feedback controller and DCC

That must have been after I gave up running a subscription to CJF and the Toddler :-)

I designed it all with Darlington ICs, but relays are cheaper, simpler and more forgiving of model railway conditions.

Reply to
Gregory Procter
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Recently introduced classes can't have lots of variations, and those are my largest groupings.

I'm still stumped by the fact that the numbers are too small to read on the layout. It is a major stumbling block to DCC for me.

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

Atlas (USA) and Piko (ex GDR) do the cheapest DPDT latching relays. Place two the same side by side. The only actual 4 pole double throw latching relay I know of was made by Trix/MiniTrix, but the price, even in Germany, was _expensive_.

You could make the DPDT latching relay using Peco point motor and add on SPDT switches. I've had point motors reliably drive two of the add-on switches as well as a turnout, but I would doubt that four SPDT switches on one motor would be reliable.

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

I build my own DC controllers :-)

Reply to
Gregory Procter

"Roger T." wrote

How accurate are the Spectrum 2-8-0s Roger? I have just one and its proportions look all wrong to me.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

I run a "model railway", not a model train.

My pockets are particularly limited - that's why I don't want to blow my hobby budget on consumer electronics when I could be buying model railway stuff!

Sure, I offer a decoder fitting and trouble shooting service for Maerklin, DCC, FMZ and Zero 1 in addition to my normal model repair services. I also read the model railway forums on the internet. More than half the traffic is now about digital control and it's problems rather than model railways.

Did I tell you about my clockwork mechanisim designs ? ;-)

Reply to
Gregory Procter

It's a freelanced Baldwinesque engine and represents a typical larger 2-8-0. They are excellent runners and pullers.

I think the tender is too large and have shortened two of the tenders by six scale feet. Another 2-8-0 is paired with a spare clearvision tender from a Life-Like P2K 0-8-0 switcher as will the next one I've just ordered. The fifth still has its original tender, for now.

I've also made other slight changes to them, most have an air-tank on the pilot deck, as do most GER steam locos, and I've embarked on a program of slight alterations to a couple of the engines by replacing and repositioning the turbo-generators, marker lights etc. to again reinforce the feeling that these are a large class of locos that were introduced around W.W.I and underwent a major rebuilding in the late 1930s early 1940s. Thus, there are detail differences among locos of the class, as was quite common in North America where roundhouse shop forces had more freedom than was usual in the UK.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

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Reply to
Roger T.

You could always paint them different colours and put huge numbers on the sides, and faces on the front. ;-)

Reply to
MartinS

I'm not going to risk being called the 'Fat DCC Controller'!

Reply to
Gregory Procter

In message , Ian Birchenough writes

In that case I need 5PDT ;-(

Reply to
John Sullivan

Unless you run your model railway on a day when theres a strike, you run model trains - through a model landscape, past model buildings - and in order to make the whole thing look and act prototypically it helps if you drive your model trains in the same way the members of ASLEF do.

Reply to
John Ruddy

You've got it! I run model train_s_ in a model railway setting.

Sure, but if I try to run multiple trains at once I can't give more than one or two the attention that they need to run prototypically. The section of railway that I think I am modelling (that suspension of disbelief again) has more than one train visible running at a time. I could just run one train at a time, but then the reasons for double track, closely spaced signals, route control, station layout etc etc would disappear.

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

"Roger T." wrote

I certainly wouldn't criticise the running qualities of any of my USA outline HO-scale stock, which indeed one of the factors why I have them.

I don't know what it is about the 2-8-0, maybe it's just because it's not based on a specific prototype, but the height and length look out of proportion. Still it will be a useful loco on my planned layout, and I may well look at other tender options too.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

I see what you mean! However, my layouts are so small that if the points (the moving blades of the turnouts) are not correctly aligned then there is nowhere for the loco to drive to and from!

I accept this minor non-prototypical compromise, just as you accept the non-prototypical compromise of keying in a portion of the locomotive number to gain control.

I'm happier with sitting where I am and selecting a loco by pointing at a section of track and saying "that one" than I am in gathering up my magnifying glass and torch, clambering over assorted cartons and layout and then reading off "897059" err.. make that "89" ... mental gymnastics ... "9" to gain control.

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

The locomotive is closely based on the Illinois Central 900 class 2-8-0s built for by Baldwin from 1909 to 1911. The two major departures from the IC engines are the conventional round sandbox, and the single cross-compound air compressor mounted on the fireman's side of the boiler. The IC engines were rebuilt in the 1930s at Paducah, and were fitted with large rectangular sandboxes - an IC trademark - and two compressors on the pilot deck. At the time of the model's release its origins were discussed extensively in the US modelling press.

The tender is of the design common to many USRA engines, and is perhaps a bit large for most 2-8-0s.

Reply to
Mark Newton

"Mark Newton"

That's why two of mine have had six scale feet removed from the tender, another has a kitbashed Life-Like P2K 'clear vision' tender and one is, at the moment, still attached to the original Spectrum tender. I have another

2-8-0 still unopened in its original box and yet another in transit from the U.S. of A.

The latter two are planned to be kitbashed to make them look like a subclass with CPR style all weather cabs and running board skirting. The tenders will also be kitbashed to modify them for use behind an all weather cab loco.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

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Reply to
Roger T.

You obviously like these engines as much as I do! I just picked up my fifth recently, at a very good price from a local hobby shop that was, sadly, closing down.

I have considered shortening the tenders, and may yet do so on a couple, but I've seen a few NKP engines that were coupled to bigger USRA-type tenders late in their lives, so there is a precedent for keeping some unaltered.

That should make a very interesting engine! I'll look forward to seeing the finished product.

All the best,

Mark.

Reply to
Mark Newton

"Mark Newton" wrote

I don't dislike either, but compared with more Bachmann USA outline steam locos the 2-8-0 looks a bit clumsy and chunky. I've checked numerous pictures of American 2-8-0s prototypes and cannot find one which really looks like or has had its atmosphere captured by the Bachmann model.

If either of you have prototype picture(s) to prove otherwise I'd be grateful for a look at them.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

Give me a day or two John, I'll scan and post some to my Fotopic gallery, and then post a link here.

Reply to
Mark Newton

"Mark Newton" wrote

OK, I'll look forward to that.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

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