Computer controlled speedometer, etc..

[Loco112]

All the features you want for a speedometer on your locomotives are
available in a "one gizmo does everything" package. It's a Bell Console 200 bicycle computer. It's tiny, and the most impressive feature is; it's wireless.

You set it up by attaching a small magnetic pickup to one of your wheels, input the circumference of one of your wheels, mount the gizmo somewhere, and that's all, it's ready to function.

The cost is $21.97 and WalMart has them. We had a mention of the older wire connected version on here somewhere, but I can't locate it, thus this new post.

[aopagary]

i found a manual for this device. what you actually input is the circumference of your tire in mm. for a 20" wheel, the smallest example they list, the nominal tire circumference is 1596(mm). for small live steam wheels this figure will be in the 250-350 range, but there is nothing to indicate a minimum wheel diameter. do you actually have one of these in hand and working on a small wheel?

would also be nice to have an embedded routine that would correct for scale. cruising down the mainline at a breakneck "6 mph" doesn't sound much like bragging rights.

[Loco112]

I don't have the new one, I have the older one with the wires to the pickup. It would take any diameter you wanted to input for the wheel diameter.

Multiply the actual diameter of your wheel (which ever wheel you want to mount the magnetic pickup onto) by your scale multiplier, 8 for 1.5/1.6" and you would get a full scale mph.

With that your odometer would be 8 times over, but as long as you keep it the same and not go back and forth on the diameter, you could always calcualte your odometer for service, mntc. and record keeping.

[aopagary]

yes, there's an idea to get scale MPH by scaling up the wheel size, though you'd be pushing the numbers to the other extreme as modern bike tires top out at about 28". some reviews i read say you can tweak that number and others claim they only accept a certain subset of wheel sizes as input. let us know how it works out.

[Bob D.]

I have an older electronic bicycle speedo and you can enter any wheel size you want. Havent tried on a steamer application. Seems you could also fudge the wheel size accounting for scale and have it read in scale miles per hour. Not sure, maybe 8 times your rail wheel size?

Bob D.

[ccvstmr]

Have one of the older style "wired" computers on my 10 wheeler. It's programmed for actual wheel diameter. More so, to keep track of elapsed distance in real miles. Lube around is done every 5 to 6 actual miles. Speed...don't really watch that, although sometimes I'll check for "Max. Speed". This is how I found out on a secluded section of straight track at another club track...I got the ole girl up to 11.3 mph! You can bet I was holding on to the cab roof...'cause if she left the rail, she'd still be doing 11.3 mph...for a short distance! Heck of a ride when your butt is that close to the ground.

I looked for replacement computers several years ago. Thought some companies were limiting the wheel diameter range...more in keeping with bicycle tire sizes. Nice to know, some or other mfgrs don't have such those limits.

One way to get an accurate wheel size (my 'puter used circumference in millimeters)...was to put some tape on the steaming bay rail. Mark a spot on the wheel at the 6 o'clock position and corresponding mark on the tape...roll the loco and when the mark on the wheel was at 6 o'clock again...place 2nd mark on the tape. Measure the distance between marks. Don't have a metric tape...multiply your inches measurement by 25.4 to get millimeters.

Computer pick up sensor magnet was mounted in a split disk of Nylon on the front tender axle. Pick up sensor on a 1/8x1/2" alum piece of bar stock and mounted to the top of the truck bolster to correspond with the magnet in the disk. There is a minimum distance between magnet and sensor for proper pick up. All that's going on is closing a reed switch in the sensor. The computer is looking at # of pulses and pulse rate to determine parameters that can be displayed.

Been putting 100-150 miles per year on the Rutland. Glad I did this. The idea can be easily adapted to riding cars or other locos as well. If you get the "wired" type computer...probably best to keep sensor and computer on the same vehicle. Just sayin'. Carl B.

[aopagary]

... This is how I found out on a secluded section of straight track at another club track...I got the ole girl up to 11.3 mph! ...

88 sMPH! all you need now is a 1:8 scale flux capacitor.

[ccvstmr]

Ha...good one. I had to keep the drivers on the rails...or I was going to get "fluxed"! Carl B.

[cp4449]

This is interesting. Could you do the math for 1 inch? I should get one and try it.

We had a guy at LALS building a loco in 1.5" scale. Had 8 350 watt scooter motors on each axle. Took a ride one night with his kid at the controls, and I swear we where doing 15 mph to 20 in some sections. That is not scale mph..... I was praying that we would not split a switch. He has since toned it down.

[Loco112]

For 1in. You would multiply your wheel diameter by 12. To get circumference multiply your wheel dia.
by 3.1417 (pie) . One strategy to use if the wheel size will not take a diameter that is real large or real small is to use whichever wheel size on your loco and tender that will input. If the tender or lead/trailing wheels are too small try the drivers. I'll bring one of the wireless gizmos home and experiment with it so you guys will know what actual wheel sizes, and scale wheel sizes it will allow.

[Loco112]

The Console 200 will not allow for a less than 20" wheel, so I'll try the newer 300.

[Loco112]

Did some research, you guys want a "bicycle computer" that is used on golf carts and go carts because it will accept small wheel diameters. The Sigma Sport BC8.12 in both the wired and wireless is popular with the golf cart crowd. The cost is between $20 -$40