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


F-UnitMad
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With an NCE Booster it's not a lack of juice to rails. Its also not a speaker problem; when the sound cuts out so do the lights. When the sound comes back on the lights don't. I doubt it's a pick-up issue as the QSI loco & one Tsunami loco are both Atlas with identical pick ups, but the QSI loco wasn't stalling at all, never mind where the Tsunami one did. Track was cleaned and graphited so electrical supply was good.

As I said I got the same with Tsunamis in HO. On a single yard of clean Peco track & clean loco wheels, the tsunami could stutter & sound/lights cut out - not always at the same spot either - where a non-sound loco with an NCE DA-SR chip would sail through no problem at all.

In short, Tsunamis are doing my head in & I've no idea why they have such an apparently good reputation??!!

Edited by F-UnitMad
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I'll know to avoid them then! I'm in the process of sorting out my first DCC sound loco for my N scale layout, which has a Loksound decoder in it. Have you used Loksound before Jordan, and if so what are your opinions?

I haven't used Loksound - yet!! but they have been highly recommended so I'd like to try one. Interestingly I think I'm correct in saying that Atlas now use ESU Loksound as their factory-fit decoder instead of QSI.

 

Simon - thanks, I'll look at that if only out of curiosity at first ;) My "ideal" would be full radio control, & no track power required. Phill Dyson is working on this control method on his fantastic Withercombe Garden Railway.

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The booklet is about to achieve that.

 

You might wish to look at DelTang, and also Protocab from Access: both of these (British, too!) developers/manufacturers are introduced/discussed in the radio control part of RMWeb.

 

Your "ideal" is already achievable, and soon will be far more available off th shelf.

 

IMHO, the antithesis of my ideal.

 

It's such a shame that the radio enthusiasts want to control, (which they already can do for far less money and trouble), rather than view, as though driving from the cab, which generally, we can't.

 

Driving a train from a nearby helicopter has just not become popular on the real railroads. Especially without cab camera(s) vision. Can't think why. :jester:

 

.

 

 

Andy

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With an NCE Booster it's not a lack of juice to rails. Its also not a speaker problem; when the sound cuts out so do the lights. When the sound comes back on the lights don't. I doubt it's a pick-up issue as the QSI loco & one Tsunami loco are both Atlas with identical pick ups, but the QSI loco wasn't stalling at all, never mind where the Tsunami one did. Track was cleaned and graphited so electrical supply was good.

As I said I got the same with Tsunamis in HO. On a single yard of clean Peco track & clean loco wheels, the tsunami could stutter & sound/lights cut out - not always at the same spot either - where a non-sound loco with an NCE DA-SR chip would sail through no problem at all.

In short, Tsunamis are doing my head in & I've no idea why they have such an apparently good reputation??!!

 

I have one in a OO Class 66 that does the same thing. It can't make a circuit of our club layout without cutting out. However, the WD that I put a steam Tsunami in will happily run on the same layout for hours without ever glitching. My King with a pre-Tsunami Soundtraxx decoder also runs fine.

 

Adrian

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The technology is all in place, and it is entirely feasible. I suspect (well, know ;) ) that such things will become available in the next few years. The issue is in getting the right control and transmission protocols in place, without getting stuck with the type of legacy from MSDOS 640kb that bedevilled early versions of Windows. Future proofing is key!

 

People are working on this - very actively in at least one commercial case.

 

It's not really a single camera solution.  One needs to be able to look sideways (positioning), up (signals) and down (coupling), and backwards (reversing)  just like a real operator.

Edited by Andy Reichert
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Hi Jordan, couldn't go without saying what a smashing little layout this is, and thanks for bringing it along on Saturday, you were right about the photo location 

 

Gary

 

Apart from spot-on scenery, that's a D&H RS3...!

Jason

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Apart from spot-on scenery, that's a D&H RS3...!Jason

It is... but..!!! Look carefully and it is lettered for the Portway Terminal, even to the heralds. ;) I was even asked at the Show where was the real Portway Terminal located?

I am following the precedent of the Batten Kill Railroad (now there's a made-up name if ever there was!!) which has several Alcos that copy the D&H 'lightening stripe" scheme, even if the colors aren't the same.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've started a Thread about this layout on an American O Scale Forum, and today this is one of the replies I've had, especially about this photo...

IMG_1476_zpsff45cbc7.jpg

 

 

 

The landscape reminds me of rural western regions of the state. I must ask how or why you selected such an obscure location as Minnesota to model? A remarkable rendition, considering you have never actually seen it. The magic of the internet.

Quite a compliment, I think!! :declare:  Really quite chuffed with that. It seems I've done something right, at last!!! :boast: :D

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I've started a Thread about this layout on an American O Scale Forum, and today this is one of the replies I've had, especially about this photo...

IMG_1476_zpsff45cbc7.jpg

 

 

 

Quite a compliment, I think!! :declare:  Really quite chuffed with that. It seems I've done something right, at last!!! :boast: :D

Jordan, please accept that you are good at what you do.  Portway has been a success since you first shared photos here and elsewhere, I like the feel of the model and the atmosphere which comes from the "total" package.

 

regards, Graham

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I am following the precedent of the Batten Kill Railroad (now there's a made-up name if ever there was!!) which has several Alcos that copy the D&H 'lightening stripe" scheme, even if the colors aren't the same.

 

The Batten Kill is a river in New York State. (Kill = creek), and the Railroad is named for it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batten_Kill

 

Adrian

Edited by Adrian Wintle
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  • 11 months later...

I haven't used Loksound - yet!! but they have been highly recommended so I'd like to try one. Interestingly I think I'm correct in saying that Atlas now use ESU Loksound as their factory-fit decoder instead of QSI...

Bit of an update re DCC "matters arising", re-reading my thread following a link in another thread...

 

Atlas GP35 now has a TCS Wowsound decoder with KeepAlive. "Wow!!" is about right; I used this loco on Nick Pallette's "Midland Ohio" layout at TVNAM this year, & had (good natured) complaints about the noise as soon as I fired it up :sungum:

I have also replaced the QSI decoder in the RS3 with the new Loksound L decoder, which is smaller than the XL both in size, & 3Amps instead of 4Amps, & most importantly, much cheaper!!! Having been impressed with the TCS KeepAlive-2 I have used one with the Loksound L. I intend to fit it to my Tsunami-equipped locos too, which should improve them no end compared to my earlier posts in this thread about them! Meanwhile the Alco 244 "splutter" from the Loksound L is superb!

Both decoders supplied by Coastal DCC, with great support via email from the proprietor Kevin as well. Usual "satisfied Customer disclaimer applies. ;)

Edited by F-UnitMad
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  • 3 months later...

Hi Jordan!

 

I follow your thread here and on the OGR forum from a while.

 

What a nice and compact layout: a good lesson to demonstrate we don't need a lot of space to model O scale US trains.

 

Have you made an extension to your layout? What's new?

 

;)

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Hi Jamo, thanks for your comments.

No progress on this layout to report; it's currently stacked up in a rather cold garden shed at the moment! I had planned to extend it, but instead have been working on a larger permanent O layout up in my loft, so the locos & stock are very much in use!

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Hi Jack, no, I haven't done a new Thread. I must take some pictures, but it's all just bare baseboards (except for junk & clutter!!) and track (hand-spiked :yes: ) at the moment. Only half the track is laid so far (hand spiking looks good but is slow!!).

Will probably post the pics here - it's as good as anywhere.

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