Petermac's Railway

Pleased for you Peter you now have a man cave.

Ignore the list Liz has spend some time doing things for yourself you have waited a long time for this so you deserve a great deal of man cave time.


Brian

Great news Peter and super performance from our trusty French brethren.

Now the fun starts and as you say, finding some stock and equipment will be just the first of many happy occurrences.

Let me know if you're short of stock and I'll see if I can divert some panniers down to assist!

Very best,

Bill

:Happy   :cheers

[user=1814]Longchap[/user] wrote:

Great news Peter and super performance from our trusty French brethren.

Now the fun starts and as you say, finding some stock and equipment will be just the first of many happy occurrences.

Let me know if you're short of stock and I'll see if I can divert some panniers down to assist!

Very best,

Bill

Believe it or not Bill, I did a trial run using my Pannier this afternoon.  It has a huge stay-alive fitted and, with all the points being insulfrog, I wanted something that wasn't going to stall everywhere.

In the event, I need not have bothered - there's a short somewhere !!  I've probably connected the wrong plug to the controller - there are several "track feed plugs" ………………!!!!

I did however, discover that the turntable works perfectly - Fleischmann DCC I think ………….

[user=2137]Briperran[/user] wrote:

Pleased for you Peter you now have a man cave.

Ignore the list Liz has spend some time doing things for yourself you have waited a long time for this so you deserve a great deal of man cave time.


Brian

Liz has just crossed you off our Christmas Card list Brian - no idea why …………….. :cheers

You have a pannier, how cool is that! I have to admit that my last loco purchase was a Bachmann Fowler 1F open cab in LMS black. I've been admiring this loco for some time so when a new example turned up at a bargain price in Ace Models on my last UK trip, resistance was futile!

Hopefully a good shakedown of the electrics will see everything else working better as well as the TT.

Looking forward to progress and your future plans as they develop.

Bill

Peter if you have your Lenz 100 wired up to it there may be a way of discovering where the short is.

I had the lenz 100 system and i often used this little trick to find shorts with that system.

It must be very quiet am i hope you have good hearing.

Press the reset button and listen very carefully often where the short is gives off a faint buzz this can save many hours of hunting.


Brian

Thanks Brian - I note your method demands good hearing.  I spent half my life listening to the gentle purr of tractor engines, the soothing sound of pigs squealing or cows mooing and the high pitched whine of cereal milling whilst the other half was spent in the pyrotechnics industry and you ask if I have good hearing !!!  :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

In fact, I'm not actually sure it's a short.  I think it's more to do with what I've connected to what on the controller.

I'm trying his ZTC system as that's what was installed.  There are several plugs, the main controller, 2 hand held controllers,  2 boosters and a couple of transformers.  I suspect I've connected the wrong plug to the wrong bit - I'm trying it without the boosters initially.  Obviously it worked before asll the hardware was disconnected so presumably, it's just a question of connecting it as it was before.  Unfortunately, I didn't disconnect it and he didn't make any notes …………………………

Hi Peter
Congratulations……….I am so glad everything went relatively smoothly.

Sorry I havent been in contact sooner……this holiday making is very tiring! Plus the pubs have been delightful but wifi speed could hardly be described as fast.

Today is Tuesday so we must be in Hoylake…..later today we head off to Rochdale to stay three nights with Doreen’s sister…….its quite near the Acadia Model Shop so if you need anything urgently now is your chance……just let me know and I will bring it with me along with the much travelled slips and tortoises.

Good luck with the power fault finding

See you both soon……I do hope Liz hasnt prepared a list for me!

Best wishes

John

No John, its Peter who has transferred most of HIS list to your list,  how long are you visiting for ? 

Hurry up and get there John

While you are there Liz wont be able to administer the order of the frying pan on Peters head.

He can spend loads of time in the man cave.

Brian

I'm enjoying all this!!

D

[user=2137]Briperran[/user] wrote:

Hurry up and get there John

While you are there Liz wont be able to administer the order of the frying pan on Peters head.

He can spend loads of time in the man cave.

Brian

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

Hi Peter
Congratulations……….I am so glad everything went relatively smoothly.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Good luck with the power fault finding

………………………………..I do hope Liz hasnt prepared a list for me!

Many thanks John.

In spite of my excitement, I've hardly looked at the unit since it arrived !!  "Other pressures" have taken a severe toll on my spare time although, surprisingly, on this occasion, it hasn't been "Liz's List".

Regarding your list John, I'm using your visit as my get-out clause so you don't need to worry - at least, I don't think you need to ………………………….

On closer inspection, it would seem the transit damage could be slightly more than at first glance but still not terminal.

My first, and most urgent task, is to fit some temporary screening to the outside of the windows - Meteo France are warning us to expect 41C here on Tuesday/Wednesday of next week !!!

I know track rubbers are not recommended but given the state of some of the track in my new “shed”, I think I’m going to have to resort to one initially.
   
  There has been some “Rubber Press” on what is good and what is bad so which type do you use and why ?
   
  

Hi Peter
I use Peco……..I have had them for over ten years…..they seem to come in two varieties hard and soft although I dont recall having a choice when I ordered them…….the hard are super hard and I use them very rarely.

Rubbing alcohol ( or similar) is also useful.

I have found the best way to maintain clean track is regular running.

No plastic wheels or traction tyres.

Have you got the wiring issue sorted?

Regards

John

In Passeau on the Danube where it is very hot!

One Peco and one Hornby Peter, but I do try not to use them.

Think the Peco one is better and doesn't scratch the track so much, but it could be my imagination.

Depending on what the original owner used to clean the track, it may not be worth worrying about.

Don't suppose there is anyway you could get your CMX round.


Ed

Wow - thanks for the express replies John and Ed …. :thumbs

Peco seems it may be the favourite although I have read an argument from DCC Concepts that they are too harsh.

It could be sales talk from DCC C but they claim their aluminium oxide is a kinder abrasive …………………..

I have run the CMX round a few times Ed - pushed it by hand actually because the heavy loco I pull it with is buried in an inaccessible box somewhere (synonym for "I can't find it" !!!)

Liz and I drove back from our house in North Cyprus way back in the late 80's or early 90's John.  We spent a wonderful night in a very smart hotel in Passau having stayed in a few dubious establishments in Turkey and Hungary en route.  Liz said she didn't care what it cost - she just need some luxury and pampering !!

It's hot here too - forecast says up to 43C today but to be honest, I don't think it will make it.

I can report some electrical success in that I have power to most of the layout although I think the dead frog points have created some "sections".  I have also been in touch with the previous owner and ascertained how he had connected the 2nd booster.  I'm about to try that out when hopefully, I'll have full control.

I'm loving the air-con - it makes fault finding such a pleasure ……………

Enjoy the rest of your cruise John - I am slighlty envious ………………………

I use a Roco track rubber, IMO far better than Peco after painting and ballasting . Then a smear of Wahl Oil ( no good for traction tyres though), lasts for about 12 months followed  by a good rub down then a dose of oil again. On the D&S, it gets run for at least 5 hours a month over two operating sessions.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/27013.aspx

Thanks Sol.

I wonder what Roco use as their abrasive ………….. :hmm  Are their rubbers physically bigger than Peco ?  From experience, Peco tend to groove very quickly making them difficult to handle.

Wahl oil ???  Is that the stuff they use for sheep clippers ?  I wonder what the European equivalent would be………………  Also, I think it was Max who had a funny turn when you mentioned it ……………. :lol: :lol: