halsey

7 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

This is a good reason to buy from actual model shops - Hereford Model Centre is only 13 miles from you and I recall seeing a test track in there when I've visited.

FYI - to avoid confusion I always buy on line but from actual (retail premises based) model shops (unless an eBay "risky" buy) all well rated on RMW.

On 10/04/2022 at 15:09, woodenhead said:

At least now the newer manufacturers are considering the mortals when it comes to things like speakers and chipping, little lift out panels to avoid having to take the model apart just to put in your chip of choice

.............................as with the Bachmann Double Fairlie which was my last fail and the catalyst for the original post.............

1 hour ago, Chimer said:

I just had a scamper through and as Andy Y promised, the older pictures seem to be coming back here and there - if there's anything pictorial I posted recently that you'd like to see again, I can probably find the originals.

 

So .... end to end 00 in that space without duckunders.  That'll be fun .... one day 🙂

One day.............but not anytime soon!

No pictures need replacing I can think of - its a shame esp as just before the debacle Andy and I were talking about my "attachments" and how I could save them.

Some of my stuff which didn't show first off is coming back slowly so I guess we will have to be patient

Time to move on....summer is fast approaching and I have two new R/C Yachts built by yours truly to play with (one of which is pictured) and (having part ex'd last years smaller "trial" model) a new slightly bigger RIB (4m) with a slightly bigger outboard (15HP) to move it through the water and rescue said yachts when the River Severn gets the better of them.

All good here - and hopefully its the same at your end.

A long overdue question..............you are undoubtedly a great contributor to members layouts but what is the timescale (if any) for your own layout adventures or are you happy living vicariously 😀

Keep smiling

J

What an excellent reply .................I agree with every word incl the fact that I cant afford it either but I thought it would be "worth a go" on a couple of occasions.

The appeal of the Double Fairlie was the better pick up wheelbase but it was never working well enough to be tested - IMHO the quality control is just not there anymore - refund expected as I don't want another one for the reasons outlined in your penultimate para and it was £280!

J

Interesting to chart my limited loco ownership "history" over the last 6 years.

I bought my first tank loco (and I've still got it) the stable then slowly grew to 11 and has been thinned down and now stands at 6 excellent runners, which will do for now, only one of those is/was bought BNIB and had DCC fitted by the retailer.

J

Fitted by "them" in all cases as that is in part why I do it that way!

14 minutes ago, BroadLeaves said:

Maybe it's because opening the box, removing the loco, putting it back and closing the box again without leaving any sign of having done so is very difficult and it invites returns on the basis of "not new - clearly already opened previously."

It's the same with any electrical appliance (which is one way to look at a model locomotive). I don't think ao.com put a couple of slices of bread in a toaster or plumb in a washing machine and run a test cycle before they ship them to you.

Most online retailers, including model railway ones, are really just "box shifters". They buy in bulk from the manufacturer and ship out individually to customers.

Hmmmmmmmm

As SWMBO often says there are always 2 sides to any problem - its a fair point - I truly hadn't thought of it that way as my perspective is if you are fitting DCC for a customer (and sometimes weathering) then surely you can test as well - its why I have always bought DCC fitted rather than doing it myself.

Cheers

J

Hi there - here are my 009 "experiment" conclusions (as apply to me!) - not intended to offend 009 fans in any way.

It was well worth the experiment and has provided a lot of fun BUT its not for me - the element I have developed on Hawkesbury will stay as I do like it BUT as a scale it isn't for me and it won't be developed further - I find the general "handling" of rolling stock extremely fiddly - the running qualities even across brand new turnouts with brand new locos (even when they run properly!) are IMHO poor and jerky - as my 009 element isn't a loop, track cleaning is a pain so the trade off to enable me to eliminate my bridge simply isn't worth it - one day I will have to build an "end to end" OO when I can no longer get under or acceptably use the bridge lift out and for now that is simply another project to look forward to.

I think its a great scale if you enjoy scenic modelling as you are effectively still modelling in OO but IMHO its not as appealing if operating trains is your thing esp if shunting wagons turns you on.

More debate coming I hope as this was in part undertaken to help others with scale decisions - its a shame all the pictures of the project have been lost but such is life.

Cheers

J 

Hi Guys,

I can't believe its happened again - yet another RTR loco arrives and doesn't run properly - if at all.

This is the 4th in a row over the past 4 months - all Bachmann some 009 some OO - different suppliers - all DCC fitted as part of purchase transaction.

Why don't the retailers test before they send out.

This last one a 009 Double Fairlie literally wouldn't run when first offered to the track - the motor was running but clearly not engaging - with encouragement it did "cough" into action but as soon as I changed direction it failed to engage once again - at £280'ish it is already on its way back - no problem with the retailer but why don't they test in both directions on a loop before sending???

I'm not buying new RTR again for a while - the summer is on its way so I will wait until next winters modelling time - very disappointing as I waited 3 weeks for it, only to be let down - perhaps its due to poorer "post" COVID production quality controls.

Do others have the same issues??

Good to be back - well done again to Andy and team.

J 

WELL DONE to all concerned, photo loss is a great shame (keenly felt by me as much as anyone) but its not the end of the world - a (personal viewpoint) reality check....................

For those of you who feel this is major trauma just wait a few weeks until Russia starts cyberwars erases everything we hold dear and stops all normal internet engagement with banking, shopping, fuel etc then we will all have something that really matters to moan about.

Perspective is important here........Andy and team don't beat yourselves up - its a wake up call to all of us (incl me!) that RMW isn't a form of photo storage - I have lost the 12 month period completely as I relied on RMW too much BUT I would have been far less happy if I had lost the older stuff I can still just about remember what happened a year ago 😂.

J

Hi,

Finally - I have improved the squeak!! - after a lot of "googling" I came across an old post from USA saying its very rare but "wiper" pick ups can sometimes squeak and to sparingly apply conductive grease to the inside (pick up face) of the wheels - it has improved it a lot and it probably needs to run it in now but I thought I'd pass on the tip

Nevertheless I have decided to return it to DC and put it on flea bay when I have found a replacement - its a superb runner but any and all squeaks drive me mad (ask SWMBO) even faint ones, I guess there must be a touch of OCD in me!

If any of you have the skills to replace the wiper pick ups (which I don't) it would be a very nice loco to add to your stable - PM if interested it does run very well.

Cheers all.

J

1 minute ago, Dagworth said:

Don't let WD-40 anywhere near any part of a model railway

I guessed - and I haven't ever!

I've still got the bl**dy squeak!!

Everything else is back to normal - but the squeak is still there, it seems to be echoing in the body but it is still there when the body is off.

It is rhythmic but doesn't vary much with speed changes.

I've tried careful oiling with the right oil but to no avail - can I spray WD40 on the wheel mechanisms rods/pistons etc (I'm sure these must have generic title but apologies I don't know it).

Or is a general application of WD40 a no no - I'm guessing it is but what else can I try.

Its a loco I use a lot and its really annoying.

I have a video with sound which shows the problem - PM with your email and I can send it if you are up for a bit of diagnostics!!!

46 minutes ago, smokebox said:

Pin 1 (orange wire) should be indicated by a mark of some sort, such as the number 1 or a small triangle on the socket pcb.

If not, it doesn't matter which way round you fit the decoder - no damage will be done if it's the wrong way round but any lights that are fitted won't work.

All good thanks - there was a triangle 95% hidden by a coil - all running well now.

Thanks all

J

HELP needed again - how do I know which way round to fit the new decoder 8 pins fully symmetrical - I cant see any clue/guide?

J

21 minutes ago, Nigelcliffe said:

 

The types of failure discussed are unlikely on a loco which comes with a DCC socket fitted.  If you saw the loco previously running on DCC, then the loco was wired correctly at the factory (wiring fault leading to decoder failure would be instant).   
 

 

The next most likely failure for an 8-pin socket is the pins of the decoder going through the socket and touching the chassis.  Look as to whether this was possible, and if remotely likely, try to either raise the DCC socket slightly (small plastic washer to lift the PCB?), or put some insulating tape below the socket on the chassis.  

 

(If you haven't seen the loco running on DCC, then we need to go back a step and check the loco wiring, which is a different problem.  A loco can run correctly on DC with a blanking plug and, if wired wrongly, destroy DCC decoders. Such wiring mistakes at the factory are rare, but do happen.). 

It was all OK before this "incident".

I will look below the PCB as you suggest

Thanks

J

42 minutes ago, NFWEM57 said:

Agree. Almost every deoder failure I have had when converting vintage items to DCC is because of an inadvertent track to motor connection.  I recently converted an original ringfield motor loco and had isolated the motor brushes from the motor body, which is live to track (-), or so I thought.  Turns out the motor shaft was also live and still connecting the (-) track to one of the brushes.  DC operation was fine but a Rails DCC decoder burnt out immediately. Interesting, a LaisDCC decoder I subsequently tried before I discovered the fault simply shut down and remains fully functional.  So, it depends on the decoder.  But I am not sure how  a track short cause a decoder failure, there might be something else in the loco causing a short from motor to track, even a slither of wire can do that.  Might be a good idea, with the decoder removed, to check for conductivity between the wheels and the motor - it should be an open circuit.  And do a close visual inspection around the circuit boards and pickups.

Your suggestion is slightly beyond my capabilities but I can try the basics I have a multimeter and do know how to use its basic functions to check connectivity I assume an open circuit is one that isn't connected??

Is the fact that it seems perfectly OK on DC relevant to your concerns/questions?

13 minutes ago, Geep7 said:

Ok, looking at the state of that ex-decoder I would guess the most likely cause is when the loco derailed and caused the short, it momentarily exceeded the maximum amp rating of the decoder, which is what allowed the dreaded smoke to escape. If it is the Bachmann EZ decoder you suggest, then the peak rating for that is 0.75 amps. You don't say which DCC system you use, but even the basic systems will deliver more than that if a short occurs.

 

I know they are a bit more expensive, but I tend to always fit my locos with decoders that have at least a maximum amp rating of 1 amp, after I had an issue with a low rated decoder in a Heljan Class 47.

Thanks - with no knowledge at all to go on that was what I thought - my control system is the Prodigy Advance 2.

I have tested the loco on DC and its still fine - it was a very well priced DCC fitted eBay loco bought app 4 months ago.

Zimo (MX 600R) decoder (peak rating 1.5 amps) now on order which is fitted on the rest of my stock.

Note to self - don't put any locos onto tracks without turning the power off first!

J

HELP - Bachmann Fairburn Tank DCC issue

Please bear in mind I'm not a techy.

NOTE It was involved VERY briefly in a derailment short

A previously OK loco smoked then stopped then, after taking off the track and taking the body off, and it did run again but failed to respond to controls.

Do I assume the decoder (don't know 100% what it is but likely Bachmann EZ 36-553) is faulty or might it be something else which will fry a new decoder - swapping a decoder I can do but not much else or should I send it all away??

Would normally use Zimo do you agree

All contributions welcome.............

Cheers

J 

Hi,

I'm just "bumping" this topic as I cant believe there isn't more experience out there that others might benefit from.

Thanks

J

I've just taken delivery of a gaugemaster/piko track cleaning wagon and I can't believe the result from one circuit of my loop - on what I thought was pretty clean track!

Hi,

I have quite a selection of OO related cleaning wagons and they all do a different job on OO and together do a good job..... not sure about some of the related (Dapol) cleaning fluids though.......... 

BUT 

my question is what works on 009/N - are the loco engines powerful enough to pull this type of wagon and which products out there really work

poor dexterity around buildings and landscapes mean I cant do the task effectively by hand

Thanks ..........

Getting there I think - nicely busy - lots of chimneys need making and fitting now - not a job I enjoy so why did I save it up leaving app 100 to do in one go! 

Edit - phew new photos - chimneys all done - its surprising the difference it makes.

The scene continues to grow.................

Praise once more for Metcalfe - the shop fronts are a very rewarding kit and I think the terrace looks just right.

Have I said I bought an airbrush and accessories over Christmas so weathering is going to be a big part of 2022!

Cheers

13 minutes ago, Chimer said:

The ends of half relief buildings against backscenes are hard to disguise - but perhaps you don't need to .....

 

 

Courtesy of the prototype for everything department .....

 

 

Ha, that photo gives us all "permission" to do anything!

Very good and well found.

On the layout trees can cover/disguise a multitude of issues

J