Nixtrainz Decoder Buddy Miniature 21 Pin Motherboard

Back in March of this year (2020) I posted about the NixTrainz-Decoder-Buddy-v5-21-pin decoder motherboard and its benefits. The only problem with this item is in trying to get it to fit in smaller installations. Its dimensions are 17 mm x 56 mm x 9 mm (0.67” x 2.20” x 0.35”). 

To solve this issue NixTrainz has added the Decoder Buddy Mini motherboard to its line of products. See Fig 1.

Fig 1 Decoder Buddy Mini

Dimensions are 17 mm x 35 mm x 9 mm (0.65”  x  1.35”   x   0.35”). This motherboard has all the connections you would normally expect plus pads for a keep-alive and also a pad for the keep-alive control connection if you install one of those. Resistors for use with LED lighting are included. (separate axial 2.2K) (Also available with 0 ohm, 750 ohm and custom specified resistors for function outputs. This accommodates incandescent lamps or bulbs). It is IMPORTANT to realize that resistors must be used when LEDs are connected to the four lighting outputs of the Mini! The resistors may be soldered in line when purchased or the included resistors may be soldered inline upon installation. Remember there are different incandescent lamp voltages and current draw that have to be taken into consideration also. 

Suggested retail price for this motherboard is $14.00. The author has seen it for as low as $10.95. It is currently available and in stores.

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Update To Chooch Enterprises Founder Retiring

Good News!!

Special Announcement!

 

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is proud to announce that we have purchased Chooch Enterprises and that Chooch is now a member of the Walthers family of products!

    

The product line has found a great home with Walthers; as a significant distributor of the Chooch line, Walthers is uniquely poised to take on ownership of the portfolio and put the energy of the Walthers brand behind it bringing these exceptional products forward. We appreciate and value the creativity of Mike O’Connell and wish him well in retirement. Walthers will continue to market and sell product under the Chooch name.

 

Additional details will be coming in the days and weeks ahead. You may continue to order your favorite Chooch products through Walthers by visiting Walthers.com or calling (800) 4-TRAINS.  Thank you for your business.

The author was hoping for this to happen

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Soundtraxx Current Keepers Finally Catch Up To TCS Keep-Alives

Train Control Systems decoder (WOW) owners know about the Keep Alives available for their decoders. Known as KA1 through KA4, they have various shapes which allow them to fit in various locomotive shells depending on the room available for them. The most popular are the KA3 and KA4.

Figure 1 Train Control Systems KA3

The KA3 has the capacitors arranged inline (25.9mm x 11.43mm x 8.81mm).

Figure 2 Train Control Systems KA4

The KA4s' are arranged in a square (13.22mm x 13.22mm x 11.55mm).

Soundtraxx has their Current Keeper with 5 capacitors (40mm x 6mm x 11mm).

Figure 3 Original SoundTraxx Current Keeper

The good news is SoundTraxx has finally caught up to Train Control Systems. They reduced the foot print of their Current Keeper by arranging the 5 capacitors as close to a square as they could (20.1mm x 13.2mm x 11mm).

Figure 4 SoundTraxx' Current Keeper II

This is a good reduction in size for the Current Keeper and given the odd number of capacitors it's the best they could do. It is currently in stores and available on line.

For those modelers with SoundTraxx equipped locomotives these would be a great fit (pun intended).

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If you have an idea for a blog post here, let me know. If I can comment on it, I will or I'll see if someone else can and post it.