06-30-2010, 11:30 AM
Brakie Wrote:When did the first walk-around model train controls come out?
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Earliest I know of - September 1962 Model Railroader had an article on how Gordon Odegard built and wired a walk-around controller for the PH&C project layout. He built a 1/8" thick plywood box that housed a Marnostat lever rheostat (anybody remember those?), and featured a rotary switch on the side for the direction controller. Standard 4 wire tether. Hardly one handed carry or operation, but it worked.
IMHO, the Marnostat lever rheostats were a big improvement over standard rotary controls. Unfortunately, they were never made with enough resistance to use in transistor throttle circuits. And they were bulky. But I much prefer the lever action to rotary.
Fred W