Hello all

I put some digitrax DH1650AO decoders into some locos I bought. They run fine, but the lights don't. The digitrax instructions say that the board output for lights is 15mA, with an option for 30 mA which you get when you scratch out a circuit.

I chose 30, with the intent of putting in icandescents. Then I changed my mind and bought T1 LEDS. The max capacity of the LEDs is 20 mA. I assume that is why I can't get the lights to work. What resistor should I use to lower the mA's to less than 20?
I recall that the LED's are 3 V, 20 mA capacity

Digitrax support is not getting back to me.

BTW, after 3 years advice from Jim Banner, Rich, Old Timer, and many others, our layout is finally finished! Couldn't have done it without you guys. With no LHS, this site has been the source of most of my knowledge and present ability. Thank you all.

Chris Keusink

I have bought a large set from an estate. It has about 100 freight cars, including an oddity I can't untangle.

One really nice caboose has pickups on the trucks. It has a tiny red light in the rear of the body. The light does not come on.

It has what looks like a small decoder inside, leading to an odd device of plastic labelled "trimit 3365 1 W". The car has an "064" taped to the underside, which may be a decoder address.

What do I have? Also, can I replace the red light with another I have that already has a resistor in it designed for 12 volts (bought a set for the back entrance to Dora's Bear Flag, if you know your Steinbeck. The kids think it's a hotel for ladies. Which it is. Sort of.)

Finally, any trouble using a 12 volt grain of wheat for inside lighting on DCC? I have digitrax superchief, and I wonder if the excess track voltage will burn out the 12 v light. I don't care if the caboose lighting stays on all the time (compare last month MRR with instructions for DCC caboose lighting, which is more than I want to undertake).

If the existing rig is DCC, I don't know how to turn it on with my controller, and I'd like to add an internal white light anyway.

Chris

Hello all

I have three Bachmann Connies, spectrum, dcc, two with sound. The headlights in all three are terribly dim, compared to the rest of my locomotive stock of various brands.
You can barely see them, even running in the dark.

Is this a programming problem?

Others have the same issue?

Is there a fix?

Chris

Okay, I'm confused re: HO scale RR crossing signs.

The model railroad crossing signs I see with flashing red lights are about two inches tall. The plastic ones I see without lights tend to be about an inch tall. That's a big difference. Does anyone know why they are different heights? Seems to me in real life that the two types are pretty much the same height.

I am modeling the 50's. Don't recall such signs being nearly the same height as the trains, BUT, I was just a kid then.

Chris

We run Gordon, Thomas and Percy on our regular set (that has snippets of Sodor here and there to satisfy my 10 year old Thomas fan). They were commercially converted to DCC.

Our problem is Gordon. On a 2% grade, he slips to a standstill with 5 cars. I opened him up, and it appears his boiler is already consumed by weight.

Don't want to try BFS, because he only has three pickup wheels as it is. I don't want to lose any electrical pickup because the set has two reversing modules with AR-1's.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Chris

I have a locomotive that is older and no one has parts. Ebay is no use. A gear has lost some teeth and it needs to be replaced.

I have a second, identical locomotive, and its gear can be used as a template to make a new gear for the first.

Does anyone out there make parts from scratch to whom I may be referred?

This loco is a 2-10-2 and works real well as the big steam on my layout. I really would like to fix it.

Chris

I have, in the past two years, bought quite a few steam locos. There have been a variety of brands (including a bunch of Bachmanns). I have lots of 22" flextrack curves on the set, walthers DCC friendly #6 turnouts.

The locos with large drivers e.g. a GS4 and a J class (both Bachmanns), even a Hudson J1e (BLI), are having trouble staying on the curves and on turnouts. They do not step off the tracks at any consistent place, but rather randomly. It is not necessarily the wheelbase length, as I have a couple of fancy 2-10-2's (Heritage 2000s) that do fine. Bachmann Connies do fine with 4 drivers, but the Hudson with three is tempermental. Hence my suspicion of large drivers.

Does the play in the drivers loosen up with time and use? Is there anything I can do to accelerate the process? I have checked track and wheel gauges per NMRA gauge, nothing wrong there. I have also added weight to the pilot wheels of the Northerns, which helps the pilots but not the drivers.

A bit frustrating, as I don't want to scenic until I don't have to worry about derailments.

Help please


Chris

Does anyone know of an HO rerailer that (1) does not look like a road crossing (2) is or can be located inside the track, and (3) can be located on a curve? I'd like to insert such an item within some curves and not have them be too obvious.

Kind of like guard rail, but something that actually rereails cars that step off the tracks before it is too late?

Chris

This book just showed up at my local bookstore. It is packed with locomotive mechanical details, in question and answer form. It is about an inch thick, and has foldouts of technical diagrams, including one of "the worlds fastest locomotive" (a 4-4-0!
The original edition was in 1896, and this edition is a 1902. It does not appear ever to have been opened and is in mint condition.

Anyone know anything about this book, how common it was in use, or for whom it was designed to be used?

Chris Keusink

I'm embarrassed, but I don't know how to read electrical schematics. I have 9 signal animators by logicrail to hook up , 2 color signal w/ three leads (SA-1). To me, three leads mean the three wires attached to the signal. The schematics (on the net) show red and green wires to the signal animator on the left. To the right, red and green join to a white ground with a resistor.

In my ignorance, this means I need two each of the red and green wires. One each going to the signal animator, two each going to the ground and resistor. I only have one of each. So where do the read and green wires join to the ground in real life?

Of course today (Sunday) is the only day I have to do this, and I can't call logicrail to answer my stupid question.

Can someone help me with this question today? If I blow it, these puppies are expensive.

Apologetically, Chris

I just bought a Rivarossi-Hornby, HO, new Hudson. Looks like the non-streamlined version, probably a J1e though not advertised as such.

I called before I ordered it, because it was advertised as "DCC ready". The supplier said it was just plug in and go. They recommend MRC decoder, which I do not like.

When I got the loco, there is only a two wire plug between loco and tender.

Does anyone recognize how this is "DCC ready"? Can anyone tell me what to get and do to turn the DCC ready ("JUST PLUG IN A DECODER") into a functioning dcc?

I like the loco because it gives me a full size freight with a shorter wheelbase than a Berk or Norhern. Suggestions or referreal to a site?

Chris

I posted an "I'm stuck" post a few days ago as to why my Digitrax zephyr wouldn't read back CVs from the program track, even with a PTB100. I post a new post because I have an answer from Digitrax of interest.

Digitrax tech support says zephyr will not read back from decoders on Bachmann locos with their factory installed decoders.

One of my prior responses from this site was to run a resistor across the program track, but I haven't had the chance to put that together yet.

Thoughts or comments? Bachmann, what do you think?

Chris

Tried setting up isolated program track today.
Components: Zephyr, Digitrax PTB 100, DPDT toggle, center off, for dual use.
Used 2 different Bachmann F7's, DCC no sound.

First try, PTB 100 flashes rapid red, can't read back CV's or addresses.

Second try, disconnect DPDT, hook up PTB 100 directly to power and Zephyr. Can't read back.

Last try, hook up Zephyr directly to program track. Can change address, can't read back. Change outputs to Zephyr, locos run. Change back to program, addresses will change, but won't read back.

Bought zephyr used, but don't see why it would run locos, change addresses, but not read back addresses.

Help?

Chris

The set I am building has reverse loops with AR-1 auto reversers. The reverse loops are part of the mainline. You can't let the train just run, you have to throw the turnout every time the train enters the loop. Is there a way to have the turnout automatically switch after the train enters the loop?

Otherwise, you really have to keep active throwing turnouts. Sometimes its nice to be able to watch the train go round and round without having to do anything.

I have considered alternatives to the reverse loop such as a connecting track; not possible because of elevation and grade changes.

Chris

Hello All
I'm setting up a service programming track w/ a PBT-100, per Alan Gartner site. Problem is, he doesn't show whether the DPDT has crossed kitty corner wires, only the input and output wiring. Can someone tell me whether that DPDT should have the kitty corner wiring?

Also, I have bought some estate locos, most w/ MRC decoders, some are Bachmann spectrum w/ sound and DCC, and I don't know their addresses. I just acquired the Digitrax Super Empire Builder, but I'm darned if I can figure out the steps to reprogram lost addresses from the manual. Can anybody walk me through it in plain English?  Especially crossing digitrax w/ MRC?

Chris

Just bought a Bachmann Shay. Does anyone know why the Bachmann has a post offering replacement gears? Is there something wrong with the way it comes. out of the box?

Chris

Okay. Anyone following this site knows I'm a newbie. I finally powered up my 9 month track and wiring project and test ran DCC locos on the track.

One exact spot on a trestle derails the F7 every time going in one direction. Coming the opposite direction, the loco does just fine. Its Code 83 flextrack.

I have:

1) felt along and cleared inside of rails.
2) checked rail spacing w/ track gauge
3) bent hose on front coupler so it doesn't drag.
4) watched closely to insure fuel tank clears track
5) put a level along the rail on each rail.
6) Run a 4 8 4 over the same spot with the same result as the F7 experienced.

The level shows a tiny sliver (paper thickness) of air  between level and track surface on one rail near the spot, but it looks too small to make any difference.  It would be the dickens to correct. It is always the front truck of the diesel that derails.

Why would it derail going right to left, but not left to right? I am out of ideas, and I don't want to build the trestle bridge all over again. It is a 2% grade, derailing going up hill.

To forestall the ineveitable question, locos are a Bachmann standard DCC F7, and Bachmann GS-4 Daylight

Anyone have the same experience? What to do?

I begin to understand why they are called "locos". It's Spanish.

Chris

Alright Folks
Here I am, wiring DPDT toggles to tortoise. Problem is, I bought Salecom T80-T toggles. They have 9 posts on the underside for wiring. I wire corner posts diagonally, power in through outer posts on one end, wires to Tortoise from center posts. It doesn't work. Tested tortoise, which works fine. Most articles refer to a DPDT with six posts on the bottom. I gotta think a 9 post is wired differently.

Suggestions? Very frustrating after soldering all those diagonals.

Dear Folks
I am installing siding and crossover turnouts. Tortoise motors, dpdt control. If I want two turnouts to switch simultaneously, is there anything wrong with wiring both turnouts to the same toggle? Seems to me this would apply to both crossovers and sidings. Don't want one turnout to change without the mirror image doing the same.
Turnouts have a separate power source, not powered by the tracks.

New to DCC. I have two reverse loops. Will plan on auto reversers.
I will be isolating separate blocks, and each reverse loop will be isolated. My purpose for blocking is to identify sections in the event of a short..

Does the auto reversing wiring undo the isolation of the blocks on either side of the insulated track joiners?

One reverse loop is created by a single crossover leading into it. Can someone confirm for me that the insulating connectors go at the intersection of the turnout sections creating the crossover?

Hope this makes senseThanks in advance. Chris