My LHS has cabinets of old MR and RMC mags that they sell for 50 cents. So I always bring some home. Some are quite old, which I enjoy especially.
In them I can watch the progression of model railroad controls. Early cab control systems, Linn Westcott's how-to articles for multiple generations of electronic controls, followed by the beginnings of commercial electronic control. Then the beginnings of what would become DCC, NMRA's standards, etc.
At nearly every point there were questions: it's too expensive, it's too big, I'm happy with what I've got, why should I tear out my old stuff, etc.
Well, it got smaller, it got cheaper, the lesser ones fell by the wayside, the better ones developed. In each case, pioneers tried it and the rest of us benefited.
I submit that Ring Engineering's pioneering work will follow the same path. Smaller and cheaper. Whether Ring will permit others to share the format thru NMRA standardization will eventually determine whether it becomes the norm and perhaps replaces DCC, or whether it survives as a niche. Or survives at all. (I know, it is hard to take an action that seems like cutting your own throat. And it sure is easier for me to say than for them to do.)
Whatever happens, our hobby will continue. Excelsior!
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The Future
My LHS has cabinets of old MR and RMC mags that they sell for 50 cents. So I always bring some home. Some are quite old, which I enjoy especially.
In them I can watch the progression of model railroad controls. Early cab control systems, Linn Westcott's how-to articles for multiple generations of electronic controls, followed by the beginnings of commercial electronic control. Then the beginnings of what would become DCC, NMRA's standards, etc.
At nearly every point there were questions: it's too expensive, it's too big, I'm happy with what I've got, why should I tear out my old stuff, etc.
Well, it got smaller, it got cheaper, the lesser ones fell by the wayside, the better ones developed. In each case, pioneers tried it and the rest of us benefited.
I submit that Ring Engineering's pioneering work will follow the same path. Smaller and cheaper. Whether Ring will permit others to share the format thru NMRA standardization will eventually determine whether it becomes the norm and perhaps replaces DCC, or whether it survives as a niche. Or survives at all. (I know, it is hard to take an action that seems like cutting your own throat. And it sure is easier for me to say than for them to do.)
Whatever happens, our hobby will continue. Excelsior!