RexAshton

I know about the potential fakes but as near as I can tell the ones supplied by Peco are genuine. If that's the case I'm now completely confused. The SG-90 appears to be analoge according to Tower Pro as their digital version says so on the label. That would indicate that it has the same structure as the HK15178 so I've no idea why they shouldn't work with Peco board. Very confusing.

Hadn't thought about that. The SG-90 is digital and the 15178 is analogue according to Google. 15178b is digital so I'll have to try one of those. Thanks for the heads up.

Yep. I thought the Hobby King ones would work. There doesn't seem any obvious reason why they shouldn't but I can't get them to respond at all.

Apologies if this has been asked before or I've put it in the wrong place. I'm using Peco Smartswitch on a shunting plank. Generally I'm very happy with it apart from the servos. They are rough and noisy unlike the Megapoints set up with Hobby King 15178s I've recently installed on a friends layout. My question is, can you use other servos than the Peco offering on the Peco control board? I've tried the 15178s and they don't respond. I've tried reversing the plugs but this makes no differenece. Any help would be appreciated.

I recently did a DCC conversion for a client which while it worked fine prior to despatch exhibited the same problems you describe on his layout. Initially we thought it might be a decoder fault but as an experiment the decoder was removed and refitted, factory reset and then re-programmed. Result? Problem solved an d the loco has performed as expected ever since.

Has anyone got experience of weighting sprung wagons. I'm building some Rumney Models chassis in S4. I'd heard somewhere a suggestion of ½ oz per axle but that might have been for compensated as it was a long time ago. Any thought would be much appreciated.

Fair enough. I wasn't suggesting anything like that. Whatever works, works.

Having spent many hours as a youngster by the Midland main line I can't recall seeing any of the green D200s with full yellow ends. It's been a while though .

I've only ever seen a few platforms with flush edges and generally it doesn't look well - to me - on a model. Some overhang will look better. Look at photos and pick an average. If it looks right it will generally be right.

Why not. It's the only way to guarantee good joints especially if the layout is subject to temperature and humidity changes - and most are. I agree though that it's not a skill everybody seems to master usually due to not cleaning the mating surfaces correctly or more often using too small a soldering iron..

I can't comment on the DCC80 but DCC Concepts state that their frog juicer which is what I use needs a minimum of 2 amps to switch reliably.

Many thanks for the quick replies.

Sorry if this has already been covered. I'm building a DJH Duchess which has come with Romford wheels. The pick up arrangement uses the American system of uninsulated wheels on one side of the loco and the opposite side of the tender avoiding the need for wipers or plungers. It does mean however that the loco body and chassis would be live to the right hand rail and the tender would be live to the left hand rail. I'm sure I've read somewhere that the motor must be isolated from the chassis for DCC. If this is the case does it mean I will have to replace the wheels or can I get away with the current - no pun intended - arrangement. The loco will have a Mashima motor meaning that the motor brushes are are insulated from the motor frame itself. Thanks in advance.

Have a look here.

I agree but as I said the OP only has 2 posts and there's no problem guiding a newbie in the right direction but the thread, as in so many other cases was moving away from the original request into a debate about how the forum works and sadly he still doesn't have an answer. No offense intended.

This is going nowhere. The OP only has 2 posts. Give him a break and answer the question. This site used to be very good but lately it seems to be dissolving into a place where pious rivet counters spend all there time squabbling about the politics of this hobby. We're playing trains not negotiating Brexit for God's sake.

I agree that it's not the ideal situation but the OP wants to know how to do it, not why he shouldn't. I'd go with the paper sleeve suggestion above but it will only work satisfactorily if the pitch of the gear is relatively coarse.

You could fit a Gaugemaster DCC80. It will power the frog and blades whether they are contacting the stock rails or not. Easy fit and forget.

I use these for N, 00 and 0.

I've had a Badger 200 for over twenty years and its always been flushed through with cellulose thinners (Read the safety instructions and abide by them). On the odd occasion when the contents have gone hard a good soak in the same stuff works a treat.

Not much help to the OP

The Megapoints board is a superb bit of kit and Dave Fenton is a very helpful chap. I personally don't use it for dcc control buts it's a doddle to set up and can be programmed for points or bouncy signals. I use it with the recommended HK15178 servos with no problems. Just a happy customer.

While you've got it apart it might be worth considering getting rid of the thick grease Bachmann favour on their gears and using light oil instead. I wash the grease out with meths and an old paint brush then let the chassis dry thoroughly . Personal opinion but I find it transforms the running.

This stuff works well and is available either from the manufacturer or from Squires.

Have a look at post #9 here