N Gauge Class 390 Pendolino (post Kickstarter) with Rapido

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hi Ash,

 

We will try to ensure you get a model you are 100% happy with.

 

Re the interior of the power cars: some consideration was given to painting the chassis back but it was felt that with the interiors in the rest of the train "just" visible through the smoked glass this would look slightly too harsh. It would also disguise the part-blanked windows on the kitchen area of Car K that Rapido have correctly depicted, so on balance we took the view that the just visible unpainted chassis was an effective way of hinting at something inside.

 

The power cars have been provided with alternate traction tyres on all powered axles. It may be that you don't need this level of tractive power (you won't if you don't have gradients) so we can supply plain wheelsets on geared axles for anyone who wants to swap.

 

Etched nameplates were discussed as a possibility early on, but we decided to go with painted versions for various reasons. I understand Shawplan may be offering etched versions for those who wish to add them.

 

Re the controller: for obvious reasons we haven't tested the Pendos on every controller on the market! I don't know why your model is stuttering on setting 1, but I have noticed, and feedback has confirmed, that the models do improve significantly with running in, so it may be worth just giving the model a good long run. If that doesn't help then once all the models are dispatched (we will put an update to that effect on our website) come back to us and we will see what else we can do.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

[Rammstein2609]

Hi Ben & Mike

 

Congratulations on these fantastic models!  I picked my two up from the Post Office this morning and showed one off at the 2mm Association Supermeet in Perth.

 

I haven't test run them yet but shall be doing this tomorrow once I've fitted all the light bars.  Also, thank you for supplying the plain wheel sets to replace the traction tired versions once I've turned the wheels down to 2mm Finescale, it was a nice surprise and much appreciated.

 

Roll on the class 92's 

 

Thanks

 

Martin

[cornish trains jez]

 

Roll on the class 92's 

 

Thanks

 

Martin

 

And the 321’s!

[Stu from EGDL]

This next one is not a problem with the model as such, but possibly a problem with my particular model. Is anyone else using a Gaugemaster Prodigy Express controller? I'm finding speed setting 2 onwards is very smooth, but at setting 1 the power cars lurch and stutter forward whilst making a noise like a cement mixer. One is worse than the other. Have checked for obvious obstructions in the gears but all looks fine.

I am using a Prodigy Express 2 to run in my City of Birmingham and get exactly the same symptoms that you describe. One power car seems to be more hesitant when cold too.....sometimes causing the rear power car to create a derailment as they get going, especially when the front of the train is on a curve. My controller is set to 28 speed steps.

I think that this is likely to be more of an interface problem between this particular controller than a fault with the motor. I'll have to compare it on straight DC to see if similar symptoms happen.

 

As Ben has intimated at the top of this page, it may be a wise decision to swap out the traction tyres wheelsets for plain if you have no gradients. This is something else I will try with my 5 car CoB test bed, gradually increasing it to the full 11 cars when I lay some more straight track for the test loop!!

 

Otherwise, I am very happy with the product. I especially like the neutral section (F14) sounds....

 

Hope this helps...

Stu from EGDL.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Stu from EGDL

[Roy L S]

I am using a Prodigy Express 2 to run in my City of Birmingham and get exactly the same symptoms that you describe. One power car seems to be more hesitant when cold too.....sometimes causing the rear power car to create a derailment as they get going, especially when the front of the train is on a curve. My controller is set to 28 speed steps.

I think that this is likely to be more of an interface problem between this particular controller than a fault with the motor. I'll have to compare it on straight DC to see if similar symptoms happen.

 

As Ben has intimated at the top of this page, it may be a wise decision to swap out the traction tyres wheelsets for plain if you have no gradients. This is something else I will try with my 5 car CoB test bed, gradually increasing it to the full 11 cars when I lay some more straight track for the test loop!!

 

Otherwise, I am very happy with the product. I especially like the neutral section (F14) sounds....

 

Hope this helps...

Stu from EGDL.

 

Hi Stu

 

There may be a very good reason, but wht only 28 speed steps? I have a Prodigy Advance and always select 128 as it provides far finer control of locos. I don't have a Pendo but wouldn't finer control make starts a little less brutal?

 

I admit that although I have gained a lot of knowledge, I am still on a learning curve DCC wise in respect of certain aspects so I may be missing something.

 

Regards

 

Roy

[Boco_D1]

I did send an email to the support email address in the booklet as one of my power cars is displaying the same issues as described by others. I bought two sets and the other runs perfectly, running in certainly helped particularly with the ‘bucking’ at slow speed, I’m using a digitrax supercheif and the main issue at the moment is a sudden lurch when accelerating and decelerating is anyone else having this and any suggestions to remedy?

 

Apart from this niggle I am very pleased with my models and would like to thank everyone involved to bringing a superb model to market. I look forward to my 92s and again hope this will encourage people to invest in a 321.

[PaulCheffus]

Hi Stu

 

There may be a very good reason, but wht only 28 speed steps? I have a Prodigy Advance and always select 128 as it provides far finer control of locos. I don't have a Pendo but wouldn't finer control make starts a little less brutal?

 

I admit that although I have gained a lot of knowledge, I am still on a learning curve DCC wise in respect of certain aspects so I may be missing something.

 

Regards

 

Roy

Hi

 

My Pendolino defaulted the 128 speed steps out of the box. This is with a Lenz LH100 and LVZ100.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Jim Martin]

While I'm still waiting for my City of Wolverhampton to arrive, I did see one (my first live sighting!) circling one of the layouts at the Liverpool show yesterday. It was striking what a hypnotic effect it had on small children, quite a number of whom seemed happy to see it go by again and again.

 

Jim

[fireflashfive]

Still waiting for mine here too.

[Stu from EGDL]

Hi Gang,

 

A little more testing of the 5 car City of Birmingham this afternoon.....

Changed the speed control from 28 to 128 steps.....yes...finer control but still the issue of the dominant power car pushing a bit too hard whilst the front power car decides to start.....

So I changed the traction tired wheelsets out of the dominant power car to allow a certain slippage of non tyred wheelsets whilst the front power car starts......and that seems to be a little better. The front power car still sounds a little rough....so further running in when I can then maybe even swap out those tyred wheelsets too.

 

Only snag is.....the model has 8 traction tyred wheelsets and only 4 non tyred spares are included.....

 

Later,

Stu from EGDL

[jpendle]

Is the ‘dominant’ power car always the one pushing?

 

This behavior has been reported by others. If you were to split the train in two would the back end catch up to the front or would the 2 halves stay a fixed distance apart?

 

I have been told that the 2 motorised cars can be run on the same DCC address without any need for speed matching, but perhaps you could get better performance by setting 2 seperate addresses and then creating a consist.

 

I’m still waiting for my Pendo’s to arrive, so I can’t offer any real world experience.

 

Regards

 

John P

[ash39]

Is the ‘dominant’ power car always the one pushing?

 

This behavior has been reported by others. If you were to split the train in two would the back end catch up to the front or would the 2 halves stay a fixed distance apart?

 

I have been told that the 2 motorised cars can be run on the same DCC address without any need for speed matching, but perhaps you could get better performance by setting 2 seperate addresses and then creating a consist.

 

I’m still waiting for my Pendo’s to arrive, so I can’t offer any real world experience.

 

Regards

 

John P

I haven't tried creating a consist, but I did try running both driving cars uncoupled on a loop (both with 1 coach for extra pickup). It didn't take long for the more powerful one to catch the weaker one.

 

The bigger issue for me is the very rough running at low speed. This seems to affect both driving cars (but one is worse than the other). I've ran it for at least 2 hours in each direction and it has improved markedly, but still nowhere near as smooth and quiet as a Dapol 86 which I've been benchmarking it against.

 

I'm at a dead end with it now. I'm inpatient to get the airbrush on it and weather it, but reluctant to do anything to it as I'm not 100% happy with the performance yet.

[Rammstein2609]

I haven't tried creating a consist, but I did try running both driving cars uncoupled on a loop (both with 1 coach for extra pickup). It didn't take long for the more powerful one to catch the weaker one.

 

The bigger issue for me is the very rough running at low speed. This seems to affect both driving cars (but one is worse than the other). I've ran it for at least 2 hours in each direction and it has improved markedly, but still nowhere near as smooth and quiet as a Dapol 86 which I've been benchmarking it against.

 

I'm at a dead end with it now. I'm inpatient to get the airbrush on it and weather it, but reluctant to do anything to it as I'm not 100% happy with the performance yet.

 

This is may be a silly question but have you checked all the bogies are connected properly to the mechanism?

 

I've had at least one bogie feel like it hadn't been 'clipped' in right straight out of the box but a little bit of pressure and it pushed back in the way it should be.  Mine ran fine after this.  I also noticed on mine as they're both DCC sound fitted that the breaking is set a bit longer than I usually have so the whole train takes a long time to get up to speed then slow down again, this made the train seem like it was struggling at the lower speed steps on my Lenz set.

 

Thanks

 

Martin

[Stu from EGDL]

Hi Gang,

 

The power cars (as others have mentioned) push slightly on start then seem quite well matched. The less 'capable' power car seems to have a little more resistance to overcome initially, but as soon as it is over this 'stiction' then it operates well. Still grinds a bit at very low speeds.....so it will get some more running to see if it beds in. The temporary solution of removing traction tyred from the dominant power car has cured the derailment scenario when starting on a curve.

 

Later,

Stu from EGDL.

[Boco_D1]

I found a way to get round the issue of a dominant power car is to move the train off very slowly and once moving open up the throttle, it also sounds quite good driving the train this way especially with the flange squeal on.

[Stu from EGDL]

Hi Gang,

 

The modifications that I made to the 5 car unit (City of Birmingham) by removing the traction tyres from the dominant power car and stepping the speed to 128 steps has seen acceptable success by starting on corners without derailing.

 

Boco's suggestion of 'driving' the train by stepping the speed kind of works too but the inertia of the sound chip gradually applies the power anyway. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to test it on straight DC before I had to pack the test track away and repatriate the breakfast bar!!

 

No more chance to play till the weekend...

 

The conclusion.....power cars will never be exactly matched, but there are options to reduce any differing characteristics. Next set out the box will provide another opportunity to marvel at the workmanship and perfect my driving skills.

 

Hope Revolution can get the rest out soon...then we can concentrate on the 320/321 and 92!!!!

 

Later,

Stu from EGDL.

[Bomag]

Is there any confirmation of when they expect everything will be dispatched?

[Revolution Ben]

Is there any confirmation of when they expect everything will be dispatched?

 

Hi there,

 

We are about 50% through dispatch, and in the next week will have completed the first run through of all orders.  Then we will need to contact everyone where we have a query, outstanding balance, missing P&P payment or where we have made a mistake.

 

We are doing this as quickly as we can and will contact people as necessary - you don't need to contact us and we have been delayed a bit by people asking for personal updates.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[ash39]

I've managed to solve my jerky running at low speed. I found a website with tips on CV settings to cure lumpy running. One of the tips was the CV54 setting which is described in the Pendolino manual, which didn't seem to offer any change on my model.

 

Another tip was to change CV52 to 127. I did this and it made it ten times worse. Not knowing the default value, I changed it back to zero and then as if by magic, my Pendolino started to crawl silky smooth with no grinding noises or lurching.

 

I now have the problem others have described, a slightly more dominant power car. It's not as straightforward as it seems either, as the performance gap is different depending on the speed. It's something to look into another day, but for now I'm just pleased to have it running properly.

[JSpencer]

Is the dominant car always the one nearest the power supply? Or always the same car regardless?

[ash39]

Difficult to tell, as I have around half a dozen droppers on my test circuit so a power car will never be more than a few cm closer to a supply source than the other.

 

I think tweaking the speed CV's for each power car would be the best way to solve it, but it would involve a lot of trial and error. I will give it a go at some point.

[JSpencer]

I have a pair of 20s that work in a consist. When the track is dead clean there are no issues but a little dirt can cause one loco to drag/push the other. Just a thought.

[PaulCheffus]

I have a pair of 20s that work in a consist. When the track is dead clean there are no issues but a little dirt can cause one loco to drag/push the other. Just a thought.

Hi

 

That shouldn’t be an issue with the Pendolino as it colllects power from all wheels and is linked via the couplings. Its more noticeable with the sound switched on. I need to do some more experimenting but it does seem to be improving with more running.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

I’ve read the values from both power cars today and found that there are a couple of differences. I don’t fully understand the meaning of these values so I’m posting here for someone who does to comment.

 

Power car A. K

Ref voltage 93. 92. Cv53

K. 13. 60. Cv54

 

All the others are the same with the exception of CV29 which has Railcom turned off on car A and on on car K. This might make sense as the two power cars have the same DCC address.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Unfortunately the forum has messed up the formatting.

Edited April 26, 2018 by PaulCheffus

[gedlee]

Hi All

 

A videos of the Pendolinos on the move. Only DC, but wonderful nevertheless. Train control and camera work is not up to my usual standard as I am trying to reach the controller under the front of the layout while holding the camera in the other hand. This is the link:

 

 

Cheers.