Even though battery-powered locomotives are somewhat new, the garden-gauge world has had them for a while, but the components they use are far too large to be used in the smaller, indoor modeling scales. The deciding factor is the amount of current the locomotive needs to do all of its tasks versus the size of the electronic components needed to handle such current. G-scale locomotives measure their power draw in many amps, while the smaller scales, such as S-, HO-, and N-scale measure theirs in terms of milliamps. Older S-scale (such as American Flyer) and O-scale engines kind of fall in between, and their needs will typically need to be weighed on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes the solution is to replace the motor with a modern, more efficient one before installing the battery-powered system of choice; sometimes a more powerful decoder is necessary.
Here, I wish to capture some basic information about the various control systems that are currently available within which a battery-powered solution can be used. They are described in alphabetical order. The Stanton S-CAB system will be described separately, since that is what I use. Please use this article only as a starter. I would highly recommend that you visit each of the manufacturers' web sites and dig deeply into whatever documentation you can find on their system, before making a decision as to which one you would prefer to use.
There is an article in the March 2017 issue of the Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine, starting on page 18, where the author covers the CVP, Tam Valley Depot, and S-CAB systems. Only the first one he has any real experience with (due to his garden railroading experience). However, in my view, the article is fairly accurate.
BlueRail Trains
BlueRail used to offer their own system, but they are now purely a software-based solution for other companies' hardware solutions. Currently, they are working with SoundTraxx for their "Blunami" decoder, and with Tam Valley Depot for their "BlueRailDCC by Tam Valley" solution. Their software runs on Apple- and Android-based mobile devices, and so requires the download and installation of the appropriate app on those devices. The mobile device then becomes the user interface with which you control your engine. This uses Bluetooth communication. Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology implemented in nearly all mobile devices (think of it as a very limited-range radio-frequency communication system).
(external link: BlueRail Trains)
Offered:
- mobile device apps
- documentation for using the software
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- DCC decoder board
- mobile device
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery-charging method
CVP Products
CVP Products is a Texas-based company that makes a system for the large-scale community, called the AirWire system. For the smaller scales they introduced the microAirWire system in 2016, which can output up to 1.5 amps (5A surge). All their decoders are DCC-compliant. The company has two physical throttles available, as well. In early 2022 CVP retired their very popular T5000 PRO throttle and replaced it with their new T6000 PRO-OPS and T2300 OPS throttles. The first one is a direct replacement for the T5000, as it is a throttle as well as a self-contained programmer of DCC decoders. The T2300 is new, and its purpose is for handing them to guest operators on your layout, which allows them full control over an engine, but without the ability to program said engine's decoder (the T2300 is slightly cheaper). The photo at the top of this page shows their T5000 PRO throttle (left) next to the S-CAB physical throttle. The CVP T6000 PRO-OPS throttle looks completely different (see their web site for details). Both the T5000 PRO and the T6000 PRO-OPS throttles are compatible with S-CAB's control system.
(external link: CVP Products)
Offered:
- radio-frequency-based DCC-compatible circuit board (to be installed in each engine)
- physical throttles (one for each operator)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery-charging method
Dead Rail Installs
This company is an authorized installer and reseller for the BlueRailDCC by Tam Valley, SoundTraxx Blunami (requires iPad or iPhone), and CVP Airwire systems. If you need some guidance for what to get, contact this company.
(external link: Dead Rail Installs)
DelTang
I had previously listed DelTang, which offered a more conventional radio-control (R/C) solution, but in early 2024 they announced on their web site that they have closed their business. Their system was as close to "bare-bones" as can be, and required a lot of user knowledge and experience to build a complete installation.
LocoFi
LocoFi is a WiFi-based solution. A controller communicates via your home's or club's WiFi router, and the WiFi router communicates those commands to the signal receiver board installed in each engine. They offer the LocoFi Module, which is a circuit board to be installed in an engine that supports motor control, lights control, and sound. The board's sound can be updated via a microSD card slot built into the board. The software to install in your mobile device is called "SmartThrottle" (currently available on Android-based devices; Apple-based devices are in the works). I have received an e-mail from a fellow S-scale modeler who is using the LocoFi system with the S-CAB BPS module to allow him to run this engines from his smartphone and not rely on track power.
(external link: LocoFi)
Offered:
- WiFi-based circuit board (to be installed in each engine)
- software (to be installed on each mobile device used as a throttle)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery-charging method
Micro Flier Radio
Micro Flier Radio is company that makes R/C components for very small flying model airplanes. They offer the components necessary to remote-control an engine running on battery power. Receiver circuit boards are available for 1.2A, 1.5A, 2A, 3A, and 4A uses. Note that the company's components will require electronics knowledge to properly install and use them. Several S-scale modelers have adapted this system, with some using the Stanton's S-CAB BPS board and throttle. An interesting aside is that they offer super small receiver boards for installation into very small model automobiles, controlling the motor and micro servos installed into these models (there are several people who have done so with HO- and S-scale automobiles; search for them on YouTube).
(external link: Micro Flier Radio)
Offered:
- throttle (three different styles)
- receiver circuit boards (7 versions available)
- voltage booster circuit board (to bring typical 3.7-volt battery output up to ~12volts)
- battery (they offer several sizes)
- battery chargers (three different external units available)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- everything appears to be provided, but their solution does require either the removal of the battery or having its charging plug be hanging out of the engine.
ProMiniAir
Darrell Lamm, on his O Scale Dead-Rail web site, is making available his ProMiniAir transmitter and receiver. These can work with CVP's Airwire, S-Cab, Tam Valley Depot, and Gwire, and the transmitter can connect to any DCC throttle's track output, or use a smartphone throttle app or JMRI. The software to run these devices is open-source (see https://github.com/martan3d/AirMiniTransmitter), and will be pre-installed into the hardware that you order via his eBay store (https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?item=144862225577&rt=nc&_ssn=darrelllamm0). This company's products are slightly different from the other solutions, in that they have the ability to tap into an existing DCC command controller system. So, if you prefer to have centralized control over your train or trains, this might be a better solution than those that require you to have a walk-around throttle or mobile device (however, note these latter two are still fully supported). Also of note is that this system is compatible with "EX-CommandStation" (see https://dcc-ex.com/), which is an Arduino-based DCC command station. So, all together, the ProMiniAir solution might offer some interesting compatibility that you may be looking for, especially if you already have existing components.
(external link: ProMiniAir)
Offered:
- transmitter circuit board (compatible with S-CAB, CVP, Tam Valley Depot, and Gwire handheld throttles)
- receiver circuit board
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- DCC decoder (compatible with nearly all)
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery charging solution
RailPro
The RailPro system, by Ring Engineering, uses two-way radio-frequency control. There is a YouTube video of someone who converted an HO-scale engine to battery power with the RailPro system (note his disclaimer in the YouTube comments section). If you are looking for only a radio-frequency-based system, this is another option to consider (as well as all other regular DCC systems that offer wireless throttles, such as Digitrax, NCE, etc.). It supports consisting. A big feature of RailPro is their intuitive throttle.
(external link: RailPro)
Offered:
- physical throttle
- radio-frequency-based control module, with or without sound (to be installed in each engine)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery charging solution
SoundTraxx
SoundTraxx manufactures and sells their Blunami decoder. This decoder is essentially a Tsunami-based DCC decoder with sound, but with the added ability to receive control signals from a mobile device. It uses Bluetooth short-range wireless communication to accomplish this.
(external link: SoundTraxx)
Offered:
- Bluetooth-based DCC decoder, "Blunami", with sound (to be installed in each engine)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- mobile device (with BlueRail Trains software installed)
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery charging solution
Steve Seidensticker
I have communicated with Steve. He is an installer of battery-powered systems, but only focuses on G-gauge and O-scale installations. So, if you are in the market for a complete solution in either of those, contact Steve via e-mail at sseiden@att.net. He uses either Blunami/BlueRailDCC or CVP's Airwire for his installations. You send him your engine, and he sends it back to you with the system fully installed and operational, i.e. it is a "turnkey" solution for you. You pay for the costs of the materials and a fixed labor charge for Steve's time. Steve works closely with Tam Valley Depot.
Tam Valley Depot
Tam Valley Depot offers the BlueRailDCC by Tam Valley solution, which uses the BlueRail Trains system. This is controlled via a mobile device (as the throttle), and the board that they sell connects either directly with the internals of the engine (for simple DC mode and basic features), or it can be wired to a third-party DCC decoder (e.g. the SoundTraxx Tsunami sound decoder). The power source for this board can be AC, DC, DCC, or internal battery. They have a 2-amp and a 5-amp version of their board. See the BlueRail Trains web site, as well, for documentation for this board.
Note that the BlueRail-based solutions for using battery power rely on the customer providing their own battery, and their own solution for charging that battery; they just provide a circuit board, to be installed in each engine, for receiving control signals via mobile devices (which require the installation of the BlueRail app).
(external link: Tam Valley Depot)
Offered:
- Bluetooth-based DCC decoder with or without sound (to be installed in each engine)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- mobile device (with BlueRail Trains software installed for the Blunami)
- battery
- battery booster circuit board (3.7V to 12V)
- battery charging solution
Wifitrax
Wifitrax is an Australian company that provides a system by which you can control an engine through Wi-Fi-enabled cellphones or tablets. The company creates three distinct products that you can use. The first is a module (the WDMI-32 for HO- or S-scale engines), that you insert into a locomotive. It receives its power from a modeler-supplied internal battery, and it outputs signals that interface with a third-party DCC decoder of your choice (sound or non-sound). Once installed, you can then use your cellphone or tablet, with either the WiThrottle or Engine Driver app installed, to control that engine. If you already own an NCE Cab, they now offer a module into which you can plug in your NCE Cab controller and make it into a Wi-Fi-enabled throttle. If you use WiThrottle, the company provides a component called the Wi-Fi Gateway (WFD-60) which acts as a WiThrottle server to allow you to control up to 6 engines using a cellphone, tablet, of the TCS UWT-100 throttle. You connect this module to your home's Wi-Fi router, and it automatically looks for all WDMI-32 (or WDMI-27 for garden railroad engines) and allows you to select from them via your chosen throttle.
The other major feature that this company provides is that they offer two versions of a Wi-Fi/DCC Universal Switch Machine Controller (WFS-47 for four switch machines, and WFS-87 for eight switch machines). Once installed, you will be able to use a web browser on your train control device to select which switch machine you want to manipulate.
Be sure to thoroughly study their web site and download all of the applicable PDF files to learn what all their system is able to do.
(external link: Wifitrax)
Offered:
- Wi-Fi-based receiver (to be installed in each engine)
Required for Battery-powered Solution:
- mobile device, TCS UWT-100, or NCE Cab controller (latter requires an additional component of theirs)
- battery
- battery charging solution
- DCC decoder