Tinkers End
Posted
Full Member
East Coast Main Line - in the sun
Its' a good job I have more patience than I thought I had. I got all the wiring completed, so I thought, and then found that a short, like a train jumping off on points or similar, can cause the DCC Concepts point motors to go off in a tizzy and reset themselves i.e. loose their address. Ok after various conversations the solution is to fit PSX units and power points etc from one and track from the other (or others). Ok re-wire 50+ points and buy a couple of PSX2 units and a PSX3 then off we go. Well actually no. I now find that the Tam Valley auto-reverses, of which I have 3, trip slower than the PSX units, so a train entering an auto-reverse area trips the PSX unit temporarily until the Tam Valley unit catches up then off we go. So all trains stop for a second before they all start up again. OK so I am planning to switch out the Tam Valley units for Digitrax BXPA1 units which auto-reverse and do track detection but will I still have the problem?The only other option I can think of is a short section of track (300mm) either side of the auto-reversing section and the auto-reverser powered independantly directly off the Digitrax controller. Any thoughts or other suggestions?
Posted
Full Member
I have to say I have gone off a lot of DCC concepts products…..technically brilliant but not always reliable. Sorry thats not very helpful but you are not the first to report total memory loss for all Cobalts on a circuit after a single brief short
I have never used auto juicers but I believe you can vary the the break delay on PSX……perhaps it is possible to reset the PSX so the dlay time matches the auto juicer?
HTH
Best wishes
John
Posted
Full Member
Anyhow decided to have a go with my idea yesterday and do a separte 300mm section either side of the auto-reversing section and, along with the autoreversing section itself, power them directly off of the controller. Success on that section at least. The same method can also be used on the other down ramp so that's two out of three that can be sorted. That just leaves me with a couple of insulfrog long crossings which appear to trip the PSX uits and the thrid autoreversing section. The points will just be back to back on some wheels I suspect but sure that is a minor problem. The third auto reversing section is the real headache as it's immediatley followed at poth ends by points in the fiddle yard so no room for 300mm sections. All this is not helping me make progress with my terrace houses on a slope and station canopies but it is a little embarassing when people call in and see the layout and trains are stop/starting all over the place.
Posted
Full Member
Two of my three second hand locos I bought down on the coast are up and running, that just leaves the Heljan Railbus which was suposed to work but just juddered when I test ran it on DC. On stripping it down I found the final drive cogs on both axles were just rotating which, after closer inspection, revealed split cogs which turns out to be a well known weakness.
I'll post an update on my latest distraction soon - an overall canopy for one of my main line stations. Other than that my friend in the town, who also has a layout but in N gauge, rang to say his parcel had arrived but he was a bit stumped. So trying to be helpful, I suggested he pop round and explain. To put this in context he had bought a Deltic with sound a couple of weeks previously and was very impressed. He arrived to show me a sound decoder for his other Deltic and he also proudly announced that he didn't want to leave steam out so had bought 3 TTS decoders for some of his steam locos. Oh and could I fit them for him! Now although there is more room in the Deltic it wasn't DCC ready and the sound chip he had bought was a direct plug 21 pin. So cobled together harness and testing first with an old 21 pin chip I had in stock finally got it installed. Next week I am going to attempt a steam loco - more distractions!
Posted
Full Member
Michael
Posted
Full Member
So the main post Christmas work has been down stairs starting assembly of the overall station canopy that I have laser cut.
As you can see there 7 A frames done so far, only another 9 plus 2 ends to do. There will be additional supports on the platforms but I want these to be more decorative columns if I can find some at a reasonable price. Once the whole structure is assembled (about 1400mm long) I will spray it a dark grey and weather it before installing lights and putting on a roof. Unfortunately I have run out of tubing so it's now on hold pending a delivery. I have also found in our local "chino" shop some items for ladies to use with stud earings which look exactly like an industrial lamp shade. I have installed a micro SMD light in one and after some painting it will look great I think. I will post a picture soon.
Anyway time to do some more work on the Metcalfe terraced houses from my old layout. They came from the UK and have lost nearly all there chimneys and a few other bits are loose. I also want to remove the grain of wheat bulbs and replace tem with SMD lights.
Keep modelling and safe.
Posted
Full Member
That is gong to be fantastic!
Posted
Full Member
So I cut it all myself. The main A frames are 2mm thick MDF and the fine cross girders are ceral packet card. The white plastic tube is 3mm and 5mm. I have already talked to the guy who runs dexterscove.com about cutting/printing them along with some of my other designs (like the terrace row on a slope or the single platform canopy) should anyone else want them. If anyone does wants them I can give measurments and more photos and I am also happy to modify the design width for people as I really enjoy the design process.
Posted
Full Member
Posted
Full Member
Michael
Posted
Full Member
As promised, here is a picture of the ear ring bit I found (no idea what they are actually called) which I think will make great hanging lights in the station.
I think the top of the shade painted black and the underneath white will look the part. I have some liquid rubber stuff for painting on electical joints which should coat the two cables to the LED quite nicely.
Posted
Full Member
Michael
Posted
Full Member
Posted
Full Member
I've even heard that some people buy clothes to wear - each to his own eh !….. :cheers
'Petermac
Posted
Full Member
I get the impression that you are far better at looking ahead and planning than I, so you have probably already thought through the access/visibilty issues that I had to address with my overall roof.
The biggest issue for me related to being 100% certain that automated coupling/uncoupling had actually taken place. Nothing more irritating, and embarrassing if spectators are present, than a train charging off to its next destination……..without its coaches! :oops: :oops:. Stay Alives and a lot of time spent ensuring Kadees are perfectly mounted has got my success rate up in the high nineties but I still cant resist moving over to the station to peer through an unglazed section just to check! I am experimenting with both a camera and shaving mirror in the storage yards.
I will be interested to see how your operations work out……meantime congratulations on a super build
Keep Safe
Posted
Full Member
Posted
Site staff
Lovely cannopy ! Can't wait to see it finnished and in place :thumbs
Cheers
Matt
Wasnie me, a big boy did it and ran away
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
Posted
Full Member
I omitted some of the glazing…..primarily to aid visibility as mentioned in my first post but also to provide lifting hand/fingerholds.Weight will not be the issue but once the roof is on you won't be able to grip the centre ridge. I was wondering about making some vents to go along the ridge which lift off to reveal hooks for lifting. Any other ideas greatly appreciated. My wife suggested building it in sections but I really try and avoid joints where ever possible, joints never seem to totally line up on this sort of structure.
Overall roof with partial or even zero glazing was not uncommon following WWII
Posted
Full Member
In the mean time I am trying to add lights to some of my old terrace houses and I few that came ready made from down on the coast when they were being disposed of. Unfortuantely the build isn't the best but I am sure they will work. I am removing any building I previously put in gran of wheat bulbs off my trail layout in the UK and replacing them with SMD Led lights both for heat and current draw.
Posted
Full Member
I am trying that…..works brilliantly in the storage yardI am also researching cameras, I have already decided I want a surveillance camera system so I can see variious points on the layout from the control area, but if I can find one where I can attach small camers then this might solve the visibility issue under the roof
Do let us know how you get on……particularly how you handle multiple cameras.
Keep safe
1 guest and 0 members have just viewed this.