Astrac

[Steve H AC&Y]

My wife has a friend that likes to send along books she thinks will provide a chuckle or two. Knowing I'm a model railroader . . . . . well, you know the rest.

For a 1964 1st edition is probably was pretty comprehensive. Browse MRs from the late 50's and early 60's and you see the same things. What caught my interest was the 20 page chapter devoted to ASTRAC.

I was aware but not fully informed about the details of ASTRAC. Cutting edge stuff in 1964. I especially like this passage: " So don't concern yourself with the wiring involved, for despite its complications all you have to be concerned with is the pleasant fact that it takes only two extra wires to connect an ASTRAC control unit to your layout, and only three wires to connect a receiver to a locomotive."

Sound familiar? 😉

[LorenC]

Good stuff.

[Paul S.]

I have that same book, Steve. An interesting read.

ASTRAC was pretty advanced stuff for model railroading 60 years ago, and so too far ahead of its time. Most serious modelers were still getting their heads around DC cab control.

I get a chuckle out what's referred to as the "micro-receiver," but it did its job, even though built around two large-ish SCRs.

Although ASTRAC did spark ingenuity elsewhere though, right? Dynatrol and other analog command control systems were less than 20 years away, and DCC only 30 years away. GE really did bring good things to life. . .but indirectly this time.