IPTrains:Current events
From IPTrains
Monument Fire and NGRC 2011 (7/26/2011)
On the 14th of June this year the Monument Fire here in SE AZ cut off our Internet access when it burned up the communication lines connecting our radio system to the Internet. Shortly thereafter it came close to burning down our house (twice actually) and a day or two later it almost got our senior software developers house. We all wound up evacuating to temporary lodging for almost a week.
Since this was the week we were planning on leaving on our Amtrak trip to Kansas City to exhibit at NGRC 2011 the impact was pretty severe, we had to cancel our attendance since we weren't sure our railroad (and our house!) would still be here when we returned. The bad news is we didn't make it to NGRC 2011 which was a huge disappointment to all of us. The good news is that no ones railroad (or houses!) were lost to the fire. It came within about 500 meters of our place but passed on by. Some of our neighbors up in the canyons were not so fortunate. Although no lives were lost in the approximately 2 week long period the thing burned, about 70 structures were.
As of the 22nd of July our primary Internet access, mail, etc. was restored and we are back with the rest of the world. One side effect of all of this is that we built a large amount of stock for the show that is currently ready to ship. We have 2 track I Beam steel signal bridges (in any head configuration you like), SL1 search light signals, SL2 doubles, etc. all ready to go. So if you need some signals, now is the time.
It's good to be back!
JT
Automatically turning the lights on (3/7/2011)
Got a constant track power railroad? Want to light some stations, houses whatever but don't want to run miles of wire? Well you've already got a power distribution system, your rails. Just add one of our Photocell controlled power taps and you have over 2A of 12V lamp power wherever you need it and best of all it automatically turns on at dusk and off at dawn. Makes those 12V bulbs last twice as long. No bulky heatsinks, uses the rail as a heatsink. Check it out.
Chat facility added (2/28/2011)
We've added a chat facility to the site, if you have questions or comments just select the chat tab on top of the page and if we're around we'll be happy to answer questions, etc.
Huge new Signal Bridge selection (2/12/2011)
We have added a huge new signal bridge section to the IPTrains store. No one and I do mean no one offers the variety and choices that we offer in signal bridges. You can select our pre-engineered options or you can build your own pizza. Go check it out
Color light signals coming (1/29/2010)
We have a supply of machined targets for color light signals and have built some prototypes. We'll get some pictures up shortly and they should appear in the store in February. We'll be offering single target, dual target and signal bridge mountable color light signals. All with APC of course.
New Trainvision firmware (1/23/2011)
There is new firmware for the iCAMview, see the details in the forum area. Lots of small improvements including simplified snapshots.
IPTX update (1/4/2011)
We are awaiting a code update from our Chinese partners, once we have that in house we have quite a bit of software/hardware work to do but we hope to have Beta units out to selected testers in Jan and general availability of the product sometime in Q1 of this year.
Factory Direct Program Expanded (8/28/2010)
We have greatly expanded our Factory Direct program. This is where you can get our video products fully installed, configured, tested and Ready To Run (RTR) in a brand new Locomotive or caboose. Locomotives sold through this program have the Aristo Revolution 2.4 GHZ controller, our TrainUPS and Trainvision installed. We also offer an installed sound system as an option. Units sold under this program carry both an IPTrains warranty and an OEM warranty and we take 'first call' in case of any problems. This is also where we'll be offering the IPTX once the product is released.
Q3 Newsletter (8/23/2010)
If you'd like a copy you can find one here
NGRC 2010 (7/31/2010)
Due to the business climate (it's ugly) we'll not be attending in person but you can stop by our booth (220) and pick up a flier with a 10% discount code for the store.
A new phone number (7/30/2010)
We've added a dedicated line to better serve you, 520-732-2208. Please feel free to call with questions about our products, technical assistance or any thing else about IPTrains. There is normally a human at the number in the evenings and on weekends, at other times you may or may not reach one of us but there is voice mail available and we'll be happy to return your call.
More Customer photos (06/10/2010)
The Customer Signal Gallery has been updated, keep them coming folks!
Q2 Newsletter (05/02/2010)
If you'd like a copy you can get one here
Updates (03/03/2010)
The Customer Signal Gallery has been updated with some photos of a great project the LGB Model Railroad Club of Chicago did with our signals and also photos from a user far from Hereford. The Manuals_and_firmware area has been updated with several new manuals and our fresh off the presses outdoor Signals Wiring Guide. Also, we have fresh customer install pictures from both TrainUPS and DVRAC users. You can see them at TrainUPS and DVRAC example installs.
We're on Twitter (02/15/10)
We now have a Twitter account ( www.twitter.com/IPTrains ). If you follow us there you will get notification of operations sessions and the like.
Factory Direct Program goes live (02/13/10)
We are now offering the Aristo Classic Caboose with our on board digital video factory installed. We have set a longish lead time on special orders for this program as we frankly don't know how fast Aristo will be able to get the units to us. We expect to be able to do the install and ship them to you within 2 to 3 days of the time we get them in. Once we have a better feel for how fast they come in, we'll set a more realistic lead time at the store. These units will be fully installed, configured and tested by IPTrains and will carry warranties from both companies. We'll take 'first call' in case of any problems and deal with Aristo if it's their issue. We don't expect to see any since this is a mature product and the complex bits are all ours anyhow.
There are a range of power and camera options, get details at the store. If you don't see the road name you want, ask and we'll check to see if it's available. Watching your train go around a curve from the caboose is great fun and of course you can spot those derailments just like in the 1:1 world.
Q1 2010 News Letter (02/11/2010)
If you'd like a copy of the Q1 2010 newsletter you can get one here.
New DVRAC manual released (01/30/2010)
The latest version of the Digital Video Ride Along Cab (DVRAC), our world beating Trainvision product, has been released and is available for download at Manuals_and_firmware. This release covers all current models and includes the optional external smart chargers as well as the 6 cell battery 'low voltage' models. The DVRACLV (low voltage) will charge off any voltage from 14 to 28 volts, AC, DC, DCC, whatever you happen to use on your railroad.
3BI1 card released (01/15/2010)
We've released our multifunction multi-block control card. If you want to build your own block signaling system, this is your card. Learn more at 3BI1.
IPTrains in the news (11/01/2009)
We got a nice mention in the Newsletter of the Central New York Large-Scale Railway Society, see page 2. We can't go to NY but if your Large Scale group is in AZ or NM and you'd like an IPTrains presentation at a group meeting please let us know and we'll be happy to comes out with signals, Trainvision, etc.
Block Signaling system set for release (10/30/2009)
We've set the block signaling system release date as 15 Nov and we're in the process of adding it to the web store. The electronics are done and tested, we're in the final stages of packaging it up now. The goals for the system are to support folks who want to plug and play as well as you signal hackers out there. We're putting most of our effort into the plug and play products (modules) since we figure you hard core signaling geeks can pretty much take care of yourselves once we make product available. But for most of the Garden Railway world, the complexity entailed in even a simple signaling plant is enough to make peoples eyes glaze over. Good products package complexity in such a way that the average mortal can use the product without needing years of specialized education. Our signaling modules are aimed at achieving that simplification. Great products do that as well but they also have provisions that allow people with the requisite expertise and desire access to the internals of the product so that they can modify it to meet their specific needs. We're aiming for great products here at IPTrains so our products allow that access as well. Have a look at Our Blocks to see the module offerings that we will be releasing on 15 Nov.
Product announcement is here.
Wiki Account request (10/27/2009)
The Wiki account request page is giving a lot of people fits, including me, your friendly Wiki Sysop. The problem is simple, Media Wiki has two basic account registration modes, wide open and really hard. We had problems with wide open, we were getting a lot of drive by graffiti, so we switched to the more restrictive mode which has succeeded brilliantly by being so difficult that only a couple of people have managed to navigate it all the way through. So we've created the alternate sign up page which is really simple but still allows us to sort out the real users from the net.idiots. If you'd like a forum account we'd love to have you, just go to that page and hit the mail link and we'll get you set up.
Customer Signal Gallery added (10/17/2009)
Want to see how people use our signals? Then have a look at the Customer Signal Gallery to see them in the wild. We welcome your IPTrains signal pictures as well. And yes, we'll be happy to put up a couple of non-signal pictures along with them. Send your pictures to us and we'll get you up there.
Happy Birthday IPTrains! (10/1/2009)
We are one year old this month and we are celebrating with a big sale all month. All Trainvision products are on sale, if you've been waiting to get into on board or track side digital video, now is the time. All Digitrax compatible signals are on sale this month and our batteries and TrainUPS on board supplementary power system are also marked way down. But don't wait too long, when the Aspen lose their leaves this sale will be history...Sale ended 10/31
See us in the Oct 2009 Garden Railways
Right there on page 94. Our thanks to Garden Railways for a terrific review! And they even got the technical bits right, not bad at all. Of course since we sent those units off for review we've added the three target signals, the two target signal bridge signals and the entire Digitrax compatible line of signals with more products coming after 1 September, see Futures for new products about to be released.
Available on line (Garden Railway account required) at this link.
Labor Day promotion
Get a free dwarf signal with purchases totaling $50 or more between now and 8 September. Are your dwarfs constantly bumping into each other down in the dwarf mines? Well fret no more Farley, with your spiffy new IPTrains dwarf signal you'll soon sort out that confusion! Just enter code FREEDWARF at checkout time and we'll toss one in your order... But hurry, offer goes away after Labor Day...
Well, it's too late for all of that but our signals are still a wonderful bargain, go buy some, it will make you feel good!
Back to the store
We will be at the 2010 NGRC in Tacoma in August of 2010
We will have a double booth with operating layout, signals and various signal control equipment, our battery systems and on board video systems. Hope to see you there.
What we learned at NGRC09
We went to NGRC09 for two reasons. First of all we wanted to 'build the brand', that is, to get the IPTrains name out there as we are a very new company and many of you have never heard of us. We were very pleased with the reception that we received from everyone who stopped by the booth so I think we accomplished goal one.
Goal two is even more important in my opinion, we went to listen to what you want and need in the area of Garden Railway signaling, control and video equipment. The first thing we learned is that many of you would like to use signals on your outdoor layout but don't have any auxiliary contracts on your switch machines or in some cases, use hand thrown or pneumatic switches. We'll be addressing this need very shortly with a small magnetic reed switch sensor that can be added to almost any turnout to provide switch position indications. It will be waterproof, easy to install and inexpensive and will work with all of our signals. We have several prototypes running here at this time and once we're satisfied that we have hit all our design goals we'll add it as a product at the store. UPDATE: It's done, see Switch position sensor.
The second thing we learned in the signaling department is that many of you would like to use block signaling on your layouts and that you use every conceivable means of powering your trains (DCC, battery, variable DC from a conventional transformer, etc.). This means that the current detection block signaling system that we have been developing here for the past year or so will not work for all of you. So, we're going to shift gears and develop plan B, a sensor based block signaling detection system that will work with any means of train power and control (even pushing them around by hand ;-). Unlike some other 'sensor' based signals it will not be 'time based' (signal goes from red to yellow to green based on a countdown system after train passes a signal), it will be totally prototypical in its operation and base its indications on actual train position in the blocks of the railroad (signal changes based on position of train in block, changes again when train exits current block to next block, etc.) The good news is that half of the required work is already done because of the APC system found in every one of our signals. The bad news is that a system of this nature needs to be 'stateful' (train passes sensor and triggers it, signal changes based on sensor trigger, system needs to 'remember' this until next sensor down the line detects train). This will take some time to develop, debug and 'harden' for outdoor use but we're on the case. We hope to get the block detection system added to the product line sometime in Q4 of this year. UPDATE: See the DLC page for a progress report and Our Blocks to see the actual product offerings.
The third thing that we learned is that many of you who use some sort of radio system to control your trains are interested in our TrainUPS (Floating Battery) system but are reluctant to try it because of past failures of systems that attempted to provide this functionality, either home brew or from other manufacturers. If you use some form of radio control and can put between 22 and 24 VDC on the tracks (21 with the optional low drop rectifier) then our system works. We are so confident that you'll love it that we are offering an unconditional 90 day money back guarantee on the system. Buy one, install it and see what you think, if you are not totally satisfied, return it within 90 days for a full refund, including shipping.
We were at the NGRC in Denver in July of 2009
The IPTrains booth at NRGC09
Our lucky winner of the 9 July booth drawing
Our second lucky winner on 10 July 09 at the NGRC
Our first winner on Friday, last day of the show
Our final winner at the show
See how happy they all are? You can be too, buy some signals, you'll love them! But Kathy is sad because she's all out of signals to give away...
Use of iMultiview on the Mac
Hey Mac folks, iMultiview is a native windows program however we have successfully tested it on Intel Macs running Parallels 3.0 and Windows XP with full functionality. See more on this in the Forum area.
All IPTrains signals now include our ground breaking Aspect Priority Control system
See the APC_page for more on this.
See us in the new products section of Garden Railway in the June 2009 issue
Right there on pages 10 & 11.
Read George Schreyers in depth impressions of IPTrains Trainvision here.
We didn't pay George to write this however we did loan him a DVRAC so that he could be a Beta tester. Don't take our word for it, see what he has to say. Much of George's feedback has been incorporated into the product and especially into the documentation.
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