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Model Train Technology LLC
December 2020
This month's issue includes the following topics:
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NEW (and first) 2021 Products Catalog now available
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SuperCaps(tm) are a big hit
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M.O.A.B. (not the bomb)
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O & G Scale Lighting Products on the way
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Lighting and Animation Workshop update
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Our first print and online 2021 Product Catalog is HERE!
A little over a year ago we set out to build an exciting new Model Railroad products company and here we are with more than 50 products and accessories! We began with lighting for both N scale and HO passenger cars. Then we designed a lighting and animation controller that fits inside an N scale building. Next we added our LED Scene Controller and all the related LEDs and connectors. This past fall we invented the first Fiber Optic Lighting Controller in partnership with Dwarvin Enterprises. Our most popular lighting product by units sold is the Caboose Board with the 3D printed lanterns, fiber dongle and Floating Brass pickups. Coming soon are our magnetic and Infrared train detectors and Sound! (shipping in January).
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And we have a lot more in the pipeline.
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Click the center of the page to view full screen.
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This format is called a Flip book. We think this is a much better way to view content online. Soon all our product documentation will be available in this form. This will make it a lot easier to keep everything up to date. It will also make it easier for you to find information / instructions in the manuals. Everything will be in one place in this easy-to-read format whether you are on your PC, iPad or phone.
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SuperCaps "Help Keep the Lights On"
Technology keeps giving us new options and now, with the production of high density Tantalum capacitors, we can pack the boards with them. You all know about so-called "keep alive" capacitors that are typically added to engines. Not only are they big and clunky, one particular challenge with adding capacitors to the DCC rails is that they mess with the DCC signal. This is especially true with the CV Read/Write function. Many after market "keep alive" systems disable the CV function. We solved that problem by integrating "capacitor management" into the circuitry of our boards. We started with the Caboose Board (shown below). The SuperCap-8 has the identical footprint as the Caboose board and the two boards solder together (piggy back) via two pins. When the caboose is on the track and the lights are on, the caps are on. When you need to program via CV's, the caps automatically discharge and are off. Of course, the caps help to keep the lights on.
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N scale cabooses are notoriously challenging to keep lit but with this solution the lights "almost" never go off. (Never is a word we can not use in Model Railroading). The SuperCaps-8 can be doubled up (stack two boards) and the car lighting performance is amazing. Tantalum capacitors are very expensive compared to other types; typically $1.50 or more each in small quantities. We want our customers to have a great experience with our core products so we priced the SuperCaps at very nearly our direct cost to manufacture. As the cost of these components decline we will drop our prices as well.
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In the September Newsletter I listed the upgrades to our standard lighting boards. As part of the inclusion of the SuperCap(tm) technology we made a full sweep upgrade of all our lighting boards for both N and HO scale. Below you can see the N-144-30 light board (144mm x 11.5mm) with 7 SuperCaps installed. You may choose the standard board with 1 cap or upgrade in banks of three (3) for a total of 7. On the HO-264-30 board there is an option of up to 12 SuperCaps(tm).
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LED Light board update (repeat from September):
- All LED light boards (except the Caboose board) for installation inside passenger cars will now come with solder pads so you can easily disable the board lights. Previously we painted over them.
- We added a solid state (not reed switch) magnetic reset system so that you can reset the board without removing the shell; very handy.
- We upgraded the main MCU (CPU) to a more powerful chip with more memory into which we plan to put more functionality next year.
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M.O.A.B. - Mother of All Boards!
HO Scale - Dual Row- 22 LEDS - 12 Super Caps
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This is the HO Scale 264mm x 13mm dual row LED light board with DCC Decoder - and 12 SuperCaps(tm) - and full LED light adjustment and special effects control - and switching power circuits to reduce current consumption and NO heat. We have quite a number of customers who needed lighting down the SIDE of the board to light the sleeper rooms. For ALL other boards that we know about the only choice is one row down the center. This board gives you everything!
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O and G SCALE ON THE WAY
Just a brief mention here that we are expanding our lighting boards and various lighten products to include O and G Scale. For G Scale we are working on a combination of lighting and lithium battery and of course Lanterns. If you have a particular interest let us know.
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Lighting and Animation Workshops Update
In the November newsletter I offered to conduct a lighting and animation workshop. We have delivered 2 so far and we have 6 more scheduled. Thanks you very much for your interest and participation. There are some available days in January and February if you would like to take advantage of this. I host the Zoom call with 2 cameras. You don't have to do anything but invite your club members.
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OPEN PUBLIC WORKSHOP
I have received many requests from individuals who would like to attend one of our workshops but they are not part of a club. To address the call we decided to set up a monthly Public Virtual Seminar/Workshop program. The First one will be in Mid January. We will have times slots for both Eastern/Central and Mountain/Pacific times zones - typically around 7pm. If you are interested in this, click the SIGN UP HERE link.
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TrainFest-X Virtual Show
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Last month we gave a short 15 minute clinic at the TrainFest-X Virtual Show. That video is on our YouTube page here:
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For your convenience, here are the links to our site: (both links work the same but one is easier to remember and type!)
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