Adding lighting to coaches.

First Class Trains do lighting that work from rechargable batteries.

First Class Trains sells a range of coach lighting kits that use an on- board rechargeable battery. Not cheap - you need to buy the charger too.

Gaugemaster make a high-frequency AC generator to provide constant power at 6V for coach lighting through the track (not compatible with DCC).

Err there is surely no point it even attempting to be compatible with DCC, even if it was possible, think about it !..

And Heathcote do coach lighting for DCC

Keith

Make friends in the hobby. Visit Garratt photos for the big steam lovers.

Thanks everyone! Those links were a great help and will give me plenty to think about. I might even spring for some of those smoke/steam generators. By the way, has anyone come across alternatives to the proprietry oils for the generators? I've got one engine that was manufactured with one but as the nearest hobby shop is about 90 miles away it's a long way to go just to try it out.

Well yes, you wouldn't need it with DCC, or the on-board batteries either. Just quoting the website. This is not new technology.

"MartinS" wrote

There's very little *new technology* around. DCC was pioneered by Hornby around 25+ years ago under the Zero 1 name.

John.

And even then it was old technology wearing a new hat...

DCC, or carrier control, was pioneer Lionel Train in the 1940s. In the early 60's, GE introduced Asctrac, with five channels.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Except that I think both of those were analogue systems as was Airfix's MTC. Zero 1 was a digital system, so may be more fairly described as a DCC pioneer.

John

When did Zero 1 appear and disappear from the Hornby range? It always looked really impressive, but it had a pretty short life...what did all the people who invested heavily in it do?

Does it bear any resemblance at all to today's DCC systems?

Lee

Zero 1 appeared in 1979. When it disappeared I have no idea.

Those of us that invested heavily in many cases still have it. By modern standards the train control side is decidedly low resolution - 16 speed steps as opposed to the now common 128 step control offered by DCC. 16 loco numbers was also a significant restriction and it has to be said that the Zero 1 system was particular about track cleanliness.

The point/turnout control side of Zero 1 along with the Mimic signal box system was much better and is a rather good and today a cheap way of powering your points with minimal wiring and having a Mimic board showing the position of the points. You can then use DCC or whatever to run your trains.

Zero 1 has no commonality with modern DCC systems. The signal transmitted down the track is totally different although ZTC do a range of DCC chips that will work on both systems and their chips offer significant benefits to Zero 1 users.

John

P.S. Having sung some of the merits of the Zero 1 system I suppose I can expect abuse from the lunatic fringe that often lurk on this group. Watch this space!

Heretic