Jump to content
 

American O Scale: "Portway Terminal Short Line, MN".


F-UnitMad
 Share

Recommended Posts

Further investigation of the Stewartstown Railroad reveals a highly modellable little line - a real "shoestring" operation!!

 On google maps it can be seen that the terminus itself is a very short Inglenook, off the lowest leg of a wye triangle, which looks out of use currently. The engine shed is just by one of the other legs of the wye, & there's industrys on the wye, although again currently disused, although their website does offer potential businesses the option to ship freight by rail.

Also, regarding having a temporary model flagman guarding your road crossings - ever wondered if it might look rather unrealistic just plonking him in place in the middle of the road? Check that video I posted, at the 4:43 mark :jester: truly, a 'Prototype for Everything' moment!!! :sarcastic:

Edited by F-UnitMad
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 20/09/2020 at 11:58, F-UnitMad said:

Mine are just plain DCC decoders; I think there is a sound version available, but I'm not sure where you'd fit a decent speaker in these engines, or if there's a suitable sound profile available. The decoder itself & the supplied stay-alive are small enough to tuck in one side of the cab, between the cab wall & motor housing.

 

 

If there's space inside the back of a HO scale Trident Chevy Van for a speaker, surely fitting one into a Plymouth shouldn't be a problem...?  There's always the cab roof, although I'd prefer an interior light.

IMG_20200927_230045.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't suppose it's utterly impossible, but it'd be far from straightforward.

I took this photo when I fitted the Digitrax, but the new Zimo sits in the same space, plus the supplied stay-alive, & there's not much space over the motor under the roof, certainly not with my wiring anyway.

000024911131.Jpeg.65f603bef29a0c3d3e0887d39e961b27.Jpeg

Edit - don't forget it needs a decoder with a bit of oomph, too. A 1amp decoder might provide space for a small speaker, but won't be able to move the loco. I don't know if there even are any 2amp small decoders, let alone sound versions. Certainly when I was looking to replace the Digitrax, only the Zimo I did use came close - both in terms of size, & more importantly, more power.

Edited by F-UnitMad
  • Like 2
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you tried the track power feature on a Powercab? (Press Prog six times, then 1 for yes, then escape). I'd be interested to know roughly the Amps that one of those pulls, as most of my HO sound locos rarely exceed half an amp.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, 298 said:

Have you tried the track power feature on a Powercab? (Press Prog six times, then 1 for yes, then escape). I'd be interested to know roughly the Amps that one of those pulls, as most of my HO sound locos rarely exceed half an amp.

 

 

I'll give it a go, but as I use an NCE Booster, I'll have to set up the throttle with the original panel & 6-wire flat lead to do it. Will get back on this one.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, the Powercab reckons one Plymouth on it's own ran at 0.72Amps at speed step 28, however the CV5 is only 180 rather than 255, so it doesn't go as fast as it could. In consist, all 3 Plymouths were taking 1.23Amps at speed step 16. That was all 'light engine', I didn't hook up a train to them.

On paper it would seem the Digitrax decoder should be able to cope, but whatever; the Zimo has proved superior in every way.

 

Anyway, following perusal of the Stewartstown RR videos on 'YooToob', an Emergency General Meeting of the Portway Terminal RR was held today, and it was decided that the Railroad should explore the option of running heritage passenger trains without delay.

To which end, this afternoon a test train was cobbled together of the line's 'celebrity' Plymouth, and an ex-Soo Line caboose usually used as a shoving platform on the industrial branch. A member of staff was told to video the event, and at least one other local railfan turned up too.

 

The lack of sounds does detract a bit from the atmosphere - to say nothing of the fact the layout is obviously very far from finished. I have an old MRC Diesel Soundbox that can do sounds with a fixed speaker. The engine noise is nothing like a Plymouth of course, but at least a bell & horn would add to the experience. :)

 

Edited by F-UnitMad
  • Like 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, JAMO said:

Jordan,

your Plymouth is running fine and smoothly! Nicemodel.

My son likes the light on the roof

Thanks Jacky. The smooth running is all due to the Zimo decoder - it has really made a huge improvement and also makes it run a bit quieter even. All three Plymouths have improved like this; they never ran this good on 12v DC either.

I really want the beacon to have a smoother "rotating beacon" effect rather than just quick strobe-type flashing, but will have to wait until I can get to my mate with the Sprog/JMRI programmer to see if we can change it. We're back in Covid-19 lockdown here - or what passes for lockdown in the usual British muddle-through way!! :rolleyes:  :banghead:

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

my Plymouth is running slowly with my KFS controller but it's noisy. The motor isn't good. I think a new drive and a new motor will help a lot.

At this time my locomotives are still DC controlled. I have to spend money for sound decoders.

About the beacon, a slower rotation will be perfect.

Covid-19 is a big sh... !

  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, JAMO said:

my Plymouth is running slowly with my KFS controller but it's noisy. The motor isn't good. I think a new drive and a new motor will help a lot.

First thing - take the keeper plate off the underside (6 small screws) and check all the axles for split gears - they are very common & can cause rough running. I also cleaned all the old grease off, and out of the chassis, especially where the axles sit, to help current collection. 

On re-instalation note the insulated wheel goes on the side with the wiper pickups - including the flangeless centre axle; that caught me out once!!

 

  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

First thing - take the keeper plate off the underside (6 small screws) and check all the axles for split gears - they are very common & can cause rough running. I also cleaned all the old grease off, and out of the chassis, especially where the axles sit, to help current collection. 

On re-instalation note the insulated wheel goes on the side with the wiper pickups - including the flangeless centre axle; that caught me out once!!

 

Thank you Jordan,

you're right, my model needs a big tidy-up. The gers aren't splitted. I'm lucky.

;)

  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The wheels are nickel-silver(?) plated whitemetal and as they wear, the w/m gets a covering of track-grime easily, so clean them regularly.  NorthWest Short Line do replacements for the Roco/Atlas F-units (40" wheels), but I haven't seen any for the Plymouths (36").

 

Way back I read an article where the writer thought all the thick grease was used by the factory to stop the gears suffering from being banged around in shipping.  Jordan's reminder to clean it all out and replace with fresh oil is what I do, usually after I've put it off for too long.

 

Jason

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Doing my best to post still despite the ongoing issue of the new google ads on here, and where they insist on sitting on the screen.... :rolleyes: :banghead: 

 

Meanwhile the Portway Terminal is still getting into Heritage trains. Today two old Atlas/Roco Bobber Caboose were brought out to play. The 4-wheel chassis provide a lively ride on the rock'n'roll siding - video will follow soon. For now here they are.

20201014_212644.jpg.15f8ed8ad8d4c08a507ca6333194efbc.jpg

 

20201014_212721.jpg.3e0dc347bbd7b8d65f6650bfac092659.jpg

 

 

 

One of them was my very first American O Scale model, snapped up for the princely sum of £6:00 from my local model shop in the early 2000's. :sungum: I replaced the horrid plastic Atlas wheels on them with steel British wheels, Peartree I think, and the ones intended for Lowmacs. Also fitted Kadee couplers. 

Unfortunately as both models were identical for years I don't know exactly which one is the First Model..!!! One has had a bit of weathering started - grey acrylic lightly airbrushed on and wiped off almost immediately. Eventually I'll properly repaint, detail & weather them, but as they're more for fun than anything else, that might be a long way off...

 

Edited by F-UnitMad
Spelling mistake - due to that flamin' advert blocking the view!!!! Agggghhh!!!!
  • Like 9
Link to post
Share on other sites

C'mon Jordan, this evening (home?) slice the ends off both, take one of the cupolas off, stick what remains together and you'll have the start of a nice end cupola bogie caboose, bit like an SP prototype.

 

Yeah, yeah, you'll need to fill that hole in the roof, redo the underframe, get some trucks, but you'll end up with some spare ends for your next kitbash, a pair of Kadees and 4 axles of good Peartree wheels.

 

Aaaah, O-scale!!

Jason 

  • Funny 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Jason - not a chance!!! :blum: I like them as they are. BUT - I wouldn't mind the sort of caboose you're on about, especially if it was a Drover's version. It'd make a change from wide vision types. Can't say as I'm keen on bay window ones, though - not sure why :scratchhead:

So I have been secretly looking at cabooses on ebay, when no one's looking, but even putting "2 rail caboose" in the search box throws up loads of Lionel tat to wade through. With the price of spare Atlas trucks these days I don't want the hassle of converting a toy. :no:

Link to post
Share on other sites

As promised, a short clip of the Bobbers, living up to their name & 'bobbing' along the siding at Portway Center.

The Railroad really ought to find someone who's better with a video camera than whichever hapless incompetant they use now... :rolleyes:

 

  • Like 12
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 14/10/2020 at 22:19, F-UnitMad said:

Doing my best to post still despite the ongoing issue of the new google ads on here, and where they insist on sitting on the screen.... :rolleyes: :banghead: 

 

 

I've started using Adblock - enough is enough!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I had a slight moment of panic last weekend when my NCE Powercab started playing up - turning the thumbwheel for the speed was having random effects that rapidly got worse, sticking on various speed steps & not returning to '0'.

Help was at hand via RMweb, & a quick search brought up this thread, which I'm linking to here in case it can help anyone else who uses NCE :-

 

 

I'd actually posted in it back in 2016 for reference - lo & behold a few years later it has come right in handy & tonight I repaired my Powercab by replacing the encoder, no doubt saving some money not having to send it either to a UK specialist or back to NCE in America.

 

  • Like 2
  • Round of applause 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

<< Electronic components and electric pick-ups aren't reliable for the life >> always says my old father. He is an electronics from the end of the 1940's (with lamps at that time, TSF, and only 1 channel black & white television).

 

I have a NCE too. I find it very reliable. I bought it in England from NGTrains during an exhibition there is a long time ago. This controller sleeps all the year in my basement. The conditions aren't the best but it's always "ready to run".

But we have to know electronic components aren't built to resist for a long time. One day, the capacitors and else components like that begin to change and to modify their possibilities. And especially potentiometer which need some cleaning from time to time.

But we are lucky with the digital devices we can buy: they are reliable!

 

There is several components'quality:

 

- the lower quality: that we can buy as a classic human of the world,

- the professional quality: that the big companies use for their professional devices, they are extremly strong, long-life and more precise valued, my father has a possibility to use this category of component to make an automatic block-system to protect trains movements from 1982 and these components are still in use despite they were installed in a bungalow during 24 years. Now he still uses them in a warm room on his last layout. They are still in use. No problem.

- the military quality: the best of the best: undestroyable.

 

I use Kent Panel Control KFS 3 amps with feedback (exhibition reinforced components) controllers from more than 20 years (from N scale to O scale).

I just had a broken one. The others are still in use.

 

I think NCE and others brands use professional quality. We are lucky!

 

mrbean_28jclqsb.gif.3295f7d9a7c3a8263f6a85e7e0d2436e.gif

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...