The Shapeways order has been put to good use and the bookshop is now open for business. I also put some lights in the police station and fire house. I have two of the reclaimed buildings to finish and one more corner turret building to do and then all of the DPM buildings will be complete. A little back-alley work will get those two blocks done and then it's on to the manufactory.
I also ordered a pair of Soundtraxx Tsunami 2 decoders for heavy steam along with some 15mm speakers. They fit perfectly into the Bachmann J class tenders and now I have a pair of them chuffing merrily through the countryside. Unfortunately my layout has curves that are too tight for them to pull any cars with their body mounted couplers, so they are chuffing on alone.
In a happy set of circumstances they also run exactly the same speed at all throttle settings, so if I ever want to go crazy and double-head them they will run perfectly together. I don't know if the Norfolk and Western ever did that, but refer to rule number one (it's my railroad and I'll do what I want).
The MRC sound decoder (which does not use BEMF, unlike the Soundtraxx) that was previously installed in J class 601 is now installed in the Erie Hudson and basically set up, it doesn't work any better than it did before but at least the Hudson now has a whistle and a bell. It does not have a body mounted coupler, so it happily pulls its set of streamlined cars around with no problems.
I also put another decoder into the semi-streamlined Pacific that was a good runner while in Lackawanna paint but doesn't run well at all since it has been disassembled for paint. It still does not run well. I have a plan to take all the wipers out of the engine and put some Bachmann all wheel pickup trucks in the tender, picking up power only from the tender trucks. Perhaps this will finally solve the running ills on that locomotive.
The Neuse River Valley Model RR Show is this weekend at
the NC fairgrounds in Raleigh. The club I belong to has a layout there,
so I took my newly-decodered locomotives there to run some laps.
Unfortunately I couldn't get my phone to connect as a throttle, so no
laps for me. I also brought my Nn3 but didn't get a chance to set it up
today. Maybe I'll have better luck with it tomorrow.
Finally, I found a Rivarossi heavy pacific that I hope to be able to use the shell off of for my K5A project. I have all of the pieces, now I have to figure out how to put them together. I also got a casting kit, I'm going to try to see if I can make some castings and use them for my experiments rather than damage a good shell. Perhaps I can cast the Arnold shell as well and see which one works better.
And that's about all that is going on for now.
Showing posts with label J-class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J-class. Show all posts
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Monday, March 27, 2017
Developments
When last we spoke of J class locomotives and DCC I had failed in my attempts to chip N&W 601, a locomotive that you may recall I had purchased in a non-running condition with wiring issues. As you may also recall I attempted to repair those wiring issues with a complete point to point rewire (using the color coded wiring from a used decoder), which I now actually believe was successful but did not work out the way I had planned.
I did order the Bachmann wiring harness, and it came in last month. I took the locomotive, the new harness, and the decoder that had been installed, uninstalled, reinstalled and once again uninstalled with me to a friends house yesterday. He has a Digitrax system connected to a laptop with JMRI software installed, which I hoped would be useful in diagnosing the problems with the install.
Using his work bench (since mine is currently in the living room until its new home can be prepared) the new wiring harness was prepared and installed. Once installed and tested the decoder installation was started once more on the PCB in the tender.
Right away I ran into the issue of finding one of the pads burned off of the PCB. Not to worry, there was still plenty of copper left on the underside of the board, which was actually better because the trace was connected on the underside anyway. To access this I pulled the board off the tender...and discovered the copper contacting strips, which were supposed to be contacting the trucks...weren't.
Not to worry once more, I tinned the truck contacts and prepped them to have the PCB wiring connected to them directly in the same manner that the PRR K4 wiring is done (which I believe to be a better arrangement even though it makes the trucks, for all intents and purposes, non-removable; in itself once again not an issue since I don't plan on having to remove the trucks for any reason, and if they do have to be removed they can be desoldered). I then installed the decoder, connected the trucks, connected the loco harness and reassembled the tender.
When the loco was placed on the programming track the Digitrax/JMRI computer was able to find the decoder right away and determine its programming parameters. The small hand held controller I had used in troubleshooting had programmed the loco with number 531, not 601, and even though I attempted to change that address with the MRC controller it obviously was not effective (which explains why the loco would not work with the MRC but would with the small handheld). Once that was fixed the loco was put on the layout...and it runs beautifully.
I ran a couple of laps on his layout but since he uses Atlas C55 track and apparently all of my cars have pizza cutter wheels I was not able to run it with a consist. It does however start and stop smoothly, it responds well to the throttle and the lights work as they are supposed to. He was amazed that such performance could be had from a Bachmann (he is one of those who judge the B-mann by their hideously inferior white box models and not by their vastly improved Spectrum line).
Since my own layout is in disarray at the moment I am unable to run it with my MRC system, but I have no reason to believe it won't perform just as well at home as it did away. And now I have two N&W J class locomotives to play with (and I can double-head them if I want to!), with a slew of cars in the paint shop to split between them.
And speaking of cars in the paint shop, the Erie cars came back yesterday as well, and they are beautiful. I need to get trucks and couplers for them, and a handful of weights as well, and then they will be ready to go on the layout. Pictures, as promised, when available. I might, however, need to get a set of the ConCor PA1/PB1 locomotives in the matching Erie paint to go with them now since the PA1 I have right now is in the blue and yellow livery instead of the green and cream (and I don't have a B unit for it).
The only sad part of the day was discovering that one of my B-mann GP7's is once again acting up, same issue as before with the dimming lights and slowing to a stop. This time the tab bending trick didn't work, so it may be time to replace that decoder board.
And that's the news from the Path Valley Railroad.
I did order the Bachmann wiring harness, and it came in last month. I took the locomotive, the new harness, and the decoder that had been installed, uninstalled, reinstalled and once again uninstalled with me to a friends house yesterday. He has a Digitrax system connected to a laptop with JMRI software installed, which I hoped would be useful in diagnosing the problems with the install.
Using his work bench (since mine is currently in the living room until its new home can be prepared) the new wiring harness was prepared and installed. Once installed and tested the decoder installation was started once more on the PCB in the tender.
Right away I ran into the issue of finding one of the pads burned off of the PCB. Not to worry, there was still plenty of copper left on the underside of the board, which was actually better because the trace was connected on the underside anyway. To access this I pulled the board off the tender...and discovered the copper contacting strips, which were supposed to be contacting the trucks...weren't.
Not to worry once more, I tinned the truck contacts and prepped them to have the PCB wiring connected to them directly in the same manner that the PRR K4 wiring is done (which I believe to be a better arrangement even though it makes the trucks, for all intents and purposes, non-removable; in itself once again not an issue since I don't plan on having to remove the trucks for any reason, and if they do have to be removed they can be desoldered). I then installed the decoder, connected the trucks, connected the loco harness and reassembled the tender.
When the loco was placed on the programming track the Digitrax/JMRI computer was able to find the decoder right away and determine its programming parameters. The small hand held controller I had used in troubleshooting had programmed the loco with number 531, not 601, and even though I attempted to change that address with the MRC controller it obviously was not effective (which explains why the loco would not work with the MRC but would with the small handheld). Once that was fixed the loco was put on the layout...and it runs beautifully.
I ran a couple of laps on his layout but since he uses Atlas C55 track and apparently all of my cars have pizza cutter wheels I was not able to run it with a consist. It does however start and stop smoothly, it responds well to the throttle and the lights work as they are supposed to. He was amazed that such performance could be had from a Bachmann (he is one of those who judge the B-mann by their hideously inferior white box models and not by their vastly improved Spectrum line).
Since my own layout is in disarray at the moment I am unable to run it with my MRC system, but I have no reason to believe it won't perform just as well at home as it did away. And now I have two N&W J class locomotives to play with (and I can double-head them if I want to!), with a slew of cars in the paint shop to split between them.
And speaking of cars in the paint shop, the Erie cars came back yesterday as well, and they are beautiful. I need to get trucks and couplers for them, and a handful of weights as well, and then they will be ready to go on the layout. Pictures, as promised, when available. I might, however, need to get a set of the ConCor PA1/PB1 locomotives in the matching Erie paint to go with them now since the PA1 I have right now is in the blue and yellow livery instead of the green and cream (and I don't have a B unit for it).
The only sad part of the day was discovering that one of my B-mann GP7's is once again acting up, same issue as before with the dimming lights and slowing to a stop. This time the tab bending trick didn't work, so it may be time to replace that decoder board.
And that's the news from the Path Valley Railroad.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Once Again
Today I attempted once again to chip N&W 601.
First I disconnected the tender from the locomotive. Then I carefully installed a new in the package DZ126 decoder, paying close attention to which wire went where.
Then I took the extra wiring I had clipped from the decoder during the installation and used it to repair the loco to tender wiring harness, paying careful attention to what wire went where on each end. I carefully ohmed every wire out at both of the above steps, both to ensure continuity end to end in the loco wiring harness and to ensure that neither the loco wiring harness nor the tender decoder installation had any shorts from wire to wire.
Finally I reconnected the loco and tested it in DC. It worked perfectly, the correct LEDs lit up when the loco moved in both directions and the motor stopped and started smoothly in both directions.
However, when I attempted to program the locomotive the NCE PowerCab could not find the decoder.
I tried a new in the package DZ146 decoder. No joy. I reinstalled the old suspect DZ126 decoder. Nothing. I even connected all three of the decoders (one at a time) to alligator clips and clipped them first to the programming track rails and then directly to the output wiring of the NCE, and still the system did not see any of the decoders.
I then placed a good DCC loco on the tracks and attempted to reprogram it. I had no problems at all doing so.
I have several older locomotives using Bachmann Spectrum tenders, so I installed the decoder in one of those tenders. Still no luck. Finally I uninstalled the decoder and put the DC shorting clips back in, and once again the loco runs perfectly on DC. I reinstalled the decoder and verified that yes, it still does run fine in DC.
I then attempted to run it on my little snail speed DCC controller (which used to be sold through Z Scale Track but seems to have, unfortunately, been discontinued) and was able to program the loco to run in DCC mode with that controller. However, when the loco is programmed to run with this controller it will no longer work in DC. And since the NCE couldn't find the decoder I couldn't tell what the address was on it so I was not able to run it on the NCE.
I finally disconnected the loco from the tender and was able to get the NCE to recognize the decoder about half the attempts as I rolled the tender back and forth on the programming track. I was able to put it back in dual mode and program in the address, both long and short. I reconnected the tender and once again I was able to get it to run in DC, but not in DCC.
I have no idea what's up with this locomotive. I'm hoping that installing the stock Bachmann wiring harness will fix the issues and I'll be able to chip it and get it to work. But until that happens I have removed the decoder and reinstalled the shorting clips, the loco runs fine in DC, and it will stay that way for now.
And maybe I'll just leave it that way.
First I disconnected the tender from the locomotive. Then I carefully installed a new in the package DZ126 decoder, paying close attention to which wire went where.
Then I took the extra wiring I had clipped from the decoder during the installation and used it to repair the loco to tender wiring harness, paying careful attention to what wire went where on each end. I carefully ohmed every wire out at both of the above steps, both to ensure continuity end to end in the loco wiring harness and to ensure that neither the loco wiring harness nor the tender decoder installation had any shorts from wire to wire.
Finally I reconnected the loco and tested it in DC. It worked perfectly, the correct LEDs lit up when the loco moved in both directions and the motor stopped and started smoothly in both directions.
However, when I attempted to program the locomotive the NCE PowerCab could not find the decoder.
I tried a new in the package DZ146 decoder. No joy. I reinstalled the old suspect DZ126 decoder. Nothing. I even connected all three of the decoders (one at a time) to alligator clips and clipped them first to the programming track rails and then directly to the output wiring of the NCE, and still the system did not see any of the decoders.
I then placed a good DCC loco on the tracks and attempted to reprogram it. I had no problems at all doing so.
I have several older locomotives using Bachmann Spectrum tenders, so I installed the decoder in one of those tenders. Still no luck. Finally I uninstalled the decoder and put the DC shorting clips back in, and once again the loco runs perfectly on DC. I reinstalled the decoder and verified that yes, it still does run fine in DC.
I then attempted to run it on my little snail speed DCC controller (which used to be sold through Z Scale Track but seems to have, unfortunately, been discontinued) and was able to program the loco to run in DCC mode with that controller. However, when the loco is programmed to run with this controller it will no longer work in DC. And since the NCE couldn't find the decoder I couldn't tell what the address was on it so I was not able to run it on the NCE.
I finally disconnected the loco from the tender and was able to get the NCE to recognize the decoder about half the attempts as I rolled the tender back and forth on the programming track. I was able to put it back in dual mode and program in the address, both long and short. I reconnected the tender and once again I was able to get it to run in DC, but not in DCC.
I have no idea what's up with this locomotive. I'm hoping that installing the stock Bachmann wiring harness will fix the issues and I'll be able to chip it and get it to work. But until that happens I have removed the decoder and reinstalled the shorting clips, the loco runs fine in DC, and it will stay that way for now.
And maybe I'll just leave it that way.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Distressingly Familiar
I attempted to chip N&W J class 601 today.
The tender to loco wiring is just as bad on 601 as it was on 611.
Looks like I'll be placing an order for a new wiring harness tomorrow.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Huh...
I was trying to take the shell off of one of my J class locos to check the wiring on it and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't come up. During the exploratory surgery I removed the cover on the pilot and found a non-functional (not automatic) coupler tucked away in there.
Out of curiosity I reassembled it with the coupler out, and then found that it would swivel in and out without the need to take it apart. I checked the other J class I have and sure enough, push in on the engineers side of the front coupler pocket and the coupler swings right out, swing it the other way and it snaps right back into its recess as if it were never there.
The J class really didn't have much use for a front coupler since they were generally single motive power for passenger trains, but it's nice to know I can double-head them if I want to. Now I'll have to put a decoder in this one since the other one is already chipped. Fortunately I happen to have one that is currently unassigned. Maybe one day I'll even put sound in one, but today is not that day.
This only applies to the Spectrum line of J class locomotives by the way. I have a non-Spectrum J class and it does not have a coupler in the front. Just as well since I don't have any use for the non Spectrum; it is the stereotypical Bachmann mid 80's junk with a split white plastic gear and grossly out of scale proportions.
On a related note, I also have a bid in on a set of Norfolk and Western heavyweight passenger cars, so if I win it I'll have a consist for each of these locos.
Wish me luck!
Out of curiosity I reassembled it with the coupler out, and then found that it would swivel in and out without the need to take it apart. I checked the other J class I have and sure enough, push in on the engineers side of the front coupler pocket and the coupler swings right out, swing it the other way and it snaps right back into its recess as if it were never there.
The J class really didn't have much use for a front coupler since they were generally single motive power for passenger trains, but it's nice to know I can double-head them if I want to. Now I'll have to put a decoder in this one since the other one is already chipped. Fortunately I happen to have one that is currently unassigned. Maybe one day I'll even put sound in one, but today is not that day.
On a related note, I also have a bid in on a set of Norfolk and Western heavyweight passenger cars, so if I win it I'll have a consist for each of these locos.
Wish me luck!
Friday, September 30, 2016
DCC'ing
I have four Digitrax decoders.
I put one into a Minitrix K4. It doesn't work. I open it up and find the black wire has somehow gotten cut and is touching the gray wire. D'oh!!!
I have three Digitrax decoders.
I install one in a Minitrix K4. It doesn't work. I open it up and can find nothing wrong. I remove it and the locomotive still doesn't work. I clean the motor brushes and now it works. I give up on this Minitrix K4.
I may have three Digitrax decoders.
I install the suspect one into a Bachmann Spectrum N&W J class. It works. I am happy.
I have two Digitrax decoders and a locomotive with DCC.
I install one into a different Minitrix K4. It works. I am happy. I also now have four Pennsylvania Railroad locomotives with DCC; two Bachmann GP7's with factory decoders, one Model Power Mikado that I got the bugs worked out of last weekend, and the K4.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
On A Happier Note
Even though the DCC-ing of the SD7 did not go well (see previous post) this weekend's train work did not all go for naught.
You may remember I had some wiring issues with my J class and that I had ordered the wiring harness to repair it. I did in fact hear back from them and for $45 they would be glad to fix it for me since it was over a year old so the warranty no longer applied.
The parts came in Friday, so I declined their generous offer and installed the wiring harness myself. The new harness had much better quality wiring than the Krapton insulation on the stock set and wasn't really that hard to install. I am happy to say the J class, much like its 1:1 counterpart, is once again operational.
I also got a set of PRR shells for my Bachmann GP7's and they are happily wearing their new livery and have been programmed with their new numbers (8803 and 8303; they were both 8803 until the judicious application of a black marker changed it). I like the way they look, but now I have a pair of custom painted Northern Alberta Railroad GP7 shells that are now surplus.
Friday evening my grandson and I ran some trains, so DCC issues aside it was a pretty good weekend.
You may remember I had some wiring issues with my J class and that I had ordered the wiring harness to repair it. I did in fact hear back from them and for $45 they would be glad to fix it for me since it was over a year old so the warranty no longer applied.
The parts came in Friday, so I declined their generous offer and installed the wiring harness myself. The new harness had much better quality wiring than the Krapton insulation on the stock set and wasn't really that hard to install. I am happy to say the J class, much like its 1:1 counterpart, is once again operational.
I also got a set of PRR shells for my Bachmann GP7's and they are happily wearing their new livery and have been programmed with their new numbers (8803 and 8303; they were both 8803 until the judicious application of a black marker changed it). I like the way they look, but now I have a pair of custom painted Northern Alberta Railroad GP7 shells that are now surplus.
Friday evening my grandson and I ran some trains, so DCC issues aside it was a pretty good weekend.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Motive Power, Part 3
It has been a long time since I have updated the site.
The Pennsy L1 is done, the paint just went on it this last weekend. It is a beautiful loco and a strong puller. It won't stay on my current horrible trackwork, but all of that will change when I get the new layout up and running.
Speaking of the new layout, I have finalized the plan for the PRR portion of the Path Valley. The PRR portion is just a double loop that incorporates an interchange with the SR&W at Duncannon PA, not prototypical at all but it will suit my needs. It will be built on a 3x7 door. I'm hoping to have construction started soon, but I have been hoping to have construction started for quite some time now.
The Atlas locos have both been re-motored and they are running fine. The Mikado does not like my trackwork any better than the Kato, but the Pacific does just fine. Both of these have to be run on a transistorized throttle that I built from an MRC unit, they ramp to full speed and don't have any fine control on a rheostat throttle. Just as well, I suppose, since I was planning on building more transistorized throttles anyway.
I picked up an Arnold Pacific as well, so now I have three Pacifics and two Mikados. The train set Consolidations have been shipped off to a new home where hopefully they are providing their new owners with good service and much enjoyment.
The train table has been cleared of trains and the track is being pulled up a little at a time. When the track is all up I will dismantle the table and hopefully be able to use it's pieces for the new benchwork. I don't know what I will end up doing with the roundhouse and turntable, but they will be stored away for future use or sale depending on what happens.
I also picked up another J class, but it is the older model and does not run. I am investigating the possibility of sending it to Bachmann for replacement, we will see how the warranty goes with the new warranty policy.
The Pennsy L1 is done, the paint just went on it this last weekend. It is a beautiful loco and a strong puller. It won't stay on my current horrible trackwork, but all of that will change when I get the new layout up and running.
Speaking of the new layout, I have finalized the plan for the PRR portion of the Path Valley. The PRR portion is just a double loop that incorporates an interchange with the SR&W at Duncannon PA, not prototypical at all but it will suit my needs. It will be built on a 3x7 door. I'm hoping to have construction started soon, but I have been hoping to have construction started for quite some time now.
The Atlas locos have both been re-motored and they are running fine. The Mikado does not like my trackwork any better than the Kato, but the Pacific does just fine. Both of these have to be run on a transistorized throttle that I built from an MRC unit, they ramp to full speed and don't have any fine control on a rheostat throttle. Just as well, I suppose, since I was planning on building more transistorized throttles anyway.
I picked up an Arnold Pacific as well, so now I have three Pacifics and two Mikados. The train set Consolidations have been shipped off to a new home where hopefully they are providing their new owners with good service and much enjoyment.
The train table has been cleared of trains and the track is being pulled up a little at a time. When the track is all up I will dismantle the table and hopefully be able to use it's pieces for the new benchwork. I don't know what I will end up doing with the roundhouse and turntable, but they will be stored away for future use or sale depending on what happens.
I also picked up another J class, but it is the older model and does not run. I am investigating the possibility of sending it to Bachmann for replacement, we will see how the warranty goes with the new warranty policy.
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