RE: Discussion item

["Ira Schneider" <ira_schneider@iname.com>]

I like Adrian's thoughts about the Halt problem.  However, I have some reservations about any
solution we come up with:

1. There are probably many different ways to interrupt the power to track 2 (e.g. PowerMaster,
     IC TPC, SC2, other hardware, etc.).  They can all be triggered by the Halt command
     propagated by the Lionel Command Base.  How do we restore power?  The simplest method
     involves using a CAB-1 to restore the power.  This is still annoying to me.

2. All solutions proposed thus far involve some additional piece of hardware.  Substituting an SC2
    or a Basic Stamp doesn't really reduce our costs (since we already have an "extra" IC TPC).
    It only makes sense to pursue another hardware unit if the replacement unit costs substantially
    less than we could get by selling the extra PowerMaster (assuming we replace one of the PowerMasters
    with the currently unused IC TPC).

I agree we should do SOMETHING.  I just wish it was something simple and didn't create another
operating problem.


Ira