Brassman_58

Is anyone in the group able to post a photo of the underside of a completed Ian Kirk Mink C wagon kit, please? I purchased it decades ago but the instructions are text only and basic, apparently assuming technical knowledge of wagon braking systems which I don't possess. I've scoured the internet and "A History of GWR Goods Wagons" by Atkins,Beard et al for a clear photo or drawing which shows the brake system arrangement clearly but sadly without success. There are sprues with lots of parts which are obviously generic for several different kits and some are not for this kit. I would be extremely grateful for any help/clarification on what goes where.

Are you running DC or DCC??

 

If the former, wouldn't they only illuminate if the controller was turned up, so if the controller was turned down to 0, you wouldn't have any illumination of the switches at all??

DC so that is a very good point, well made. I should have seen that eventuality. Thanks,

A 240 V illuminated switch of this type is going to have resistors to operate the illumination on 240 volts and hence its not going to light on 12 volts.

I sort of understand what you hope to achieve but it won't be easy with DC as the voltage applied will vary over the range of 0-18volts and anything that lights on 1.5 volts will go pop at well below 12 v......

Thanks for this expert insight, David. It's great that there are people out there like yourself to help out us numpty's!

OK, here is the diagram for these type of switches. As it has been suggested, the LED does have a suitable resister built in, and so WILL NOT light on 12 Volts.

 

https://www.jaycar.com.au/medias/sys_master/images/8954900283422/SK0983-dataSheetMain.pdf

 

 

 

There are switches available that will do the job the OP requires (use a separate power source for the LED's, rather than directly off the track), but they tend to be rather more expensive.

 

Typically - an Australian version.

 

https://www.jaycar.com.au/30a-12vdc-red-led-illuminated-rocker-switch/p/SK0955

Thanks for your helpful suggestions Kevin.

I think this is the actual data sheet for your make of switch, according to the circuit diagram I am afraid it is not going to do what you want. I was hoping one side of the switch acted as SPST switch the other side simply switched the LED enabling you to provide a seperate supply to the LED with appropriate current limiting resistor.

 

http://www.honyone.com/uploadfile/MR-6.pdf

 

You can still use it as as two linked SPST switches one to switch the track on and the other to switch a remote LED on a mimic panel but the rocker itself will not illuminate.

 

Richard

Thanks Richard

That's very helpful.

Wouldn't it just be easier to use DPST toggle switch, one half doing track switching and the other half controlling a bulb/ led or such?

 

Mike

Hi Mike

That's what I did on the mimic controller. I thought, obviously erroneously, that this would be a simpler arrangement. Duh!

Thanks to all those who have been so helpful with their replies. Even with 12vDC if you don't really understand layout electrics beyond the basics it is easy to tie yourself in knots, but, thanks to all your expert contributions I now know what I have to do.

This thread can now be declared closed.

Brian

Ok, from the replies I obviously haven't been very clear in my explaination.

1. WHAT: see attached photo of 12A/125V 10A/250V DPST 4-pin 2 position Green LED light mini rocker switch on/off

2. WHY: "Off-scene" fiddle yard consists of 5 parallel road (3 cassette slots and 2 fixed tracks) sliding sector plate. Alignment by peg through sector plate into baseboard frame. Electrical feed from 12V DC supply to fixed tracks by dropper wire. Electrical feed to cassettes by brass plates on bottom of cassette sitting on sprung brass plate with dropper wire on baseboard. Fiddle yard operated independently of scenic section operation - fiddle yard operator indicates that train is ready and for which line using one of three on/off switches which illuminate the relevant indicator LED on the mimic control panel of the layout operator.

I hope this is a bit clearer.

Hi all

First of all, electricals are definitely not my forte! I am after a clear, simple indication showing which of my 5 fiddle yard roads are switched on or off to receive power from the controller. Please can someone knowledgeable on electrics supply me with a simple diagram on how to wire up a 4-pin illuminated dpst rocker-switch so that it lights up when switched to the on position and power is being fed to the road it controls. I could work it out by trial and error but expert advice would be much safer I think.

I already have the rocker switches and I wanted to avoid the more complex wiring of a separate switch and LED arrangement which I already have on my mimic control panel.

Many thanks

Brian

With such a wide choice of servos and slow motion motors available, I'm surprised that Solenoids are still lingering on, never mind a new one being introduced.

Unfortunately for folks like me, the mention of servos, circuit boards and other similar terms, causes me to glaze over or come out in a cold sweat!

If fitting to 4mm stock you should seriously consider using 3mm couplings..these are marketed as 3mm or 4mm Finescale.

 

They are much less obtrusive than the humungous 4mm ones which probably put many off..also don't fit wire across the buffers..it looks very poor.

 

Use they brass plates and make up couplings with a hook on one side only and as said a pack of couplings goes a long way doing this.

 

Also apart from easier uncoupling ..one bar &  one hook..they propel superbly.

 

We can propel ridiculously long trains over crossovers with no problem and much more reliable than the old tension locks.

 

Secret is to have the bars and hooks at correct height but this is easily achievable by making a simple height jig.

 

I also made a simple jig to solder up the components and can knock up a coupling in minutes.

 

I have demonstrated a few times at the Glasgow show and always been surprised at the interest it generates.

 

They are decent and reliable couplings and much less obtrusive than tension locks..if you use the 3mm ones...and with the chain hanging down look

 

very pleasing on wagons.

 

Also the 3mm couplings negotiate tight turnouts in the yards without problem I might add..although so called 'experts' might say otherwise..'experts'

 

that probably have no experience of using them no doubt! 

 

If you have any questions even daft ones just come back and ask.

 

 

Demo table at show with the 3mm scale couplings.

 

IMG_1585.jpeg

 

Brass loops made up on a bending jig ready to solder. Jig is a must have accessory and will save loads of time and ensure consistency.

 

IMG00534-20120524-2350.jpeg

 

Home made jig to allow easy soldering of loops onto brass plate.

 

IMG00537-20120526-0058.jpeg

 

Finished couplings with Carrs blackening. Note the solder weight on rear of flap. 

 

IMG00595-20120605-1234.jpeg

 

Comparison of 3mm S&W with Bachmann tension locks.

 

IMG00541-20120526-1533.jpeg

 

Hope this has been of some help.

 

Dave.

Apologies for only just replying to your post. I've been busy, ill and away on holiday so this is my first look at the forum since before your post which was extremely informative and helpful. Thank you.

I was particularly interested in your jig. I made one of my own for bending the loops but I like the way yours can also be used for soldering.

As it happens I am using the finer scale couplings but it's good to have my choice confirmed.

Many thanks again.

Brian

Using the couplings single ended makes operating them a lot easier without two hooks chancing to meet. It also saves a bit of money if you have a lot of stock....put the hook on the end away from the buffers in sidings/yard - this will mean that nearly all the time any loco needs only a bar to work traffic (kick back sidings are a different matter ) I only ever fit bars to locos, and have one or two "barrier" wagons with double ended hooks  to place at heads of trains that need to be hauled bar first. Another unobtrusive , but fiddly, option is to fit a pivoted right angled hook to a loco bar that can be placed over the bar of a leading vehicle of a train.

 

HTH

Thanks for these comments Ben. Very helpful.

I just fitted either a wire loop to the buffer beam, or a straight wire between the buffers, on the ones I did many years ago. You shouldn't need a hook on the loco, unless you want to double head.

Thanks  BG John.

The main problem I can see with your suggestion is that I am only fitting a hook on one end of the other rolling stock with a loop on the other. This seems to be working well so far and is a method recommended by quite a few people.

As both my layouts are end-to-end I only need to ensure that all the hooks are facing the same way. Coaches will be in fixed rakes using Keen close couplings except at each end of the train.

Another question from a forum 'newby'

I am converting all my engines and rolling stock - a mixture of RTR and kit built wagons and coaches and RTR locos - to Sprat & Winkle couplings. Fitting to wagons and coaches has presented no problems so far but fitting to RTR locos is proving more of a challenge. Having made one unsatisfactory conversion I wondered if anybody could suggest a good method (with illustrations if possible). All steam locos, they are mostly from Bachmann or Hornby, mostly tank locos with three small tender locos.

To date I have found a number of forum posts on fitting to wagons and coach stock but nothing but passing reference to loco fitting. With a surprisingly large number of posts about S&Ws I don't claim to have been through every one so I may have missed relevant postings.

All help very gratefully received.