chaz

Hmm. It may all come right in due course but at the moment I don't seem to be able to do anything. But then I am "another idiot". Signing off now, may try again in a few days. Chaz

Maybe. The stock is all packed away until the next show (in March) but I may be able to find time later this week to go through them and do some measuring. Chaz

Play nicely please boys, we don't want this excellent topic locked, do we? Chaz

A Bachmann Brassworks class 04 diesel shunter and at least two of my kit-built 0-6-0 tank locos running on Slater's wheels.

...so now we just wait for the next of RudyB's excellent postings. Chaz

Well Nick, you have a point, but I found this topic through the VNC link. Had I have been looking for Arduino topics (rather than a bit of casual browsing) a search on that keyword would have done the job - would it not? As for forum discussion, yes of course there is room for everyone to express opinions. It's one of the strengths of a forum. However I am more interested in real content from which I can learn - less so in whether a topic would be better moved to a different area. Chaz

I must say I was pleased to see this topic started and have found the posted videos very interesting - so interesting that I may well have to spend some money. RudyB has done me a favour by showing his videos and I thank him for the clarity of the presentation, introducing me to some fascinating possibilities of which I was previously only dimly aware. Frankly I can't see that it matters that much what we call this branch of electronics, whether we call the Arduino a computer or not or indeed exactly where the topic fits on the forum. Chaz

If I can add a note of caution. I put the devices into all the point crossings on Dock Green but they interfered with the running of several of my locomotives causing them to stall. I reluctantly removed and discarded them (pulling them out effectively destroys them). Chaz

try this... https://youtu.be/OjMJU81Z3Mk An unlikely duty for a 2-4-0, but one of my 2-8-0s can take over once it is in service....

I couldn't possibly comment but I will say that I'm not sure yet that anything will come of all this. Firstly it depends on finding a 2nd hand Bachmann 2-6-6-2 that I can cannibalise and then on a suitable 3 axle motor bogie. I am at present talking to Mark Clark about a 3D printed bogie. Chaz

That is my current thinking, a three-axle motor bogie. It will avoid cluttering up the daylight between the boiler and the engine ("drivers and cylinders") with the motor and drive and there is a coal bunker/water tank in which to hide it. However the engine will not have a central pivot. The pivot on the real thing was on the centreline of the cylinders, presumably to facilitate the flexible steam pipe connections. The mechanical connection from the reverser to the valve gear was routed from the top of the boiler to minimise the problems involved when the engine unit pivoted on a curve. That might cause problems on my two foot radius curves! Chaz

I checked out the Bullant link that you gave me, Don, as it would be a possible for the six-wheeled carrying bogie - however the max' wheel size of 11.4mm rules it out as the prototype wheels scale at 14 - 14.5mm diameter. I am following up other possibilities - no rush, this is a long term project. Chaz

Yes, Don. IIRC the original Forneys, which ran on the 2 foot gauge Maine NG lines were based on the Welsh single Fairlie. If I build the Mason bogie I may well leave the engine unpowered and drive the loco with a powered six wheel bogie. The prototypes were not very powerful, a couple of passenger cars was about their lot so a single power bogie with a reasonable amount of weight over it should suffice. Yes Jeff. I will be hoping to find a 2nd hand Bachmann 2-6-6-2 which I can pull apart to provide the engine bogie. Chaz

As I understand it the engine is pivoted (the pivot being on the centre line of the cylinders), so is in essence a bogie and with the six wheel rear bogie also pivoted there should be no problem, it will track just like any other vehicle with two bogies. I am going to investigate making a model using the front engine of a Bachmann mallet*. Excessive rear overhang is something any Bachmann Forney owner will know about! *might well have to source a six-wheeled 16.5mm gauge motor bogie to power the whole caboodle - any ideas? Chaz

Two things I noticed in the photos of #7 (cameras will always find anything dodgy on a model!) whoever coaled up the loco may have overdone it just a little one of support pillars of the uncoupler bar on the front pilot has come adrift - probably an over-enthusiastic brush - must pop it back in Next weathering job will be #12 - a mogul Chaz

I have weathered #7 - the 2-4-0. Here are three photos of the loco switching some flat cars at Stoke's Ferry. For a few notes on the weathering follow the link below to my weathering topic. Chaz

Yesterday I decided to weather #7 - the 2-4-0 from a Forny. I have become very keen on using weathering powders and not so enthusiastic about airbrushing. Perversely the first task was to use my airbrush to spray the model with Valejo matte varnish to provide a key for the powders. I held a piece of card in front of parts I didn't want the varnish to touch (lamp lenses, the underframes (but too late for the window glazing which was misted with Dullcote some time ago). Today, with the acrylic matte varnish dry, I could get going with the weathering powders. I don't think I can usefully do a blow-by-blow account but a few pointers might be worthwhile. As before I do the work with powders on my Poundland baking tray. This will catch any excess powders, saving my clothing and the carpet and allowing leftovers to be recycled. It also acts as a palette. I use a variety of colours, black, smoke, dark earth, white, greys and rusts. I rarely apply powder straight from the jar - tapping the brush onto the tray first will dislodge a possible excess making the amount applied much more subtle. Should the colour still be too obvious I brush black or smoke powder over it which will blend and tone it down. I do brush some of the grimy mix lightly across the transfers to tone down the harsh white but this needs to be done with restraint. That last picture is of #7 switching a flat car at Stoke's Ferry on my FVRR layout. I'm not sure if it is quite finished (knowing when to stop is a tricky part of weathering) but it can go into service - and maybe get some further work later. Chaz

Your comment about the A2 provoked a thought - why should there be any link between the external condition of a machine and its mechanical state? As long as the grit and grime has not been allowed to permeate the oiled and greased parts the awful state of the painted surfaces makes no difference to its efficiency - of course the morale of the crew is a different matter. Chaz

Had a thought - maybe the polarity on the LED was wrong - it should be anode (long leg) positive so red wire - and cathode black. I swapped them over but to no avail. I couldn't imagine Bachmann getting that wrong but it was worth checking. I will check the various plugs for a bent pin or misplaced wire but otherwise am baffled. I was hoping someone would know which connecting wire between the engine and tender did the front light. I suppose I might be able to trace it from the decoder plug onward.... Chaz

I have a Bachmann Conny with a front headlight that doesn't work. The decoder has been changed for a TCS WOW. The backup light works as it should, coming on when the loco reverses. I have changed the LEDs from Bachmann's original yellow ones to white ones. This hasn't corrected the fault so I need to check the wiring, plug etc. Any information as to which wires in the decoder socket and the plug-in connection between the engine and tender are for the front light would be appreciated. Chaz

I replied to Ernie in an email as RMweb was down while Andy Y dealt with yesterday's hack - for the sake of completeness the cassette dimensions are as follows... The bases are cut from 12mm MDF and are 95mm wide. The sides are cut from 4mm birch plywood and are 110mm high. Chaz

Regular users like myself value RMweb very much and certainly missed it yesterday, so full marks to Andy Y for dealing with the problem so promptly. Chaz

I will measure one up this evening. Chaz

Thanks. Now do I do #7 (a 2-4-0 conversion from a Forney), #12 (a mogul), #29 (a 2-8-0) or #25 (a ten-wheeler)? - all Bachmann models. Maybe I should do them all! There is a lot to be said for making a start on several - attention can be switched from one to another during drying times. I will post photos here of the weathering process and on my FVRR topic once the models are in service. Exciting times! Chaz

Thanks Steve. Next weathering project really ought to be one of my On30 locos.......hmmm.