Gottardo

Hi Jeremy. You're probably thinking of Microscale. Their signals are great but very expensive. https://www.microscale.ch/

@chb2488 Thanks Christian. Drawing amended.

Hello Christian, I hope Keith doesn't mind me editing his drawing but based on your comments would this arrangement be acceptable?

Hi Keith. Another vote for Mafen SBB/BLS signals from me. For your layout I think you would need a main and advance signal (Haupt and Vorsignal) on the same post at the approach to your station from each direction. These would then need a separate advance signal (Vorsignal) positioned at a suitable distance before them. The station could have a main departure signal (Hauptsignal) for each of the three tracks depending on how you operate the station. You could, however, employ the old system whereby one main signal is positioned after the three station tracks come together and can apply to any of them. That way you would only require two main departure signals instead of possibly six. I don't think you would need to have any other signals in "open country". I can't help with DCC operation as, when it comes to signals, I am purely a wire and rotary switch person. 😀

Hi Jeremy, If you find a good quality photo of a real loco, that you also have a model of, you can count the number of sleepers between the front and rear wheels. You can then do a similar thing with your model loco using the track of your choice and compare the figures. I know model loco measurements aren't always perfectly accurate but most new ones are pretty good. I have done a few comparisons with An Ae 3/5, Ae 6/8, Crocodile, Ae 6/6 and Re 460 and in each case they indicated that the Peco Code 55 wooden sleeper spacing should actually be very slightly closer. I don't have any concrete sleeper track so wasn't able to test that. John

I have had exactly the same problem with my Arnold Re 4/4's but luckily been able to re-solder them without damage. I have also had wires come adrift in the Arnold Re 484 and even the much more recent ETR 610. Arnold really need to find ways of making these wires more durable or better still get rid of them altogether like most other manufacturers have done.

According to “Das grosse Buch der Lötschbergbahn“........... On the night of the 6/7th January 1958 Ae 4/4 no.253 was hauling a Basle to Milan express when it ran into a large boulder between Lalden and Brig. The loco and a mail car were derailed and rolled down the embankment. 253 stopped after 50 metres but the mail car travelled 100 metres into the Rhone valley. The rest of the train stayed on the track and it was reported that the stranded passengers were amazed when they saw the loco driver climbing back up the slope uninjured. Miraculously two employees in the mail car only suffered minor injuries. An Ae 6/8 was connected with steel cables to the stricken Ae 4/4 and using the device shown in the video hauled it back up the slope by slowly driving towards Brig.

You should be able to find quite a few suitable examples from Minitrix including some specifically aimed at the Swiss market such as the Osterwalder/Avia and plain Wascosa ones. Have you also considered the tankwagons from Brawa? https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Güterwagen/Kesselwagen/Brawa-67258/de/modell_392515.html They are a slightly older design but some are still in use today. John

For my purposes I found that the coupling used on the old Minitrix Ae 6/6 was ideal. It reduces the gap between the buffers to about 2-3 mm but still enables the wagons to be propelled around 9" radius curves. When I bought mine the Minitrix part number was 40 0623 00 but I notice this later changed to 12 0628 00 and I'm not sure if the spec remained the same. It's been such a long time since I last purchased any of these couplings that these comments probably won't be much help especially as the Trix website now shows them as out of stock.

Hi Jeremy. Are the metal plates that hold the axles free to move slightly? These allow the axle/wheels to "steer" around curves. If they are seized the axles might not be parallel and could be causing the wobble. If the weight in the wagon is not seated properly in its recess it could be stopping the axle plates from moving freely. I find these wagons normally run very smoothly without any additional weight and if your curves will allow, shorter couplings improve their looks.

Both Lemke and a number of the German dealers are saying that a new batch of Dostos are imminent and Modellbahnshop Lippe, on their website, make a point of saying that the Bt does not have a digital interface.

I've been lucky with the visual appearance and finish quality of my IC2020's but the Bt really leaves a lot to be desired. If I remember correctly it was supposed to be fitted with a decoder socket when first advertised but that doesn't appear to have materialised. I haven't stripped mine down to confirm but I believe the internal electrical arrangement is exactly the same as the old model and as such responds on DCC exactly as you state. In fact the IC2020 Bt is actually a step backwards because it only collects power on one bogie whereas the old model collected on both.

Hi Michael, I don't think you will have stripped any appreciable amount of lubricant simply by giving a few quick squirts of cleaner into the brush apertures. However, assuming you have some suitable very light oil (preferably from one of the model railway manufacturers e.g. Fleischmann 6599), I see no reason why you can't try putting the tiniest drop of oil on each of the motor bearings. The instruction inlay in the loco box shows you where to lubricate the bearings. Dry bearings could be a reason for the motor getting hot but I don't think they would be the cause of your rough running. In the case of these Fleischmann locos I think the rough running is more likely to be caused by ongoing contamination of the brushes/commutator, dirty wheels/pickups or even your track.

The bogies shouldn't be a problem Michael. The sides clip on in the conventional Fleischmann way and the detail doesn't look too delicate.

Hello Michael, The centre bogie on the Fleischmann Re 6/6 has plenty of vertical and lateral movement so there shouldn't be a problem on your uneven floor. The body is quite easy to unclip and take off after removing the buffers but the motor is not as accessible as on the Re 460/465. However, this shouldn't be a problem because the motor is now coreless.....Yippeee.😀 P.S. Have I changed my name? 😟