Controllers -how many do you have?

[Newportnobby]

Has anyone who owns a couple of the recent products of the main commercial brands actually tried doing a controlled side-by-side comparison?  Test them out on a few varied locos, and see how they perform.  I'd be interested to hear the results.

I have run side by side tests using a Gaugemaster twin track and a Morley Vortrack, and to be honest there is no difference in running control over steam, diesels or DMU's from Farish, Peco and Dapol.
The big advantage are the Morley handhelds and the built in CDU, but Gaugemaster score on their warranty.
One drawback if using the Morley main controller is the lack of 'centre off'
Hope this helps

[dubbing_owl]

just the one at the moment a e z command that came with the train set, but winging its way to me a little eBay bargain of a bachmann dynamis

[Jerry Howlett]

Had the latest for the past 18 years....the current Mrs H.

[Oldman]

Had the latest for the past 18 years....the current Mrs H.

Ouch, more plaster casts over Christmas.
Just hope no references to Sodar appear.

[Newportnobby]

Had the latest for the past 18 years....the current Mrs H.

Can I invoice you for a new laptop, Jerry? I've just blown coffee into this one

[dubbing_owl]

Had the latest for the past 18 years....the current Mrs H.

love it, hopefully she does not read this forum 

[Jerry Howlett]

   Thanks all.  Just taking advantage of the Christmas ceasefire in the house !!!

Wait till she sees that I am now paying for all my Pay Pal transactions using HER credit card....

[trainsdownunder]

Amazing what we keep is it not ?

Well since going DCC I am now down to a ZTC 511 Ver 4 still in use and not having problems on my oval test layout and new layout will be controlled solely by MERG components with a SPROG II for prg purposes.

[H]

I've never been that enamored with Gaugemaster controllers although they seem to get good reports.

I've got an old EMC compspeed controller, at least three hand held AMR units, a couple of KPC handhelds with switchable feedback and three Pictrollers with inertia control. Being a bit of a ludite and prefering to do railway modelling rather than computer modelling/programming I've not embraced DCC. Besides I prefer to run and control the service rather than the individual train.

H.

[E Pinniger]

Until recently I was using an old Gaugemaster "Combo" handheld controller which I've had for 20+ years (bought for me when I built my first N gauge layout in my teens). I've since replaced it with a larger non-handheld unit, a Gaugemaster Series 100 (£22 second-hand on eBay) - I bought this to run my small OO gauge layout as the Combo didn't seem to have the "oomph" to cope with running many OO locos, especially older ones, with their higher current draw - it was very prone to overloading and cutting out. But I noticed a significant improvement in running quality and smoothness when I tried the Series 100 with my N gauge layout, so I now use the controller for running both layouts (not at the same time!) and the old Combo is now relegated to loco testing use on my test track.
Since the Combo is advertised as suitable for both N and OO gauge, I suspect mine was just worn out. I did attempt to dismantle it to see if it was possible to clean the speed control dial contacts, but couldn't work out how to get into the case (it appears to be a sealed plastic box).