Crewlisle

With reference to the last paragraph, more layouts at exhibitions should try it! All children & visitors see is 'Do Not Touch' notices on layouts & sometimes find it difficult to attract an operator to ask questions across a baseboard. I noticed this many years ago at exhibitions so on 'Crewlisle' I arranged for one operator to be positioned on an outside corner of the layout with a duplicate control panel to operate points on the high level & locos anywhere on the layout. Visitors find it easy to ask questions about the layout & are delighted when asked if their child would like to have a go. So sharing the controller with the child & the operator's finger hovering over the emergency stop button, it makes their day! They can drive a loco onto the turntable, turn it (it is hand operated through Meccano gears) & then drive the loco away or drive it around the main line & stop it in the station. Nothing is better PR for the hobby than to let the kids have a go. No matter how detailed or complicated your layout is, look for something simple children can operate even it is only a signal! Peter

No doubt many of you have been watching this programme. It was interesting to see the different approaches used by the teams on the nominated themes. Because they are time limited on the construction of the layout there are a couple of questions I would ask. They are: 1. Why bother to waste time modifying points when they can be used straight out of the box? 2. Why have point motors which require to be screwed to the baseboard (one team did not have the right size screws)? They could have used Peco points & their simple solenoids which attach directly to the points. An excellent programme which shows what can be done with a dedicated team of modellers working to a deadline. The final is this Friday. What I want to know is, where will the winning layout be exhibited? Andy, My apologies. I did not realise there was a separate forum for DVD/Video/TV!. Peter

See my Comment 2 to 'Aligning track on a portable split level layout' on 5/9/18. It is halfway down on page 2 of this forum. Peter

No doubt many of you have been watching this programme. It was interesting to see the different approaches used by the teams on the nominated themes. Because they are time limited on the construction of the layout there are a couple of questions I would ask. They are: 1. Why bother to waste time modifying points when they can be used straight out of the box? 2. Why have point motors which require to be screwed to the baseboard (one team did not have the right size screws)? They could have used Peco points & their simple solenoids which attach directly to the points. An excellent programme which shows what can be done with a dedicated team of modellers working to a deadline. The final is this Friday. What I want to know is, where will the winning layout be exhibited? Peter

Spikey, I just use very thin cut up rubbish sacks & change them every few months so the accumulated dust on them does not fall on the layout when removed. Cheap & effective! Peter

Phil, I think I spoke to Howes at the NEC last year who said that they did not do reblows on LoksoundXL V3.5. However, I am now looking for a sound decoder for my Hornby R3555 SWS which I am expecting from Father Christmas! Any recommendations? Peter

Phil, I have asked the major sound decoder specialists about reblowing my decoder but they do not do the V3.5 decoders, so I have ordered a Legomanbiffo Class 50 sound decoder. I have a loco which requires a decoder so could make use of my old sound decoder & as I originally asked, if I did a Factory Reset would I just remove the sound & still retain the basic decoder functions? Peter

This sodund decoder is fitted in my Class 50 & is about 10 years old. I am not happy with the quality of the sound or functions. It cannot be reblown as it is too old. I have bought a new one from Legomanbiffo. Can I do a factory reset & use it as a normal loco decoder? I realise that I will lose the sound. Peter

I have since checked my other 3 locos with Ringfield motors, reset CV53 as below & found that control was much improved. Loco Decoder CV53 Default Value New CV53 Value APT Bachmann 36-553 42 10 86 Bachmann 36-553 42 10 86 Bachmann 36-566 140 150 Peter

Lennie, I agree entirely with your first sentences. As I have stated on many forums on the subject of wiring up Peco Code 100 points, THERE IS NO NEED TO DO ANYTHING. By many on these forums who say you MUST use polarity changing point motors or switches I am considered to be a heretic & should be burnt at the stake! 1. The point springs are strong enough for positive electrical contact providing the inner faces of the movable blades are kept clean & clear of bits of ballast. The number of polarity failures I have had over the last 30 years can be counted on one hand & that has only been on unimportant sidings. The only polarity switch on my layout is for the live diamond. 2. To prove it I have a total of 30 Code 100 Electrofrog points ranging from small radius Y points up to large radius curved points on my 'Crewlisle' DCC exhibition layout. I only started having to renew them about 8 years ago as they had ‘worn out! I use Peco solenoid point motors powered via a capacitor discharge unit controlled with their simple stud & probe operating system on a mini track diagram. 3. It may be different with Code 75 Electrofrogs as there is a smaller contact area between the point blades & stock rail. But with Code 100, use them straight ot of the box using insulated rail joiners iaw the instructions. Peter

Where can I get the above decoder reblown for my Hornby Class 50? Peter

Clive, This is the 'heretic' here who should be burnt at the stake for his belief in not using frog polarity switches! I agree entirely with your last paragraph of 'unnecessary complication'. I have been DCC for 10 years on my +40 year old layout 'Crewlisle'. I use a Lenz LZV 100 command module & two LH90 hand controllers & a track bus with droppers about every metre (not every track length). I do not use polarity switches on my 30 Peco Code 100 Electrofrogs but rely on the point blades for electrical continuity. The only polarity switch on my layout is for the live diamond. Of about 10 exhibitions I have attended with DCC, including twice at Ally Pally & twice at the NEC, I have had two minor electrical failures in sidings & still managed to run two & sometimes four trains simultaneously. The show must go on & entertain the visitors! Before I converted to DCC, the articles I read in magazines implied you required a degree in electronics. After a little practical investigation, nothing could be simpler converting a DC layout to DCC. My layout is on three interconnected levels, fits your second bedroom with 50 locos & stock to match. I agree it requires more than two wires, but the increased operating potential makes it all worthwhile. Peter

Problem solved. I reset the decoder to factory settings twice. No change. On reading the decoder leaflet I thought it might be the back EMF setting. The default value for CV53 is 42. I reduced this value to 10 & I now have full control over the speed range. The only CVs I always change are CVs 1 to 4 & occasionally CV54 & 55. With 50 locos, this is the first time I have had to alter CV53 Thanks for your suggestions. Peter

The Bachmann 36-553 decoder fitted in my Hornby Class 86 appears to have a mind of its own. The motor is very quiet & smooth when running both on DC & DCC. The control in DC is excellent. I use a Lenz LZV 100 Command Module with LH90 controllers. In DCC on my running road I slowly build up to full speed but when I gradually slow it down, it does not start to decellerate until almost at 'Stop'. I have many other locos with these decoders, including four with Hornby Ringfield motors. None have ever exhibited this problem. I have reset the decoder to its factory settings with no change in its performance. What CV should I attempt to adjust? Peter

I have a Bachmann split chassis Silver Jubilee with the 'Not allowed south of Crewe' diagonal stripe and the correct stainless steel numbers on the cab side. This was a Silver Anniversary present from my wife so has great sentimental value. Last year it developed the 'Split Chassis Wobble Disease'. I thought that the easiest thing to do was to buy a new DCC ready chassis and just fit the existing Bachmann body onto the new chassis. Bachmann don't sell separate chassis so I bought a brand new one from e-bay. Over the years I have replaced Mainline/Bachmann bodies onto new Bachmann chassis with no problems. Just two screws. How simple is that? Wrong! The new chassis securing points are at different centres to the old split chassis so lots of modelling expertise and accurate measuring required. Not a job for the faint hearted! I don't know if other Bachmann locos have different sized DCC ready chassis compared to the original Mainline/Bachmann split chassis. If anyone is interested how I did it, I have included complete details on the attachment below. Peter Fitting a Jubilee DCC Ready Chassis.docx

If you paid the full price up front by credit card & the project was cancelled, you could probably get your cash back via Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Peter

At my last exhibition I had three Hornby steam locos which were 'dead' when placed on the track, irrespective of being cleaned & tested the week beforehand. They were a Duchess & two Black Fives two of which had been fitted with sound decoders. I thought I was in for an expensive decoder replacement, thinking I could start by resetting the non sound loco but the two locos fitted with sound would lose their sound if reset. A few years ago I had split my DCC layout 'Crewlisle' into two power districts using two DCC Concepts PSX-1 circuit breakers. As recommended, each unit was fitted with three LEDs. One green to indicate power was being supplied to the unit & two LEDs for power to the track - one green if if it was OK & another one which would turn red if there was a short in locos or track. Now I am going through my 'Layout Defect Llist' & using a test track for my locos, I noticed that all three ran OK without their tenders but when connected together, every so often the red 'short' light would come on. When I moved the loco & then the tender from side to side, the red light only came on when the tender was moved. Carefully examining the tender coupling, the thin copper strips on the coupling bar for transferring current from the tender pick ups to the loco had been bent out of shape. These were obviously shorting out on the small brass strip on the underside of the tender chassis. As the locos ran OK without their tenders, I cut the thin wires from the coupling bar to the loco & cut off the small thin copper tabs on the coupling bar itself. Since then no shorts! This problem is probably caused by regular removal & replacement of locos/tenders from the track, thus increasing the likelihood of damaging the thin pick ups on the tender coupling. Moral of this story is to look at the simplest cause first! Peter

I have a Hornby Dublo/Wrenn Duchess. This loco has a cast chassis, cast body and driven by a powerful, quiet motor in the firebox. It easily starts six coach expresses on my 1 in 38 approach to the high level terminus without slipping so it was worth the effort to convert it to DCC. To convert Wrenn or Hornby Dublo locos to DCC both brush holders, which pass through the chassis, have to have a plastic insulating sleeve fitted. The rear wheels were removed. This was easy as I had previously fitted the correct size Romford wheels. After the old brush holders were carefully removed, the armature could just be moved enough to allow the existing brush holders to be drilled out. This has to be done with a hand drill and very carefully to avoid any damage to the armature. Keep the motor brushes, end plugs and brush springs. For the insulated brush holders I used ‘Evergreen Strip Styrene’ No. 226 which has an internal diameter equal to the diameter of the motor brushes and brush springs. The external diameter is 4.76mm and when drilled to this diameter is a push fit through the chassis. The insulated brush holders were cut so that one end was about 2 to 3mm from the armature and projected out of the chassis the other end by about the same. The orange and grey wires from the decoder were each soldered to one of the original brush holder plugs and the brushes, springs and plugs were inserted into the brush holders. The end of the plugs can be opened out so they are a tight fit to keep the springs and brushes in the holders. The track supply from the insulated wheels was soldered to the black decoder lead and a hole drilled and tapped 8BA into the chassis to pick up the red supply, ie the supply from the non insulated set of wheels which make the chassis live. Two things to remember when converting Wrenn or Hornby Dublo locos: If you dismantle the two arms of the magnet, it will probably require re-magnetising. After I had finished and was running the loco I noticed that I had to apply about 75% power to start and then throttle back to control the loco. I tried various settings on the CVs to improve the starting characteristics without success. I had fitted a ZTC decoder, so I rang ZTC, told them the symptoms and they diagnosed that the magnet required re-magnetising. The last time I had this done was about 20 years ago but was told by ZTC that they naturally lose their magnetism. I ordered one of the new NE magnets from Tony Cooper in Accrington and the improvement in performance is excellent. To assist the brushes to bed in, carefully file the ends of the brushes to the approximate diameter of the armature. As they bed in, control and power will improve.. Peter

Keith, After I decided to go DCC, I purchased eight Hornby R8215 decoders at the NEC in 2006. When I got on the bus to go home everyone was asking what people had bought & when I said 'Eight Hornby R8215 decoders', one of the few DCC experts laughed & said they do not work on all DCC systems as they were not NMRA compliant (mine is a Lenz LH 90 set). He was right, they did not work on mine so I returned them & was given a refund except for the one I had tried. I contacted Hornby, told them what happened & they were obviously aware of the problem & asked me to do some trials on modified R8215 decoders. This went on for a few months & evolved into the R8249 & Sapphire decoders. Hornby said I could keep the modified decoders plus a couple of extra ones. I had six of the trial/modified ones & I have only had one fail. The other five have functioned well for 10 years with no further problems with about 15 other locos fitted with Hornby R8249 decoders, once again without any problems. Peter

I seem to remember during one of my trainspotting days in the fifties, 45722 defence was on the Rugby Test Plant. And it was a cop! The test plant was between the up & down mainlines at the south end of the station & the ex-Great Central line 'bird cage' bridge over the WCML & branch line to Market Harborough. Peter

Andy, My mistake. I forgot that the accessory decoders take their commands from the DCC signal. The point I should have stressed is the requirement of another set of addresses to remember for the accessory/point motors. The wiring for the point solenoid motors was already in place & had worked without problems for over 25 years so why not continue using it instead of buying accessory switches? The operation of the layout is no problem as it is all controlled from within the central operating well. The exception at exhibitions is that one of my operators is seated on the outside of the layout at the bottom left hand side by the diesel shed & has a duplicate panel to control all the points for the sheds & goods yard. He is also the main PR man for talking to visitors & allowing children to operate a loco with one finger hovering above the emergency stop button! There should be more layouts at exhibitions which allow children to run a loco & encourage them into the hobby. Peter

To 'tigerburnie' in Comment 22 & anyone else who has been frightened away from DCC by some of these technical comments mirrored my concerns before going DCC in 2008. Over the previous two or three years I had been reading very technical articles in various modelling magazines like in this current forum. They kept referring to various electronic components, wire sizes/resistance & gave the impression you required an electronics degree to go DCC - until I thought about it from a common sense/practical angle. It is no more difficult than wiring an ordinary DC layout. If you read my attachment to Comment 24 'To DCC or not to DCC' you will see my practical approach & why my layout has operated without problems for the last 10 years with a total of 52 locos, 32 Peco Code 100 Electrofrogs with power supplied only through the point blades (no polarity switches) & the only polarity switches on my layout are for the live diamond. You can make DCC as simple or as complicated as you like. My layout is wired for a basic DCC layout with only the actual track being DCC. I have retained simple operation of points & signals - point operation using Peco studs on three miniature track diagrams & simple Peco solenoid motors ;four semaphores by simple mechanical operation (1.5mm welding wire & soldered cranks) & six 4 aspect Eckon colour light signals with cheap Maplin sliding switches on local control panels (one 'feather' & one light controlled by the position of the relevant points). The main reasons for operating the points & signals like this is: 1. Avoids additional wiring & accessory decoders. 2. Saves a lot of money. 3. It worked OK on my DC layout for over 25 years. As the saying goes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'! Peter

Chris, I totally agree with your last sentence which says it all. When exhibiting my 8ft x 7ft 6ins three level 00 gauge free lance main line layout 'Crewlisle' at the Bristol Exhibition many years ago, the late Cyril Freezer of RM & track plan books fame, stopped at my layout where we had a long discussion about the layout. He finished by saying, "You have a lot of track in a small space but it does not look out of place". Coming from him it was praise indeed & that statement made my day! Peter

Vic, I have just found the scanned version of the attachment complete with photos. Peter DCC Article - Part 2.pdf

Vic, I converted my 00 gauge 8ft x 7ft 6ins three level DC layout 'Crewlisle to DCC 10 years ago. The attachment is the article which was published in October & November Model Rail about how I converted 'Crewlisle' from DC to DCC. I did not go into the technical details as in previous comments in this forum but what I have written has given me trouble free operation for the last 10 years in spite of dismantling & reassembling for numerous exhibitions. My loco numbers have now increased to 52 & I have split the layout in to two power districts using two DCC Supplies PSX-1 modules - one for the high level & one for the two lower levels. This means that if there is a short/accident on one level, the other section can still be operated. Very useful at exhibitions! TO DCC OR NOT TO DCC.doc 1640 Edit: See Comment 24 where you can read the complete article with photos. Peter .