sound as a pound

For those of you who couldn’t hear it at expoNG, or who didn’t make it, here is a quick video of the sounds installed in Castell Caernarfon. 

It’s a Loksound micro programmed with the closest sound I could get (some standard gauge continental loco called a SNCB/NMBS HLD 59 - Cockerill Baldwin-Westinghouse 12 cyl – images here http://www.belrail.be/F/fiches/diesel/index.php?type=hld59&page=image). 

The Loksound code is 53411 if you want to copy this idea and can be downloaded here : http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/sounds/generation-3/loksound-v35/diesel/ 

It plugs into the 6 pin DCC socket on the chosen chassis – the new farish N gauge warship.   

Testing the hoffs

A quick break for lunch today and I tested a hoffmann point motor with the lenz ls150 – it works brilliantly and without the diodes suggested in the instructions (friends were correct in that these are not necessary).

I moved the accessory decoder position too as otherwise I would have had to lengthen the supply wires of the 16v AC in and DCC power in.

I have set the pulse duration to 5 or 0.5 sec which is enough to ensure the hoffmann completes its throw in the pulse duration.  The default was just 0.1 sec and wasn’t enough.

Now to connect up all the wires to the decoder (I left them labelled with little white stickers ready!).

Then I’ll pin down the track (small holes have been drilled in the sleepers ready) and ballast before the hoffs get installed.

I also need an extra switch output for 2 of the hoffs to power the point indictor LED ‘signals’. 

Wired up and ready to go

The 5 new points have had wires attached to the undersides of the rails and are ready to be reassembled onto the layout.  I ran out of blue wire towards the end!  I decided on wire that will be linked under the boards as any other method (like bridging the gap with strip) makes it harder for the blades to bend properly and may result in gauging problems. 
So now it’s time to get the yard board out again and rewire this section.  Then I’ll be installing the hoffs, which still need piano wire but I am hoping to get some advice on the correct size to go for before I order the wire up.  It looks like a max size of about 0.8mm would work as although the 1mm is wide enough to fit the slot, it protrudes too much and the red plastic piece struggles to retain the wire.  0.6mm fits nicely but is a bit springy.

Dcc friendly points

Thanks to Nile from rmweb for the idea.  The conducting joiner was replaced with a cut down insulated one and glued below just in case.  The springs have also been removed.

DCC friendly points

The 5 new peco electrofrog points have arrived and the process of making them 'DCC friendly' has begun.  I will post photos later, but all have had the joiner pivots swapped for insulated ones, the springs removed and the points reassembled.  One piece of webbing has been removed and I hope to hop the stock rails and blades together using phosphor bronze strip tonight. 

Then reassembly of the yard will commence.

Reliability

I have written before about my concerns regarding loco reliability and recent sales of locos fit with that.  However I have also been thinking very carefully about points too.

There are 3 issues:

1) DCC 'friendly' issues regarding shorts between point blade and stock rail.

There are more detailed sites about this such as wiring for dcc (http://www.wiringfordcc.com/) but the principles are well explained here: http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/electrics-dcc-wiring-a-layout.htm

Basically, an out of gauge wheelset may bridge the gap between a stock rail at -ve and a point blade at +ve.  This causes a short, which in DC operation would just result the loco momentarily stalling before recovering.  However in DCC this kind of short would reset the command station as decoders are very sensitive to shorts - the command station shuts down to protect the decoders.

I have in the past dismissed this as a minor issue as it shouldn't happen too much and I will make sure the back to backs on locos/stock are correct.  Having thought about it though the plastic centred wheels with metal treads that are used almost uniformally in my stock do sometimes come apart and I can see that this shorting thing could be more of a problem that once thought.

So, it would be far better to join the stock rail to the point blade so it is the same polarity and make a cut just before the frog.  The frog remains power routed and the problem is solved.  Insulfrog points just need the wires carrying current over the dead frog to be cut and the blades to be linked to the stock rails.  The insulfrog creates the gap and no cutting of rails is required.

In 009 peco electrofrog points are difficult due to the way that they are made.  Half way along the point blade there is a rail joiner which acts as a pivot.  This is within just a few chairs of the frog.  So if you try and put a break in the blade as suggested the piece of rail left behind wobbles terribly and comes away at the pivot.  In OO this is not such a problem as the point is considerably longer. 

People have suggested filling the gap created with araldite or some non conducting filler, but this is not really a proper solution either for long term reliability.

The real solution is to find points that don't have this pivot in them.  Most hand built points are not made that way and so are some others such as those made by tillig.

I am therefore carefully considering whether to dig up my peco points and either get some specially made for me (with electrofrogs) or move to insulfrog tillig points.

2) Solenoid versus latching point motors

The solenoid motors I have installed are not latching, so they don't hold the blade against the stock rail as if it were locked there. 

They are also very strong in their action (although I need to do some more programming on mine as they aren't strong enough at the moment), which puts stress on the points unneccessarily.  Might tortoise slow action (and latching) motors be a better bet?  The problem is that these require quite some depth of baseboard.  I have just under 70mm of depth, a tortoise needs 85mm - a problem!

I would also need a different type of accessory decoder too - the wabbit. http://www.dccsupplies.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1307

so this is getting expensive!

Seep latching motors could be a possibility too, but they only have one aux switch, causing problems for my point indicator LED wiring. 

I think I'll stay with peco for now on cost grounds, but I may need one of these for extra ummph where I have set things up to throw two solenoids at once http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/masterswitchfaq.htm

3) Check rail clearances

I have never been happy with this element of peco points, which in many cases require filing to accept even the finest flanges.  Tillig points are much better in this regard.

If you want to see what a tillig point looks like, check: http://www.internationalmodels.net/acatalog/Main_Catalogue_Index_Narrow_Gauge_23.html

The 'massive' problem being that they are insulfrog.

So, do we prefer DCC friendly but insulfrog tillig, over DCC unfriendly but electrofrog peco? Or should I get some hand built points that are electrofrog and DCC friendly?

Bought at warley

I did manage to purchase a few bits at Warley, some of which are likely to return as Christmas or birthday (only a few days away!) presents....

Firstly, I purchased a better model of the tamper shed (container). Here is an image when it arrived and before the COSCO branding was painted over. It is plain grey now.

So, it was good to see that dapol have brought out a very similar container indeed, pictured below. I had to buy the uninspiring red one too, but I'm sure my brother can make use of this as he got himself a DCC sound equipped class 66 at the show too.

I also got myself a bachrus rolling road ( image below) which allows you to operate a locomotive, run it in and test it on the rollers. It is certainly more compact than a circle of track! The rollers take the voltage from a piece of track set underneath. There are also add on sets of more rollers and also stirrups for holding pony trucks, tenders and the like.

MRC/gaugemaster have also launched their new PC interface for the prodigy advance squared. I purchased one of these and you can download the software online here.

This not only allows you to act as an extra cab (with two separate sets of controls), but also to easily program decoders. There is a CV blaster section where you can set a whole load of CVs with a few clicks and upload them to the decoder at once. There are also easier interfaces to set up routes or consists and even manage the stack of 25 addresses that the system can store quickly for easy recall.

Lastly, I picked up a cheap N gauge 08 from the Bachmann stand. At £35 this was a snip over the normal £50+ for these models. This will be used as an outside frame chassis for Beddgelert, the scratchbuilt body that I purchased off ebay recently. I will just need to sort out the slidebars and connecting rods. I have the rear bogie already too. For a lovely side view of this lovely engine, see here.

Somehow I managed to avoid purchasing more tools, how I do not know as I wanted to pick up a diamond cut-off disc and a fat fibreglass brush. Oh well, there's always ebay.

consists

The interesting way in which County Gate uses fixed consists has got me thinking. One of my main worries about using 009 is to do with reliability of running. 009 allows me to model far more of Rhyd Ddu than would ever be possible in 7mm, or even 5.5mm and also allows me to show the trains in their scenic setting. Running is its Achilles heel usually. There are many ways that running can be improved such as:

- Making sure the trackwork is top notch paying particular attention to check rail clearances and board joins.

- Making sure that electrical feeds are introduced more often than strictly necessary to give some redundancy

- Ensuring the track is clean

- Ensuring loco wheels are clean

- Building chassis that are dead square so all wheels are in contact with the railhead at all times

- Running in locos

- Installing flywheels and using the ‘jump start’ feature in many decoders

- Installing extra weight over the driven wheels to keep them from lifting off the track and to help adhesion generally.

- Ensuring locos are balanced and don’t have a tendency to pitch.

- Using modern mechanisms with quality motors and gearboxes.

And for the majority of the time the above will work… but even if I manage to do the above I am still concerned that locos with just two pairs of wheels picking up are prone to unreliability.

So the locos I am concerned about are:

- Prince – using a 0-4-0 ibertren, which I despise anyway due to its deep flanges. A better kit is available from Mercian.

- Upnor Castle on an 4wh bullant with mashima

- Conwy Castle an 4wh bullant with mashima

- Blanche - using a 0-4-0 ibertren (see above), possibly to be swapped for the new Parkside outside framed RTR chassis version.

- (Linda) – I only have a scratchbuilt body, but the same issue with pickups would exist had I a chassis for it.

- Taliesin – 0-4-4 backwoods with mashima. The rear truck can be made to pick up too, so this may not be the problem I fear.

- (Palmerston) – same issue as Prince, but I don’t have a kit for this engine at present.

I am considering whether some special measures should be taken with these engines to ensure better running (and less hand of God [Thierry Henry?] from the sky). This would either involve double heading – Conwy and Upnor could well work that way for example, or utilising the County Gate ‘trick’ of using another vehicle with pickups and passing the juice through micro connectors.

Taliesin was at Rhyd Ddu recently on the Col Stephens’ set and Prince and Palmerston were used in a similar way during last year’s photo charters. So I could use a companion car with these engines and use micro connectors to pass the juice through to the decoder and thence to the motor. The problem with this is that I wouldn’t then be able to run around the train without disconnecting the micro connector, thus limiting my operating options. But at least they would run reliably.

Taking this one step further, I could actually create a small consist of carriages where some of the carriages bogies also picked up from the track and passed that juice through to the loco and also to lighting strips set into the ceiling of the carriages - I have recently bought such a strip from dcc supplies for testing purposes.

Perhaps a small subset of the Col Stephens’ set could be used to improve running AND also as a kind of showpiece lit set?

That train could also draw some serious current – perhaps 200mA per lighting strip and perhaps 300mA for the motor – good job I bought a 3.5A max DCC system!

For an image of the connectors see this link.

Loksound oh yes

My loksound decoder has arrived and it's absolutely fantastic.

I've only used it on my decoder tester so far, but I love the startup and shutdown sequences, the horn, guard's whistle, compressors, coupling sounds and everything basically. Just brilliant.

I will be installing it in the warship chassis asap and then testing without a body for a while, before I add the etched brass Funkey body (due to the short circuit risk).

I will post a youtube video on here when I get a moment.

Cool! Oh yes.

A sound decision

Not much progress actually because we are now in the process of moving house (again!). Not too far this time, but the house we have bought needs quite a bit of work, so this is likely to reduce modelling time.

Having said that though a few items of interest have come up randomly in the new house - a grass mat, some old ballast, track pins, white metal castings (box of) and a few coils of layout wire have so far been found left by the previous owner. That and 6 rail books too. Can't be bad. Also the new garage features decent dimensions that mean the whole layout can be up at once!

The proceeds from the sale of Nant Gwernol (now gone) have been ploughed into that pictured above - an esu loksound micro v3.5 DCC sound decoder. Check out this link.

This will plug into the 6 pin socket in my warship chassis that sits under 'Castell Caernarfon' and will play the sounds from a SNCB / NMBS Reeks 59, Cockerill - whatever one of those is??? Visit here and scroll down to code 53411 and press the tiny play button to hear what I mean.

The reason I have chosen this odd prototype is that it sounds closest to the Funkey, especially the horn and it also contains some extra functions:

1	Sound on/off
F2	airhorn 1
F3	airhorn 2
F4	coupler
F5	compressor
F6	Acceleration/brake time, Shuting Mode/Shunting speed
F7	brake release
F8	sand
F9	AUX5
F10	AUX6
F11	conductor's signal (whistle)
F12	airhorn short 1
F13	airhorn short 2

should be fun!

An extra benefit of these esu decoders is that you can also buy a device called the lokprogrammer, which allows you to upload any of the many sounds on the esu website to be decoder or even upload your own. In time I hope to record the actual Funkey horn and use that!

Colin

Colin

A Graham Farish chassis conversion to DCC experiment

An N guage chassis can be a right bother to convert to digital.  Certainly my 91 and 08 chassis are both troublesome.  This is beacuse the body is live and linked permanently to the motor. Looking at my 91 last night (to become the other funkey), I took it apart to see how I could convert it.  the bogies pick up and feed a brass strip underneath the motor and directly to the chassis block.  Both brushes of the motor directly touch either the strip or the block via a brass 'hat' which has a spring inside (to spring the brush up to the motor) and is kept in place by a keeper plate, itself rivetted to either the block or that brass strip.  

So, in order to convert it to digital I need to break the link between the pickups and the brushes...easier said than done when they are integral.

This is where the 'digi hat' comes in.  First you insolate the hat by replacing it with a plastic (not brass) one.  Then you place heat shrink around the keeper to isolate that from the spring. Finally, you solder directly to the spring, which sits inside the hat.  Confused?  see below...  Here are the hats, brass on left and new insulated one on right.

That fits into the heavy chassis block like so...

and the spring that sits inside the hat and has a wire soldered to it - that wire then goes to the decoder.  The isolated keeper device is then placed back over the spring to keep it in position.

On some models it is possible to do away with the soldering to the spring and the keeper plate thingy and use an insulated clip which sits on top of the hat to keep the spring tight against the brush.  This will be fine for my 08s but not for the 91 as the clip doesn't fit (chassis block much wider)!

Then you can solder the wires from the clip/spring to the decoder and the red/black wires to the pickups and it's converted.  

we'll see how it works in a few weeks after I've picked up some of these from Warley.

Colin

Je suis un Parisien

[written from a hotel room in Paris]

Research continues on all aspects of DCC and it's fair to say that I'm hooked.  I can't wait to try some DCC sound next - well my (30th - don't mention that number, the thought is quite frightening) birthday and xmas approach!

I am particularly interested in the digitrax sounddepot.  You can buy one of these:

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd-1588309401.htm?categoryId=58

for £17 and add a 'soundbug' for £31 (it plugs into the above decoder - I might have to substitiute the speaker for a smaller version though 28mm is big!):

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd-184919960.htm?categoryId=61

and then using this 'bad boy':

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd1006173345.htm?categoryId=61

you can add various sounds to the decoder (it comes preloaded with generic sounds, these are extras): including a 108 dmu, class 37, yorkie 0-6-0 shunter, standard 5, GWR prairie and various other american locos.

tempting...

add to that the fact you can even record your own sounds and upload them and I might just be seen recording various sounds off FR and WHR locos at source!  Obviously it'll only work in locos big enough to take this kit, but I guess the NGG16s and the funkey would be worthwhile...?

In other news, I have been extensively testing the DCC locos I've collected - a GP38 (bought as a possible chassis for a funkey, but too short) and the new farish warship (image above) which I've adorned with a gaugemaster 6 pin decoder and features directional lighting.  I've also successfully tested a ZTC 255 on an ibertren chassis (to become Conway Castle).  Good times.

Colin

Digital update and Bromsgrove Models

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/dcc.htm?Submit=Digital+Control

Bromsgrove Models is a super 'little' company trading via the internet and selected model railway shows.  Run from a residential address, there is no shop to pop along to and browse, but the website is excellent and overheads (and thus prices) are kept down - e.g. gaugemaster sell their prodigy system for £225, I got the MRC version [gauagemaster rebadge it] via Bromsgrove models for £165 with free P+P!  

They are also very friendly and knowledgable.  Even though I had an issue with the power supply, I was able to pop around and get it swapped easily with no bother.  Whilst I was there I was also able to talk about subjects as diverse as 6 pin decoders, sound chips and decoder testers.

The issue is now sorted and I have been able to add a gaugemaster 2nd throttle to the system succesfully.  This works very well and I like the way the 2 throttles interact when handing over a loco between them.  I am very pleased with the system and can't wait to set up the layout in the new garage and get playing.

My study now also has an ESU decoder tester set up (courtesy of Bromsgrove models again) - this takes either wires or a 6, 8 or 21 pin plug and allows you to test the decoder using an onboard motor, lights and even a speaker!  Using this I was able to find that I have already fried a decoder - I think due to a short circuit on a tight fitting body.  oh well.

The ZTC decoders have been OK - the detachable harness is useful to separate the circuit board portion when soldering.  The functions, PWM, ability to use as a DC loco, feedback, size and price are all good and they are rated at a decent ampage too.  However, I have found one issue - they don't support advanced consisting.  This means that I will either have to set up a consist (double heading) on the controller [it will only remember 1 consist at once] or reprogram the engines in the consist to the same address manually (although in that case speed matching won't happen]. But then none of the cheaper decoders seem to support this (certainly the hornby R8249 doesn't) and what do you expect for £10.80 per decoder!

So far the DCC experiment has been good though... more news soon.

Colin

Digital woes

Houston we have a problem.  Well two actually.

Firstly my MRC prodigy advance2 has a dodgy power lead socket, so is going back tomorrow for repair/replacement/refund.  In the few minutes I had playing with the system it looked really good though!  Can't wait to have a working version (hopefully for the weekend).

Secondly, I bought a load of ZTC 255 decoders on 26th Sept and on the 30th ZTC ceased trading, placing the epitaph at the bottom of this post on their website.  That means any support or guarantee I might have hoped for ceases too and as their whole site has been taken down I can't access the manuals (you only get a quick start guide with the decoders).  bandits!  Luckily I managed to find an old download I had accessed for the manual in the google chrome downloads bit - thank goodness for google.

It also means I can't buy the ZTC decoder tester I was going to...  oh well.  at least they posted me the items, otherwise I would have ended up as a preferential creditor or something like that!

dear dear dear...

Colin

Dear Customers,

We regret to inform you that ZTC Controls Limited ceased sales, support and servicing of its series of DCC train control products on 30th September 2008.

Despite every possible effort by the management and staff of ZTC, in today's difficult financial climate our low-volume hand-finished products are regrettably unable to compete with the market-price set by the mass-produced products offered by the recent international entrants into the DCC market.

ZTC has always prided itself on being a UK company employing local designers and local manufacturing. We had hoped that a sufficient number of UK modellers would continue to appreciate the advantages of our equipment over cheaper mass-produced alternatives, but sadly, this has not proved to be the case.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal customers for their support over the years.

Miscellany or what to call a dock tank with no roof...?

Well we're now nearly unpacked, so much so that we had an outing on Sunday to Ryton Pools country park - which has a miniature railway.  £1 a go around a decent loop, great fun (especially when we derailed just before the bank, so the little engine [with Hackworth valve gear] had to struggle up the 1:100.

My study now has a modelling 'zone' including a new IKEA desk and other additions...

and there's even room for a small test (programming) track along the bookshelf...

Dad has made sterling progress with the double fairlie 'Merddin Emrys' (see below) and I have finally managed to ream out the coupling rod holes so that the crankpin nut fits back to front on Taliesin to help with clearances around the slidebars.  However in doing so I lost a 16ba brass washer (so small there's no chance of finding it!).

and finally, I have ordered my DCC equipment - a whole load of ZTC decoders (diamond 255s) and the MRC prodigy advance2, these arrived today but I was in Burnley and my wife was at playgroup so they are sitting in some postal sorting office tonight!  

Hopefully I'll get to play tomorrow, which is why I did my first DCC conversion yesterday - a minitrix 0-6-0 (eventually for the Kerr Stuart diesel 4415, which as a prototype was tested on the WHR and FR and now resides at Minffordd awaiting restoration.)  The chassis is live and insulated from the chassis are wiper pickups for the other wheels.  So isolating the motor from the chassis was easy, except that in the very small space available the EMC suppression devices got in the way.  I figured that no-one adds these to kits they build themselves anyway and they are of questionable use other than to allow a RTR loco to get the necessary EU certification, so they were chopped off.  Apparently they can interfere with TVs and even pacemakers, but that seems to be pretty alarmist to me.

Then the decoder (an old style Hornby R8215 that didn't matter if I blew it) was attached - red and black to the track, orange and grey the other way (to the motor).  But there was no room in the dock tank to house the decoder, so I chopped the cab off (obviously the loco body will get chucked anyway!)...  so what to call it....?  Shaun??

Colin

Digital Command Control system review

Right so DCC...what's the craic...

This is a review of the major systems on the market:

Bachmann Dynamis: big screen, well laid out, intuitive controls, wireless and with the pro box (not yet released) you can have multiple handsets. Very nice, and it was to be the system for me, but after consulting various DCC people at recent shows and the DCC forum at http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/ the issue is the infra red wireless. To be honest, when this system was first announced, my brother and I were dubious, and experience in the field suggests we were right - big problems when you have a 'L' shaped layout, or someone walks in front of you etc - when that happens you can't stop crashes etc - not good.

What we really need is a radio wireless system (see the ecos version below just made available on the continent, but not in the UK just yet - that's radio wireless!) or bluetooth or perhaps even wi-fi, but infra red is a no no for me.

Hornby have the elite, which has a good screen and interface and is now NMRA compliant. However it's just too plasticky for me, you can't program routes (multiple points/signals at same time with one button etc) and the walkabout select is even more basic. It's ok, but not for me.

Lenz set 100 - all the features you need, but it's like a remote control - buttons not knobs for accelerate and decelerate - not my view of a decent model railway experience!

The Lenz compact: now this does have a knob, but is very basic in terms of display and is limited to just a few functions- no good for sound, so it would get out of date quickly I feel.

The set 90 does have a knob but is also low on functions and the screen is very basic too.

Gaugemaster prodigy advance - super system, but very expensive at £225 for just the basic set.


Digitrax have a good name and the features are good too, but I don't like the weird little knobs to control the locos.

Their zephyr system is much more like it, but the screen is basic and difficult to understand when programming, as it can only show 4 characters.
The roco multimouse has the best name (!) but again has a basic screen with few characters visible.

The NCE power cab is super, well priced and has a good screen/interface but the bizarre thumb wheel puts me off it.
The ZTC 511 is a super piece of kit and their is a handheld to go with it, the screen is good, controls are wonderful (like a real regulator) but it is way expensive at over £500 for what I would need. Shame.

The 505 is similar and chepaer, but loses some of the functions that make the 511 so good.

So, what to go for? Well, the gaugemaster would be great if it was cheaper. Well, look at this...below is the MRC Prodigy advance - gaugemaster just rebadge it!!!

So let's have a look on ebay, oh yes here's one, imported from the US at £159, not £225! Get in!

Colin