Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/03/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I remember Heathkit made a 'realistic' locomotive controller that helped mimic the behavior of real locomotives as they started and stopped. Of course the switching systems for big layouts were quite intricate. I have a recollection of a huge one at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago that somehow used telephone equipment to operate the myriad of switches and equipment. As an aside I remember having my own train set - O gage like this one - but I didn't like it. I was offended, and that's the best word, because nothing was really to scale. The crossing arms were bigger than locomotives while the figures on the auto-loader for barrels were the right size. I couldn't get over it. In the Navy I had a friend who built wonder S gage rolling stock. He couldn't take glue to sea with him because it was an atmosphere contaminant but he carefully hand-fitted everything and then when we returned home he'd do all the final construction in his apartment. He's still doing it after all these years: a wall of cars, engines, houses and other pieces which he trades and builds. I gather he even made a study of graffiti to get that right for more "modern" looks. Adam On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 2:37 PM, Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> wrote: > The Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT got its start in the Tech > Model > Railroad Club. The designs of the model railroad controllers were so > intricate and complex that they evolved into artificial intelligence > computers. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >