How to know which loco is which

[JST]

Bit of a daft question this but one that is causing me a bit of head scratching. I am sure someone else must have had the same problem and there are ideas out there on how to do it.

 

Basically I have been beavering away converting my loco stock to DCC and building a fair size layout. I now sit back and see that amongst my locos I have 4 Castles, 2 black Panniers, 2 green Prairies and two identical DMUs. The question is how do you know which is which when you want to call up a particular loco by address. Yes, they have different numbers or names but nigh on impossible to read from 20 feet away (especially if they are in the loco shed). The DMUs I will be fitting with lights and can turn them on and off to see is which is which but the steam locos do not have lights. So far with the Panniers and Prairies I have resorted to having them running in opposite directions so I know which is which. Clearly this is a problem of my own making and maybe I have missed a simple obvious answer.

 

 

[Nigelcliffe]

Various methods:

 

1 - many locos will have distinguishing visual features, such as posture of crew added, weathering, differences in livery, etc..   Make a note of it, and then use pictures with the difference highlighted (red pen around feature).  If a long way away, then a cheap TV camera at the location and a screen nearer may help.

 

2 - always store locos in known locations with clear labels on them.  This might be a flag or something you place on a track diagram, or near to the layout where the loco is currently stored.

 

3 - technology such as RailCom, (or one could put RFID devices inside locos), would allow detectors to indicate which loco is on which track (or even within a zone of the layout). 

 

4 - give everything address 3, and use section switches (like DC wiring) to ensure only one loco is powered at a time

 

 

I'm sure there are many other methods people could add to the list.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Nigelcliffe

[GeoffAlan]

As a confirmed DC user, I understand that you can number the fleet using the last 2 digits of the model's number. So if you have 1234 and 1334 you'll need to renumber one of the two. 

[SRman]

A couple of suggestions:

1. Use different disc or lamp headcodes so they become recognisable.

2. Weather or paint differences on each loco so that they are recognisable from afar; things like a dirty grey smokebox and cab roof.

3. Add different accessories such as fire irons and shovels, different crews, and so on.

All of these still rely a bit on memory, but would allow some ability to distinguish between otherwise similar locomotives.

Edited April 23, 2018 by SRman

[Oldddudders]

As a confirmed DC user, I understand that you can number the fleet using the last 2 digits of the model's number. So if you have 1234 and 1334 you'll need to renumber one of the two. 

 

Most DCC systems these days, and most recent decoders, cope happily with 4-digit addresses. 

[SRman]

As a confirmed DC user, I understand that you can number the fleet using the last 2 digits of the model's number. So if you have 1234 and 1334 you'll need to renumber one of the two. 

 

Perfectly true, Geoff, but I think you missed the point that the OP cannot read the numbers off the cabsides or smokeboxes/buffer beams (depending on his era) from 20 feet away, and needs some way of identifying the otherwise very similar locos from that distance.

 

 

[richard brown]

why not make some id cards with the loco photo on it the have a track diagram which you can put the cards on so you know where they are 

 

Richard

[PaulRhB]

Crew wearing different items or coloured clothing. A small flash of red or white against their jacket stands out a long way. Crew with bare arms, crew looking a certain way, leaning out or hidden as tending the controls. All distinct from a distance. Having tools or lamps stored in certain places on tank or tender tops are easy to see and realistic. Cab ventilator open or closed etc.

[Free At Last]

This is the problem with all GW locos looking the same...

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I'll get my coat

[RAF96]

Cocktail stick with a flag on down the chimney. Looks silly but it works.

[Londontram]

Or just get to know your locos

 

Honestly how hard is this!

[Phil S]

An alternative to what I discuss below - is a wireless handset/controller - allowing the operator to walk freely around the layout and get closer to read the information from the loco directly 8-)     otherwise these options.....

 

As well as the 'obvious' use of the address related to the loco number ( I omit the middle 0 or 1 if a conflict as occurs with a few BR(S) types ) - and try to ensure when buying the locos that I avoid duplication of numbers ( and never use '3' because all new locos will be that)

 

Some controllers allow naming of locos -  giving more characters than the 4 digits - and the length may aid recognition, but mainly I rely on printing posters at A3 of my loco fleet  (steam on 1 sheet) - and rely on the differences in tenders or nameboards in many cases.

Having about a dozen West Country/BoB/Merchant Navy is probably my worst category -

 

As others have suggested: - I also have cameras on the ends of the storage area (partly to visually see the points are correct before departure) - but a front headboard would be recognisable - but probably not a smokebox door number ! (they predate cheap HD cameras !!) - the image can be switched on the  same large screen monitor as used for a track display ... and if you have computer software with track-detection feedback, then once identified, even without Railcom of RFid, a known loco is tracked from block to block, and the trackplan will identify it for you.

 

This IS where Railcom   (and on Marklin's Mfx, the similar automatic identification of locos when they are placed on the track)

has its logical advantage  - in conjunction with block-section Railcom readers like the Digikeijs ...5088

The DISADVANTAGE of this method is that it means 'sections' for current detection/reading being introduced into a dcc track which didn't otherwise need the segmentation: I am currently considering adding  'full block tracking detection' to our  transportable layout: At present 3 levels wired as 3 sub-districts with many paralleled feeds ... but if fully -sectionalised it becomes 80 sections to give detailed tracking info / display to the viewers. ....  a simple cheap Web or video camera and monitor zoomed in on the distant shed avoids all this - for the purpose of identifying the static loco to the operator 8-)

[roundhouse]

On our N scale layouts we have a magnetic white board and have each loco number written on a magnetic strip. These can be moved around the fiddleyard or track plan to coincide with each loco.

[JST]

Thanks guys, some useful stuff here. I was going to go with the cocktail stick and flag plan but I like the idea of crew members with stand out colours so will go with that! As I will be having a branch terminus some way from the main station and loco yard I may use a small version of the white board and magnetic strips as well.

 

"Or just get to know your locos

Honestly how hard is this!"

 

A fair point, but when your vision is not 20/20 and you have 2 black panniers 20 feet away in a loco shed with 10 other locos round them, it becomes a bit hit and miss.

[Dunsignalling]

Analogue method.

 

Get a pack of cheap key-ring tags, number one for each loco and make a diagram to fix to/above the baseboard (or control panel) with a hook for every berth in the fiddle yard or shed.

 

Hang the appropriate tag on the appropriate hook when each loco goes in and you'll always be able to tell t'other from which when you want to get it out again.

 

 

John

Edited April 23, 2018 by Dunsignalling

[Dungrange]

This IS where Railcom   (and on Marklin's Mfx, the similar automatic identification of locos when they are placed on the track)

has its logical advantage  - in conjunction with block-section Railcom readers like the Digikeijs ...5088

The DISADVANTAGE of this method is that it means 'sections' for current detection/reading being introduced into a dcc track which didn't otherwise need the segmentation: I am currently considering adding  'full block tracking detection' to our  transportable layout: At present 3 levels wired as 3 sub-districts with many paralleled feeds ... but if fully -sectionalised it becomes 80 sections to give detailed tracking info / display to the viewers. .... 

 

I've been looking at these - each seems to have 16 channels, which I assume means it's possible to have 16 locomotives, one in each of the 16 block sections and display the locomotive address for each one on a control panel.

 

Whilst having a layout with 80 sections will require five of these, if the MPD can only accommodate up to 16 locomotives, then I'd have thought that a single 5088 would suffice for conveying information from the far end.  It would of course mean that locomotive decoders would have to be Railcom enabled.

[Reorte]

For the tender steam locos different levels of coal in the tender should be easier to see than the numbers.

[Bucoops]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_roof_markings

 

No I'm not being serious

[Butler Henderson]

If you have a system that allows you the name the loco separately from its address then that makes identification easy as you can describe in very short hand the visual differences beyond the name/number.

[Mike Mackay]

Add a light somewhere that is inconspicuous but where it has a good chance of being seen if illuminated (headlight) or flashing (choose appropriate function on your decoders) -- in the cab, for example.  It would normally be left off but just used for loco identification.

 

--  Mike

[JST]

Add a light somewhere that is inconspicuous but where it has a good chance of being seen if illuminated (headlight) or flashing (choose appropriate function on your decoders) -- in the cab, for example.  It would normally be left off but just used for loco identification.

 

--  Mike

 

This is indeed a good idea Mike. Sadly some of my locos are the old Bachman split chassis design where there was only just enough space for a mini decoder and wiring a light in is beyond my patience level. 

[johnd]

I have made a spreadsheet for all steam locos and another for Diesels giving Loco type, Number and DCC address. Loco type being the nearest printable colour to the model.

Then it comes back to the old Loco spotting days know your loco classes and what they look like.

Not that difficult really.

[JST]

I have made a spreadsheet for all steam locos and another for Diesels giving Loco type, Number and DCC address. Loco type being the nearest printable colour to the model.

Then it comes back to the old Loco spotting days know your loco classes and what they look like.

Not that difficult really.

 

Indeed I have done something similar - I just have trouble with those that are absolutely identical.

[DaveArkley]

If you run fixed trains, i.e. a loco and a permanently coupled rake of coaches and or wagons, then you can use a picture of the train with the DCC address of the loco. I find it easier to spot a whole train which will have more distinguishing features than a cabside number.

 

Of course if you shunt or otherwise break up trains then this doesn't work so well. In that case I use Railcomm which can track which occupancy section a loco occupies (with appropriate detectors). Where I've used a decoder for coach/brake van lighting I tend to use Railcomm enabled decoders so that I can use Railcomm to detect the location of stock even when it's detached from a loco.

 

Cheers

Dave

[Pete the Elaner]

Binoculars