CHOOCHOOCAM
By Skip Greiner

The first Choochoocam went into operation at the Detroit Historical Museum Glancy Train Layout in October 1997. It operates unattended (motion detectors turn the entire layout on when visitors are present) for about 6 hours per day, six days per week. The unit operating today is the same one put on the tracks in 1997. Due to great interest in the system and numerous requests, Choochoocams were supplied to train clubs, museums and individuals starting in 1998.

Choochoocam was not the first model train camera but it was the first one to operate successfully. Lionel came to market in the late 1980's with a black and white system with so many flaws that most gave up on it after a short period of time. Several others cameras followed, but all had shortcomings. Lionel's system was black and white and low definition. Later units came in with color and low definition. All were plagued with "jumpy” pictures and sometimes difficult installations. Most came mounted in a special car with no provision to mount in anything else (except the Lionel, that came mounted in an engine). Almost all operated from an on-board battery that usually lasted for about 15 minutes. There were major problems when operation was attempted with some of the remote control systems.

Then came Choochoocam!

Choochoocam came as a kit. You can mount it in any rolling stock in which it will fit. The camera is full color with definition superior to standard TV. The on-board system operates from track power, battery power or a combination of both. The battery recharges from the track power as the train is running. If you are running a block system on your layout, pull the train into a siding, turn off the power and the camera continues to operate. Pull back on to the main line and the battery automatically recharges. There is no installation of anything having to do with the tracks so no special care is required in laying tracks or making changes to a track layout. This is due to the fact that Choochoocam sends its signal through the air…not through the tracks. It is only necessary to supply a TV set and attach the Choochoocam receiver to it with the supplied cable. In addition Choochoocam operates to well over 100 feet from the Choochoocam receiver. The system can also be ordered with an optional microphone pickup that "hears" the clickity-clack of the wheels on the track, engine sounds and also trackside sounds. These sounds are sent to the TV along with the picture.

The entire on-board system is supplied mounted on a 5" x 1" plastic strip. You can actually operate the camera immediately after opening the shipping container by hooking up the receiver to your TV and powering the Choochoocam from a transformer or battery. If you ordered the battery backup, you don't even need the transformer; the battery comes fully charged. You can actually mount the on-board system on a flatcar or gondola car with a rubber band and have your layout on TV in about 5 minutes.

If you mount Choochoocam looking out the front of a diesel engine, I think you have the most flexibility. At the front of the train you get the view looking down the rails, very similar to the view of the engineer running cab forward. If you place the diesel at the rear of the train looking back, you then get the view of someone standing on the observation platform. The view that I like best is running the diesel at the rear of the train looking forward. If you place a couple of flat cars and then a boxcar immediately in front of the forward-looking diesel, the view is fantastic. It is like standing in a gondola car. You can actually see the boxcar sway back and forth in front of you and if smoke is on you can see the smoke coming back over the boxcar. If you have 20 or 30 cars in the consist you get to see most of the train out in front when rounding your 72" curves. Also consider that a diesel is esthetically correct either at the front or rear of the train and facing in either direction.

Following is a comparison of the specs of Choochoocam vs. K-LINE, the latest other TV camera on the market today.

Operation of the two systems is similar. No adjustments are available in either system. Choochoocam obviously will operate at much lower voltages and this translates into lower possible train speeds. The K-LINE camera is mounted on the end of a "camera boom". While this is a cute idea, the camera is subject to much more movement and picture jitter on the screen is quite evident while the train is moving. Choochoocams are generally mounted closer to the frame of the car or engine and therefore show much less jitter in the TV picture. The "boom" on the K-LINE that I tested was somewhat loose and it had a tendency to move changing the direction in which the camera was looking. Neither system should have any trouble operating on layouts using remote controls nor changing layouts should have no effect on the operation of either system. I did not test the transmission of the K-LINE unit over large distances.

Both units carry a one-year warranty. Choochoocam allows you to return the unit within 30 days for a complete refund less shipping if it is found to be unsatisfactory for any reason.

To order ChooChooCam, call Skip Greiner at (313) 881.6576 between 8 to 5 EST or visit http://www.choochoocam.com/

FILM CAMERA VIEW	MOVING ONTO THE TRESTLE
ENTERING THE YARD	ROUNDING A CURVE
WAITING FOR WESTERN PACIFIC TO PASS	A VIEW ABOVE THE TOWN