Kaput

Up and running with the Z21 but I can't seem to get RailCom to actually work if multiple locos are on the track at once, am I missing something? (Track is basically just a 6x4 double oval like the Hornby TrackMat layout, no separate blocks or anything fancy)

For what its worth, there is a PDF version of the instruction sheet (with function list) on Rapido's website

The model does indeed have red markers. Should work normally on DC (with blanking plug) unless you use the wand to turn them off (but they turn back on whenever power is lost and reapplied). F5 is supposed to control them on the factory sound models.

The socket on the Imperium/Lais decoders is a bit tight, compounded by the location of the socket on Caroline's PCB not having anything behind it to apply pressure to. Best option is probably remove the PCB then you should be able to get enough pressure to get the decoder onto the pins.

Any retailer that takes Paypal should be able to have Paypal pay in 3.

Now would be a great time to say one of them is an N gauge version of the APT-E so I can finally talk myself into selling off my hardly used OO version (too big for a 6x4 roundy layout sadly).

Alas I don't currently have a tablet (unless you count my old Surface Pro 3). It is on my desired list but I just spent all the money on the Z21 😀

Z21 on its way to me so started playing with the app a bit. Any better way to load all the functions for sound locos other than typing it all out on a phone? The non sound ones won't be too bad but the sound ones....oh my.

Thousands of wallets (including mine) just cried out in pain and were suddenly silenced.

The factory sound Fairlies use Zimo decoders.

Perfect, thanks.

That explains why the Lokprogrammer software has an entire section to name functions and give them icons etc but I could never figure out how you'd do the same for Zimo. So Railcom itself really just lets you read CV's on the main track?

Thinking of going for broke and upgrading to a Z21 (the full fat one), just a couple queries I haven't been able to fully confirm. 1) Can you just plug the LAN port into your normal home network and access it via that without ever touching the supplied router? 2) I know it can update firmware on Zimo decoders, can it also program sound files to them? 3) Not really Z21 specific but Railcom, with Railcom enabled the address and function mapping of locos can basically be automatically read by the Z21/App?

They may view altering the body tooling as an acceptable cost but not the chassis tooling. Anything is possible though.

Changing them to Next18 has so far only required changing the PCB and wiring. Making space for a speaker means altering the actual chassis block which is a much more expensive change tooling wise. The only Dapol N gauge models with speaker provision (note: speakers aren't fitted, theres just space for them) is the only ones that were completely new tooling and not a retool/update of anything older.

Meant to say, the Loksound 5 fits into the space but the yellow cap (tantalum?) on the top kinda stops it sitting entirely level and I'd get paranoid about the heat from it touching the PCB.

Alas I tried 2 other decoders in it (1 Loksound 5 and 1 Imperium). The Loksound had the same issue but the Imperium didn't seem to although I'm leaning towards that being simply because the motor control on the Imperium is pretty rubbish. Oddly enough after getting a reply to my support email at half past midnight on Saturday night/Sunday morning (Do you let these guys sleep @Accurascale Fran?) asking for a video to demonstrate the issue things have went a bit silent. Will give them another day at least before chasing since I imagine its a bit hectic for them atm.

Doesn't seem to work on a Loksound 5 using these mappings: Dimmer brightness set to 0, also tried 1 just in case it needed something to trigger but with F6 active no lights come on even though the function output would be active. Got a feeling same will happen with Zimo. Bah. In other news, I think mine will need to go back. Noticed when I opened it one end of the body wasn't fully clipped into the chassis but hoped it had just worked its way loose in transit and I could reseat it when putting the decoder in. Alas for the life of me it won't clip in unless the interior is removed. It looks like there is a very tiny curve in cab front which makes it not as flat as the other end and I think that is moving the cab interior out of place just enough to stop the body clips engaging. Some pictures for reference below (apologies for the size), will be popping an email to Revolution shortly. Would be lovely if they could just send a replacement body but I imagine I'll have to make the post office trip. Not having much luck this month, first my Accura 37 has an iffy motor and now this. Kinda ironic the coach and the loco to haul said coach both have issues.

There may be a way to fudge the tail lights with a Zimo decoder using the swiss mapping so it dims the headlight brightess to zero when needed. Alas I don't have a spare 21pin Zimo to test this theory with.

Lovely model. Echo the comments about the packaging, takes a lot of faith in our postal system to trust £100+ worth of model to just a cardboard box and some plastic shell inside. Manual really could do with saying what function outpout all the lights are attached to. Managed to get everything working on a Lais decoder but the red tail lights seem to be wired in a manner that means they can't be on independantly of the headlights unless I'm missing something.

The Lais decoders deffo work in the 4TC, I used one when I had a 4TC.

Based on @Butler Henderson having sucess with a Lais 860019 that basically means the model is expecting 4 full + 2 logic functions because thats what a Lais 860019 has and it is the exact same decoder as the Dapol Imperium 1. Tbh Laisdcc decoders are pretty much perfect for this sort of thing, fairly cheap and can handle the functions required without hassle. Just a bit of a pain to program properly without JMRI since the documentation is pretty rubbish.

Reseating the chip didn't make any difference. Its a bit weird, its like it remembers a function is active on loco 1 and activates it on loco 2. For example today my Class 156 had F19 on for cab lights, I switched to the Class 121 and activated F15 for the door slam but it also activated F19 on that loco (windscreen wipers in the 121's case). Very strange. Sending it NCE in the US isn't overly appealing so not sure where I'll go from here.

Can't see anything noticable in terms of dirt or such. There is a tiny little bend in one of the coupling rods but there is plenty of sideplay in them for it to not cause any binding. Did consider a motor swap but not sure if my soldering skills are up to the task. Ran fine on DC as far as I could tell.

Snipped the cap out. Alas it made no difference at all to the jerkiness. Back to the tinkering board. Maybe even see about sending it off to DCC Supplies for a repair.