More on my A3.
I finally got to the stage of running and setting up the DCC.
SWD never got back to me regarding the ESU chip and software so I used my preferred chip and software from Digitrains namely Zimo and Paul Chetter sound. Which is working well at the moment. I may treat it to a boom box speaker.
I had problems initially with derailment caused BT the trailing truck arrangement. I sorted mine out by cutting 2 coils off the spring and limiting the side play by putting a brass spacer either side of the truck. See attached pic.
The tender is unbelievably heavy and the electrical pickups scrape like rusty disk brakes. When they actually touch the wheels, which they don't always!
With this system some of my pickups were pushing the wheel to one side and onto the plastic chassis side.
Effectively the loco was dragging a brick around!
I have removed all the gubbins from the tender and just added a small weight. I could fit some sensible pickups but they are not necessary as those on the loco are doing an adequate job, especially with the extreme weight of the loco.
Picture of my chassis as tested attached.
The loco travels backwards and forwards at speed through Peco points, double slips, Marcway scissor crossing and three way points.
Incidentally despite the large current hungry motor this is the only loco I have which will not give wheel slip. Either under DCC with maximum gain or DC. In my opinion it is too heavy. Wheel slip can be a safety feature if a loco is caught up some where unnoticed.
I hope some one at Hattons finds my rambling more important than a couple of handrails and food for thought when designing in the future.
Rgds Brian