philsandy

Yes David I have. Tried several with the Graham Farish controller, and 2 locos with the Gaugemaster, none will run at slow speed.

Thanks Jim, Do you mean by replacing the 2 components it will convert the Combi to a UF model? Excuse my ignorance, but I'm not electrical, what is a 2N6027? and is the other mod replacing a 10k resistor with a 22k resistor?

My layout is DCC but I have a DC controller to test new locos before fitting the decoder. For this purpose I have a second hand Graham Farish (AGW PE860) bought from my local model shop a couple of years ago. It works OK but I can not achieve slow running with it, I put this down to it being an old controller, so I've bought a new Gaugemaster Combi after reading good reports on here, but it is no different. The loco will not begin to move till the throttle is at 20 (range is 0-100), it is slow speed, but not at a constant rate, increase it to 22 and it is a smooth constant speed, but far too fast for shunting. Anything over 50 is just ridiculously fast. There is just no fine control at the lower end, it seems to be all or nothing. Is it faulty, or is it what I suspect, a basic "Train Set" controller.

Thanks for that 34C. I didn't think it would be that old. I won't bother, split chassis is no good as I'm DCC.

I'm thinking of buying a Bachmann BR 4-6-0,(31-102) can anyone tell me if this model has a sprung axle. I have the 2-6-0 model which does not. How old is this particular model? it is being sold as brand new, in an unopened box.

Thanks for you replies. Sorry Mick I forgot to say that I had thoroughly checked the quartering, however on much closer inspection I have now discovered the cause. It was the valve gear. The crosshead on the R.H. side was not sliding on the correct plane in the guide rails, there was a slight upward movement towards the end of its stroke at the wheel end, causing the con rod to flex upward, and in turn that lifted up the centre wheel. I gently pushed the lower guide rail up, only by 0.5mm, and that cured it.

This loco has never really run 100% smoothly, so I decided to investigate and try to cure it. I noticed the centre wheel (which has the gear wheel on it) would lift very slightly (approx. 0.3mm) off the track on each rev. To cut a very long story short, I ran the loco with no coupling rods or valve gear attached, and the centre wheel ran absolutely true with no deviations. When all the valve gear was re connected (but still without the coupling rods) the problem returned. I then disconnected the valve gear from one side only (R.H), and again it ran perfectly, then re connected the R.H. side valve gear and disconnected L.H. side, and again it ran perfectly. So when both sets of valve gear are connected it is causing the centre drive wheel to lift. The valve gear moves very freely and is not fouling on anything. Can anyone explain what could be causing this. Could it be the axle slot not square to the chassis?

I had a problem with the sound on one of my locos which has now mysteriously rectified itself, but I'm curious as to what caused it. Had this loco for years, I turned the sound on today, and silence. I noticed with the sound switched on at the controller each time the loco was placed on the track the sound would come on for literally 2 seconds only, then silence. Each time I lifted the loco just clear of the rails and then replaced it, I would get sound for 2 seconds only. I put the loco on the programming track to check CV63 value, it took much longer than usual to get a reading (192). When I then switched the sound on all was working normally again. Can anyone suggest what could have caused this?

Many thanks for all your replies. I'm sure I now know what the problem is. I ran the loco at very slow speed propelling a wagon... but with the body removed, and Hey Presto! it runs perfectly, the two tension lock draw bars in constant contact with each other, no oscillating. There is 1mm clearance between the diameter of the motor body and the internal of the loco body, but a couple of the capacitors may have been tight up against the inside of the loco body, so I bent these slightly so they would clear, and there was a big improvement when running with the body back on, not as perfect as when the body is off, but nowhere near as bad as it was. I'm now suspecting there is not enough clearance between the top of the motor body and the underside of the boiler, and it's this that is still causing the slight vibration in the loco body.

I have A Bachmann Jinty that is not running 100%. When run on it's own it appears to run very well, however when it is coupled to a wagon the fault becomes apparent. The wagon is constantly buffeting ever so slightly, ie. moving rapidly back and forth in the play between the 2 tension lock couplings (when either pulling or propelling). If you place a finger ever so lightly on the loco it feels as if the body is very lightly vibrating. Can anyone suggest what may be causing this. I suspect the fault may be the motor. Is this motor used in any other Bachmann models? I might try and find a second hand one if I know what the motor type it is.

All my stock use Bachmann tension locks. I have removed the hooks from all my locos, both ends, but all rolling stock still has a hook at each end. When uncoupling the loco from the train it does make the procedure much easier, as only the one hook is involved. I kept the rolling stock with a hook at each end so stock can be coupled together any way round, as Grifone above has pointed out.

Yes. On the London Midland region starting in 1964 some were turned out in unlined black. 78000/10/44 in 1964, 78028/55 in 1965, & 78013/23 in 1967.

Richie, I built the point as an excercise really, just to see if I could do it, so It has not been wired up. I did all the wiring for the Marcway points, yes DCC. Electrics is not my best subject, but AFAIK wiring points is the same wether it's DC or DCC. What is easier in DCC is the rest of the layout, as you do not need to have isolating sections. Yes I did use rail joiners, but in hindsight there was no need, and I would not do again, apart from detailing fishplates.

Thanks Martin, but do Bachmann always use RP25/110 wheels? their wheels do seem to be inconsistent. Measuring the flange thickness with a vernier (not easy to get an true meaurement, I know) they are always slightly thicker than the Alan Gibson EM wheels I have. According to The EMGS manual Alan Gibson wheels flange thickness were measured at 0.53mm, RP25/110 are 0.030" which is 0.75mm.

Richie, Have attached a couple of photos of Marcway pointwork as requested, taken with a phone camera, so not brilliant. It has all been painted and ballasted, I picked out the small blobs of solder with a rust coloured paint to represent the chairs. The third photo is a point I built using C&L chairs and plywood sleepers. It was my first attempt and was quite pleased with it, and yes it does work, very smoothly too. As Hayfield has pointed out building your own pointwork in any gauge is just the same in respect of time taken/ difficulty. If you go P4 AFAIK you have to change all wheels and use P4 wheels as they have finer flanges, where as in EM and I think 00-SF most modern RTR wheels are suitable. I even use the exsisting Bachmann wheels on EM conversions on steam locos, after reducing the wheel flange thickness by 0.2 - 0.3 mm, all you need is a vernier and a good flat file. On the couple of diesel locos I have converted I didn't even have to do that, just pulled the wheels apart on the axles to the correct B2B, dead easy.

Richie, I also returned to the hobby, 4 years ago after over 30 years. I decided to model in EM but did not want to make pointwork (at that time, but have done since). I bought all the pointwork (10 off) from Marcway as well as a box of SMP flexitrack. Although the points are about twice the price of Peco equivalent, IMO it's worth it for the more realistic appearance, even though they are copper clad, ie. no chairs. I have just looked at their website and they are £27.50 each, and if you buy them in batches of 4 they work out at £24.50. I have not used Ultrascale, but the last time I enquired there was a 6 month wait, but If you are going to be running diesel and electric locos they are quite easy to convert to EM, steam locos need rather more work. I converted a Heljan Class 23, by simply removing each wheel/axle set and pull the wheels off the axle to correct B2B ie. 16.5mm and refit the wheel set, it took about 45 minutes.

May be a bit late, but I've only just seen this post. Most were numbered with 8" numbers on the cabside, 82027 and 82029 were given 10" numbers after a repaint in 1962/63. The emblems were the small size, again some gained the bigger size after a repaint eg. 82007 in 1957.

Thanks Keith, "CV56 determines at what point load control is turned off. Setting it to Zero turns it off at all throttle settings.The default value of 255, which is the maximum value, means it is turned on at all throttle settings. A value of 0 turns off load control totally, see section 11.2 of the LS V4 manual, which advises that if you do set CV56 to zero that you may have to adjust the starting voltage. Have you tried that?" Ah! I missed that, I only refered to section 11.1. That was my initial query, why would the loco not run when CV56 = 0. and that explains it. I will try that now I've read and understood section 11.2. The loco was new, a Bachmann BR 4MT 2-6-0, DCC ready and I fitted a new Losound V4 micro and snipped the caps. I've had it a year and it did run OK on DC. I've not run it for a while and though it does run OK, it's just not as smooth as my other similar Bachmann steamers/Loksound V4 combos. I will try what you have suggested, and if there is no difference try it again on DC. Thanks for your help.

I still need to set CV56 to 0 to eliminate if any mechanical fault is the cause.

It is a V4 micro. Do you mean after doing the auto tune, then set CV56 to 0 and the loco will then run?

I have a loco that is not quite as smooth running as I would like. I have experimented altering the values CV52 54, & 55. In the Loksound manual it says to eliminate that any mechanical fault is the cause (which I suspect it might be) set CV56 to zero and if the fault still persists it is likely to be something mechanical that is the cause. CV56 has a value of 255, I set it to 0, but the loco will not move at all when set at this value. Can anyone offer any advice please.

These old Airfix wagon kits are very good, they are over 50 years old now, authentic models and great value. Have not built the tank wagon, but have built the 16 ton coal, meat van and BR brake van. I also fitted brass top hat bearings and they run very smoothly.

Sorry, I don't know what happened there, I have amended the link. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=35605

Have you considered using Brian Kirby's method. It uses Bachmann tension lock couplings, with a slight modification and magnets concealed under the track. Very cheap to install. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=35605