Model Railroad GPS

I was reading my model railroader magazine and I saw an ad for model railroad GPS. (RPS-mrr.com)

The set is 400 dollars but it claims to be able to control signals and track trains without having to install block detectors and such. I'm really tempted to buy it for my next layout.

I have got two letters to describe it...BS
A- it would detect people walking in the room.
B- the only way that this would work, is to put a chip in everything for detection, and another chip in the signals.

p.s. which magazine was this in?

I am having some trouble figuring out how you would work the signals. It was featured in Model Railroader and it also says it is featured at the Model Railroad show in Anaheim.

Yes, there is a transmitter that has to be installed somewhere in the consist.

If it works, I'd pay for it, I'd love to avoid the headache of wiring.

I think the key here is that is a detection system. ... it knows where trains on the layout. Yes, it does require putting a "transmitter" in locos (in addition to dcc decoder)... the system's receives position info and can hand that off to JMRI ... which can control signals - which you'd still have to wire up. But you don't need to modify any track wiring because all blocks are virtually defined based on the physical location sensed from the system.

You could use it to simulate blocking on transit systems, where by the block shifts with the train and it's speed.

Chessie GM50 wrote:I have got two letters to describe it...BS
A- it would detect people walking in the room.
B- the only way that this would work, is to put a chip in everything for detection, and another chip in the signals.

So just how long have you been an electrical engineer?

Check out the web site, they have documentation... it seems to work in cooperation with your existing DCC system.

-otto-

I might be the test subject for this. I really like the idea of using my laptop to control my layout.

I actually watched this work at Anahiem last weekend and it worked with the two RDCs they were using. It controlled both locomotives and all signals on the little 4x8 they had. It also showed on the computer the "traces" that the software said that the locomotives took. It kept track of the trains pretty well saying that you are dealing with a space of 4x8.

Chris

stilson4283 wrote:I actually watched this work at Anahiem last weekend and it worked with the two RDCs they were using. It controlled both locomotives and all signals on the little 4x8 they had. It also showed on the computer the "traces" that the software said that the locomotives took. It kept track of the trains pretty well saying that you are dealing with a space of 4x8.

Chris

One would need to have a transponder in both the head and rear end of a train for it to properly operate signals. Or be able to specify a train length in the programming. Otherwise it would not be able to detect when a train cleared a block, only the location of the loco or car with the transponder.

An single RDC is short enough to make the issue moot for the most part.

I just received my Beta test unit. I will be installing it shortly.

Cool, write it up as an article/ review. I'd be interested in the instalation process as well as any problems you run into along the way.

Mike

...........$400......... I spent that much once on a brass locomotive that runs like junk. That's $100 cheaper than the Playstation 3 my son just bought......

Glad I have Cab Control, it saved me a fortune.

D/

What does any of that have to do with this product? If you are not already using DCC, then yes, this GPS product is probably not for you. I don't think price is an indication of quality or not.

-otto-

I saw an ad in the October 2008 MR for it. When I find the page, I'll post it on here

Otto Vondrak wrote:What does any of that have to do with this product? If you are not already using DCC, then yes, this GPS product is probably not for you. I don't think price is an indication of quality or not.

-otto-

OK - My sentiment is; $400 for a 4X8 sounds like something between extreme overkill to a needless extravagance. It handles traffic, tracks traffic, runs your signal system. Do you really need that if where you're running isn't out of sight with heavy traffic?

How large a layout can it handle, and what is the justifiable need?

D/

Agreed, DCC to run your 4x8 is a waste... but remember that just about every engine comes out of the box now DCC or DCC ready... DCC can be adapted to any size layout, but if you're seriously looking at this "GPS" system, then you obviously have a model railroad of some size that requires some level of control to keep trains from bonking into one another. I don't think anyone is trying to see you this system to run your average Sawdust Central...

-otto-