Firefly FRED

[johnhale]

From the N scale weekend in Bedford, we got to see the FireFly FRED up close and personal. I must say this is one of the coolest things in N scale. The entire FRED is made into a modified Micro Trains truck. So you take the truck off a car, pop this one on and it now has a FRED at the that end. It is powered off the track, so no batteries, and works on both DC and DCC.

While I still use cabooses (or is that cabeese?), for modern modelers, it is an easy addition (at roughly $20 per truck).

They have a FB page and sell on eBay.  (https://www.facebook.com/pages/FireFly-FREDs/268530859850688).

John

[Philip H]

This is what I get for going gooning . . . missed it completely!

[seusscaboose]

some additional comments...

i test ran one for about 20 minutes...

the truck I tested from a fellow Club member who had been using it for a year on various occasions and shows had some "slight drag" on it as a result of either a) the wheel sets being to tight for the pick ups or b) from N-Trak layout crud like you see in kato locomotives (NOTE: neither a or b had any percievable impact on the tracking of the truck IMO)

for me, it wouldn't impact my decision to purchase.  If there is a little drag, then no problem.  if there isn't, then great.

it looks like a pretty cool little device...

[conrailthomas519]

I picked one up! HAWT!!

[sdodge]

Which metal wheel sets are they using? Intermountain?

[Philip H]

FVM.

And I ordered one just cause . . . .

[sdodge]

FVM.

And I ordered one just cause . . . .

The picture does not look like FVM wheels. Look at the flat face of the wheel. Pre production photo? Modified FVM?

[Philip H]

They say they are using FVM wide tread 36" as their standard wheel set, but can do others at additional cost.  We'll see when mine shows up.

[ryan_wilkerson]

I wonder what MTL trucks can be ordered. I haven't paid much attention lately but do recall that MTL came out with a new 100-ton truck. Are those available as individual or bulk pack sales?

[sdodge]

They say they are using FVM wide tread 36" as their standard wheel set, but can do others at additional cost.  We'll see when mine shows up.

I would be really interested to know what you get. Picture? 

Thanks.

[Denver Road Doug]

Nice idea, but they suffer from the same problem that GatrWorks does (did?) ... about three or four times the blink rate of the prototype.   I'm not sure why that gets completely ignored, but to me it's a dealbreaker.   The Richmond Controls unit...as expensive as they are...are still superior and really the only game in town, IMHO.

Supposedly GatrWorks has a new one that is more prototypical, so that is promising.   The concept of the Firefly FRED is great but, I will have to pass.

[jereising]

I have several.  Problem is like anything else, power pickup.  If the pickup is spotty, the blink rate goes up and becomes a flash rather than a blink.  Sitting in the yard it looks acceptable - but that's to my eyes.

Still, I like them.  I think I'll get a few more after vacation...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I like the turn key nature of this. I might even be tempted.

[ChristianJDavis1]

I have seen several of these little marvels on our club layout, and almost bought one over the weekend at the Bedford N Scale Weekend show (that is, before I decided I needed six PRR hoppers...). Some of our club members claim to have some of the first ones of these made, and if that is true, just makes them that much more intriguing.

[ljudice]

Wow - cool!!!!!