Power Functions Trains

[Brickthus]

Many AFOLs are wondering how the new Power Functions electric system will be used with trains.

These new photos on Brickshelf of my 8mm scale Class 35 Hymek loco ("Bear" from the Thomas stories) should explain a little. This is the first loco I've converted for use with Power Functions:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=287010

The basic idea is to put a battery box in the train, with a PF IR receiver showing its window through the roof of the train. You can see the window of the PF IR receiver towards the right end of the roof:

The odd bit in the middle of the roof is for an on-off switch. This and the IR window are the only external mods compared to a 9V loco, but internally I have added lights and my own lighting circuit, which latches the state of the lights in the direction of travel, keeping them on when the train stops. This loco has just one front marker light and one tail light at each end.

I chose this loco for the first PF mod because it has enough space inside to test the space required. There was enough space for my lighting circuit to remain on a breadboard, so I didn't have to build it on veroboard before installing it. I think it will not be too difficult to install Power Functions parts in a 6x28 carriage, as long as the baseplate is rebuilt from plates. If you use the technic PF battery box, it might need to use some space under the baseplate as well as space inside. An alternative is to use an existing 9V battery box and a modded wire (when they are available). I bought some 12V single plugs for my electrical experiments, in order to connect the power to the two outer wires of 4.

The dark grey panels at each end of the loco should be green. I substituted panels for bricks when I added the lights, but didn't have any green ones handy. I hope to get some soon.

As before, there is a train motor in each bogie and the cab roof sections are removable so that the driver can be placed inside. I've kept the 9V metal-wheeled motors but when used on plastic tracks, use the motors and wheels from the existing IR train.

The Power Functions extension wires, which should be available in 2008, will have 9V backward compatibility so that a 9V train motor can be driven from a PF IR receiver. Driving a receiver from a 9V battery box requires a mod to the wire as above.

To enable more trains to be driven on a single layout, I intend to use an interlock circuit, similar to my lighting circuit, so that two IR signals to two receivers will be required at once. This not only expands the number of channels (4x4 = 16) but also makes it more difficult for malicious audiences at shows to interfere with operation of trains if they have a remote control in their pocket!

My advice at the moment is to wait for the wires to become available. It is cheaper to modify those than the existing PF parts.

More PF news will follow when there is something to tell. :-)

Mark

[Siegfried]

This is the second PF conversion I have seen so far, the other was six wide. It looks great! *wub* I am very glad to see that people are experimenting with the new PF parts as I think they offer a lot of potential. I love your work, not only are your trains functional but many of them look so real!

To enable more trains to be driven on a single layout, I intend to use an interlock circuit, similar to my lighting circuit, so that two IR signals to two receivers will be required at once. This not only expands the number of channels (4x4 = 16) but also makes it more difficult for malicious audiences at shows to interfere with operation of trains if they have a remote control in their pocket!

Sad to say, I bet it would happen a lot. :-| Good idea! :-P

[Asuka]

A very interesting and clever work indeed! *y*