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My DCC Journey

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Tallpaul70

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4 Dec 2018
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Hi Everyone,

As you may have seen from my last entry in my thread "To DCC or not?" I have decided to go for DCC in my new 00 gauge 12ftx8ft round and round layout, based on a 2 track WR main line, branch junction, and yard.

The layout track plan will be a compromise because while the main focus is on a 1960-62 era scene in the lower Thames Valley west of London, I have, and wish to run, from time to time, locos and stock from a number of periods up to c2016 when electrification infrastructure (which I am not a fan of), spread into the area.
I want to run singlehanded, a fairly intensive timetable, which I have generated from what I consider are the interesting movements from the 1960 WTT, coach and locomotive diagrams.

So, I think I need eventually, to have a touch screen mimic diagram.
A measure of optional automation might be good, to run, when I so choose, some of the more routine, but necessary trains, while I concentrate on the more interesting moves.

Initially my DCC equipment will be used on a small end to end test track, that I am setting up in my workshop, which is separate from the dedicated railway room.

Having set the scene in this first post, next time I will share the details of the equipment I have bought.

Best regards
Paul
 
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Cowley

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I shall enjoy reading how you get on Paul.
Hopefully I'll learn a bit from this thread too. ;)
 

Tallpaul70

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I shall enjoy reading how you get on Paul.
Hopefully I'll learn a bit from this thread too. ;)
So the story so far:-

I have kicked off with an NCE Power Cab. Having seen good comments on this controller on my To DCC or not thread, and as my local model shop is a stockist and can give me help and support, it seemed a sensible way to go.

I am taking things one step at a time, particularly as until my local shop has chipped a few locos for me, I only have one chipped loco, a brand new Hornby TTS Castle (I like Castles!). I expect that sound will by the cost be limited mainly to shunting and slow moving locos, where I think it will be most effective.

Chipping is not something that I feel confident to try myself, so I am happy to pay the charges to have it done for me.

So I have an existing 56xx tank being sound chipped and one of my pannier tanks and another Castle being chipped without sound, for comparison.

I am also off to Ally Pally next weekend to gen up further on the possibilities.

Best regards
Paul
 

Tallpaul70

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Hi All,
Collected three chipped locos today. They are a Hornby 08, a Bachmann Pannier and a Hornby Castle. All are fitted with Zimo non sound chips.

These locos were chosen to explore facets of DCC:-
The Castle to compare with my TTS Castle - I have third Castle which might soon get a sound chip.
The shunters to compare diesel and steam shunters under DCC. Later a similar pair will get sound chips, again for comparison.
The panier is also non DCC ready, so I get a view of hard wired against socketed chips.

So tomorrow, I will get a view on setting up loco addresses, and also see how the above locos run on my test track.
I will post my findings later in the week.

My 56xx is not ready yet, so it will be another 10 days before I can get to collect it.

Best regards
Paul
 

Cowley

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Thanks for the update Paul.
I took my locos over to my friends house yesterday and got him to show me how to set them up on separate numbers on the controller (all new locos are set on number 3).
My Farish 47 and Dapol 33 have settled down to be superb runners.
Really looking forward to the Dapol 50 coming out, I’m hoping to get a sound fitted one, but I’m thinking that I might need to get a better controller than my Bachmann E-Z Command unit as apparently the Dapol chips don’t like it. Also you can’t adjust the CV settings on it...

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced decent DCC controller that’ll work with Dapol locos?

I ended up putting a Bachmann chip in the Dapol 33 to get it working properly.
 

Tallpaul70

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4 Dec 2018
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I thought I would share some points raised when I posted my above post from yesterday on another forum:-

I was asked if the Castles were of the same configuration to which I replied:-

The two Castles are not of the same Hornby variant The TTS is a factory fitted one uses the 2010 version of the body, but I think was announced last year(?), whereas the Zimo fitted is the 2005 Hornby Collectors club version, which I think has an earlier body, but the chassis/ motor etc. may be the same as from 2005 they were DCC ready.
Perhaps any Hornby experts reading this can enlighten us?
and their relative running qualities were queried, to which I replied:-
Only having a 6ft test track at present it is a little difficult to compare the running characteristics!

I was also asked if the pannier was of the type that had a sprung middle axle as the questioner thought them superior to more recent chassis variant:-
I said:-
Reference the pannier, it is a 32-212 again from 2005, and appears to have a sprung centre axle.

It was suggested that the Hornby 08 with 5 pole motor and flywheel was a very good slow running mechanism, with which I concurred, saying:-
The Hornby 08 does seem to run very slowly, very well!

Hope the above is useful?

Tomorrow, having proved the locos work today, by running them separately on 03, I will manual in hand attempt to set them up on the controller under the last two digits of their running numbers. Only problem is the 08 is (D)3257, and the pannier is 5757!


Best regards
Paul
 

Tallpaul70

Member
Joined
4 Dec 2018
Messages
26
I thought I would share some points raised when I posted my above post from yesterday on another forum:-

I was asked if the Castles were of the same configuration to which I replied:-

The two Castles are not of the same Hornby variant The TTS is a factory fitted one uses the 2010 version of the body, but I think was announced last year(?), whereas the Zimo fitted is the 2005 Hornby Collectors club version, which I think has an earlier body, but the chassis/ motor etc. may be the same as from 2005 they were DCC ready.
Perhaps any Hornby experts reading this can enlighten us?
and their relative running qualities were queried, to which I replied:-
Only having a 6ft test track at present it is a little difficult to compare the running characteristics!

I was also asked if the pannier was of the type that had a sprung middle axle as the questioner thought them superior to more recent chassis variant:-
I said:-
Reference the pannier, it is a 32-212 again from 2005, and appears to have a sprung centre axle.

It was suggested that the Hornby 08 with 5 pole motor and flywheel was a very good slow running mechanism, with which I concurred, saying:-
The Hornby 08 does seem to run very slowly, very well!

Hope the above is useful?

Tomorrow, having proved the locos work today, by running them separately on 03, I will manual in hand attempt to set them up on the controller under the last two digits of their running numbers. Only problem is the 08 is (D)3257, and the pannier is 5757!


Best regards
Paul

Further to the above, I have received information which says that the HCC Castle(amongst others) was the Airfix 1979 body on a Dapol 1985 Chassis.

Also my eyes were playing tricks on me, the Hornby )* is (D) 3256, not 3257! so no conflict on use of fleet numbers as chip addresses!.

In fact I have completed the readdressing of the three locos recently chipped, and am pleased to say it was not difficult.
I then got overconfident and decided to try pairing the two shunters in what the NCE manual calls a consist. This was not difficult, but the problem I have is that I can't work out and the manual doesn't help on how to stop the locos working in a consist and return them to working against their individual addresses.
When I call up the individual addresses they just don't move?

Any help on this would be appreciated?

Best regards
Paul
 

Tallpaul70

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4 Dec 2018
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I now understand that you can only run the locos in a consist singly if you clear the consist, and next time you wnt a consist even if the locos are the same ones as in the consist you cleared, you have to set up a new consist!
The Clear Consist info I had read in the manual, but not appreciated its significance.
Unfortunately I misunderstood how a consist worked. I thought it sat in the system same as a single loco address and then could be called up any time you wanted it. I guess it can so long as you don't want to run the locos in the consist singly?

So when running modern stock and wanting to top and tail a train, unless I keep those locos purely for working under the consist, I will have to set up a consist each time I want to use it. I had hoped to use a consist for banking, but it seems not to be suitable?

So any ideas on the best way to do banking?

Best regards
Paul
 

Tallpaul70

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4 Dec 2018
Messages
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Firstly, apologies for no update for several weeks, but a number of unplanned things both modelling and family/household got in the way!

Anyway, I have now able to test my old DC locos, as well as my newly converted DCC locos, having completed the roundy-round test track and provided it with both DC and DCC power, although switching between the two is not easy.

So can anyone tell me if I have separate power systems for DC and DCC, plugged into separate power sockets is it sufficient protection to switch which ever is not in use off at the socket and the power unit , or should I , as I am currently doing disconnect the system not being used from the tracks?

I realise I need to only have one type of locos, either DC or DCC, on the test track at one time according to which power system is being powered.

Having now got over my Class 31 Mayzak rot at the expense of a new class 31, I still need to test other classes highlighted on the rot list such as Bachmann class 42s, Hornby Class 50s and steam class 75xxx and MNs/WCs/WC 4-6-0s

The latest problem is the high current for Lima motors. I had tested several Lima locos and wanted a sound conversion on a GW AEC Parcels railcar as there seems little prospect of a new model unlike the passenger cars where I will have to be patient and save up for the new Heljan version. As the model ran wellI thought it ok, but on testing my model shop advised that it was drawing 1.1 amps which they thought too close to the 1.2 amp limit for Zimo chips, having had examples blow in the past.

So the two alternatives are :-
1) go for a second hand Heljan class 128 in BR green, which vehicle took over from the W34W AEC parcels car in the Thames Valley. This should convert to DCC sound ok.

2) buy a Hornby updated Lima GWR passenger car and swap to its chasss the body for the parcels car giving the parcels car a modern mechanism. This might be cheaper than 1) above provided Hornby have left the fixings between car body and chassis unchanged.

Any thoughts would be welcome!

Many thanks
Best regards

Paul
 

Tallpaul70

Member
Joined
4 Dec 2018
Messages
26
It has been suggested I use a switch to change over the track connections.
Trouble is there is nowhere to mount a switch without quite a lot of work. This is a temporary testing and DCC set up track and has no control panel! Only way I can see is to find a small plastic box , mount the switch on one side and sockets for the three sets of cables (one input, two outputs) on the other and then put appropriate plugs on the three leads.
Anyone got a suggestion involving less work?

Otherwise, I will just have to put up with plugging and unplugging the track connection from the back of my NCE control box(this just sits on the baseboard). There is a separate track connection for the DC controller.

Many thanks
Best regards
Paul
 
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