Track and electrical/DCC
Reversing Loop Questions
Well...... it is late and my post ended up tagged onto " My favorite decoders" under Track & Electrical topic. I need help setting up my reversing loop.
Thanks....John
Need help identifying diode
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I have this 1n5408 rectifier diode on my throttle system. It has what appears to be a M below the number on it.
I'm trying to figure out what this means. I think it is a 3A , but don't know what Volt it is. When I look it up on the net, a 1n5408 shows (3A 1000V).
Heat dissapation for decoders
In another thread the concern was raised about relatively inefficient motors drawing current sufficient to heat up and possibly cooking a decoder.
If this is a potential problem, what can one do—other than remotoring—to conduct the heat away from the decoder? In a PC the usual answer is a bigger heat sink. Is it reasonable to, say, thermally attach the decoder or the most important chip in the decoder to a piece of metal? Or even, in the case of a brass model, potentially to the model itself?
Sending an emergency stop in JMRI / DCC++ to one loco
I hope this is a good place to post this. I just aquired an Athearn loco with a Tsunami sound decoder. I've changed the settings so that I can turn the engine sound on by giving it a little power then backing it off. What I'm trying to do unsuccessfully is to generate the engine stop sound. Here is what the Tsunami Manual has to say: "To shut the engine sound off, press your cab’s emergency stop button once." I've been searching all over the internet and that does seem to work for some people using some commercial hardware but I have
Frame isolation
I have a basic understanding of why one wants to isolate a motor from the frame of a brass model.
I recently picked up an elderly brass model of a Sperry rail car, probably vintage 1969. It came equipped with a rather small open frame motor. The wire seen here goes to the other (unpowered) truck. I assume that the powered truck picks up the other rail. The terminal on the other side is not attached; presumably the frame powers it.
Bachmann Spectrum Fairbanks Morse H-16-44 Decoder Conversion
I bought this Bachmann Spectrum model of a Fairbanks Morse H-16-44 used on EBay a couple of months ago and it is straight DC. There is not a lot out there on converting this model other than one post on here that has a few pictures, but not too much detail for someone attempting this without a lot of experience. I’ll take lots of photos as a I go and do a detailed write up.
Peco Trouble - Curved Turnouts out of Gauge
First, I can't find any other posts on this topic anywhere on the web.
I laid a couple of Peco code 100 curved turnouts (I bought 6) and then checked them with the handy dandy bobber boober test 'em caboose. It bound up badly going through the tight radius ST245 circled at the top of the photo, and came to a stop.
Making a 180 degree turn with flex-track
I'm planning to have a 180 degree turn at one end of the layout. Have tight can I bend code 83 flex track? I'm think of a 20 to 24 degree turn to give rail cars an easy way of it! Can I do this and how wide of an area will I need to make that turn with some space on the outside for safety? Thanks
Getting past clip type DCC decoder mounts.
This is a three step prep. When you want to convert from one style of decoder to another, this procedure might work well for you too.
A clip type decoder holder is a convenience for the locomotive manufacturer. The first thing I do is to cut the “ears” or clips off the decoder holder with a pair of flush cutters. Next I might file the cut area flat if I intend to use Walthers Goo, silicone gasket sealant or rubber cement to attach the new decoder that way.
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