Track and electrical/DCC
My Experiments with DCC++
For the last few months I have been experimenting with DCC++ and participating in the forum on TrainBoard.com (see: http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?forums/dcc.177/ ) where its developers meet.
I thought some of you might be interested in the Talking Throttle that I have developed for DCC++ and some of the higher power options I have found. My notes and links to videos are here:
Analog on DCC
stole this from another post
If "analog", I wouldn't put it on any form of DCC-powered track, as a matter of principle.
It is possible that by setting the Digitrax system to "00" you may have invoked the hybrid "Zero Bit Stretching" mode, which is a motor-cooking way of faking-out the DCC signal so it appears capable of driving a single analog loco...
Power Districts
What is the best practice for setting up power districts?
Is it better to have all your circuit breakers mounted next to and connected near the booster and then the bus wiring run out from each circuit breaker?
Or is it best to run a bus wire from the booster around the layout and just connect your circuit breakers into the bus wire as needed along the layout?
Scale: HOn3
Layout: 20' x 20'
DCC System: NCE SB5 Smart Booster
Bus wire: 12 gauge stranded
Feeder wire: 20 gauge solid
Alternative to Caboose Industries turnout ground throw
Last year I saw discussion of another type of turnout ground throw I would like to try. IIRC, it was metal vs. the plastic type that Caboose Industries has.
Can anyone post the name/company so I can look those up? I'm going to need some for my yard which will mostly make use of manual ground throws.
Cheers, Jim Fitch
Digitrax throttles
After one year absent from my local club due to real life issues I have returned and discovered (quite pleased) that my club have decided to go DCC. I have been using DCC for quite a while now, and nearly all of my locomotives have DCC and most have sound. But my club decided to use a digitrax radio system, while I use a NCE Power Cab. I have decided to bite the bullet and buy one throttle for club use and leave my power cab on my small shelf layout. Now for the big question: Which throttle do I choose? Since the club has a radio setup a radio throttle is nice, but not necessary.
Anyone know a second source for end tie plates for Free mo?
Been trying to contact BNM Hobbies for a week and a half and the phone just rings. They haven't answered e-mail either.
Soldering Iron
Ok I could use a new soldering iron.
I currently have a wellwith an orange base that has a variable heat dial but it is showing its age / ware and tear and I could use another for when two of us are working.
So I am looking for a good better best suggestions if we assume that the Weller is good what is better and what is the ultimate best option?
Uses are primarily track feeders. Track work. Switches (Fast Track), and DCC decoder installs. Pretty much in that order.
Any suggestions would be nice.
-Doug M
building consists
I'm thinking of making the switch from DC to DCC so that I can run double header trains with rear end pushers as was common in the era (1880). So I'm at the beginning of the DDC learning curve. I have found Bruce's Column in MRH to be very helpful as have the various manuals and web sites of the various manufactures. My engines (that I will have to add decoders too) have different motors and gear box setups that does not allow them to be ran together realizably. As i understand it (I think) the two lead engines you make a consists and the rear helper as an another engine/train.
Under the table sound?
Hi All, I'm putting a decoder in my TT scale loco and was thinking about consisting it with a stationary sound decoder so I could add a sub woofer and speakers under the table. The loco is so small I don't want to add an onboard decoder right now but it seems like it should be pretty easy to rig up a spare soundtraxx under the table? Does anyone know how I should connect one? Would the decoder need some kind of load on the motor wires to work correctly? How should I connect the decoder sound output to a sub woofer/speaker setup?
DCC decoder with Arduino Nano: Problem to get it to work
Hi.
I'm trying to use Geoff Bunza's nice DCC decoder projects on a Arduino Nano but it don't work very well.
The stationary decoder I can get to control some LED:s over DCC, but after awhile they stops lighting and I have to send the command again to relit the LED. Seam like some timing is incorrect, but where?
Any help is much appreciated.
Regards
Lars Ljungberg, Sweden
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