Feeling "Conventional"...

Hey, I run only conventional - still the only "control system" that will run everything.  I have a flip phone that is held together with tape: it doesn't take pictures, text, or store contact lists, but when people call me I can open it and talk with them.  I buy CDs and DVDs and don't stream anything . . . but see all the shows I want to watch.  I've reach a limit where I like what I have and plan to stay with that.  Seems like you are there, too.    

Best sounding locos are still the ones with air whistles IMO. Still play 45s on my jukeboxes.

 

Dale H

I don't even own a cell phone, but on Black Friday my wife bought me my first digital camera, a Canon Power Shot SX160. I've read the operating instructions 3 times, but the controls and buttons are so tiny, and soooo touchy! Still, I'll never give up my Canon AE1 until Fuji stops makin' print film.

Strictly PW retro style, conventional, push buttons & toggle switch layout (though running MTH Z-4000 power X3, one 50's ZW for PW style trollies, accessory bias).

 

Voice only bluetooth flip phone.  This on a go to Cyberpower XP tower; Win 7 HP laptop. Had to give up 35mm 8 yrs ago when I found I couldn't get reliable developing; now running Leica glass in front of a Panasonic body (FZ35). After 33 yrs I finally gave up driving manual transmission vehicles when I traded in my Z type. Compact florescent bulbs in the house, LED flashlights, but incandescents on the tree & on the house. 

 

Word has it that Santa will be delivering the latest Garmin Oregon GPS/GLONASS/WAAS-EGNOS handheld this Christmas. Figure for deep woods,  that in one pocket & the flip in the other. Sure there will be trains under the tree ... a choice accumulated set acquired well over 5 yrs ago.

 

I consider this a  "best of breed" strategy. OTOH medical achievements, training & availabilities for myself, family, friends & fellow forum members?  How about tomorrow breakthroughs this evening?

 

Cheers all this Holiday season. ...

I went all digital with a smart phone and internet connections with all the features. HOWEVER, I run my trains conventionally, with 3 ZW's for the following reasons: If I run four trains at once and they all have sound, there is too much noise, together with the usual clatter and I have a concern about frying boards if there is a derailment. I understand there are measures to protect from frying boards, but they are a low priority. I do have several Legacy locos and TMCC locos, but I run them in conventional. Perhaps some day I will graduate to command. I have all the components, but have no interest in re-doing my layout. Perhaps it is because I have to use TPC's (I have three of them) for conventional running in TMCC and TMCC for TMCC locos. All this competes for my time and I prefer to turn on the ZW's and let em run and not think.

We have a guy at church who wanted us to test a new GPS system he's looking at marketing.  After the trip we had to tell him that it was incredibly frustrating not to see the "big picture" you get on a full-sized road-map.  The only feature I liked was the compass. 

 

My flip-phone does store contacts, but I don't text, and it has no camera, and it has no way of storing or playing back music.  My car has no "media screen".  I do however love my LED bulbs, DVR, and RailSounds 5.0!

 

Jon

1) Half of top layout conventional

2) Half of top layout TMCC

3) Lower layout is DCS

4) Old flip phone, but need a smart phone for work

I have no trouble using modern technology when it is truly hassle free - stupid smart as Steve Jobs said. My Volt came with a Navigation system - I never had to even open the instruction book: when we travel on the interstate it automatically tells us what facilities are at the next rest stop and how far to the next Starbucks, etc.  It also alerts us to traffic jams ahead and gives us alternate routes - and we do nothing but turn it on!

 

What I hate are things with millions of tiny buttons and menus.  I have a high-end Italian sports car that came with an optional radio-CD-nav system that cost more than many used cars.  The salesman, the service manager, and I spent over an hour with the owner's manual trying to understand how to tune the radio and finally in frustration just set it to cycle through only 3 stations (NPR, Rush Limbaugh, and Classical music) and left it at that.  Totally incomprehensible and inexcuseable design. 

       
       


Sometimes the terms thrown around are meant to confuse you.  Years ago they called that
"Pulling the Wool Over You Eyes".  I’m sure in laymen terms you would of understood what you were looking at, and for.  I guess the Sales Pitch needs to keep up with the changing times also.’
Some People download Apps, I still download programs…lol

K.C

I'm 26, my F150 is the first vehicle I've owned with an automatic transmission. I do have an iphone but this Sunday, I'm going to be looking at an old Willys Jeep Cj2a. It's got no seat belts, signal lights, radio or roll bar. You can fix it in your yard with a wrench. I used to restore antique electric fans... like 1920s here. None of my firearms were made after 1970. Old is good.

 

Some things are better left to technology but for things that work, the best have been around for decades and are so simple that you can't not admire them.

 

I don't like high technology, it makes things boring and makes people complacent. I bet I end up driving that Jeep more than my truck. Conventional is the same. Not everyone needs to run eleven trains at once or hear "crewtalk". F-N-R-N was good enough for people before? It's good enough for me.

I have a hard time going back to conventional.

 

Many years ago during the Moreau (sp?) Era they offered TMCC setups for $99.  I bought 2 and my ACL F3s.  I've never looked back.  TMCC, DCS, and Legacy are just too much fun and give me the freedom to walk away from the control panel.

 

I certainly understand those still using the old reliable up is faster, down is slower method, but my me personally I could never go back.

 

Now when I am not running and just watching, I enjoy the conventional running PW engines every bit as the new command.  I still find them fun to watch.

Those cameras have far too many options, including many that you probably will never use, and the manuals usually are poo.  Don't try to take in all the miserably organized information at once.  The more you "play" with the camera the more you will understand, but for openers set the mode dial to "auto," set the resolution to M1, and fuhgedaboudit.

 

Pete

A lot of technolgy today is all bells and whistles.  My car radio has push button access to 12 FM stations, 12 AM stations and 18 satellite stations.  I listen to 2, maybe 3 stations tops...

 

My S Scale railroad has both conventional DC and DCC.  Most of the time, I run conventional DC.

 

Rusty

I've got an iPhone, newish Mac and a nice tablet, LED HD TV and surround sound, watch Blu-rays and have all mu music in digital format.  I love new tech.  But there is still something about running multiple trains conventionally that give a thrill that command just doesn't give.  You have to know where your trains are, how they handle the change in voltage, how your transformers respond, all to keep them from running into each other and still run smoothly.  There is no master Halt button.  I do have two Cab-1s and a TMCC base, and my son and I do use it.  It has it's own thrill, and most future locomotives I get will be command equipped, but layout will be wired and setup for conventional running first, with command added on as an option.

All I can say is Legacy really opens up the hobby for me!! (Still have TMCC and postwar as well)

Conventional only, for me.  I spent twenty-five years of my life working in the computer field, and I've had all the electronics I need, thank you.  Simplicity and ease of repair are two of the things that attract me to the hobby in the first place.

 

TMCC is pretty conventional for me.
Simple RC technology used to control a vehicle on a fixed road.

Only Lionel makes it complicated, glitchy, and sometimes downright frustrating.

$20.00 dollars will get me the same technology that will allow me to fly a scale model
helicopter with precision and have an infrared and sometimes using real plastic projectiles.

And battle either other choppers or auto seek and destroy battle stations.

Currently 'conventional' for me too, although I do run only scale locomotives.  As six of my 12 engines have TMCC (although ironically none of these are Lionels), I'm thinking about wiring the next layout (hopefully this Spring) with TMCC.

 

Although I have a Blackberry for work, I recently gave me college daughter my smartphone and plan on getting a no contract trackphone (every extra dollar we can save is going to her college education). I will miss the camera feature on the smartphone with the ability to take photos or videos unexpectedly, like when I took my daughter to see Ozzy last summer.

 

I don't like putting stuff "in the cloud" as I would rather have it in hand on my notebook or tablet. 

 

We have two pretty good used record shops in my town, and my daughter has an appreciation of vinyl.  Going with her to the record shops has caused me to unbox my turntable and receiver from my college days (35 years ago).  Ordered a replacement needle on-line and have my old stereo set up in the basement with the trains. 

 

I enjoy living in these 'modern' times with the choices we have.  I think its neat that my daughter can do a campus radio show with her vinyl records and I can stream her show at my home 140 miles away.

 

Jim

I am 26, and still use my very first cell phone: an old brick-style Tracfone with a green LCD screen and beeps for ringtones.  It's solid, sturdy, and dependable.  I will be getting an iPhone (reluctantly) for Christmas, however.

As far as trains are concerned, I currently have no choice but to go conventional, but I definitely want to go the command control route.

Until recently, I have generally been turned off by electronics, and I think the reason is the total lack of appreciation for the technology by the general public.  I also agree that the older stuff lasts longer, is more reliable, and easier to fix or modify.  I prefer for newer technology to build on top of older technology rather than replace it.  For example, TMCC accommodates conventional, and Legacy and DCS both accommodate TMCC and conventional.  As long as this trend continues, I'll be happy.

Aaron

The last few months I find myself operating conventional and I kind of enjoy it.

 

This came today and it doesn't even have the hassle of PS1...its a early version with just a whistle and reversing board and it has a proto smoke unit .

$120.00 shipped and its brand new. The biggest hassle I had was getting the Z-4000s up into a accessible place from under the layout.

 

I do of course still enjoy DCS