Sir TophamHatt

Also take a look at these threads: I'm testing this out right at the moment. Currently only one way (train goes from A to B then reverses) as once I have that down to a T then I can add the second BM1 module for the other side. There's two here too: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135174-problem-using-lenz-bm1s-to-work-a-bidirectional-branch-now-working/ https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/131595-abc-braking/

I got a set of different sorts for less than £5 (maybe 100 pieces?). I use them to connect to suitcase connectors, which attach to my bus wires. Reliability is fine for that use, in my experience. I believe many people use the same method to connect track to their bus wires.

Define "great value". £45 for a coach isn't what I'd call great.

Here's some more quick questions: How does the loco know where to stop? My braking section could be 30cm long, or it could be 2m. Not sure how the loco knows where in the braking section to stop. Is there a way to alter the slow crawl to a defined point? I'd prefer it if the loco just glides to a halt, then reverses. I guess this is the constant braking speed? Also, does the loco travel at the speed I select on the controller both forwards and back again? Thanks

Hmm. So I've set it up again. This time the loco seems to ignore the BM1 and carries on through the brake zone. I've enabled ABC in the Lenz tab of Decoder Pro. Here's my settings: Constant Braking Diatance: Disabled ABC: Enabled ABC Direction Dependanxy: Enabled PushPull without stop: Disabled PushPull with Stop: Enabled Stop on DC: Disabled Braking distance constant mode: 10 Slow Approach speed with ABC: 8 Push Pull stop time: 4 Do I need to change anything else? EDIT: Okay, so I was powering the insulated "right" rail. Taking that off now causes the loco to stop! Woo! I enabled the 'constant breaking distance' setting. Running at speed 12 or so, it seems to enter the braking section, slow down very quick, then crawl for another 7/8cm before actually stopping. It also doesn't reverse after 4 seconds, which I expected it to unless the speed is set at 28. If the speed is set at 28 then it gets to the middle of the braking section and does a bit of an emergency stop, then reverses. Even more strange is the polarity seems to change. If the loco has done it's stop and reverse then when I want to go forward again, I have to set the controller to reverse.

Hmm. I bought the WWS grass (6mm) but it stil came out flat. If I go close to the board, I can see some bits trying to stand up on end but it doesn't look like anything above. Maybe I'm tapping it wrong :s

Love this sort of customisation! Great job!

Like these: I get that I can solder some wire to the flat ones, but is it just a case that I put some wire in the fat one, put the spade in and crush them together to hold? I only really use them to extend droppers, which I get reduces reliability but I feel like throwing half a dozen that won't go with the current layout is just a waste of money. I'm starting to favour choc blocks over these as they're much more flexible for future use anyhow.

And I guess there will be further connections to my bus wires on the side of the break which isn't the break zone?

Nearly half my locos don't have any functions - only forward and back. I bulk bought a load of 8-pin decoders to hardwire them in (none had sockets). Zimo or Lenz Silver + v2 - both around £20 each. When I first started, I couldn't see anything telling me 8-pin wasn't the best for what I needed. You can get 6-pin decoders but they're more complicated to fit (I cut the plug off most my decoders to hard wire them in). With some of the locos, I wish I had fitted a socket. Although saying that, I doubt I'll ever be taking them out. Now I give a bit more consideration whether I need/want a socket or not. A Bachmann Thomas for example will never do anything more than forward or back. My Bachmann Voyager however, I may wish to fit sound in the future, so I fitted sockets. At 99p from ebay, I consider the sockets to be a very good price.

So I have a route that I want a train to run on, then come back. I have two BM1 modules which I believe will help me do this. I wired them up as per the diagram in the manual but when I came to add power, it just buzzed. Then my PA2 said "overload" so I turned it off. Has anyone fitted these for automated running? Happy to go slow and just get the train to stop before looking at returning it to the other end. I'll try and upload a photo of what I did for testing. Thanks

Is that safe with a Legomanbiffo sound project on board?

Just got some from TMC myself. Cheapest I found in my limited 10 minute research.

Yeah, just the motor loco and one chip. The address is set to 125, which is the same as when I bought it (not from a shop though). This INTERCITY loco (with the problem) will read back using my Prodigy Advance 2... just to throw another mystery into the mix. I'm sure I was able to read back anyway. I'll do some testing later. My other HST (MML livery) is set to 1252 and reads fine. However this doesn't have sound.

I have about 20 locos/units. Most new ones I buy aren't really run in that well, although I don't have that much of a layout to run them in with. The only two I specifically ran in on DC were the Hattons 58XX (because of so many "dodgy" ones) and the Voyager (as it had been boxed for the previous 10 years untouched from new!). All others will be run in on DCC... at my own risk as some would say. However reading through the first few posts of advice that DC was better, there were no reasons given as to why. My car manufacturer recommends BP petrol - I don't use BP petrol. My dishwasher recommends Finish, but I don't use those tablets! But until we have any quantifiable evidence DCC will make a loco/unit last for a shorter amount of time, specifically because it was run in using DCC, we'll never really know. Some will think DC is a must, others won't care if it's DC or DCC, and others still won't bother running a unit in at all!

It's not really about how long in time for me though. If I have the space and components to make a stay alive that just so happens to run for 10-20 seconds, that's great. I'd certainly be aiming for something more than the tiny 470 capacity you get with many stay alives (like Zimo!). No. Stay alives aren't the answer for dirty track. But if they provide a fairly decent solution then that's the aim surely? I have three locos that simply don't run very well at low speed. Two have older motors that I can't replace. The other has a nice new CD motor but I think the wheels and pickups aren't that great, so the stay alive doesn't have that much of an effect at the moment. But too busy to do some real testing. They're all long term projects anyway.

Not a massive problem, but one I would prefer to solve if I can. I have a Hornby HST (new shape Swallow) with Legomannbiffo sounds on board. It works on the layout fine but when coming to read it through the SPROG, it reports there's no loco detectable. The SPROG reads everything else fine, including a Class 68 with Legomanbiffo sounds, which makes me think it's just this loco. I'd rather not open it as the speaker I've used is squeezed in the back. I thought originally perhaps I'd snapped a wire off the decoder but when I tested it on the track again, it's fine. The only thing I can think of is whether the chips are linked somehow (bearing in mind they are with the sound as one power car starts after the other by design)? I only put the motor car on the SPROG track as it's only the motor information I'd like to store really. Any pointers I can look into? FYI: Tried cleaning the track, and tested other locos which are all fine.

Thanks. I probably won't need to program them individually but just wondered what to do as I guess each decoder would give slightly different settings (IE, reversed at one end). I'll pop them on by themselves Thanks!

This is how I wire an insul frog. All but the blades are wired. I do admit some very short wheel based locos sometimes get stuck but it's pretty rare, and is more a sign of dirty wheels. Best to make sure the joins on the left and right hand side of the blades are very good as they should be able to help flow electricity through the blade. But this is all because I'm a little cheap and didn't want to fork out for electro frogs when I have a bunch of these. Maybe I'll switch on the next layout.

Okay, so I'm getting into it a lot more now. Contrary to the thread title, I have another question. What do I do with linked locos? For example I have a couple of HSTs (one with sound, one without) and the S Stock. Both have decoders in the end locos/driving cars. Do I put these on the track individually (if so, is there a way to link them in the Roster?). Cheers

Some people prefer electro frogs. I use insul points. However, I do wire up the three pieces of track so only the moving arm isn't powered by it's own dropper. I'll take a photo later and add it in. Not sure on the technical side of it but obviously I think many use electro frog because it looks more realistic. There's nothing stopping you colouring in the black insulated bit silver though...

Can you give an example of being "a lot" more expensive? I see people write this but can't understand the definition of "a lot".

Ha ha, sorry I should have explained. It sort of does but with a widescreen monitor, there's very long lines of text. Having a smaller square one means there's less long lines, but a more pleasing paragraph.

Thanks. Reading the online manual is somewhat easier at work with a square monitor rather than my home widescreen one! I did an export of something last night but it seemed to be just a list of numbers (I have Excel but used a program called EditPlus3 to open it). I wonder if this was the export and I could then see the CV number and it's value. Then again, perhaps this is just a change from using Excel to manually record CV loco names, CV values and such to using Decoder Pro as the dedicated program to check what locos have what CVs and such. It's just a shame the main Roster screen can't show me a few more values rather than the pre-selected 11, most of which I don't need to see. Will keep experimenting though - it looks like a great program.

This is why I opted for the Gaugemaster rather than the NCE. There was also some murmering about using the power booster with the NCE in the UK invalidates warranty, but I may have read it wrong. Also worth noting from the above few posts: > Prodigy Express (cheaper version). > Prodigy Advance 2 (full version). I have the PA2 and don't have any problems reading back values of CVs. I also do this fairly frequently, although will probably do it less now I've invested in a SPROG.