How to know which loco is which

[davetheroad]

I have 4 pairs of black livery locos, 3F 0-6-0, 2P 4-4-0, 2MT 2-6-0 and compound 4-4-0. In each case there is a 'dirty' one and a clean one. Plus as I model the 1950's the dirty ones have BRITISH RAILWAYS on the tender and the clean ones the logo.

[ianLMS]

I have two suggestions:

1 - Use the Roco z21/Z21 system, with a Tablet/Phone. The software allows you to take photographs of the chosen loco and associate it with the call up number so you know which one you are selecting. It also allows for long name addressing. However, it still doesnt help if you are 20 feet away.

2 - Buy cheap car reversing cameras and locate them around the layout where you typically have issues seeing what is where. I have two for my hidden sidings and only cost £18 each from Ebay. They came with the camera, 5" screen and all the wiring you need.

 

I do like the idea of binoculas though!

 

Ian

[Happy Hippo]

Post it notes with the address number stuck to the side of the loco!

 

Especially useful if you are exhibiting and the usual stock has been enhanced with visiting locos.

 

The visitors can't see them but they are visible to the operators as quite a distance.

 

A specific colour for the various loco owners also helps!

[JST]

Binoculars

 

I have a pair of binoculars I don'y use much.... they are now in the railway room! 

 

Thank you all for all the replies.... I can now move forward - or backwards if I select the wrong loco! 

[nnich]

Bit of a daft question this but one that is causing me a bit of head scratching. I am sure someone else must have had the same problem and there are ideas out there on how to do it.

 

Basically I have been beavering away converting my loco stock to DCC and building a fair size layout. I now sit back and see that amongst my locos I have 4 Castles, 2 black Panniers, 2 green Prairies and two identical DMUs. The question is how do you know which is which when you want to call up a particular loco by address. Yes, they have different numbers or names but nigh on impossible to read from 20 feet away (especially if they are in the loco shed). The DMUs I will be fitting with lights and can turn them on and off to see is which is which but the steam locos do not have lights. So far with the Panniers and Prairies I have resorted to having them running in opposite directions so I know which is which. Clearly this is a problem of my own making and maybe I have missed a simple obvious answer.

If you use a computer system to drive your DCC trains and use it to have named sections of track then these systems (JMRI,RocRail, RR&Co) can track which loco is in which section. Another fun way is to have a sound decoder in some of your duplicates. If you have 4 castles then if a couple or three have sound you may be able to hear which one is which

[Buhar]

Be careful with livening up the crew with bright colours, I believe railway staff were not allowed red scarfs or similar as it could be mistaken for a warning flag.

[Marcyg]

I plan on getting either a white board or a magnetic board with each fiddle yard road drawn on and each loco number as a 'stick on' strip that can be moved around. The other option is to have a UTP panel that end of the layout and move your controller around

[newbryford]

Just don't model the GWR - they all look the same.........

 

 

 

I can tell the difference between a few pannier varieties.

 

4-6-0s are a different matter though.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Phil S]

In the light of this discussion, and the suggestion of coal level as an identification guide....

 

Marklin's latest video for H0 can lead to the question:

"Is your new Marklin loco running out of steam ( or coal with which to make steam ") ??

Having watched the latest video,I see that the amongst the latest features offered on a new loco is ,,,,,  a decreasing level of coal !

 

It has been included as a feature in Hornby's Saphire (Railcom®) decoder - modelled levels of coal and water, so that, in the middle of some important run on your layout, the loco could stop working (?) by running out of steam or coal   .... not a feature I have felt necessary to include without some obvious indication of levels to the user....(that was what the Railcom does - presumably displaying it on a VDU screen).

 

. but now

Marklin's new loco (a DR/DB model 01 ) will have a decreasing load of coal in the tender !!
- and without the risk of it spilling in an accident ,,,  presumbaly a follow on from servo-controlled pantographs on electric locos (which Roco did before Marklin in H0, but LGB were years ahead in G Scale), and disappearing / re-appearing drivers in cabs (Marklin).

 

Mfx / Mfx+ decoders identify themselves to the controller as soon as the loco is placed on the track - and is given a unique internal code ... the user selecting it by picture/description from the CS display ... it also automatically loads the correct function buttons. This is the sort of feature that Railcom® is designed to add for dcc users ,,, with slower take up because 'nmra'dcc is not just the product of a single company - 'Plug and Play' for railways. 8-)

[JST]

Some interesting stuff coming out here. Haven't checked the thread for a couple of days as I have been too busy gluing small flags to cocktail sticks! :-)

[Alan Kettlewell]

As it's a large layout, put Train Controller from RR&Co on your birthday/Christmas list. You'll need several hundred pounds but it'll open up a whole new world of operation.

 

Cheers... Alan

[WIMorrison]

​or get iTrain - much cheaper and easier to learn than RR&Co

[Gdaysydney]

Another alternative if you are thinking about using computer control is JMRI  - its free and has a whole community of users

[Sir TophamHatt]

2 - Buy cheap car reversing cameras and locate them around the layout where you typically have issues seeing what is where. I have two for my hidden sidings and only cost £18 each from Ebay. They came with the camera, 5" screen and all the wiring you need.

Do you have a link for these?

I guess they don't do so well in dark tunnels?

 

 

I only have one set of two locos the same - two HSTs.

One is called 125 and 1252.

I can't remember which one is which! But then I'm not really interested in having two of a certain loco so it wouldn't affect me.

 

I usually use the first 4 numbers of the loco though as numbers 1-11 are reserved for the Thomas trains. Saying that now though, I can't remember what I numbered "Emily"!

[Phil S]

Do you have a link for these?

I guess they don't do so well in dark tunnels?

 

Rather than a link to a specific vendor, go to Ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk and search on   Car Rear View or Reversing Camera kit or similar

SOME include night vision with IR LEDS switched on at night, (usually removing 'colour' form the video signal at the same time, or going green)  and some are camera only  others are camera and choice of screens 4"-5" included for very low prices  (compared to what I paid x years ago for one of the first 7" LCD Viewfinder Monitors !! )

[ianLMS]

Do you have a link for these?

I guess they don't do so well in dark tunnels?

 

 

I only have one set of two locos the same - two HSTs.

One is called 125 and 1252.

I can't remember which one is which! But then I'm not really interested in having two of a certain loco so it wouldn't affect me.

 

I usually use the first 4 numbers of the loco though as numbers 1-11 are reserved for the Thomas trains. Saying that now though, I can't remember what I numbered "Emily"!

 

I cant link to Ebay from this computer, but search Car Reversing Camera and the one I have is bullet shaped and comes with 5" TFT screen for £18. Night vision is poor so I added a couple of 12" strip lights under the hillside.

[Phil S]

Following up- I have ordered 2* cameras with monitors to use on a helix on our (trans)portable layout, and separately a 2.4GHz Tx/Rx 'in line' 12V powered wireless set ... because the helix and where I'll place one of the monitors are on separate boards, and I didn't want to add additional wiring between boards.

Perhaps because several of the offers were described as for Reversing-Cameras, those with lighting had inbuilt White LEDs rather than the 'usual' Infra Red ... therefore expect a colour picture at all times.  ( Presumably camera and lights only turned on from the 'reverse gear' selected signal/connection - whereas our van has a permanently on (and IR LEDs) 'Electronic Rear View Mirror')

Whilst several of the offers quoted PAL/NTSC monitors, the cameras were often listed as NTSC - but this may have been the typical generic inaccuracy of many such Ebay listings which simply copy Manufacturers Data for the USA model. ( I shall see when the cameras arrive - but as a closed system its not a problem unless light flicker is a problem)

 

I chose a compact cube shaped camera with white LEDs and 170degree vision (others may be 120) and a 4.3" monitor on an attached  base (positionable)  - an alternative supplier had a fold-up monitor design which may be useful for some installations.

 

*Also note that some were direct from China / Hong Kong and others were 'UK stock' - if the customs or VAT threshold is triggered, (!15GBP ?) then this can add VAT (even if no duty) and a Post Office handling charge (£30???)  - as I ordered 2, I ordered from 'UK stock' or I would have been over the threshold.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Phil S

[WIMorrison]

Phil, have you got the link for the ones your ordered please?

 

I may also have a use for them

[JST]

Yes me too. I like the idea of cameras in the loco shed and diesel MPD so I can see what is going on!

[tarifa]

A fair point, but when your vision is not 20/20 and you have 2 black panniers 20 feet away in a loco shed with 10 other locos round them, it becomes a bit hit and miss.

Why not just get closer to the loco so you can see the number, 20/20 vision or not.

[JST]

Why not just get closer to the loco so you can see the number, 20/20 vision or not.

 

 Because they are 30ft apart and I am a lazy old git! Seriously, my layout is in a loft with low beams and if I move about too quickly without thinking, I smack my head!

[ianLMS]

Here is the link to the ones I got. Low level lighting is ok, but if its dark eg under a tunnel/hillside, additional lighting will help.

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292300120240

 

Left one is under the hillside with zero light. Right one was view under the hillside but with one side open allowing light in. 

 

May not be clear enough to pick out detail on various loco's but good enough to spot a 3F in amongst a Patriot/Jubilee etc. 

 

If you need that level of detail, recommend a CCTV type camera.

 

I didnt pay duty on mine. The price quoted on Ebay was what I paid - about £18.00.

 

Ian

 

 

[JST]

Thanks Ian. You can't knock that for the money!

[Ron Solly]

 Because they are 30ft apart and I am a lazy old git! Seriously, my layout is in a loft with low beams and if I move about too quickly without thinking, I smack my head!

Ah so it is not a shunting layout then with terminal stations that requires the operator to be present at the station but the whole lot operated from one location ?

 

A track plan on metal with magnets with the loco number, is probably the cheapest way then.

[JST]

Yes Ron, it is a big roundy roundy layout  but with a branch line under construction which goes up a 33ft bank that goes to another baseboard. The control point is currently central but I have Railmaster and am working on the tablet/phone walkabout option.