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Still no baseboards :-(

 

However that’s not stopped me doing little jobs. The former Netherlands Railways class 2200 now Belgian Railways class 76 has got a DCC decoder with sound. In the end I went for the Piko Sound option which I think uses a Loksound decoder, although the Lokprogrammer can’t read it.

 

I soldered the speaker to the circuit board and it was a straightforward job.

 

One “delight feature” is that the warning beacons on the loco roof flash, the sound file is as “dull” as the real thing. I wonder what one without silencers would sound like?

 

The model is being run on the current Czech layout.

 

 

I really like the model and have even ordered another one in a different livery from a shop in France. This will of course get a DCC chip in due course.

 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil

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  • 4 weeks later...

Still no baseboards :-( I’m sure they will be worth the wait, guess it’s my fault for requesting an odd size combination....

 

Anyway been carrying on doing odd jobs, finally finished DCC converting my Roco 62’s. The last one (6299) needed a new bogie to fix it and Gaugemaster were able to order and supply the bits from Roco so this loco has been added to the active fleet and is my 10th class 62.

 

SNCB 6299 - Roco

 

As mentioned last update another addition is a second Piko class 76, this time its the unique brown liveried loco numbered 7608. I have ordered a sound decoder for it from a well known German shop, along with another DCC chip for another loco which will appear in another update.

 

SNCB 7608 - Piko

 

 

SNCB 7608 - Piko

 

As with all sheds and depots there will be the odd visitor and a another occasional guest has been added. A few months ago I noticed a Mehano HGK “class 66” quite cheap online, so I made a speculative purchase. On receiving the model I realised why it was quite cheap as it had obviously had an accident at some point as its buffers were broken / missing as were footsteps and other bits.

 

Mehano are no longer able to provide spares so I sourced some buffers from Roco and fabricated the steps etc. From normal viewing distance it looks fine. I also added a ESU Loksound decoder and uploaded their latest class 66 sound file.

 

I did think about using a British Sound file for the 66 as the HGK 66’s are identical to the EWS ones. I did hear a tale than the HGK locos had a 661xx number in their computers when they switched on.

 

Here is a quick YouTube clip of start up and pull away, with the typical “Ying-Ying” Sound.

 

 

One noticeable feature though is the size difference between “British v Continental” locomotive, here it is side by side with a class 62.

 

Size matters? HGK 66 v SNCB 62

 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil

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A parcel arrived today and 7608 now has sound :-) As before it’s just the Piko decoder with sound file. It was a straightforward job to solder the speaker wires on to the circuit board.

 

This also gave me a chance to try out my new programming track. Previously I have used a road in the fiddle yard on the Czech layout which I’m able to isolate. However for convenience I’ve just got a 30 cm bit of timber which does the job perfectly with decoder tester and Lok Programmer on it.

 

Dcc Tester / Programmer


Also tried running it as a consist with 7604  using the Z21 App. It’s a little jerky so might need fine tuning.

 


As before the locos are running on the Czech layout.

 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil

Edited by Neils WRX
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I’m currently working through my list of “projects”, and I’m now getting towards the more difficult stuff.

 

As I mentioned in my Czech thread a couple of years ago I have / had a number of “ornaments”, the Roco class 62’s and class 20’s have been converted to DCC, the OVB class 51 went on a well known auction site as the Mehano versions are better (in my opinion).

 

This leaves the Marklin class 55’s. These were purchased a number of years ago long, long before the excellent B Models versions existed. These models despite being purchased over 20 years ago still stand up well against the B Models editions.

 

SNCB 5531 - Marklin / Trix

 

So the time has come to try and add these models to my active fleet. When I originally purchased the models there were no 2 rail versions by TRIX so I had them converted to analog 2 rail, by the “Model Railway Doctor” in Harrow and I remember dropping them off personally. 

 

The issue is I’m not really sure how they were converted. Having taken the bodyshell off, the loco takes power from both sides of trailing bogie but only one side on the motor bogie. It appears the chassis is part of the electrical circuit, but there is a separate wire that runs to the motor (this is shown below).

 

There is also a separate circuit board for the lights.

 

Current collection:

Marklin DCC conversion

 

 

Chassis power screw:

Marklin DCC conversion

 

Power Bogie:

SNCB Marklin DC Chassis

 

Lighting Circuit:

SNCB Marklin DC Chassis

 

On my Roco conversions I would have removed all the electrical bits and then run cables direct to and from the pickups, motor contacts and the lights.

 

Is it that simple in this case? Will the motor be happy with AC rather than DC do I have to make any other changes? Looking on line I think the motor might have been changed when the loco was converted, so is as simple as just wiring in a decoder?

 

If I can’t wire in a decoder I guess my options are:

Buy a Trix model and use the DCC ready chassis;

Use another chassis (American SD40 ?) which will be DCC ready;

Put them back in the display case for ever more....

 

Any help or suggestions?

 

Stay safe,

 

Neil

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Hi Neil, from what I’ve read of Maerklin to dc conversion I would think the motor has had a new armature and magnet to convert it to D.C. it should be a case of wiring in a decoder.
 

I would check the chassis and pick ups are isolated from the motor first by disconnecting the motor terminals and using a meter or a 12 v D.C. supply. if it isn’t you’ll need to figure out how to isolate it - a Trix power bogie may the option.

 

 

I think you’ll need to rewrite the lights onto decoder functions and dispense with the diode bridge at the b ends 

Edited by doctor quinn
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4 hours ago, doctor quinn said:

Hi Neil, from what I’ve read of Maerklin to dc conversion I would think the motor has had a new armature and magnet to convert it to D.C. it should be a case of wiring in a decoder.
 

I would check the chassis and pick ups are isolated from the motor first by disconnecting the motor terminals and using a meter or a 12 v D.C. supply. if it isn’t you’ll need to figure out how to isolate it - a Trix power bogie may the option.

 

 

I think you’ll need to rewrite the lights onto decoder functions and dispense with the diode bridge at the b ends 

 

Thanks for that, I removed the screw from the chassis and the seemed to be no power to the motor. The lights do seem to be completely separate from the chassis which is good news, I'll wire these independently to the decoder.

 

I think I'll fit a 8 pin socket and see what happens, if I can get one to work on DCC before starting on the other 3.

 

Stay safe,

 

Neil

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Neils WRX said:

 

I removed the screw from the chassis and the seemed to be no power to the motor.

 

 

But it is important that there is no connection between either of the rails and the motor. Disconnecting just one feed is not good enough to check that. If the motor is directly connected though the chassis metalwork to the wheels you say are not picking up, it will be instant death to most decoders.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Ian Morgan said:

 

But it is important that there is no connection between either of the rails and the motor. Disconnecting just one feed is not good enough to check that. If the motor is directly connected though the chassis metalwork to the wheels you say are not picking up, it will be instant death to most decoders.

 

 

 

Disconnected both cables that go to the motor, completely dead and tried each one in turn, and no power in the motor.

 

Therefore I think its only those 2 feeds to each side of the motor have power.

 

Tried touching the wheels on the power bogie (which I know take power with the otherside connected ) and still nothing.

 

Also looked a similar Trix model (class 59 which is DCC) and it takes power (on the same side of the power bogie) but without a visible connection to the motor, so the motor must be electrically separate ?

 

Am I missing something which could fry the chip ?

 

Thanks, Stay Safe,

 

Neil

 

 

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1 hour ago, doctor quinn said:

Check how the power bogie picks up- there may be a fixed link from the wheels to the brushes that will need cutting

 

I think the brushes are somehow separate as the motor will only turn if the chassis wire is connected to a 12v power supply. So power is getting to the motor via chassis connection despite being picked up from one side of the power bogie.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil 

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Well I tried a test install using a 8 pin socket and a ESU LokPilot v5 chip, and hoped I didn’t fry it.

 

I read the chip on the Programmer and it read ok, then tried adding power on the rollers and it worked :-)

 

Marklin DCC conversion

 

I then wired in the head and tail lights and had to swap the cables around so they worked correctly. Tested again and all still worked.

 

So gave it a run on the Czech layout, it’s a little noisy by modern stands but runs fine, that’s another loco added to the roster (as and when I eventually get a layout).

 

SNCB 5531 - Marklin now DCC

 

Just another 2 Belgian and a Luxembourg one to convert now.

 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil 

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Not seen this reported elsewhere, happened to be playing with an ESU Loksound V5 chip on the Lokprogrammer and noticed you are now able to turn on “Drive Hold” on any ESU Loksound v5 decoder. 

 

Drive Hold, keeps the locomotive speed the same, but the throttle now controls the engine sound. So you can drive a locomotive much harder as some drivers do (for the enthusiast enjoyment) and give a bit of “thrash”.

 

i actually emailed ESU to request this feature on European Models a few years back as it was a common feature on American models (Loksound v4) at the time.

 

So I’ve updated a few sound projects, here is an example of a Class 62 going from start to pull away to full power. The model is by a Roco.

 

 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil

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Another Marklin class 55 has joined the “active roster” :-)

 

This one was actually wired differently inside, so I removed everything and just copied the previous conversion and all worked well.

 

SNCB 5541 - Marklin DCC conversion

 

Just one Belgian and one Luxembourg one to go now.

 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil

 

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Last of the Marklin class 55’s leaves the display case!!!! This time it’s 5504 which now means I have 6 55’s available for traffic. Just a Luxembourg class 18 to go now.

 

SNCB 5504 - Marklin DCC conversion


Another quick conversion once you know how. 
 

Stay safe everyone,

 

Neil

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Another “wood” shot, positioned the track and checked where the bracing would be in relation to the point motors, also wanted to confirm measurements for the entry and exit tracks.

 

One upshot of this is the low relief shed building has gone from 6 to 5 roads, but I have now included space at the rear of the layout for a Faller car track.

 

More testing!!

 

Stay safe,

 

Neil

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I fancied such a thing on my old American layout but nothing was available then and no way could I tackle such a job.

Subsequently Viessmann introduced this;

https://viessmann-modell.com/en/product-range/gauge-h0/emotion-animated-world/638/h0-roller-shutter-with-motorized-drive-unit

Nearly fifty squids but would save time and effort, perhaps?

Cheers and good luck,

John.

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10 hours ago, Allegheny1600 said:

I fancied such a thing on my old American layout but nothing was available then and no way could I tackle such a job.

Subsequently Viessmann introduced this;

https://viessmann-modell.com/en/product-range/gauge-h0/emotion-animated-world/638/h0-roller-shutter-with-motorized-drive-unit

Nearly fifty squids but would save time and effort, perhaps?

Cheers and good luck,

John.

 

Thanks for that, looks just the ticket, need to design my shed now.

 

Think I might have 3 of the 5 roads with working doors, really like that they can be DCC controlled straight out the box.

 

Stay safe,

 

Neil

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11 hours ago, doctor quinn said:

Thomas Klimoski used a more budget friendly approach on his Georgia Northeastern using Lego 

 

 

You're right that's a lot more budget friendly !!! A shed was going to cost me circa £200-£250.....

 

Only issue is my daughter is only 5 so she's a bit young for technics Lego to recycle......

 

Stay safe,

 

Neil

 

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