Daveloco1

HI Dougal Thanks for the information. I'll have to get one of them out of storage and have a quick measure! They are both the 02 Starter kits, one I put together, the other was bought from a well known auction site, with a very poor paint job, the loco not the auction site. This one's have it's paint removed and is now in the process of rebuilding/painting. Thanks again Dave

Hi Been following your interesting thread for awhile now. Must start my own but progress is slow. Question, in your 02 shunter whose sound decoder, speaker, 'stay alive' and lighting items did you use and from who and more importantly how difficult was it to install? I've two I would like to convert to DCC but having never done one before am a little hesitant to dive in. Cheers Dave

HI Guys Thank you very much for your input. The scan of the drawing was particularly helpful, I've look all over the internet for that sort of detail, obviously not the right place! On consideration about the comment re: replacement is probably correct. The layout I am building is to represent a ex L & Y Railway branch, in early 1960's has it crosses a high canal bridge with mill buildings for company and enters a small passing station on a very restricted site with two small yards one belonging to the mainline railway, the other a works yard that has a link off 'stage' (selector board) to the main industrial works. I will only be modelling half of the station has the station buildings themselves will be sited on the road over bridge with (anyone know of a good example) only a portion of the platform and canopies will be visible. I'll start a proper modelling thread soon. But I would like in the future to be able to 'back date' the whole scene to L & Y days by changing locomotives and stock. It's the track that causes the problem, buffer stops can be L & Y to set the scene but what about the track, 4 hole chairs (L & Y) or change the main through lines to 3 hole chairs (LMS). I am tempted to lay the whole thing in 4 hole chairs because for one thing you will be hard press to notice it once weathered and secondly RULE 1 maybe applied. Cheers Dave

Hi Guys Wondered if you can help? Someone out there must know an answer to this simple question. On the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway system (West Yorkshire Area) which cast iron chairs would be used in standard track laying, three hole or another version? I only asked so I can order the right ones for track laying on my early BR diesel layout (1960s) O Gauge layout based in West Yorkshire, which has retained it's L & Y infrastructure. This also means I can 'back' date the layout to run it as a L & Y layout. Thanks Dave

HI Phil Glad you got hold of a copy of the instructions, that was the one thing missing from the kit. Would be interested to see it completed. Regards Dave

Hi Guys For future reference replacement springs available direct from Peco. I know after the carpet monster has had a few of mine while trying to fit micro-switches! Dave

Hi Art I've three Dapol 08's. Two were from Tower Models already sound chipped with round speakers (in the position provided), they I thought were brilliant until I purchased my third from that well known auction site and ordered from Digitrains their Zimo ZS08AD Variant 2 with Paul's sound file with braking on F2, absolutely superb (in my humble opinion of course). It also came with a Zimo LS50 x 15 x 14 Optimised '3D' speaker (fitted behind radiator grille) and Zimo 'stay alive' unit. Can not wait to convert my other two 08's to this system. Although I may leave one as they sound quite different. The decoder is a straight forward 'plug in' but I did have a bit of a 'chew on' working out where to solder in the speaker and 'stay alive' but it was the first one I had done. Just read the instructions carefully! Well worth the effort. Dave

Hi Dave Thanks for the conversion. Must start my own topic/thread thingy! Hi TIA sorry for the hi-jack, from my experience draw out what you think, walk away for a couple of hours/days then think it through again repeat process for at least two weeks. This plan is I think about version 12 based on a similar theme, basic end to end, with half the station off scene and a industrial line link. O gauge for me offers so much more than the smaller scales, one is sheer 'presence'. Good luck with your designing. I'll follow this to see how it develops. Dave

Hi Sorry that's not what I intended to happen I had hoped it would put drawing so you didn't have to down load it. I'll speak to Alan tomorrow and ask him the way to do it. I am new to this posting lark! has you have probably quessed. Dave

Hi All Time to up my hand and be countered. I am Alan's friend of said O Gauge layout design mentioned above. So far I have kept the planning of this layout to myself, except for some input from Alan. I'll try and attach plan. If anyone is interested I start my own thread re the layout and try and explain the theory behind the plan/area/era(s) and take the risk of being ridiculed! Dave Layout-No Frame shown.pdf

Alan You finished gardening then? or having a break, playing operating trains. Good man. Take it you got fed up of waiting for nameplates then! Mind you it looks superb nameplates or not. Dave

Paul All working has it should now thanks for your help. Dave

Hi Alan Inter-rail again !! Only one point to raise mate, don't try to fit a taxi ride in the trip especially from some small out of the way station with no taxi rank! Don't think your missus would really appreciate that, I know I didn't at the time. Funny now though. Enjoy your second European trip mate. We will probably try and do the Glacier and Bernina Expresses early next year but base at Chur. May need some help with rail planning though! Cheers Dave

Paul Quick up-date. Bit the bullet and removed the light blue wire from it's position and soldered it (carefully) to where the end blue wire from the chip is soldered to the plug to the pc board. Power on nothing went up in smoke! Then just to be sure factory re-set CV 8 to 8. Re-set all CVs as above for moving functions and re-set smoke CVs. Result NOTHING. Late at night abandoned for 'think time' This morning same, then 'light bulb' moment I had not re-set CV 1 to the same as on my ECoS. Did that, all now works. (It's always the simple things that catch you out.) Now all I have to do is check I can adjust smoke volume at stand with CV 137. There should be no reason now why it will not work is there? Dave

Hi Nigel The unit smokes, the problem/discussion is why I cannot alter the amount of smoke produced when at stand or moving. It just smokes a lot all the time, Paul has suggested by altering CV 137 where I can affect the smoke volume when the locos not moving. Paul I think my description confused you, sorry. One wire from the smoke unit (green obviously and an extension to the smoke unit wiring) is connected to the brown wire on the decoder wiring that's OK. The other wire (light blue again obviously an extension) is connected to the pc board on top of the motor on the same side of the pc board as the grey and black connections but in a position adjacent to the black wire. I am going to have another look at the set up today and check I have not missed or mistaken something. Thanks Dave

Paul I've checked CV 128 that's ok set at 72 as default. Carefully removed body trying not to lose small screws also ok fortunately there is a four plug connecting block between body and chassis. Nothing is connect to the blue wire adjacent to it's grey partner from the 'stay alive end of the decoder, so it must be a wiring issue on the main pc board. From the smoke unit runs two wires a green and a light blue. The green wire is connected to the brown wire on the decoder bungle of wires (loom?). The light blue wire is soldered to the pc board on the next terminal to where the decoder black wire is soldered (away from the decoder grey wire) Is this the problem? Either of the two wires ffrom the smoke unit are connected directly to the blue common +ve wire. If this is a bit confusing let me know and I'll try and photograph it. Regards Dave

Alan Glad to see you back posting mate. Coming along nicely. Not seen any our 'trip' inspired scenery yet! or that for next week! Dave

Paul I'll check CV 128 tonight. If that's ok I'll lift body and have a peek inside, then report back. Mental note: In future learn to install your own 'extras', cheaper and probably quicker! Thanks for your help so far. Dave

Paul That is what happens when you are rushing putting together a reply ( and that Sherlock Holmes guy is no help at all ) or it's age related. Is it the type of smoke unit that will not let me amend the cv's? Dave

Paul Thanks for reply. I have turned CV137 down from 150 to 50 but it does not seem to have had any effect. I assume my installer has fitted smoke unit as you are suggesting. Smoke unit is a sleuthe 99 not fan assisted. Dave

Nigel & Paul Thanks it's smoking!! Paul from your posting are you suggesting I can change how much 'smoke' is produced and when by altering other cv's? I've tried changing CV 137 (from 150 to 50) to produce less smoke at standstill (is that the right one?) but get the same volume of smoke. Have I got this wrong? Dave

Nigel and Paul Thanks for the replies, at least you both agree LOL. I'll try the suggested re-mapping tonight when I finish work. I was more than a little disappointed my smoke installer could not sort out the mapping issue. I have used the company a number of times before his father retired with no problems at all. I'll maybe try and do my own lights etc in future and learn a bit more about decoder functions/mapping. Many thanks guys. Dave

Hi Guys Hopefully someone out there can assist with the following: I've had directional lights and a smoke unit added to a factory fitted sound decoder model of the above locomotive, the problem comes getting the smoke unit to operate. The lights work fine as fitted by the company who fitted the lights and smoke unit. The installer moved the F15 'cylinder drains opened' sound to F21 (reserved) by re-mapping CV312 to 21, should you do this if F21 is reserved and if not why not? This was to leave F15 available for the smoke unit operation which is connected to the brown wire (F-Out 2) On my previous Minerva (Peckett) locomotive the smoke unit operates from F15 that was achieved by the installer (not me) changing CV430 to 15, the guy who installed the smoke unit for me tried this but it did not work. After a considerable time, he now says he does not know which cv to change to what to make it work, not helpful So the questions a. can I use F21 'Reserved'? b. if not should I use F23 instead 'Guards whistle' not much use on a industrial loco some may say c. and to either of above can someone please give me a idiots guide/step by step sequence of which cvs to change to what to make the smoke errr smoke? The sounds are by Paul Chetter with brakes on F2 (brilliant like all Paul's sound profiles) with what I believe is a Zimo MX645R? I use a ECoS Command Station. Many thanks in advance. Dave

Hi Alan that really does look good, just the right scale, spot on mate Dave