Track and electrical/DCC

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Less Picky About Trackwork

Fri, 2012-03-30 07:20 — LKandO

For all the discussion about how finicky model trains are about the track they run on it is amazing how tolerant the real ones are of their track work. Saw this elsewhere, thought it worthy of repeating.

No-ox

Wed, 2012-03-28 12:50 — dantept

There has been extensive discussion about the use of No-ox as a means of reducing track maintenance and enhancing electrical contact between rail and wheel. Has anyone tried using the product in rail joiners and/or on the contact tabs on turnouts? I have never used No-ox, but based on what others have described it seems that using it on joiners (in lieu of solder) and tabs would be beneficial. Any thoughts?

Dante

36 comments

Blown Decoder - Oops?

Tue, 2012-03-27 19:45 — wp8thsub

I've been having one of those lovely days today...

Advice RE: Buss Wiring

Tue, 2012-03-27 08:17 — numbersmgr

Good Morning

I need some advice on buss wiring. My son left behind a half a spool of Phillips-Magnavox 16 ga speaker wire. It is stranded, clear plastic coating, one side looks copper and the other side is silvery so I assume it is aluminum wire. Would this be ok to use as a buss wire? I hope so, as that will be one less thing to have to buy on my (very) limited budget.

How to weather the guard rail on Peco Trunouts (specifically, N Scale Code 55)

Mon, 2012-03-26 21:31 — Mike Rosenberg

Track and electrical/DCC

I love my Peco N scale, Code 55 electrofrog turnouts. The only problem is those ugly, cast-in plastic guard rails. (From the ads, it looks like the HO turnouts have the same problem.)

Now that I've decided it's time to learn how to weather what track I have down, I've come to the point I'd hoped would solve the "guard rail problem" - weathering them to hide the fact they're plastic.

Does anyone have great advice on a successful way to accomplish that, before I ruin a bunch of turnouts trying various solutions?

NCE D13SR decoders Vs Lenz set 90 version 3.6

Thu, 2012-03-22 02:47 — Ken Kaef

Track and electrical/DCC

I have recently bought a new Lenz set 90 version 3.6 to replace the Lenz Compact version 3.3 that I have been successfully using for about seven years. Soon after connecting the Lenz set 90 to my HO scale layout I discovered the none of the five locos I have that are fitted with NCE D13SR decoders would not run. I have locos that I have installed with Lenz, TCS and Digitrax decoders all of which ran fine.

DCC track voltage

Thu, 2012-03-22 02:21 — Ken Kaef

Track and electrical/DCC

I recently purchased a new Lenz set 90 version 3.6 to replace the Lenz compact version 3.3 that I have been using for about seven years now. The Lenz set 90 comes with the track voltage factory set at 16 volts. The local DCC "experts" have suggested that the ideal DCC track voltage should be 14.5 volts, so I set the tack voltage to .14.5 immediately the MRC reversing module on my HO scale layout started chattering and would not work, the lower voltage was not enough to hold the relay in in the reversing module.