Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

Hi Tony

 

I’m hoping I might pick your brains for some pickup advice please,

 

I have just finished building a PDK kit for a 47xx that I obtained from eBay part built. The main work that had already been finished was the chassis frames. However they have been assembled differently to the instructions, and the horizontal spacers are at the extreme ends (with verticals spacers along the length.

 

I have just sat down to add pickups to one side (with the other being live to the chassis). The approach I used on my County build was a couple of pads glued to horizontal spacers, from which I soldered the pickup wire. However that’s not possible here given the lack of anything to glue to. As the chassis is now painted the obvious soloution of soldering on an extra spacer is not really something I want to be doing

9F99D963-6EC7-466A-8A8D-38986BB2FC35.jpeg

 

I was hoping there might be some alternative soloutions that might help me get it up and running

 

This thread has served as the inspiration to build this loco rather than buying a Heljan one, it has certainly proved a lot more enjoyable than just opening a box

20D66D2C-D2CA-4C4B-B2A1-62376BD9EF4E.jpeg

 

Thanks in advance

Rich

Rich,

 

What I'd do is to obtain some double-sided copper-clad PCB. That way, you can solder the PCB strips to the base of the frames. Tin both the PCB and the base of the frames with 145 solder, then solder them in place with low-melt. The bond will be quite secure.

 

I hope this helps. 

[Clive Mortimore]

The things we do for our hobby. Tony was very brave at Doncaster on Saturday and carried on despite his sore throat, I hope he was feeling better on Sunday.

 

I had a good time at Doncaster, and I must be nearing terminal point of acquiring stock etc as I only came home with two things some brass tubing and Tony's cold.

[Tony Wright]

Having just spent a most-enjoyable weekend at the Doncaster Show, perhaps some comments might be of interest...................

 

Firstly, my thanks to the organising team at Warners for doing such a good job. 

 

Secondly, may I please thank all those folk who asked after Mo's help? I was quite astonished, and my faith in human nature (if not completely) is restored. She is now much better, thank you. 

 

I thought the show overall was very good, with a range of high-quality layouts on display. There were too many 'box-shifters' for my personal taste, though, judging by the number of bulging plastic bags, they were what a lot of punters wanted. 

 

For my part, I fiddled away in the main in my role as loco-doctor, with some success I'm pleased to say. This week I'll be posting a cheque for Cancer Research, including £62.00 which I made at Doncaster for fixing duds. May I please thank all those who donated so generously? The only loco I wasn't able to fix was a modern OO one, a Hornby WC. Though the motor whirred, no 'drive' took place, just a sort of 'chattering'. I assume the gear train has fallen to bits? Another Hornby loco, a Royal Scot, displayed similar traits, but by tightening up the keeper plate, the drive re-engaged. I have to say, I wasn't entirely happy with this solution, but the owner was. Another Hornby loco (sorry about this, but this is what occurred), a Duke of Gloucester, was brought with the valve gear having fallen off one side. It's plastic, and was easily re-attached with a dab of superglue, but it really is flimsy. The easiest fixes were to a collection of 1950s' Tri-ang locos. Just a clean of the wheels, adjustment of pick-ups, a cleaning out of the crud from the slots in the commutators and a drop of oil, and off they went - good for a further 60+ years! I asked myself the question, 'How much, in terms of robustness and reliability, have we moved on with  modern RTR?' For those who are dependent on it, might I suggest 'beware', please? 

 

There was great rejoicing, the waving of bunting and the throwing of hats into the air when I lost my voice, halfway through Saturday afternoon. I just about squeaked through, much to the amusement of spectators. My thanks to those who gave me throat sweets - they were appreciated. 

 

One punter complained to me about the running on many of the layouts, saying there was far too much in the way of jerking, stuttering and flying starts and stops. 'Why don't these people employ DCC?' he opined, loudly. Ah, thought I, that's it, DCC is the automatic panacea for all the running problems on model railways. Forget dirty track, dry joints, sticky locos, dodgy pointwork and broken connections. Just employ DCC and all those things will disappear. His final point was to graphically demonstrate (by waving his arms about) that how, with DCC, two locos can be on the same track and be going in opposite directions (on a collision course?). 'You can't do that with DC!' he proudly-proclaimed. I didn't mention to him that by merely reversing the polarity of one loco's motor one could, easily, with DC. And, anyway, is he modelling Abermule on a certain day on the Cambrian?, I wondered. Or Quintinshill?

 

I asked him how many all-metal locos he had. The answer was none. How did he configure the decoders? It would seem he just bought RTR ready-fitted or used one of the service providers. There was a mention of something called 'Stay-Alive' (which Andy York explained to me later). Apparently, this is a sort of mini-'battery' (capacitor?) which will have just enough 'juice' to enable a loco to go over a section of track where the feed has broken. This, I'm told, is another great feature of DCC. So, according to this DCC-acolyte (read into that chump, in my opinion), there is no need to fix feed problems at all. If a joint fails, just leave it. DCC will automatically cure it!

 

Are people like him deluding themselves? Do they live in a sort of fools' paradise of DCC, where all is perfect with their trains' running? If there are any problems, surely it is best to fix them at source, not by hiding behind electronic trickery? Fortunately, a mate (thanks Clive) kind of took him away. 

[Tony Wright]

The things we do for our hobby. Tony was very brave at Doncaster on Saturday and carried on despite his sore throat, I hope he was feeling better on Sunday.

 

I had a good time at Doncaster, and I must be nearing terminal point of acquiring stock etc as I only came home with two things some brass tubing and Tony's cold.

Thanks Clive (see above as well),

 

Good to see you on Saturday. 

 

If you've caught a cold, you didn't get it from me. I don't have one, just a loss of voice.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Clive Mortimore]

Having just spent a most-enjoyable weekend at the Doncaster Show, perhaps some comments might be of interest...................

 

Much edited

 

Are people like him deluding themselves? Do they live in a sort of fools' paradise of DCC, where all is perfect with their trains' running? If there are any problems, surely it is best to fix them at source, not by hiding behind electronic trickery? Fortunately, a mate (thanks Clive) kind of took him away. 

 

Thanks Clive (see above as well),

 

Good to see you on Saturday. 

 

If you've caught a cold, you didn't get it from me. I don't have one, just a loss of voice.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Hello Tony

 

Another of the magical things DCC can do, turn the loss of voice into a cold.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[grahame]

My understanding is that 'stay-alive' is not an exclusive feature/function of DCC but can be incorporated in other control systems.

 

G

[Compound2632]

One punter complained to me about the running on many of the layouts, saying there was far too much in the way of jerking, stuttering and flying starts and stops. 'Why don't these people employ DCC?' he opined, loudly. Ah, thought I, that's it, DCC is the automatic panacea for all the running problems on model railways. Forget dirty track, dry joints, sticky locos, dodgy pointwork and broken connections. Just employ DCC and all those things will disappear. His final point was to graphically demonstrate (by waving his arms about) that how, with DCC, two locos can be on the same track and be going in opposite directions (on a collision course?). 'You can't do that with DC!' he proudly-proclaimed. I didn't mention to him that by merely reversing the polarity of one loco's motor one could, easily, with DC. And, anyway, is he modelling Abermule on a certain day on the Cambrian?, I wondered. Or Quintinshill?

 

Or:

 

"One punter complained to me about the running on many of the layouts, saying there was far too much in the way of jerking, stuttering and flying starts and stops. 'Why don't these people employ clockwork?' he opined, loudly. Ah, thought I, that's it, clockwork is the automatic panacea for all the running problems on model railways. Forget dirty track, dry joints, sticky locos, dodgy pointwork and broken connections. Just employ clockwork and all those things will disappear. His final point was to graphically demonstrate (by waving his arms about) that how, with clockwork, two locos can be on the same track and be going in opposite directions (on a collision course?)."

[St Enodoc]

Martin, I have experimented with micromagnets glued into recesses in the lamps (4 mm scale). The experiments were promising and I plan to go that way on my full fleet in due course. The magnets are 1 mm diameter x 0.5 mm thick. I got them from the Super Magnet Man in the USA: https://supermagnetman.com/collections/neo-discs/products/d0105-nickel?variant=11410254659 (usual disclaimer). If you are only buying small quantities you can ask him to use ordinary mail as otherwise the cost becomes prohibitive. I've got some photos at home which I can post later.

 

Regarding the wheels, to be perfectly frank and honest (which I know is what Tony would expect) I can't see enough difference myself to make the purchase and fitting of new wheels worthwhile. If the number of spokes were different that might be another story.

Here are a few photos of the experiments I did with magnetic loco lamps (Tony, you've seen these before, in your BRM days).

 

The magnets come joined together as a "worm". This worm has 100 magnets, each only 0.5 mm thick. You "slice" them off the worm with a scalpel blade.

 

I drilled a shallow 1 mm diameter hole in the side of a Springside lamp and glued a magnet in with UHU. Later, when it was dry, I painted it white.

 

 

These show a very rough mock-up on a Replica Modified Hall which already had steel lamp brackets, albeit they weren't aligned very well. I think you can see the idea though.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Or:

 

"One punter complained to me about the running on many of the layouts, saying there was far too much in the way of jerking, stuttering and flying starts and stops. 'Why don't these people employ clockwork?' he opined, loudly. Ah, thought I, that's it, clockwork is the automatic panacea for all the running problems on model railways. Forget dirty track, dry joints, sticky locos, dodgy pointwork and broken connections. Just employ clockwork and all those things will disappear. His final point was to graphically demonstrate (by waving his arms about) that how, with clockwork, two locos can be on the same track and be going in opposite directions (on a collision course?)."

 

I think clockwork would be considered old technology. What the "punter" would probably want would be micro wave transmitted power, with a mind control headset for driving his models. That way all he would have to do is to turn on one switch and sit in his chair admiring his models following his every command. He would probably also want a 3D printer system linked to one of those voice control boxes so he could tell it that he wanted a model of this or that in such and such a livery.  The printer could then produce what he wanted and he wouldn't even have to open a box. Nirvana!

 

( Perhaps I shouldn't have listened to Brave New World on Radio 4 Extra last week)

[St Enodoc]

I think clockwork would be considered old technology. What the "punter" would probably want would be micro wave transmitted power, with a mind control headset for driving his models. That way all he would have to do is to turn on one switch and sit in his chair admiring his models following his every command. He would probably also want a 3D printer system linked to one of those voice control boxes so he could tell it that he wanted a model of this or that in such and such a livery.  The printer could then produce what he wanted and he wouldn't even have to open a box. Nirvana!

 

( Perhaps I shouldn't have listened to Brave New World on Radio 4 Extra last week)

If he wore a virtual reality headset he wouldn't actually need any physical entities at all...

[Chamby]

My understanding is that 'stay-alive' is not an exclusive feature/function of DCC but can be incorporated in other control systems.

G

Indeed there are a number of features normally associated with DCC that can be also installed successfully on analogue loco’s.

 

Stay-alive capacitors will work with DC, with a little simple circuitry attached.

 

Adding an orange LED with an appropriate resistor can be used to create a firebox glow, though to get it to flicker will require a little wizardry such as that sold by Train Tech. The advertising blurb for one of Dapol’s new loco’s for 2018 says they will be including this feature RTR.

 

My own favourite is to use DCC Concepts loco lamps, which contain micro LED’s. These work great with DC loco’s too. Wire the lamps with an appropriate resistor and if you wire them with the right polarity, because they are a diode they will only illuminate when the polarity is corect for the direction of travel. I also think they look better than Springside’s cast lamps, more delicate. The illumination as sold can be too ‘bright white’ but this can be toned down with a thin smear of yellow colouring on the lens.

 

These thing are not difficult to do. Whilst some may regard them as gimmickry, I suggest you give it a try before knocking it. It certainly adds an extra dimension to the model, especially when running in the dark, or even with slightly dimmed lighting.

 

Phil

[Oldddudders]

One punter complained to me about the running on many of the layouts, saying there was far too much in the way of jerking, stuttering and flying starts and stops. 'Why don't these people employ DCC?' he opined, loudly. Ah, thought I, that's it, DCC is the automatic panacea for all the running problems on model railways. Forget dirty track, dry joints, sticky locos, dodgy pointwork and broken connections. Just employ DCC and all those things will disappear. His final point was to graphically demonstrate (by waving his arms about) that how, with DCC, two locos can be on the same track and be going in opposite directions (on a collision course?). 'You can't do that with DC!' he proudly-proclaimed. I didn't mention to him that by merely reversing the polarity of one loco's motor one could, easily, with DC. And, anyway, is he modelling Abermule on a certain day on the Cambrian?, I wondered. Or Quintinshill?

 

I asked him how many all-metal locos he had. The answer was none. How did he configure the decoders? It would seem he just bought RTR ready-fitted or used one of the service providers. There was a mention of something called 'Stay-Alive' (which Andy York explained to me later). Apparently, this is a sort of mini-'battery' (capacitor?) which will have just enough 'juice' to enable a loco to go over a section of track where the feed has broken. This, I'm told, is another great feature of DCC. So, according to this DCC-acolyte (read into that chump, in my opinion), there is no need to fix feed problems at all. If a joint fails, just leave it. DCC will automatically cure it!

 

Are people like him deluding themselves? Do they live in a sort of fools' paradise of DCC, where all is perfect with their trains' running? If there are any problems, surely it is best to fix them at source, not by hiding behind electronic trickery? Fortunately, a mate (thanks Clive) kind of took him away. 

 

All your instincts are right, Tony. As a DCC-user for 20 years I can confirm that DCC prefers clean rails and decent contacts everywhere. Wiring a layout for DCC is no different from doing it for DC - if every piece of rail has a wire feed things can only be more reliable. Locos that run lousily on DC will run lousily on DCC. And I am the first to understand that not everyone relishes the added cost and perceived complexity of DCC, nor needs it to maximise their layout's potential. 

 

It is inevitable that our hobby has its share of boorish nutters. I'm sorry your willingness to be visible at a show got you into such a confrontation. 

[Clive Mortimore]

Indeed there are a number of features normally associated with DCC that can be also installed successfully on analogue loco’s.

 

Stay-alive capacitors will work with DC, with a little simple circuitry attached.

 

Adding an orange LED with an appropriate resistor can be used to create a firebox glow, though to get it to flicker will require a little wizardry such as that sold by Train Tech. The advertising blurb for one of Dapol’s new loco’s for 2018 says they will be including this feature RTR.

 

My own favourite is to use DCC Concepts loco lamps, which contain micro LED’s. These work great with DC loco’s too. Wire the lamps with an appropriate resistor and if you wire them with the right polarity, because they are a diode they will only illuminate when the polarity is corect for the direction of travel. I also think they look better than Springside’s cast lamps, more delicate. The illumination as sold can be too ‘bright white’ but this can be toned down with a thin smear of yellow colouring on the lens.

 

These thing are not difficult to do. Whilst some may regard them as gimmickry, I suggest you give it a try before knocking it. It certainly adds an extra dimension to the model, especially when running in the dark, or even with slightly dimmed lighting.

 

Phil

Hi Phil

 

I tried running things in the dark when I still had Hanging Hill. I kept bashing into things in the manshed.

 

For my purposes DC is fine, I don't want to run trains in the dark because of the above, so I am modelling daytime on a day where there is very little cloud cover. Therefore illuminations on my trains are not needed. Back in the 60s when the train approached a tunnel the guard turned the lights on  and even at night when they were on they were not bright enough to read the geezer next to you's newspaper. So coach lighting isn't needed. Even today station and yard lights, like street lights, come on at set times so model layouts with station or yard lights on in daytime look wrong. As for bright shining headcode displays, look at 60's photos how many can you see the 10 Mw bulb behind the thick canvas roller blind impersonating a 150 cm searchlight manned by the girls of 93 Searchlight Regiment RA  as you do with model locos. Loco oil lamps and train tail lamps were to lit only at night or in adverse weather. So that is lighting dealt with. Those who model modern railways, yes bright lights are a feature, but I am waffling on about my modelling requirements.

 

Sound, I am tone deaf so a diesel sounds like a diesel and that is as far I can tell. My own inability rules having a noisy layout out. 

 

Stay alive....how about keeping track and wheels clean and not having dead spots? Even insulfrog points are not a problem for many of today's locos with improved pick ups and motors.

 

Parking more than one loco in a siding on an engine shed? I achieved this many years before DCC, simple a shunter is about 4 inches long , so there is your section size. One cheap slide switch for each section, I purchased some last month at 25 p each. A Class 25 is 8 inches long, 2 sections switched out, and a Class 40, three sections. All my loco fleet can be run on my layouts using this system for quite a cheap out lay. I have in excess of 200 forms of motive power, how much would the decoders cost for them? 

 

You can get better running with DCC than DC. I have driven a few DCC layouts and I find I am as bad a driver with a DCC controller as I am a DC one. The worse controllers are the Lenz Controllers with the "volume " control arrows. I cannot manage to stop a train in the right place with them let alone try and shunt.

 

 

All your instincts are right, Tony. As a DCC-user for 20 years I can confirm that DCC prefers clean rails and decent contacts everywhere. Wiring a layout for DCC is no different from doing it for DC - if every piece of rail has a wire feed things can only be more reliable. Locos that run lousily on DC will run lousily on DCC. And I am the first to understand that not everyone relishes the added cost and perceived complexity of DCC, nor needs it to maximise their layout's potential. 

 

It is inevitable that our hobby has its share of boorish nutters. I'm sorry your willingness to be visible at a show got you into such a confrontation. 

Thanks to Ian I do not need to mention only two wires. Well most my locos only have two wires one from each set of pick ups to the respective brush on the motor.

 

As I say DC suits me fine. If others enjoy having the extra C then they are at liberty to call me Ned Ludd.

[Tony Wright]

All your instincts are right, Tony. As a DCC-user for 20 years I can confirm that DCC prefers clean rails and decent contacts everywhere. Wiring a layout for DCC is no different from doing it for DC - if every piece of rail has a wire feed things can only be more reliable. Locos that run lousily on DC will run lousily on DCC. And I am the first to understand that not everyone relishes the added cost and perceived complexity of DCC, nor needs it to maximise their layout's potential. 

 

It is inevitable that our hobby has its share of boorish nutters. I'm sorry your willingness to be visible at a show got you into such a confrontation. 

Thanks Ian,

 

I really don't mind confrontation (I've learned a lot from it on many occasions). It's just that, why is it that DCC is perceived (not by anyone who thinks) as the one-stop-shop cure for poor running on model railways? There's no doubt that (if used correctly, by those who know what they're doing) it can bring a whole raft of (desirable) functions to a layout's operation, but it is not a 'medicine'. 

 

As you say, there is no difference in the wiring (other than one doesn't need as many on/off switches) between DCC and DC. If the wiring is poor, won't a DCC layout suffer more? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[Clive Mortimore]

Oh I forgot about a feature Tony mentioned that DCC can do that you cannot do with DC. Run locos towards each other. Now I am not an expert on railway signalling but isn't that a feature of the real railways to stop trains hurtling towards where they can crash into each other.  On the real railway when there is a need to advance a loco or train onto another, say for coupling up, the other one is stationary.

 

For those who have fun with DCC don't let me stop you.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[New Haven Neil]

Thanks Ian,

 

I really don't mind confrontation (I've learned a lot from it on many occasions). It's just that, why is it that DCC is perceived (not by anyone who thinks) as the one-stop-shop cure for poor running on model railways? There's no doubt that (if used correctly, by those who know what they're doing) it can bring a whole raft of (desirable) functions to a layout's operation, but it is not a 'medicine'. 

 

As you say, there is no difference in the wiring (other than one doesn't need as many on/off switches) between DCC and DC. If the wiring is poor, won't a DCC layout suffer more? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

 

Sage words indeed - if only we could get all the nutters out there to understand that! 

 

DCC is fine for me, but I have no argument with DC.  It's what ever you want as an individual, but the evangelists drive me nuts.

[jacko]

Oh I forgot about a feature Tony mentioned that DCC can do that you cannot do with DC. Run locos towards each other.

 

I have a vivid recollection of watching the Addams family in black and white and Gomez was able to run trains into each other about 4 decades before DCC was ever thought of.

[Bucoops]

I have a vivid recollection of watching the Addams family in black and white and Gomez was able to run trains into each other about 4 decades before DCC was ever thought of.

 

Way back when I was a nipper, I would be at my Grandparents with my Brother and my Grandad had some O gauge Hornby tinplate. We'd put a double track oval with crossovers on each long straight, have two trains going opposite directions. One of us on the controller, one of us on each crossover. The idea was to see how long before we had a head-on crash. I'm sure there are some of you wincing about these trains being treated so poorly. The ones we used had been used for decades before for their original purpose - toys - playworn didn't really cover it. My Grandad also had a largeish collection of mint boxed examples, which were by rule and also respect, off limits for that kind of fun.

[D.Platt]

Good Morning Tony

I only came across you on Saturday just before I was due to depart , gave you a nod but was unable to have a chat as the two chairs we occupied all the time I had left, I was going to ask you about the H16 you have built, having read the article in the Modeller regarding the way you dealt with the front bogie , would you use this method in future builds ? I was thinking it might be an ideal method for A2/3 or B16 s?

Regarding the show on Saturday my only spend was at the first stall the tree lady , another task I’am giving myself !! I love building locos but this last twelve months it’s been new ventures into track building,scenic,wiring and now tree making I hope my efforts pay dividends but it keeps me busy .

Think the Hornby Scot you tried to fix had the same fault mine had ,a cracked chassis block where the gear is housed,my cure was a comet chassis, not what your guy would have wanted to hear.

Dennis

[unclebobkt]

 Running is ok but a bit light footed, next time its apart I'll likely replace the Hornby weights with depleted uranium.

 

       I keep an eye open on military history, among other interests.

  I am sure that I can remember reading about the use and the after effects of handling 'Depleted uranium'. in a book about the Gulf Wars;  from which I gathered that to handle depleted uranium without wearing protective clothing was unwise.

 

       

[richard i]

I keep an eye open on military history, among other interests.

  I am sure that I can remember reading about the use and the after effects of handling 'Depleted uranium'. in a book about the Gulf Wars;  from which I gathered that to handle depleted uranium without wearing protective clothing was unwise.

 

       

That explains the medical issues my uncle has been having since he took part. It was his last war, he had started with Korea.

[Tony Wright]

Good Morning Tony

I only came across you on Saturday just before I was due to depart , gave you a nod but was unable to have a chat as the two chairs we occupied all the time I had left, I was going to ask you about the H16 you have built, having read the article in the Modeller regarding the way you dealt with the front bogie , would you use this method in future builds ? I was thinking it might be an ideal method for A2/3 or B16 s?

Regarding the show on Saturday my only spend was at the first stall the tree lady , another task I’am giving myself !! I love building locos but this last twelve months it’s been new ventures into track building,scenic,wiring and now tree making I hope my efforts pay dividends but it keeps me busy .

Think the Hornby Scot you tried to fix had the same fault mine had ,a cracked chassis block where the gear is housed,my cure was a comet chassis, not what your guy would have wanted to hear.

Dennis

Thanks Dennis,

 

Sorry we missed the chance to chat.

 

The chairs in front of me were occupied for most of the time, which, I can only conclude, must mean that what I have to say/show might be of interest, or that folk just wanted somewhere to sit down. 

 

The configuration of the front bogie by providing a slot works, as long as the curves to be negotiated aren't too tight. I've used it on an A2/2, but changed it to a swinging link when the loco was sold to Gilbert Barnatt for service on Peterborough North (his curves are tighter than those on Stoke Summit). I've also used it on a B16/1, and the minimum radius it runs over is 3'. Less than that, I don't know. 

 

The H16 you mentioned has to negotiate 2' 6" radius curves, which it does, though I had to remove the front steps because they fouled the front bogie wheels. 

 

As for the 'dodgy' RTR chassis, my only empirical evidence is what's put in front of me to be fixed at shows. What's evident from this is a high proportion (much higher than I'd have expected) of up-to-date RTR chassis (steam-outline) which don't work properly. To be fair, this is not exclusively Hornby's problem (has anyone been able to get inside an RTR 2-4-0 well tank yet?), and others I've had to fix include Heljan's O2s (valve gear coming adrift, or the keeper plate tightened too much; that sort of thing) and Bachmann's older-style split chassis (now abandoned by the manufacturer, which tells me something). The latter frequently fail because the plastic centres to the driving wheels crack. However, it's the number of more recent Hornby locos' chassis which have failed which most surprises me. They are visually-excellent, but is it a case of poor quality control? When they work (as I'm sure most of them do), they're really good but, as I've already said, if one is (modern) RTR-dependent, then beware! 

 

Many locos which are brought consist of the old Mainline/Palitoy split chassis mechanisms. When these arrive, I change from a loco-doctor to a loco-mortician! 

 

One final point I forgot to mention was the increase in enquiries by folk observing what I've made, asking 'How much?' What I have on display is not for sale, but it does suggest to me (over the last year or two) of an increase in the number of late middle-aged men who are interested in model railways, are 'time- and cash-rich', but are skill-poor. It would seem that they get others to do their railway modelling for them, which is their right, of course. That said, I'm at shows as a demonstrator/loco-doctor, not as a salesman.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[Chamby]

Thanks Ian,

 

I really don't mind confrontation (I've learned a lot from it on many occasions). It's just that, why is it that DCC is perceived (not by anyone who thinks) as the one-stop-shop cure for poor running on model railways? There's no doubt that (if used correctly, by those who know what they're doing) it can bring a whole raft of (desirable) functions to a layout's operation, but it is not a 'medicine'. 

 

As you say, there is no difference in the wiring (other than one doesn't need as many on/off switches) between DCC and DC. If the wiring is poor, won't a DCC layout suffer more? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

 

Agreed.  

 

My DCC layout has six wires not two.  Two for the up line, two for the down and two for the accessories (point motors, signals, lighting).  Every rail section has its own dropper, connecting to the appropriate bus.  Every accessory has its own two-wire feed from the bus.  Every frog has its own live feed, so also two wires from the rail bus to the changeover switch on the frog.  So still lot of wire and a lot of soldering.

 

However, there are easier things about DCC:

 

Every baseboard join only needs the same six wires - the six buses.  Except in one location, where a seventh is needed because the point motor is on the opposite side of the joint to the frog!

There are no isolating sections required, or switches.

Everything can be controlled from one handset, simply by bridging the three pairs of buses. So in this configuration (essentially just two bus wires) the whole layout can be operated from one handset with no control panel required, because each loco, point and signal has its own address.  (This is a lot less intuitive than using a control panel though).

Because the up and down lines each have their own bus, visiting analogue loco's can be run on one line, whilst DCC locos are run on the other.  (Just remember not to use the slips...)

Re-wiring under the baseboards is easy, because there are only six wire colours, one for each bus and its related droppers.  Plus a seventh for the frogs of course!  Just connect any wire to one of the same colour and you're done.

 

Also, re: my post earlier today about illuminated loco lamps, a pic below of the DCC Concepts LMS style lamp (painted white) attached to the front of a DC wired Bachmann 3MT tank, otherwise straight out of the box.  It comes more into its own when run in the evenings...

 

 

Phil

[Andy Y]

Are people like him deluding themselves? Do they live in a sort of fools' paradise of DCC, where all is perfect with their trains' running?

 

I will surely be on my way to hell for this or at very least owe John Cox of Alsager Railway Association a pint and an apology.

 

[D.Platt]

Tony

Perhaps with the ever increasing price of RTR models folk maybe are thinking of alternative options, a certain stand not far from you that weathers locos add crews etc and it’s near £200 for a model ?

I will try the bogie arrangement with my B16 as I think the linkage causes problems with that long wheelbase and I like the way you achieved it on the H16.

Dennis

Edited February 13, 2018 by D.Platt