rynd2it

I have two new Peco 009 coaches that really need some weight adding. There isn't much room between the bogies so I am thinking that if I can remove the seating piece then there will be plenty of room under the seats. However I can't see how to remove the seating, nor for that matter, the bogies.

Help please

I was already registered but thanks, now for some searching

Just now, Hobby said:

You can do it, someone on NGRM Online forum shows how, but you can use the DG 009 coupling which is compatible with the Greenwich and has delayed action built in.

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/couplings/dgd/

I looked at those but thought the baseplate was a bit large for some of my stock. Do you have a link to the thread you mentioned?

Thanks

8 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

That sounds very plausible.

IIRC, value 122 sets the Option button to allow easy access to F10-28 & this is the preferred option among all who have used it at the club.

 

It is a strange one though. Resetting the Powercab sets the buttons to F0-2 as they should be, then they change part way through an operating session. I've seen it do it but can't remember what occurrence causes this to happen.

Yes, 122 is the way to get the option to get to the higher Functions.

Your problem is probably similar to mine with the sound on/off option, but it'll take some investigating. As a programmer of many years - lesson one is only change one thing at a time. If you look at all the functions that the operators commonly use then it should be possible to set up sequences that are likely and try them. I'll be doing some of that soon and will probably go nuts trying

On 13/02/2018 at 07:37, RussB said:

You can also have magnetic uncoupling with the Peco NEM couplers by using one of their track pins. It needs to be glued at an angle on one side of the loop, in a similar way to the Greenwich ‘hanger’.

 

You can also have delayed uncoupling with the Greenwich, I haven’t tried this though.

Returning to this after starting a new 009 layout - how do you get delayed uncoupling with the Greenwich ?

Thanks

On 24/12/2021 at 10:40, Pete the Elaner said:

We have a Powercab at the local club with a rather odd issue:

Headlight, Bell & Horn/Whistle should control functions 0, 1 & 2, but the club's one decides to control different functions for some reason. I am less worried about driving trains than I am about building layouts so have not spent much time investigating it.

I think re-cycling the power sorts it out, but you don't want to be doing that every 30 minutes at a show, particularly while locos are running or idling with sound & lights on.

The Power cab has probably been re-programmed to provide different short cuts to various functions. The principal one is setting the 'option' button to give access to the higher numbered Function keys.  I'm still investigating much of this as I discovered that turning the sound off/on set the speed to zero and that is definitely counter-intuitive and inconvenient

9 minutes ago, Brian said:

Hi

DO NOT set the PowerCab to 0.  It should if only one cab, be set to 2. Which is the as supplied cab number.

Setting it to 0 resets it to factory default and then automatically sets itself to Cab=2, but you should know that

Thanks Paul,

I 'll start again and I should probably  reset the Power cab by setting it to cab 0 first.

I knew it could be that difficult

I am new to using DCC and especially sound and have just acquired a Bachmann Baldwin with the factory sound fitted. Well pleased with the model but I'm running into some challenges in programming the NCE Power Cab to control the loco and specifically the sound.

The NCE has pre-programmed buttons for the whistle, horn and some other functions but it seems that the whistle button is set to provide function F10 - but this function is for sound on/off on the Bachmann chip. So pressing it turns the sound on and seems to try to make the whistle sound. I can program the options button to make F10 and other functions appear on the NCE screen and select the desired one by simply pressing the number (say 6 which translates then to F16)

However, doing this gave some strange results, the loco had the background steam sound but would not move until I pressed another function (forgot which) then it would not stop despite pressing the emergency stop. Clearly I'm getting some conflicts between the Cab and the chip but I'm really struggling to work out which is the right way to control this loco and chip.

What am I missing or doing wrong?

Food for thought, thank you all.

In particular, the idea of having both the point blades and frog switched appeals to me as it's a lot less work and does not risk damaging the points and ruining the running capabilities. I think I'm going to give this a go especially as I have replaced all the rolling stock wheels with more modern finer flanges etc.

I will report back when I have done the tests - just waiting for the points to arrive.

1 hour ago, Nile said:

That's not part of Peco's wiring .

 

Not if it's connected to a switch, which is what you must be doing for the above mods to work.

 

Are you using DC or DCC to power this layout?

OK, to settle this. The diagram below is how to wire a Peco Electrofrog point especially for DCC. Note Peco says cut the jumpers however, on the 009 points, there are no jumpers so the rails have to be cut. The layout is wired for DCC but it can run DC instead if I choose

I will agree that using a switch to power the blade rails in line with the frog could work however that runs the risk of a short if a wheel on the stock rail should accidentally touch the adjacent open blade rail - both blade rails having the same polarity. Using the method below eliminates this risk.

10 minutes ago, Nile said:

That's not part of Peco's wiring .

 

Not if it's connected to a switch, which is what you must be doing for the above mods to work.

 

Are you using DC or DCC to power this layout?

I'm not going to argue this, it's well documented elsewhere.

23 minutes ago, Nile said:

Why not just wire it up as Peco recommends? I don't see the need to cut any rails.

Because if you connect the blades rails to the adjacent stock rail you'll get a dead short. The frog has to be isolated from the blade rails. Peco relies on blade to stock rail to power the frog, not reliable.

30 minutes ago, Izzy said:

 Ah yes, see what you mean. Could you possibly replace the fishplates used as the pivots with isolating/plastic ones? Not sure if this would be possible. But then no cutting would be needed and the blades would be isolated and could be bonded to the stock rails.

There are no fishplates as such. The blade rail is made with a small extension pointing down and that slots into a small plate. The end of the frog rail is also mounted that way. I'll see if I can get a photo of the joint

2 minutes ago, Izzy said:

You can get fairly cheaply, and I use, diamond needle files. Machine mart used to do a pack at around £10. Using a thin V edge and file vertically you can make a gap by doing both sides of the rail, so the gap isn’t too big. Doesn’t harm the other rails as the disc cutters can if you’re not careful.

The problem I had with these Y points is that you are cutting through the tiny piece next to the blade pivot and that little piece can easily break off leaving a massive gap to be filled with something. The regular point has an extra sleeper to anchor the rail and wasn't an issue.

I'm acquiring a jeweller saw so we'll see how it goes.

Thanks

8 hours ago, RexAshton said:

I used a piercing saw with a fine blade on my code 55 N gauge points but take your time and let the saw do all the work.

When you say "fine blade" are you referring to the number of teeth per inch or another dimension?

Thanks

2 minutes ago, mezzoman253 said:

I found this difficult with a Dremel on 00 gauge, so I used a jewelers saw. You can get a vertical cut rather than a slightly angled one. It filled the gaps with plasticard superglued in, and sanded the profile to match the rail.

 

HTH Rob

Thanks, I had looked at that option and I think it is the best. The original attempts were done with the points already laid which left the Dremel as the only way.

My 009 layout has a couple of dodgy (read botched) SL-E497 Y points and I cannot get a couple of locos to traverse them reliably so I am left with the need to replace them. Not a big issue but as I have some very small 0-4-0 locos I need the live frog and it needs to be switched. I had solved this on the larger points by cutting the rails just behind the frog and then bonding the point blades to the adjacent stock rails. However, trying to do this with the shorter Y point damaged the piece between the blade and the frog.

The problems seem to arise from two things, a) the cutting disc was to large a diameter and b) the heat generated melted the  sleepers a bit and messed up the alignment. So, having ordered my replacements, how would you guys recommend making the necessary cuts? Is there a much smaller diameter Dremel cutting wheel available?  Or....?

3 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

It’s the factory fitted one which I believe is Zimo by Paul Chetter. Paul will be doing a separate slightly different one individually to fit via EDM models soon. 

Thanks

52 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

 

Time for a slating  

Hi,

Which sound chip is fitted to this loco?

On 20/11/2021 at 13:14, Stevelewis said:

My 2   Fairlies  arrived  from  Arcadia Models  this  morning  they  are  superb  a  real credit  to  Bachmann Europe    Brilliant  sound!  and  running  quality.

 

A couple of  bits of info   as  delivered  the  decoders are  set  to 128 speed  steps

 

I also tested on a small Kato Unitrack test track I have  here currently  and  they will traverse less than 9" radius curves   183mm (7.1/4" approx) was no problem

Thank you - I was looking for that bit of info, now all that's stopping me is my wallet

59 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

That should work, but be careful to ensure that the wires are kept clear of the drive coupling.

Thanks Iain

Hello Iain,

My chips have arrived and I'm looking at the loco. 

I'm thinking to mount the chip on the chassis immediately on to of the drive pinion.

The headlight is actually transparent so I can mount the front LED on the chassis,  and there seems to be room for the rear LED on the back of the motor as well. This would mean that the body would be easily removeable with all wiring on the chassis.

As I said, I new to this so would appreciate your input on this plan

Thanks

David

11 minutes ago, Nigelcliffe said:

 

Its correct that an export from the UK is free of (UK) VAT.   But, I think they should be (European) VAT charged on entry to the EU.... 

 

- Nigel

Yes it is correct but many UK retailers are charging VAT and then adding the CN22 customs form so I end up paying VAT twice, plus customs duties. Its a real mess at the moment and don't get me started on eBays Global Shipping Program, a real rip-off

On 04/11/2021 at 10:59, rynd2it said:

Is there an alternative to this such as a LaisDcc version? The postage to France is horrific and the only supplier in France I can find wants €40 inc postage.

 

Well, after a long search, I went back the Coastal (they were out of stock yesterday) and lo & behold, back in stock, sensible price (VAT free) and very sensible postage - ordered two, sorted. 

Thanks all