Our new Tablet PC forms the backbone of our wireless networking products.  Its powerful and open Android 4.0.3 operating system enables various applications to fulfill your home or business requirements.  We have full 3G/WiFi/Zigbee capibility in one package that is fully mobile and of the highest quality.  The tables are beginning shipments June/July 2012.

March 2012    30MM X 52MM X 15MM Li-PO Battery, 1300 mAh

This is a new battery product that enables operation of your model locomotive without the reliance on track power.  Its small size is also usuable in other projects.  The product uses a grade A battery with over 600+ duty cycles and a Power Control Module (PCM) integrated.  The battery has two 4" 28 AWG leads.  The batteries have been released.

June 2012    Non-Sound Locomotive Motor Control

Our design/fabrication/assembly of the Non-Sound Locomotive MCU system will be completed by June 1st, and then its ready to start layout testing.  The MCU uses up to date 8/32 bit hardware/software for motor control and has 46 AUX outputs for a prototypical locomotive lighting sytem based on SMD402 LED's.  The system also incorporates a complete Battery IC for charging and operation of a Li-PO battery and uses IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee for wireless operation.  Both Wireless/Battery and No Wireless/Battery options are available.  both will also work with DCC signals through the rails.  Shipments will start at the end of June/July 2012.

July 2012    Sound Locomotive Motor Control

Our design is completed for the Sound Locomotive MCU system and has gone into fabrication/assembly.  The sound version of our MCU system uses an ARM7 based processor with 4Gb of NAND Flash for better than CD quality sound.  The 32 bit hardware/software for motor control results in extremely fine resolution in the digital signal.  The Wireless/Battery based platform also uses IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee for control in a wireless layout but it and the No Wireless/Battery version can also use DCC signals through the rails for operation.  On top of the motor and sound options, we retained the 46 AUX output SMD402 LED system seen in the Non-Sound MCU.  Shipments will start in July/August 2012.

July 2012    Turn-Out Node

The design for the Turn-Out Node is based on the Non-Sound MCU system and incorporates an IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee transceiver along with I/O for DCC bus and OpenLCB.  The node can also use a Li-PO battery or power adaptor to actuate up to six (6) servo motors.  With the use of a ZigBee Mesh, the turn-out control can be automated.  Shipments will start in July/August 2012.

July 2012    Signal Node

The design of the Signal Node is also based on the Non-Sound MCU system and incorporates an IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee transceiver along with I/O for DCC bus and OpenLCB.  The node can also use a Li-PO battery or power adaptor to actuate up to six (6) signals.

July 2012    Recharge Station

The recharge station is designed to connect a section of track for use as charging area for locomotives using batteries.  The batteries will recharge in less than four hours and multiple units can use the section of track at once.  We are aiming this product to be ready at the same time as the Turn-Out Node & Signal Node.

Why are we doing this?  Model Railway Control

Our Modular Locomotive System goal is to provide both highly accurate, detailed models and excellent, open source control methods & products.  The new "Scale Traction Motor" based model locomotive drive is a cornerstone of this effort as it enables electronics never before seen in the industry.  The products in development are NMRA compliant, using both traditional track signals and/or wireless methods based on 2.4 GHz Zigbee.  The end goal of the layout control product line is remove the conventional wiring methods and associated costs completely from the layout through the use of wireless and battery operation.  The interfaces are intended to be simple and bring the most of your hobby time.