dragosmp

Hi all, I just landed in Sweden coming from the UK and I'm keen to get to know the local modeling environement. If you have a few pointers on where to start, it'd be so helpful. Probably the most urgent would be where to get some spare parts locally, like DCC decoders, couplers, stuff like this. Cheers

Hi all, I posted a video on my conversion to DCC of Toby from Thomas the Train. I had this conversion done just a couple of weeks ago, and to be honest it's a very straight-forward job. Must have taken me under 1 hour, including fidling with the cameras. Toby has ample space inside the cab, to the point I'm considering upgrading it down the road with some lights and maybe sound. I've never done lights or sound, could be a fun project. As usual, please take a look and feedback is appreciated.

Hi all, Hope this video will be useful to someone. I have converted my first (and only for now) On30 gauge loco, this lovely Jupiter 4-4-0 Airfix / Bachmann. The trick with it was that it had been converted to DCC and for months it ran well, until it more or less decided not to run forwards any more. It could, but helped along and very choppy. I had not filmed the initial conversion to DCC, but since in orer to fix the issue the motor had to be fully stripped down, the tender, motor, decoder and every bit and bolt had to be taken off and put back together. There was a crazy amount of carbon dust clogging up everything, I'm pretty sure no amount of compressed air would have fixed it. Let me know what you think

Hi all, I posted a video on my conversion to DCC of Bill from Thomas the Train. The loco reference is R9047. The story behind this is that initially, due to the high price of the real Bill and Ben locos, I tought I should just buy a Bill body shell and jimmy on a 0-4-0 cassis. Turns out it's not as easy, so I've given up, bought an R9047 and proceeded to converting it. This is my second loco conversion video, the first being a Bachmann James. The Bill video is longer as the conversion is more complex. As usual, please take a look and feedback is appreciated. If you're so inclined, I posted a more detailed "How to" on wiring the Zimo 617f controller using wires picked up off a cheap JST connector. This approach has the advantage of being very inexpensive and elegant, while not modifying/damaging the controller.

Hello everyone, It's been 2 years since coming back to the railway modeling world and in this forum I found lots of info and great help when needed. In the old days as a PC geek I was writing "how to" guides for that public. They were enjoyable to write and to see people finding some use in them. Most times we bang our heads until we figure the trick and then think "if I only knew" - that's what I'm aiming for, showing some tricks. For this guide I decided to put to work some old phones and some video editing software and film guides on how to convert to DCC various locos. The first of these videos is about the James from Thomas the Tank Engine, the Bachmann variant with moving eyes. I chose this because frankly it's easy to do, easy to film and edit. You know, baby steps. This is my first video of any kind, but please don't hold back on the comments. I'm planning lots more videos on many of the Hornby/Thomas the Train locos and a few other non-Hornby HO Gauge locos (Lima, Bachmann, Jouef...). Maybe some videos of how to wire controllers, run a basic setup on the Pi Sprog, stuff like that. Anyway, please comment and I'll try to incude your suggestions in the next batch. Cheers

Ahh, what did I get myself into... Turns out there is some flexi track on auction in the next hours, might as well. Thanks guys, much appreciated

Thanks Butler Henderson, it does seem that the easy way is to cut some custom sizes for compatibility. I hadn't found the need so far to use flexi track, as the various Hornby pieces match perfectly every time between themselves. I was wondering if by just using standard bits one can make Peco Streamline Code 100 (what I have just bought) compatible with the giant box of Hornby track I gathered throughout the years. Guess I need to learn how to make a nice track cut. *EDIT: Any suggestion on bringing the curved bit of the Peco SL88 or SL99 point back to parallel? R628 seems to be the closest, but the angle is ever so slightly different. I can't find a Peco 11.5deg curve and R628 is 12deg. Cheers

Hi all, Looking at the topics around here, this is a proper noob question, so please be kind with the beginner. As many story start, I bought some stuff off of ebay, a few "large radius" Peco points (turnouts), thinking my Virgin Pendolino or the Pensylvania 4-10-4 will like them more than the classic Hornby R613, which turns a bit too tight. Took some SL-99 becasue they're just dam cool for a station. Problem is, the ends don't quite line up, and then I can't easily close the loops. I build my layouts (DCC) in the livingroom for a weekend and they usually consist in 5 more or less concentric loops linked with points and some sidings. My question is, what P/N or type of track should be used to align Peco and Hornby track combos? Is there even such a thing, or I need to clip some R601s to the right size? To help with these questions I built some examples in Anyrail, see attached, using standard Hornby or Peco parts, but they're missing a few mm to line up well. What would you suggest? Many thanks P.S. In case you're wondering why all the fuss, I just like the Peco points, SL-99 is just so dam cool.

Reviving this old topic to give a Kudos. My R382 Duck (from Thomas the Train) just lost traction and I went through the debigging process. I took advantage of the loco being side-lined to do a thorough clean. Turns out, after disaaaembling and reassembling everything, the fix was a simple plastic piece to push the motor worm drive down a bit. I adjusted with the fixing bolt a "right" ammount of press, as too much puts too much pressure on the traction wheel and the motor is bogged down. Great guide, nicely explained *EDIT: aded a pic of my "fix"

Hello everyone. Just letting you know what happened since the last time. Dr Quinn kindly sent me some couplings, so the next logical step is looking for a victim coach that could accept one of those couplings at the correct height as to attach properly. A 3rd class coach in the pics attached proved to be the best suited amongst my stock. Next, turns out the Hornby coupling has the hook pocket thing just about the right size to fit in a NEM coupling. In the spirit of not messing about too much, I just fitted the closest looking coupling in that pocket mechanically, attach to the Jouef loco and see if it stays attached. We'll, it just did. I mean, I played with it for a while, then the fire test, gave the two to my kid. 3 days later, the loco still pulls and shunts the coach with this vaguely attached coupling. There was only one hickup. Since the Hornby hook location is slightly to the left, I get this feeling the coach/loco coupling is less tense when it turns left. I ran it on 3rd radius layout, tighter may be more of a challenge, but who knows. Tonight I will bolt down the coupling properly, not yet sure how. Then I'll test it with more coaches attached behind, maybe on a tighter curve. Cheers

Hi, so I researched some more. What you guys are suggesting, a converter wagon is exactly what I thought of. Didn't know it has a name though. This wagon/coach/whatever would have on one side whatever coupling needs to go on this loco and a Hornby compatible on the other end. Something I didn't know when I wrote the OP is the NEM pockets exist. None of my stock seem to have such, except for a Virgin express train. A converter wagon equipped with NEM pockets would be an easy solution, or I could trim out the overmoulding Hornby stuff off a current coach and fit a NEM pocket. I'll add the Peco 009 to the possible compatible couplings and let you know, as usual, how it goes. I put a bit of work and bits into this loco, the coupling aspect would just complete the job

OK, I looked more carefully. Ideally I would just change the present couplings with something more modern, but they are moulded on the bogie and old plastic is just too finicky. @dr Q, I will take you on that offer once I figure out how to PM using the phone app. Cheers

Thanks for the ideas Steve, Steve and dr. Quinn. Took a few more close ups with the hood off. Maybe it helps. I might have a go with one each of the type you suggested.

Hi all, As many good things in life, my story started with a loco bought cheaply on ebay, ok maybe not so cheap. It's a Jouef dban replica, very similar with numerous SNCF types in the 80s like the BB series. I changed the tires, converted to DCC, added some nice weights to keep it on the track and the last piece of the puzzle is to enable it to pull and shunt. As it is now, the coupling is almost completely incompatible with my coaches. The loco pulls, but if it shunts iit's a 50/550 chance to uncouple. The plan is to make an adapter coach, but the trick is what coupling does it have? Pic attached. I found somewhat similar Bachmann 36-055, 36-056 and Liliput 939101. However, these 3 have the oval/crown arms attached differently, so not sure if compatible. Any idea what that coupling is, or what might be compatible with it ? Many thanks

Hi all, Two months later, here's how it turned out. There seemed to be a bit of a consensus that Zimo controllers are good. Others too, but I ended up deciding for Zimo basically after seing the online manual. OK, they are a bit more expensive, but these three things go in its favour: *detailed manual with technical explanation on how things work *you do a bit of math and realise thet they must be using multi-layered PCBs to achieve the size and capability - which would go some way to explain the cost *protected outputs - I am handy enough with electronics to know I mess it up sometimes, it's good to know the chip can take care of itself I got initially 2x617f and a 623 (for variety) and boy was that a good experience. Bought them from YouChoos, again on your recomandations, and so far so good - flawless really. I didn't even scratch the surface of 617's capabilities, but even in basic terms they're pretty good. Here's why: *converted a 0-6-0 and 0-4-0 (00 Gauge) using the 617f. They work great, got them speed-matched and the funny thing is, for whatever reason now they make this purrrring noise when they go, as opposed to a sharper noise when using the previous Hornby 8249 *Pro-tip: you can take the wires off some ebay mini-JST connectors, the wires have a termination that fits the pins of the Zimo perfectly. Some shrink-tube and you get a 6-pin-to-wire adapter (ideal for conversions) for 20 peas. If you want I can add some pics *had converted a 1970s Jouef loco using the 623. The motor was a bit dodgy as it sat for years, had to fully strip it down and clean as it barely worked in DC. For testing I used a 8249, but it was still choppy, as the speed-profile wasn't adjustable - it went slow-slow-slow-faaaaast. Using the 623 speed-map, now it is very smooth. Needed some BEMF fidling, too. *Hornby Gordon R383 (from Thomas the Tank Enngine). Although a big train, this has a ridiculously small space in the tender. I had to use a 8249 for the last 6 months before the Zimo. Had a Sapphire hanging for a while, but couldn't package it in the tender. This has everything people hate - Ringfield motor, tender pushing, traction tires - you name it, Gordon R383has it. The motor was in a bad way (bought off ebay again), had to change brushes, springs, and was a pig to convert to DCC. Although in DC the motor was OK, it never really blended with the 8249. Now it uses a 617f, which you'd think it's a bit on the small side power-wise for a 4-6-2, but it runs extremely well. The speed-map needed a bit of tweaking, as for the old Jouef. Now I have another 4-6-2 I'm not to happy about the way it runs and a 617f waiting to go in. A note - the 617f is recommended for N-gauge; I only used them on 00-s, and big ones at that. The 0.8-1.5A drive current is the key - 617s are more capable than the 8249, so if that works, the 617 should too. I use the 618MX configuration template on the Pi-Sprog with PanelPro to edit the Roster and the CVs. I guess I'm sold on Zimo. Haven't been paid by Zimo/YouChoos or gotten any discount to say this, there's just a story that had to be said. I had used LaissDCC, Horby Sapphire and 8249s and now I don't need to. I still feel the Zimos are a bit expensive, twice the price of a LaissDCC, but when you take into accound the price of the loco and the quality of the Zimo, it's actually a good deal, even if you use no function at all! And then there are the functions, which I hope to discover soon. Thanks for the help