JimFin

Hopefully - if we are spared........

Letter attached Media_release_2020_(1).pdf

I think you may be missing a detail - F0 is the lighting function - controlled front and rear with the direction switch. You have used F1 and F2 for the cab lighting but are missing that F3 and F4 are still available to you. An option would be to use either of those to run the rear lighting as a substitute for the shorted yellow wire. You would need to solder a wire onto the appropriate pad on the decoder The diagram for this is on P12 of the attached. MX-KleineDecoder_E.pdf

Thats what I was confused about - you were using a Dynamis before, what was the decoder using at the outset as I think the EZ will only recognise 1 - 9, if you are out of that range, it will not pick it up.

Amazing how the weathering and detailing bring them to life - lots of depth added. Nice work

Can you clarify that?

Can you give us a bit more info on where the wires come from / go to and their relationship with the decoder. Photos can be helpful.

Must confess to having one loco fitted with a huge stay alive and use it for pushing the rail cleaner round at the start of a session.

Maybe some storage jars for paint mixing - 22ml sort of size, disposable pipette type droppers for mixing in a controlled way, depending on what you are planning to paint 3 to 5ml probably about right. Some thinner and cleaner but probably not as much as you think as water works well with acrylic anyway. You need to think about supporting the job you are going to spray and might need blue tack to hold smaller items in position, the airbrush can blast them about a bit. An LED light to see what you are doing is good but cover the lens with cling film which you can replace as it gets the overspray accumulates. Not consumable but a cleaning station/stand is helpful as is a basic jewellery ultrasound cleaner - gets the nozzles and jets really clean with minimal effort.

The Ultima superseded the pro box so should have no problem in reading/ writing. You are using the service track connection with the red cable to the command station? You should be able to read CV values with that. Try reading them from the loco that is working. This will prove if the service track and software are all OK. Any chance you have upset the pickups, got oil on them or a wire detached? Does the loco have any other functions e.g lights and if so, are they working or not?

Essentially 11 and 12 are telling you the command station cannot read (error 11) or write (error 12) to the decoder. There are a few possible reasons - is the service track live? - try running a known good loco on it. If its OK, then check that you can read back a CV of the known good engine. If that is OK, then make sure there is power getting to the decoder on the subject loco - pick ups etc good, decoder wire or plug has not become detached / dislodged, if you have a multimeter you can check input and output voltages. Once you are sure power is getting to the decoder but still have these error messages, then I suspect decoder may be dud/blown. It should always read CV8 to give the manufactured ID but as an aside, writing value 8 to CV8 is not a guarantee of a factory reset, this feature is not an NMRA set standard and different decoder manufacturers have done different things - https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201489365-Master-list-of-Decoder-Resets-by-Manufacturer- Do you know which manufacturer the decoder is?

Wonderful - I need to get a couple of photos of those from you as I am writing an article on printing with non standard materials.

Good luck with the planning, it can be fun in itself. Don't get stuck on being 2 dimensional, twin track main circuit with a branch line climbing to a higher level station could be fun and give interesting operation together a reason for cuttings / tunnels.

Isn't collaboration for the pleasure of the hobby wonderful thing

Rather than paper, how about printable vinyl? Self adhesive, no thicker than paper and quite resilient. Fixed to either aluminium or thin ply. Would also save on the laminate cover - more info here but readily available from many sources. https://www.photopaperdirect.us/blog/can-inkjet-print-on-vinyl/

I have used TrackLay - closed foam roll with a single adhesive side. The adhesive side goes to the underside of the track. Temporarily pin the track in place in place an add a bead of PVA between the shoulder of the foam and the baseboard. Add ballast, no further adhesive needed. The ballast sticks to the exposed adhesive on the foam and the PVA shoulder. Once the PVA is dry, use a foam roller to press the ballast firmly into the adhesive between the sleepers, remove the pins and surplus ballast, then ready for weathering etc. Advantages - Ballasting (which I hate) made easy! The track is not directly fixed to the baseboard and sound transmission is much reduced. Track can be recovered if you change plans. Disadvantage - you have to create appropriate shapes for points / crossings from straight rolls and do not place under the tie bars. Could end up being expensive for a large layout. Not associated with the supplier, just a satisfied customer. https://www.tracklay.co.uk/

Generally for a layout of the size indicated I would think a separate accessory transformer would be desirable - something like this https://www.digitrains.co.uk/tr3a.html . You do need to consider what other off track accessories you may want to power e.g. signals, lights, turntables, ambient sound etc. in deciding the appropriate size. An alternative to the classic solenoid point motors to consider are servos which you could run with the ESU ServoPilot - that avoids the big power draw of a solenoid. Various kits are available with frog switching incorporated.

I think I prefer the Shapeways. version. I do need to explore resin printing but apparently the Elegoo Saturn 1st production run sold out in 3 minutes when released on 6th June! Need to wait until they have debugged it anyway. Later in the year I think - after I have paid for the Bemo Maloja.

Disconnect all bar one of the LS150's, test it and see if the problem persists. If it does, disconnect that and try another. If one works, reattach each in turn and test until it fails. By a process of elimination you might find the problem. I am not sure if the LS150's operate the same as the ESU SwitchPilot which I am more familiar with but you could try disconnecting the gaugemaster power supply completely and looping the track power to bot h inputs of the LS150 so it was drawing from the Zephyr as a test to prove if the LS150 was working. Diagram below for clarity -

Decoder arrived -

I know you said you checked there was power going to the LS150's but have you checked the voltage? Wonder if the power supply is playing up / bad connection that is not giving enough output for them to work. All failing at the same time is unlikely and the zephyr is likely to either work or not work which is why I wonder about the power supply to them. Are they the only devices being powered from that unit?

Well worth it and available on DVD as is The Colour of Magic - nice shots of the town in there. I have a parked project based on "Twoshirts" = small passing station down the line on the AM&SPHR. In On16.5, using it as an experimental base for 3d printing in wood filament. Resin loco and printed train, dwarf coach unfinished, 1st class, Überwald League of Temperance open carriage (bring your own casket), cabbage tanker, luggage wagon and goods van in front of the "Jolly Macerator" public house. Hope to get back to that soon.

Yep - if its the right size. https://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/discover-wunderland/worlds/austria/st-wendelberg/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATLAS-EDITIONS-1-87-CLASSIC-1919-CE-6-8-II-NR-14253-SWISS-STATIC-LOCO-LOCOMOTIVE/274311299046?hash=item3fde3a3fe6:g:vSwAAOSwUyZecqfJ he seems to have a few others.... mixed prices.

Its all bit contradictory - advert says - • Models made of metal - customer review says - They are very attractive, but they are diecast plastic, not metal - Take your pick! If metal, they will short the track but a little insulating tape on the bottom edge of the wheels would probably solve that.