Garden Railway Forum

My first kit build is getting near to completion so I need to know what is recommended in the way of speed controller , sound card , light switching ect. Are 7.2v NiMH R/C car batterys usable or 9.6v NiMH ? I will be getting a 2.4 trans/receiver.

Having just red the instructions again I note they recommend 7.2 v battery so just need info on ESC,sound and light control.

For the ESC I can recommend the Mtroniks ESCs. Simple to wire up, easy to set up, fitted with BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit - so no separate RX battery required) and the Loco version has a cruise control (where the loco will continue running at the same speed after it loses the R/C signal, or in other words you can set the required line running speed then switch off the TX and leave the loco to run freely, etc.) - http://www.mtroniks.net/details1.asp/Pr ... r-loco.htm

For lights IP Eng use the yellow/red LEDs for directional lights wired up to a slide double pole 2 way switch (there are two holes cut out in your chassis frames, one for the R/C on/off switch and the other for the light switch, etc.). If there is no wiring diagram in your Jessica instructions I can scan the Lollypop railcar diagram which is wired for these directional LEDs. You have lots of space in the Jessica so could have a separate power supply for the lights, in my IP Jessie I've just wired the front headlight into the motor & R/C power supply. LEDs, battery boxes, etc. available from Cambrian Models - http://www.cambrianmodels.co.uk/16mmelec.html

Chris Cairns.

Thanks Chris Mtroniks looks like a useful web site, I would like the light's to change when loco is reversed and not by manual switching. Any advice on sound units or are they all about the same ?

Not done it but I guess you could wire the LEDs in parallel with the motor which would give you your automatic direction changes. However not sure how the LEDs would react to the changing voltage/amperage output from the ESC.

Alternatively you could use an electronic switch connected to another channel on your RX, although they are not a cheap option.

Sorry no real experience of fitting sound cards (I do have one on one of my diesels but cannot remember which one it is). Have a search through the Forum for some Topics. Here's one - http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/sutr ... ards#79862

Chris Cairns.

Thanks again Chris , I have been on the Chuffed2bits web site and looks like what I want, their stuff is all Mtroniks by the look of it, the sound unit is a model boat one on Mtroniks site . The speed controller from Chuffed2bits has directional lighting on it already I think.

Phoned Chuffed2bits and I was indeed chuffed to bits, a lovely friendly feller answered the phone and explained all I wanted to know about electricary and model control, I placed an order for all the parts I needed, shows that good service wins orders.