Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[St Enodoc]

11 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

 

Not from me, I'm busy today...

Thank gawd for that.

[Michael Edge]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

The latest instalment of the 4167 saga is that at the suggestion of a fellow BRMA member I brought another loco that's fitted with a TCS DP2X-UK in from the railway room today - 9732, a Bachmann pannier.

 

First of all, I took the decoder out of 4167 and put a blanking plug in to try it on DC again - all good,

 

I then fitted 9732's decoder to 4167 - all good.

 

Finally I tried 4167 again with its own decoder - still stuttering.

 

That's enough to convince me that I have a dud decoder so I took it out ready to take it back to the shop on Saturday.

 

Regarding a replacement, it will depend on what's in stock locally but based on suggestions here and from BRMA members the short list for integrated plug decoders is:

 

1. Digitrax DH165IP

2. Lenz Silver Direct +

 

and for wired plug decoders it's:

 

1. Digitrax DZ123PS

2. Zimo MX600R

3. ESU LokPilot Standard

 

Any further comments on this please folks?

We've had a lot of faulty TCS decoders in the Carlisle stock, mostly replaced by Digitrax or Zimo, depending whether they have sound or not.

[CoombeTown]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

The latest instalment of the 4167 saga is that at the suggestion of a fellow BRMA member I brought another loco that's fitted with a TCS DP2X-UK in from the railway room today - 9732, a Bachmann pannier.

 

First of all, I took the decoder out of 4167 and put a blanking plug in to try it on DC again - all good,

 

I then fitted 9732's decoder to 4167 - all good.

 

Finally I tried 4167 again with its own decoder - still stuttering.

 

That's enough to convince me that I have a dud decoder so I took it out ready to take it back to the shop on Saturday.

 

Regarding a replacement, it will depend on what's in stock locally but based on suggestions here and from BRMA members the short list for integrated plug decoders is:

 

1. Digitrax DH165IP

2. Lenz Silver Direct +

 

and for wired plug decoders it's:

 

1. Digitrax DZ123PS

2. Zimo MX600R

3. ESU LokPilot Standard

 

Any further comments on this please folks?

Long time lurked here, it's really interesting watching you build such a large layout, I'm a long way off having the space to match.

 

I've recently installed a MX600R in Bachmann Small Prairie. Since then I've had smooth running all over my small layout, including a couple of spots where locos with other brands fall down.

The feature that really sells it for the me though is the braking function. Obviously it's down to user preference but for locos without a flywheel it really does to give a more realistic feel to operation.

 

No connection but a satisfied customer. Take my comments how you please, operational gimics are not everyone's cup of tea. But for the cost of it the running and capabilities are great.

[Chamby]

MX600R every time for me too.  ESU or Zimo only, for sound.

 

A quick check, have you removed all the brown ceramic capacitor thingys off the Prarie’s motor, if they were factory fitted?  They often screw up a decoders performance, especially cheap ones.

[St Enodoc]

21 minutes ago, Chamby said:

MX600R every time for me too.  ESU or Zimo only, for sound.

 

A quick check, have you removed all the brown ceramic capacitor thingys off the Prarie’s motor, if they were factory fitted?  They often screw up a decoders performance, especially cheap ones.

Thanks Phil. That's on my list if I can't get one of the integrated plug models.

 

I could only find one capacitor on the Prairie, which has now gone. Are there others?

[Chamby]

6 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Thanks Phil. That's on my list if I can't get one of the integrated plug models.

 

I could only find one capacitor on the Prairie, which has now gone. Are there others?

 

I haven’t got the model, so don’t know.  If you can’t see any more, they’re probably not there.  Most RTR models only have one.

[Denbridge]

On 14/07/2020 at 06:14, GWR1890-1908 said:

Hooray! GWR back with Slaters. I wondered how many years of bad air with CC it would take for Slaters to take them back. Hopefully they will market the Excellent bogie kits separately as they did before. If you wait long enough.....

Slaters took them back around 2 years ago due to non payment. They've been gradually re-introducing the range.

[Clive Mortimore]

On 15/07/2020 at 11:44, St Enodoc said:

Any further comments on this please folks?

 

 

DC?

[St Enodoc]

50 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

 

 

DC?

Ah, Mr M. I've been expecting you.

 

What took you so long?

[Clive Mortimore]

2 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Ah, Mr M. I've been expecting you.

 

What took you so long?

I am being a busy bee, just like young Stu.

[St Enodoc]

Today, being the third Saturday of an odd-numbered month, should have been a running session. However, prudence (lovely girl) dictated that we should cancel once again so we haven't had a session now since Baz was here in January. I hope we get another before his next visit in 2022...

 

Anyway, if not running trains then what? Ballasting, that's what. I made the infill between the Branch platform and the Loop and ballasted the Branch as far as 29 points. I also did about a foot of the Loop before it was time to stop. That was about 7 or 8 feet in a couple of hours, plus a bit for cutting and gluing the infill.

 

I also popped back into Hobbyland this morning. Mark doesn't stock Digitrax or Lenz, so I wasn't able to buy an integrated plug decoder. In the end I chose an ESU LokPilot 5, which of course has a harness and separate plug.

 

When I came to fit it I remembered why I prefer integrated plugs. As well as the 8 wires to the plug, there are three more that must have something to do with functions. I didn't bother finding out as a) I don't use any functions on steam locos and b) the manual is in German. My German isn't bad but I can't even understand DCC manuals in English for a start.

 

Another hiccup was that I had to download an update for JMRI to get the LokPilot 5 definition. No problem there apart from wasting another five minutes. I've never used an ESU before so I left all the default settings as they were until I've seen how the loco goes on the layout. All was good on the rolling road, which was pleasing.

 

I had to fit the decoder in the Hornby-provided decoder slot, which sounds obvious but I had planned to use that for extra weight. Never mind. I tidied everything up with insulating tape, The body went back on first time, which was good, so tomorrow I'll test it on the layout. With luck and a following wind all should be well (he says...).

 

Time now for a drop of red with dinner then watch the Waratahs and Brumbies in Super Rugby AU round 3.

[Clive Mortimore]

Yo Sainty

 

If it was a new loco on my layout it would have run hundreds of times around the layout in the time it has taken you to fit a chip. The Chuff Chuff Chuff noises are supplied by me. Cheaper and easier.

 

But like most things in life we have to make our choices on what we see is best for ourselves. 

[St Enodoc]

9 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

The Chuff Chuff Chuff noises are supplied by me.

Same here. I don't do DCC sound. It doesn't sound like any train I ever heard (well, some of the diesels do but not the steamers).

[Chamby]

8 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

...

When I came to fit it I remembered why I prefer integrated plugs. As well as the 8 wires to the plug, there are three more that must have something to do with functions. I didn't bother finding out as a) I don't use any functions on steam locos and b) the manual is in German. My German isn't bad but I can't even understand DCC manuals in English for a start.

...

I had to fit the decoder in the Hornby-provided decoder slot, which sounds obvious but I had planned to use that for extra weight. Never mind. I tidied everything up with insulating tape, The body went back on first time, which was good, so tomorrow I'll test it on the layout. With luck and a following wind all should be well (he says...).

 

Time now for a drop of red with dinner then watch the Waratahs and Brumbies in Super Rugby AU round 3.

 

You can just remove the function wires if you're not using them.  Plus if you aren't using any lights or a stay-alive capacitor, you can remove the yellow, white and blue wires too.  In fact, you only need four wires and can hard-wire (solder) these, allowing you to remove the 8-pin socket as well.  Red and Black to the pick-ups.  Grey and Orange to the motor.

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, Chamby said:

 

You can just remove the function wires if you're not using them.  Plus if you aren't using any lights or a stay-alive capacitor, you can remove the yellow, white and blue wires too.  In fact, you only need four wires and can hard-wire (solder) these, allowing you to remove the 8-pin socket as well.  Red and Black to the pick-ups.  Grey and Orange to the motor.

Of course, Phil. Once the decoder's been in for a while and I'm confident that it won't need to go back under warranty I'll chop the three extra wires off. I won't change the plug or remove the socket though. I can't be bothered with all that messing about.

[Killybegs]

23 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

 

Time now for a drop of red with dinner then watch the Waratahs and Brumbies in Super Rugby AU round 3.

 

Ah, living the life. When did they restart the rugby season?

[St Enodoc]

6 minutes ago, Killybegs said:

 

Ah, living the life. When did they restart the rugby season?

Super Rugby AU started a fortnight ago. The NZ version was a week earlier I think. Club rugby in Sydney started yesterday.

[Ashley Bridge]

15 hours ago, Chamby said:

 

You can just remove the function wires if you're not using them.  Plus if you aren't using any lights or a stay-alive capacitor, you can remove the yellow, white and blue wires too.  In fact, you only need four wires and can hard-wire (solder) these, allowing you to remove the 8-pin socket as well.  Red and Black to the pick-ups.  Grey and Orange to the motor.

Help me out here, people.

i was going to quote a little rhyme about decoders: “Red and Black goes to the track, Orange and Grey goes the other way”

I’m thinking it’s a mnemonic but I’m sure that’s not the correct word. It’s just one of those aids to the memory like always remembering every line of your times tables because you learnt them by rote, back in the day.

 Rich 

[St Enodoc]

A brisk winter's morning was ideal for a drive over to the Northern Beaches and a climb up Barrenjoey Head to see if we could spot any whales. We couldn't, but we had great views all round including big surf at Palm Beach (Summer Bay if you're a Home & Away fan), although not as big as earlier in the week.

 

After that I tried 4167 on the layout and it ran beautifully, so it's now back indoors to have the final detailing done in due course.

 

Good progress with ballasting too. I completed all the plain track in Porthmellyn Road station as far as the Down end pointwork. There are nine points to do next, plus another foot or so of the main lines and the Chapel Sidings where they disappear off-scene.

Edited July 17, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[St Enodoc]

7 minutes ago, Ashley Bridge said:

Help me out here, people.

i was going to quote a little rhyme about decoders: “Red and Black goes to the track, Orange and Grey goes the other way”

I’m thinking it’s a mnemonic but I’m sure that’s not the correct word. It’s just one of those aids to the memory like always remembering every line of your times tables because you learnt them by rote, back in the day.

 Rich 

I think you're right Rich, although most mnemonics seem to be a series of initials, like "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain" or "Bye Bye Rosie Off You Go - Birmingham Via Great Western" (which I find totally useless as I can never remember which order the "B"s are in - perhaps there's another mnemonic for that!).

[Barry O]

Ballasting coming along nicely..not much to do..

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

19 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Ballasting coming along nicely..not much to do..

 

Baz

Thanks Baz. I should finish laying it next weekend, then perhaps another weekend to tidy it up round the flangeways and clean the rail heads.

[5BarVT]

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 "Bye Bye Rosie Off You Go - Birmingham Via Great Western" (which I find totally useless as I can never remember which order the "B"s are in - perhaps there's another mnemonic for that!).

I believe there is, but not suitable for publishing on RMweb.

Anyway, Purple doesn’t begin with V.

:-)

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

I've just realised that today is the fifth anniversary of the first powered movement on the Mid-Cornwall Lines:

 

Doesn't time fly!

[Stubby47]

5 years on and you're still ballasting ?