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Bachmann Trains and BlueRail Trains announce partnership to create Bluetooth Smart model trains with smart device control. January 16, 2015 
Bachmann Trains (the world's largest model train manufacturer) has partnered with BlueRail Trains ( high-tech model train wireless hardware and game/interface development company) to develop Bluetooth Smart trains to be controlled by Bluetooth Smart devices (including iPhones, iPads and Androids). The first Bluetooth Smart trains will be available in the fall of 2015 as the Bachmann E-Z App™ Wireless Train Control system. These trains will operate on any electric train system and will be operated via a free downloadable app (from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store). The trains will require no additional special equipment and promise to offer all the bells and whistles of existing high-end model train control systems. In addition, the system will provide a platform for additional downloadable content (like sounds and control skins) as well as downloadable games, simulations and interactive control experiences. The system requires no configuration, allows for simultaneous independent control of unlimited locomotives, can be controlled from up to 170 feet, and may even be controllable over the web. This opens the doors to many casual users that already own smartphones and tablets, but equal effort has been made to make the technology appealing to existing model railroad enthusiasts (the trains can be operated independently on existing DCC systems).
While Bachmann will focus on incorporating Bluetooth Smart into its various lines and gauges of trains, BlueRail will focus on creating Bluetooth Smart solutions for existing DCC-ready trains and DIY users. The new partnership between Bachmann and BlueRail strives to bring model railroading into the smartphone era and create a standard for wirelessly operating model trains without expensive complex hardware or programming. It also hopes to expand interactivity and entertainment possibilities in respect to model trains by creating the first game development and content platform for model railroading. The Apple iOS app will be available when the Bachmann E-Z App™ Trains release this summer, with Android support within the following months. Patent Pending. BlueRail Trains LLC 
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