dougfromojai Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Hello I am a newbie and was given a new Piko Gscale train plus track (not a set) and I need a controller (I think that is what its called) to make it "go". Several years ago I bought a Bachmann set but it was pretty junky so I have essentially traded up. What are some recommendations for picking a good controller for this train? I would love to have it remote control, but at this point I really do not know what the considerations are at this point. Do controllers have to be brand specific? I assume they have to be scale-specific... What else? Any help is appreciated... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benshell Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 10 hours ago, dougfromojai said: Hello I am a newbie and was given a new Piko Gscale train plus track (not a set) and I need a controller (I think that is what its called) to make it "go". Several years ago I bought a Bachmann set but it was pretty junky so I have essentially traded up. What are some recommendations for picking a good controller for this train? I would love to have it remote control, but at this point I really do not know what the considerations are at this point. Do controllers have to be brand specific? I assume they have to be scale-specific... What else? Any help is appreciated... Thanks! Hi Doug, If you just want to run the train all by itself on a loop of track, you just need a basic DC power pack. A low powered one should be pretty inexpensive. For workbench testing of a new engine I use an ancient MRC Tech II from the 80's--a very popular model that I often see for sale at train shows for $5 or $10. It's not very powerful (meant for HO scale), and the DC output is just rectified AC so it's not clean power, but it'll work in a pinch. If you're serious about making an investment in the hobby, you'll want to either get a good DC power supply (look up Bridgewerks--they even have remote control units) or consider if you want to use a more advanced control system like DCC. Some Piko locomotives have built-in DCC decoders--you'll have to check yours. A locomotive with a DCC decoder will still run on regular DC, but may not run as smooth (especially on rectified AC from a cheap power pack), so we really would need to know details about your locomotive to make the best recommendation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Carmichael Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Hi Doug: I'm sure you'll get many different answers to your question. My own recommendation would be to try the Railboss remote controlled controller for trackside use. It is VERY user friendly, easy to learn and use, and is not expensive. It is available for track power or battery power. You can read about it and purchase it here:http://www.gscalegraphics.net/store/c12/Track_Power.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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