck as the original grab was missing the handle to open it.)
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Offline playmofire

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2014, 04:03:22 »
Interestingly, there seems to be a bit of a move in the UK to switch from track power to battery power with R/C.  A number of people with outside layouts  are converting their LGB locos to run this way.  Advantages are fewer problems with poor electrical contacts between rails and less need to clean the track.
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2014, 04:31:19 »
Quote from: playmofire on April 29, 2014, 04:03:22
Interestingly, there seems to be a bit of a move in the UK to switch from track power to battery power with R/C.  A number of people with outside layouts  are converting their LGB locos to run this way.  Advantages are fewer problems with poor electrical contacts between rails and less need to clean the track.

Our problem with that has always been that we leave the train on for long periods of time. As we play with trucks, planes, cars, etc. we have the train wizzing about. the RC rechargeable batteries do not last very long for us.
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If you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigori has been killed, if it was your relations who have wrought my death, then no one in the family will remain alive. They will be killed by the Russian people. :prays:

Offline Tiermann

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2014, 15:02:47 »
I prefer electric. RC is nice, but the staying power can be an issue. I know Glazz has had problems with RC interference at train shows, too many people using it in the area. He converted his glacier express to electric because of that and the battery issue when you are running the train 8 hours through.
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Offline playmofire

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2014, 15:24:18 »
I prefer the "feel" of controlling the track-powered trains.  Somehow, you seem more in touch with the locomotive. As regards battery usage, I find that at an exhibition I generally get a half day's running out a set, that's three to four hours.  The locos are hauling no more than four items of rolling stock and running at a realistic speed.  I've changed the motors on the two R/C steam locos for the one with contacts for lights and so will be running them with the headlights on, so it will be interesting to see how this affects battery life.  As the headlights are using LEDs, I don't expect it to make a great deal of difference.  (I had been planning to have a rear facing light fitted and working too, but I don't think I'll have time to fit this now.)  I fit the changing of the battery pack in with normal running, so the train stops at a station and the battery pack is quickly changed then.
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2014, 17:42:38 »
3-4 hours with a load. That is impressive, what kind of batteries are you using?
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If you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigori has been killed, if it was your relations who have wrought my death, then no one in the family will remain alive. They will be killed by the Russian people. :prays:

Offline playmofire

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Re: RC or ELECTRIC?
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2014, 18:26:06 »
2450mAH  or 2600mAH nickel-metal hydride.  I'll try to do some exact timings for you when I'm at Kirkbean.

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Offline zugpferdchen

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ELECTRIC!
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2014, 20:29:24 »
Electric!!!
I like to have digital locos. So I need electric trains.

If you post a LGB catalog, the Piko catalog must be also shown here, I think (it's available since January 2014).
Piko Models are very good, specially the BR 64 (from last year).

Here is the link to the Piko G news catalog 2014 and here to the complete catalog Piko G 2014 (45 MB)


And Piko presents the models just in time in the shops (if they announce a model for November 2013, you can buy it in November 2013).


From LGB, I like the black Köf.

From Piko, I have the BR 64 (it's amazing!) and the BR 80.
And I like also the E 94, the new V 36.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2014, 20:47:14 by zugpferdchen »
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