WhyD

Thank you all, clearly a mistake and a likely escape (select still works!) To provide answers to some of the questions, for completion - The track is expected to be larger than the simple oval I put just for testing, hence needing more power. The power supply I use is a regulated 15V power supply providing 10A of current. I know the select has a 4A power supply (which I don't have), so I was hoping to use this one. I think I have another which is around 2.5A so it would be a good fit and the larger one can be used for frogs I suppose. The scale is OO using Hornby tracks and I've just started thinking about it (and built the table for it) so currently only 1 loco, but I expect to add more as I progress Pete - I loved the amplifier analogy, it really worked for me. Thanks again all for helping the newbie!

Hopefully a basic misunderstanding, as I have little experience. I've placed am oval track, connected the select to it and I can run my DCC locomotive just fine However, I need to power my track more strongly than the select would allow, so I connected external power to the track. Without the select the loco runs fine, obviously with no ability to control it. If I connect the select in parallel (thorough a separate track section to the external power) it shows overload. Is that not how it's supposed to work? Thanks in advance....

I've managed to remove the bar and take a closer look; It looks like on the trailer, the connector from the plug where the bar is insert to the wire is bent at the bottom. it is difficult to tell if the wire is still connected ok, it seems to. It also looks like something, possibly the connector, was scratching the base of the trailer - you can see i the image attached, which is possibly how it got bent in the first place. I am not sure what can be done next, I guess I'll reach out to Bachmann support and see what they say :-(

Thanks I did try to decouple and gave up, worrying that I'll snap the thing; perhaps in the process I messed up something, although it curious that red direction light on the trailer does still work and (I think) the cab lights when heading away from the trailer. Would that still be explained by a connector problem? Another week of work-related travel ahead, so will have to wait, but will investigate next weekend hopefully

Terribly sorry - you are absolutely right - we looked at two models and my memory got confused. Class 101 - 32-287 Sorry for the confusion!

I thought this was no longer the case - there is a connector between the two coaches that is conductive and I believe that the fact that, when travelling with the header coach first, the lights on the trailer are on and the directional lights are red as expected confirms that. It is only when I change direction, travelling with the trailer coach first, that - although the header coach's directional lights are now red as expected, all lights in the trailer coach are off

In the recent show in Alexandra palace we bought our very first 'proper' engine - a Bachmann class 108 DMU and, having visited the DCC Concepts stall added a Zen decoder. Trying it all for the first time on our track (which wasn't laid, hence the delay), something strange is going on - Heading in one direction (motored unit first) everything seems to work as expected - directional light and cab lights are on on both units. Changing direction, with the trailer ahead, the trailer lights are not working - directional lights are off and cab lights are off. Is this like to be something we're doing wrong, a problem with the decoder or a problem with the engine? We're currently using a select controller (I know...I know...) and the function key seems to be working ok in terms of turning the cab lights on/off) Any help would be greatly appreciated

HI all My son and I are building our very first model railway layout, so apologies if somewhat basic. I've installed the first point motor (seep PM-1) and when I'm testing it directly from the Horny Select's AUX output (16v DC, IIUC) it switches ok. I've noticed the select screen flickering when I did that and quick research revealed the need for a CDU I went to the local shop intending to buy a Guagemaster CDU, but ended up leaving with a PECO PL-35, only because its enclosed and as our layout is in a shed it seemed a good idea. Anyway - whilst the point switches well when I (manually, for the test purposes) tap the wires directly, when I do the same with the CDU in between, in doesn't seem as powerful, and in one of the direction does not travel fully and I have to keep tapping to get it switched all the way Once I remove the CDU, changing nothing else, the point works again, so I suspect it is CDU induced. Thinking it might be charge time, I made sure I waited (quite) a few seconds between directions. As I mentioned, when using the CDU the input comes from the Horby select's 16v DC AUX output (yes, I've learnt I'll need an independent power supply, but at this point nothing else is using the select What am I missing?