Matt C

Picked yours as being one of the few that probably gives the OP as much information as he needs to know, to figure out which one to use. Gotta love the knowledgeable RM webbers who cant resist jumping in with ever more complex information that each is SURE is right, convinced of course everyone else is absolutely wrong, posting ever more complex technobabble, that comletely loses those of us with lesser knowledge, and probably scares the bejeesus out of anyone dipping their toe into DCC Thinking its Waaaayyyy too complicated !

This ^^. Check what voltage your box SAYS it should be putting out to the track, then using the black multimeter check the track voltage close to the box, if it's reasonably close to what it should be start moving round the track checking each section. If you get a drop in voltage on any section switch off the power and check the joints/ connections in that area for problems. Fix and check again. I made up a couple of leads with crocodile clips at each end. If I found a section with voltage drop I would clip a lead to one rail from an adjacent section of track and to the same rail in the problem section and see if that cured the drop. If not check the other rail. Its a quick way of identifying which rail/ connections might be giving you the problem. When you have finished get a cuppa and come back and read the information overload posted in your thread then go lay down in a dark room

A suggestion ? If the original decoder in the hst has had the motor functions damaged but the lighting circuit still works, is it worth checking the dummy power car to see what chip it has ? If its a full function chip you could swap it out for the damaged one as it only needs lighting functions anyway. That would give you a chip to use elseware

Ahhh ok sorry, was that through the doors and turn left, no right ummmm

Before you you guys disappear down yer rabbit hole can you just point out to me in the pictures above where I plug me wires in to check me track voltage ? I've ordered one of them in the top picture from Ebay but I'm a bit confused where I plugs me leads in !

I think at the moment we can all agree that ALL shows are suspended as they are not yet allowed to go ahead ? Some organisers have had to make the decision to cancel to mitigate losses, Some have moved this year's event to next year, providing conditions allow them to safely put on a viable show. Some are still to make that decision based on mitigating losses, viability, venue availability, and probably some who hope that if they CAN put on SOME sort of show they bloomin well will ! I'm sure the moment a decision is made to go ahead the message will come through load and clear to us. @Andy Y. Might it be worth adding a big red message to your first post stating that due to shear volume of cancellations you have suspended updating the list, for members to still keep posting CONFIRMED cancellations, and that to be sure as soon as ANY show is flagged as going ahead THAT Information will be promulgated. Then go take a well earned break.

My point exactly. Get the basics right and make sure it runs properly.

Whats the job of a model ? To look good ? Or to work ? Would you be happy with a watch that sort of kept time, (runs) looks incredibly accurate (detail) but bits keep falling off ( breaking every time you try to use it) A cheap basic model can run equally as well as a highly detailed expensive one OR just as bad My wish IS a reasonable, accurate representation of the original, that runs well and doesn't shed all that extra expensive detail every time its used.

I think we will have to agree to disagree. The thread is about design errors. My arguement is that by pushing the manufacturers into ever more complex and detailed 'perfect' models at the price those who want 'perfection' are prepared to pay, something has to give, which is quality control. Out of a run of 2000 models (number picked from the cloud) how many want that 'perfect' display cabinet model and how many want a good representation of the real thing, that looks right, has the right colour scheme and runs well straight out of the box ? My own thoughts ( with no factual evidence) is that the former group is smaller but VERY vocal in pushing manufacturers towards that 'Perfect' display case model to the detriment of those who want something that looks right and gets used. My suggestion about less detail isn't a return to Triang, its to make a good ' accurate model with less micro detail ( that falls off, breaks before you get it out of the box or disapears on the first run out) that sells for a reasonable price to the majority of purchasers ( ball park pie in the sky figure say £150) and then sell an addon detail pack for (again pie in the sky figure) £100 that the end user who wants the display case model, can add themselves, or commission to be added if their skills aren't up to it. Some manufacturers are all ready including some detail packs in with models, I'm saying take this to the next level. In Hornby's case they could do the basic accurate model run of 2000 and at the design stage commission Airfix to do the detail pack ? My point is scale back on SOME of the detail, get the bloomin basics right, sell at a price the majority are happy with and then add detail for the smaller number who want 'display case' models via addon packs at extra cost. Edit to Add, its almost a case of say Hornby, instead of using the railroad version as they do at the moment ( confused mishmash that no one really understands) make it the 'ready to run' standard version for all new models. . For the majority to purchase then do a 'Delux' detailed version at the higher price range. Consign all the old tooling runs to a lower priced 'classics' range

Just picking up on one point, you say " setting the budget too low for Cad leads to errors going into tooling" I counter that with demanding scale size rivets at exact spacing and perfect shape takes time and pushes the CAD/ design cost way over budget which means you lose sight of the basics. Cut pack on calls for every minute detail in perfect scale etc and push GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT First

But I still have to argue, at the number of units we are talking about being produced per design, how much TIME do they get to spend on CAD ? Ever more detail, with less units produced, ever more complex drawings, being tweaked and changed, you change one thing, it throws another out of kilter, Someone says the wheels for that loco were slightly bigger, smaller, you alter the drawing but noone mentions the breakshoes, now they are too close, too far away, furthur down the line someone mentions the breakshoes don't look right so someone goes in to thier copy of the drawing and moves the breakshoes, but they've altered the old drawing and saved it as the newest. Now you have wrong size wheels and wrong placement of break shoes. It happens , and with limited time verses cost of CAD it doesn't get re checked and picked up.

How is it irelevant ? One Mans Rolex is another mans Toy train. This thread is about Model design errors. Perfection = no errors Perfection comes at a much higher price than most are prepared to pay Hornby, Bachmann, Heljan etc to produce. I feel that as models get ever more accurate, detailed and complex we lose sight of the basics, does it look reasonable, does it actually RUN reliably, at the price I'm paying THATS what I'm looking for, not " are those brake shoes one millimetre out of alignment" after I've picked it up and plonked it down half a dozen times they have fallen off anyway. Get the basics right, and make it run well,. Let others add the micro detail as an addon pack if they want 'perfection'

Sticking head above parapet. If you want perfection you buy a Rolex and pay a premium price accordingly If you want a very good watch you pay a lower price, its a very good watch, but its NOT a Rolex If you want something that just tells the time, you can buy a cheap watch What you are saying is you want someone to keep on re designing until they produce a Rolex, but at the lower price. ( The cost of constantly re designing to eliminate every imperfection would mean a loss on every sale leading to quickly going bankrupt) Most are happy with a very good watch, at a lower price, KNOWING. Its not a Rolex and accepting that, but still having a very good watch If you want that perfection, go commission a Rolex

He realised that he would have to enter the bungalow with all those parcels, past SWMBO and very quickly changed it to an outside entrance direct into the POD so he wouldn't disturb her

My thoughts were along the lines of, join the trix club, find someone interested who dabbles in both, agree a value, and then set up an exchange 3 rail for 2 rail, each covering the cost of postage to the other. Cuts out any middle man and fees

Check out the value of it BEFORE you do any conversion. If it IS rare and valuable and he has no interest in it other than wanting something to run, it may well be worth joining the group mentioned above and see about selling it on and using the cash to buy some more suitable OO ?

Come on ladds, no need for security, we all know Andy works in there 24/7. Any burglar would stumble out days later, worn out and confused after being forced to help build at least 3 Layouts !

Found this site, might help as it lists a few colour codes used by British rail which you can get mixed Might be worth contacting them or the one mentioned above and see if they can identify and then produce BR rail grey Probably IS worth coming up with a chart listing colours used and the codes to reproduce that colour for future reference as Halfords and other firms seam to be going more towards mixing as required rather than carrying huge selections of obsolete colours at each store

Today, painting the POD, put in base units, fit work benches, have a cuppa. Tomorrow unpack everything, Monday 4 new layouts, 2 O gauge, one OO and one O, O.16.5 hybrid. What's on for Tuesday Andy ? . Good to see you back in the Fold safe and sound, bet her indoors is pleased to be in and settled as well

Reading the blurb on locomotive, If you have purchased the latest DCC version of the App from the App store (£5.99 ?) It says it has the ability to read/write cv's 1 - 255. If you hard wired the decoder in yourself you could also try switching the lighting wires over, so front goes to back and back goes to front and see if when going forward the REAR light comes on too bright and the front light is ok, in which case almost certainly a problem with the output from the decoder and not the lights/ resister

You could try a factory reset for the decoder to see if that clears the fault To reset a lais put a value of 4 in to cv 8 or cv 30 either one should do a factory reset

Talking from no experience lol but could it be a faulty resister ? If its hardware this next bit wont help, but in the manual there is an entry under more function options which says :- Dimmed brightness function. CV 64. Led's. 2 - 6. Bulbs. 12 - 18. Thats ALL it says I would assume this would effect both forward and reverse though

Yes basically you are making a tyre out of snot. The benefit is the wheel size doesn't matter and for a small jar there is a lot of snot ! Not sure how the solder option would work, smoothing it would probably be the main problem. As for electrical pickup, I take it your talking about adding pickups to the tyred wheel ? So if the wiper is on the back of the wheel, yes the tyre would stop contact on the main surface but you would probably get SOME pickup when/ if the flanges touch the rail sides ? So not full pickup but some benefit ? Anyone got any experience of this ? And I'm sure someone will be along to tell you tyres are dirty, get rid of tyres, but if to eliminate clunky running they are the only option then snot works

You could try 'bulfrog snot' you apply it to the wheel and form your own tyre so pretty much one size fits all. I've used it on a couple of Lima to replace perished traction tyres and it seams to work well

I use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/WestonBoxes-Storage-Including-Clear-Boxes/dp/B00TH5A37E/ref=asc_df_B00TH5A37E/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=208049287575&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16576966932925363638&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007406&hvtargid=pla-438349324235&psc=1 They stack, you can see the contents, you can pull out each box without lifting everything off. I tend to use predominantly for wagons, coaches etc stored in sets as they are to be run, but also some unboxed locos. As mentioned above you can get rolls of foam cheap as chips which you cut into strips to separate the stock in each box. I know they don't seam cheap but I just waited till one of the online companies had a sale offer on and bought five sets 40% off and free postage. ( They were cheaper than these I found on Amazon to begin with, from one of the online office suppliers)