Yardman

All freights had brake vans up till about 1970 whether fitted or not. Then some brake vans were retro fitted with air brake equipment because regulations still required a guard at the end of the train. When all trains became air brake fitted, the rules were changed allowing brake vans to be discontinued.

A resistor across the track won't work. Programming pulses the motor circuit and the comand station expects a response. The solution to horns, directional lights etc. is to give both decoders different addresses and then consist the two vehicles. Assuming your DCC system supports consisting, all the better ones do. If not it's time to sell your system and buy a propper one. When consisted you operate the consist from the leading cab, whether powered or dummy and the horn will only blow from the leading vehicle and directional lighting will respond correctly, this is the default setting for systems like Lenz, NCE, Digitrax, MRC, etc. With advanced consisting it is the decoder that knows it is in a consist (CV19) and remembers when the power is turned off. it doesn't need to be reprogrammed each time. If in doubt read the manual.

The problem with using a temporary resistor is you will need to open the vehicle up to re-connect the resistor if you need to reprogram at any point. What type of sound decoders are you using? I assumed it was Loksound or Zimo. Both of which can be set to zero speed. However I'm not sure how a sound decoder will respond if it doesn't have a motor to receive back emf from. The original question was just how to adjust cv's on a decoder without a motor connected. If you go to the expense of fitting two sound decoders I would have thought it would be worthwhile to use two power cars.

See my reply in your other topic Z21 Reading CVs on Dummy Class 800 fitted with DCC Sound

Not true. Set the trailer car speed table to zero. Easier in Decoder Pro. You do have Decoder Pro, if not why not? Also both decoders should be programmed with their own address, then you can consist them together and things like the horn lights will work correctly and respond correctly to direction of travel.

Put a 100r resistor accross the motor leads in the trailer car. You should then be able to read the CV's and program it.

It looks to me like a coil with shorted turns (or the wrong coil), causing excessive voltage to the points and Condenser. Try a different coil. I would go for contactless electronic ignition, much more reliable and nothing to wear or adjust.

As a long time user of the NCE Radio system, I can say operation is not "flakey". It has the limitation if layouts at an exhibition using radio are in close proximity there may be some interaction, but for home use this is not a problem. The NCE system is a duplex system so you get confirmation on the display that control messages have been received. However that is not the question here as it is intended to use a smart phone via a router for control.

JMRI will work with any NCE system, just the interface is different. There are operational differences between the Powercab and SB5, but it wont affect the JMRI interface.

Short answer is yes. My layout is operated via JMRI and MERG control circuits. A computer runs all the route setting, signal controls, layout lighting etc. via a touch screen (USB connected). Some video of it can be seen on our website at http://a19modelrailwayclub.org/layouts/alwinton/ it also appeared in the August, September and October 2017 Railway Modeller. Some photos are also on the RMweb Exhibition Layout database. JMRI can handle throttles for train control if required. I take it you are using the NCE Powercab as you mentioned the USB interface, the full PRO cab has a Computer interface built in.

Wiring diagrams for tandem turnouts here. It's the same for DC or DCC. http://a19modelrailwayclub.org/tonys-dcc-workshop/complex-pointwork-wiring-for-dcc/

I would respectfully suggest that meter readings don't mean anything unless they are taken under load conditions. Fault codes are often thrown up during starting when loads are high and voltages fluctuate. Connections need to be taken apart, cleaned, lubricated and re-assembled.

Check the battery connections. Often car diagnostics throw up spurious indications because the battery voltage is down or cable connections are poor or corroded. This includes engine earth strap.

I have pot plants in front of my condenser unit as it's fitted on a flat roof.

I've had had AC fitted to my living room for over twelve years. It's a ceiling mounted split unit, the condenser unit is mounted on the nearby kitchen flat roof. It's also a heat pump unit so makes a very efficient heater during the winter. I'm considering getting a small one for my den now. Wouldn't be without it now.

Taken on 19/06/1965 Newcastle Central https://www.flickr.com/photos/115646323@N04/23910813243/in/album-72157663646086622/ Same date same place https://www.flickr.com/photos/115646323@N04/24511439936/in/album-72157663646086622/ Also to go with them taken on 11/07/1964 https://www.flickr.com/photos/115646323@N04/27229455066/in/album-72157663646086622/

Yes Richard, It's looking better. Some signs of wheels for bridge and Crab would improve the look. There is more to a crab than just the hoist block, it needs a motor for traverse as well as hoisting. The bridge itself also needs a travel motor and evidence of a control system. Be aware that open conductors and pick up shoes were outlawed several years ago, it depends when your era is set. And if you can't gain access with a simple ladder due to height, obsticles etc, you need fixed ladders, platforms, handrails, safety hoops and the like. You wouldn't want your 4mm personnel coming to grief. If you really want to get into it there are these documents you may be interested in, http://www.engineering.com/download.aspx?folder=fb267e40-6538-470d...Crane...pdf also the LOLER regulations, LOLER is not a night club artist, but the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2307/contents/made

Yes, you are heading in the right direction now Richard. The hoist block should run on the lower webs of the yellow "I" beam. such as shown in this web page. https://www.theratchetshop.com/hoisting-and-material-handling/chain-hoists-trolleys/plain-girder-trolley/500kg-plain-trolley.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvzZBRCbARIsACe8vyLIIBplGO7wj0HNWet141hzVv3BfE_9T16RhCH1AL1wV5IYlV2WbJMaAuvjEALw_wcB. I am not familiar with the Knightwing kit you refer to and how they arrived at their design is anyone's guess. There are a number of good crane kits on the market such as this one from Walthers. https://www.comfortplace.top/ho-scale-c-1_2_3/ho-scale-walthers-cornerstone-9333102-overhead-traveling-crane-kit-p-2368.html The size of all components depends on what you are intending to lift.

Don't fret about it, this is railway modelling, lives don't depend on it, but like all things if you want to do it right you need to do some research. All the information is out there and photos are one of your best resources. The problems with this "crane" is it doesn't have a stable enough base or bracing in the right places. In the event of lifting a load it could collapse in either direction. Girder sizes need to be sized for the load they are expected to carry, not just for the load the crane is expected to lift, but also the weight of the crane and the span between supports. Also the moving bridge should sit on rails on top of the Gantry, (base), not within it. The Crab (the bit that carries the lift mechanism with the hook) should also sit on rails on top of the Bridge not within it. Otherwise the Bridge I beams (girders) would just spread and everything would come crashing down. Depending on the size of crane you need a cab for a driver or a Pendant controller hanging from the Crab or Bridge. Lastly you need access. All cranes need a means of access for maintenance and inspection (and possibly a driver). How safe this access needs to be depends on the era you are modelling. One building I had to inspect had three cranes on the same gantry. To access these I had to walk along the rails from the ladder, this was fifty foot up and the whole gantry shook when any of the cranes were moving. Health and Safety has moved on since then. Lastly your crane must be marked with it's Safe working Load (SWL). This is just the basics on a very complex subject. A lot of model cranes I've seen (as well as bridges) would have fallen down before they got built.

To be honest as an ex-crane surveyor, I have never seen a structure like that in use as a crane and would have condemned it on sight. The whole design concept is wrong. There are plenty of photos of real cranes on the internet. Find one you like the look of and model that. That is unless your railway is based on Middle Earth where anything goes.

In the 60's coaches with black ends had white lettering, coaches with maroon ends (rare) had yellow lettering. https://www.flickr.com/photos/115646323@N04/24815294573/in/album-72157665198126971/

In general with DCC you get what you pay for. If it's cheap, it is missing a lot of features or is poorly constructed. It is what the manufacturers don't tell you about their systems that can come back and bite you further down the line. Get a system from a reputable manufacturer that can be upgraded easily as your needs grow. Don't buy a dead end system so you end up buying a complete new system in a year or two. Find someone with the system you are thinking of buying and talk to them about it. Try the system out before buying.

I already have three I scratch built fifty years ago. Here are two of them.

My layout "Alwinton" runs on a 24hr fast clock that changes layout and building lighting operated by the layouts computer. See http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/3980-alwinton/ or the August/September/October 2017 Railway Modeller.

Not before time. At least we may be able to photograph the railways again and not forced to travel in a green corridor when travelling by train. In days of steam overgrowth like this never happened as either it was set fire to by a passing locomotive before it could get established or the linesmen would deliberately set fire to bank sides in a controlled manner.