Train Engineer Revolution (DC and DCC) system seems to be disappearing

beavercreek

beavercreek

Travel, Art, Theatre, Music, Photography, Trains
Country flag
I have used Aristocraft/Crest Train Engineer (DC) RC since the old days (for me, 20 years ago) when it was produced by Aristocraft. It was a goodly RC system of control for DC layouts mainly using trackside power units to feed the rails. You could run different sections of the layout but they had to be totally separated electrically from each other with a power unit RX for each section. There was an on board receiver for use in a loco with a battery but they did have their issues.

Aristocraft/Crest then replaced the old DC system with a new one named 'TE Revolution'. Nice handset, two way signal RX/TX so that you had feedback on a screen of what was going on, RX modules for individual locos, the ability to control different locos if using battery.
Aristocraft went to the wall but the Crest part of the business continued with a guy called Navin who had worked for Aristocraft.

Crest became Precision RC who produced new and updated items for the TE Revolution DC system.
Then they produced the DCC version which enabled locos with DCC decoders to run on batteries while controlled by a single handset with no 'Central Controller' supplying power to the rails needed. This is called a 'dead rail' system. The TE handset controls the DCC decoder via the TE DCC RX board and the handset allows the changing of DCC CVs etc. This was/is a reasonably priced but excellent system with a good handset, good RX boards with a decent feedback screen.
They also marketed a USB programmer to update firmware on the handset TX and the reciever RX.
I have also used their DCC control system and it works very well indeed.

But...
going by the sparse population of boards and handsets on the Precision RC website it looks like the Revolution journey may be over (the DCC receiver is out of stock and the DCC handset is not even listed any more.
There are other systems for RC control of DCC eg FossWorks or the expensive Airwire system, but it is like chalk and cheese when comparing the possibilities and functionality that Revolution provided to that of Fossworks as well as the quality of the kit and the power handling that big locos (mainly heavy current diesels USA Trains and Aristocraft etc.) need.
As I have invested in TE Revolution (DC and DCC) and I have spare hand sets as well as spare DC and DCC receivers, I should hopefully be okay into the future but it would be a shame to see yet another manufacturer within our hobby go to the wall.

Precision RC website: Train Engineer Revolution

1777380214797.png1777380390371.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When I was in discussion with the late Lewis Polk, it became apparent that he had a software engineer who did not speak much English and was belligerent in his approach and refused to change direction I understand he is still involved with the 'Revo'.

I think it needs to see a change of hands and money poured in to develop the product line to where it should have been ten years ago..

I have two 'Revo' DC handsets and sound receivers but faced the same issues as yourself, so now I am developing complimentary parts to interface into the Fosworks DCC range.

"it is like chalk and cheese when comparing the possibilities and functionality that Revolution provided to that of Fossworks as well as the quality of the kit and the power handling that big locos (mainly heavy current diesels USA Trains and Aristocraft etc.) need."

With Fosworks architecture integrated into Gauge 1, Gauge 3, 5" and 7 1/4" models. I profoundly disagree with this misleading statement.

Robert
 
Doddy said:
"it is like chalk and cheese when comparing the possibilities and functionality that Revolution provided to that of Fossworks as well as the quality of the kit and the power handling that big locos (mainly heavy current diesels USA Trains and Aristocraft etc.) need."

With Fosworks architecture integrated into Gauge 1, Gauge 3, 5" and 7 1/4" models. I profoundly disagree with this misleading statement.
Click to expand...
I would agree with the above, to a point.

However, the Fosworks system uses a DCC decoder to get the fidelity of sounds (an ESU decoder) but it is not DCC.
The 'Revo' system was a lot nearer to a 'true' DCC solution.

PhilP.
 
I have some Aristo (Crest) setups. Sorry to say I must disagree with the setup, tis clunky and one certainly needs to record what has occurred on paper so that the next one is easier. I have 4 items of power and for irregular users they much prefer my Fosworks to the Aristo system, I guess pressing buttons is not so easy as turning a knob plus the direction often gets mixed up with the locomotive changing buttons that also look like direction buttons. The plaintiff cry ‘my loco not working’ often finds it set to a different loco that is not even on the track, for this reason I now never have more than 1 of the Aristo powered locomotives out on the line at the same time.
 
PhilP said:
I assume somebody took umbridge to our posts?

Would have been nice to have been informed.
Click to expand...
The whole thread was duplicated so some posts may have been lost.
 
To add to my original post… besides the original Train Engineer, the REVO ( DC and DCC systems) I also use Massoth DCC , Deltang control for my live steamers.
Going back over ten years or so… I had moved from the original TE to Massoth DCC and TE REVO DC for my non DCC locos. I found that REVO worked really well and was a good upgrade from the old version.
I was awaiting the Massoth RC ‘dead rail’ option to appear but there were years that went by with no show. I tried the Tam Valley cobbled together Heath Robinson but when REVO DCC came on the scene it was the ‘dead rail’ DCC answer for me. I was fine with the controller as it was not too dissimilar to the DC version.
I have not used the Fossworks option but have seen it being put through its paces. It is cheaper and simpler so ideal if that is what you need.
But I wanted a full fat option with a controller that could really substitute for the Massoth handset.
I have a few locos (USA Trains that have a very high stall current draw and as I have some extremely steep gradients on my layout, I needed a system that could take the load so to speak.
Anyhow it seems that the cheapest ‘full fat’ DCC ‘dead rail’ system is possibly in its way out… hey ho.
 
Last edited:
I used the Train Enigineer for 18 years. With the Revo' there too much uncertainty, and overfeatured for me and no UK support. I switched wholesale to RC/battery/sound starting 5 years ago, when the knees said enough, just "simple" DC products. I have incorporated ESU "DCC" cards on some, but only for their sound library matches on distinctive locos only, worth a small premium over the more conventional generic offerings. As Phill says these operate as faux DCC, the real "benefit" is with that the right Fosworks TX you can access upto 13 functions on the ESU card. And that same TX will talk to more conventional set ups too, depends on which RX is doing the translations to the bits on board. I use, and still spec', Fosworks and RCS in the past (sadly defunct, it got around a specific issue) and now RC Trains very compact solutions are solving the seeming insoluable. Horses for courses. Do I need loads of functionality ? No. Max.
 
For power, I get mine from a computer power pack, for control, I run the power through a Hammet and Morgan controller, two wires to the track. It works.
 
For me I sit with Max, loads of functionality not required. I do have Fosworks working via DCC and Analogue ootions. For sound I really only want 4 options, steam long plus short whistles, bell and blower. All the others are never used in general operation. Diesel manages with horn, bell plus on/off of motor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom