What happened to Microtrains (MTL) trucks with electrical pickups/contacts?

[mmagliaro]

Some time over the past 1 or 2 years (sorry, I cannot remember!), there was mention on a forum
of Microtrains announcing the development of trucks with electical pickups in them.

Does anyone know what happened to this project?
They never appeared on the market, so did MTL just drop it?  Still developing it?

EDIT:

I found the reference.  It was called the "Microtrains Electrical Contact Upgrade Kit" announced at the Springfield show in 2013.
There's coverge of the show, including a description and photos of this product here:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28629.0

The photos sure so look like bronze plates that would fit into MT trucks and get full all-wheel pickup.
And now I see... they were just plates that slipped in between the wheel faces and the truck sideframes.

Did they ever work on these?  Improve them?

[peteski]

I totally forgot about those.  THey had to be more than just plates which slip into the sideframes.  The wheels would have to be metal too (plus the axles would have to be shorter to allow for the thickness of the metal pickup/bearings.

If the pickup only rubbed against the wheel faces then this would not be a reliable (or low friction) system.  I wouldn't be interested in that.

[JoeD]

At this point it's off the table.   But we have a few other projects going on now that may help push it forward. 

Joe

[jimmo]

A kit would be great. I hate to think of all those HWs out there running dark--especially mine.

[JoeD]

We offer the Rapido Easy Peezy lighting system and our cars are set up to accept them.  I actually prefer them to drawing power from the track...no flickering and constant lighting.

Joe

[victor miranda]

.... yep.
then again I don't like changing batteries.

look into good pickups?

I have a few suggestions.

victor

[Joetrain59]

And I think the batteries make the cars a bit top heavy.
 Joe D

[peteski]

And I think the batteries make the cars a bit top heavy.
 Joe D

Those tiny batteries? Probably not noticably.  But I also do not like battery powered lighting in cars (for the reasons mentioned) and because they can leak caustic ooze. Track pickup it the cat's meow (especially with a nifty anti-flicker circuit added)

[Lemosteam]

^^^^^^^Yup!!!