# I'm in a quandry... ponder, ponder, ponder..



## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

OK.. Here's my situation..

I have the internal hardware necessary to convert a loco to switchable Battery / Track power.
I have the electronics for an onboard Aristo TE. ( I use trackpower TE for the rest of my system). 

Here's my delima.

Do I...

A) Use my GP38-2 and convert it to a switchable unit that can be independantly controlled with either on board battery or track power?

or

B) Order a NW2 switcher and convert it, since I want an independantly powered switcher? 



I could argue the merrits of both sides, and I think down the road I'll end up converting ALL my locos to this system. But where to start?
I'm leaning toward the NW2. If I do that I can switch in the yards while the freights roll by on the main lines and the internal loop as well. The internal loop and the yards are the same power zone. Once I get the coal train going on the inside loop and have power in the tracks, then I can controll the switcher with it's on board TE. 

Decisions, decisions....


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, the issue with the NW2 will be the amount of space inside the engine. I have converted both using an AirWire decoder and a 2.4 ah Li-ion battery and it's very tight inside the NW2.


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I converted my NW-2. It has an AIrWire receiver, Phoenix P-5, speaker and 14.4V, 4.5AH battery. I think you could wire it to be switchable between battery & track powered however the sound would not work on track power.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I found I never switched mine back to track power.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I found I never switched mine back to track power
My Pacific was the same. Once you have battery, who needs track power?

the issue with the NW2 will be the amount of space inside the engine 
I have a little Aristo C-16 with the onboard TE, accessory relay option, plus another reed relay board all stuffed in the boiler. They don't take up much space.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, like the others have said, once I converted to batteries, I had no reason or desire to go back to track power. It's just so much nicer to run batteries. 

just my 2 cents.


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

Dave, it sounds like you answered your own question in your post. Convert to the darkside, then you can run on Everybodys layouts when you finally get moved back to the sweet life of Southern Illinois.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmm.... I saw this post and wondered how it would turn out. 

If you are pleased with battery operation, why would you want track power? 

And if you needed track power to overcome the shortcomings of batteries, why would you add battery capability to a track power loco? 

I sort of understand having a switch, to be able to keep running when your batteries run out, but in that case, why have batteries at all if you have track power available? 

I really don't "get" the switchable thing unless it's to run where there may not be any track power, but your battery system is not enough to keep you completely happy... 

Regards, Greg


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

But then, a battery powered loco is a cool accessory on a track powered layout. Imagine using your battery switcher to shunt cars around while your main line runs. Or use your battery loco to pull a track cleaning car around when the track is too messy to get the track powered trains to run.


Ponder ponder ponder... *Oh, just do it!*


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

OK OK.. I get it... why switchable... I dunno.. I like to fiddle with things ??? I enjoy watching all you guys get all rilled up ????? 

Seriously, I had a great chat with Stan the other day on the phone and it makes sense to just go straight battery. I have my reasons for "draging my feet" now, but I'm just exploring options for down the road. I'll most likely batteryize a NW2 before too long.. 


Thanks for all the feedback..... 

John.. two years buddy, two years...


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That's interesting Tom, did not consider that at first. 

Since I run DCC, I can always run multiple locos, so it would not occur to me to do this, but if you were all track power, maybe a single R/C loco makes sense, although I would go all R/C, but the converse makes sense, you have all R/C locos battery powered, and you want to add another and did not want to spend any money (of course now you have a transformer). 

Looking at it though, seems not to make any sense, other than circumstance... you are at a track powered layout, with no remote control, so you can plop your battery powered loco down and run it. 

Seems every time I look at this it's run battery in this situation and no reason for track power unless you are not happy with battery. 

The cleaning car, or snow plow is the best one, because even the best track powered layouts can require "clearing of the rails" from physical obstructions. 

Of course that's probably only on loco in a collection. But a good reason for that one. 

Yeah, I'd stick to battery unless you run into some kind of limitation that battery cannot solve for you. 

Regards, Greg


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I can't say what I think, because I will get jumped on and personal e-mails by those who do nothing on their RRs and sit at their computers looking for chances to jump. 
PS , those who don't jump on people won't take this personally..


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Go ahead Marty, say what you think. If it's true it will stick. If it's not true it will stink. 

Greg 

p.s. but remember the saying "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone"? Go for it. 

p.p.s. did it register that my recommendation was battery power?


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty,
I'm with you. I usually stay out of these battery track power things. I like what I like and others like what they like and there will be no winning argument in this.


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, are you worried about run time on batteries? My GP-9 is good for just about 5 hours, non-stop on batteries.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave 
All is well that ends well, off to work.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I DID notice your recommendation for battery power, Greg! I was VERY impressed at your objectivity and fairness. 

Just wanted to know that someone noticed









Ed


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

ONLY 2 years Dave? Maybe I'll have trains running by then! lol 
I once heard a veteran railroader proclaim this rather profoundly... "IT'S YOUR RAILROAD, DO WHAT YOU WANT!"


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Sure bugs the neighbors when the power is down and they heat your trains a runnin' and tootin'!


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Biblegrove RR on 27 Mar 2010 08:40 AM 
... "IT'S YOUR RAILROAD, DO WHAT YOU WANT!" 

I thought that was Eric Burdon and the Animals...


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I just take clues from people I see who do it well. The two coolest layouts I visit are both all battery. My battery locos run very nicely on the track power layouts I frequent, even the MTH layout I visit now and then.


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