DCC - Electrical
WOW decoders
Where is the lighting resisters that are on the mother board, the blue positive or on the white/yellow wire pads ? If I add ditch lights and use the + blue pad will I need to add resisters to the ditch light LEDs ? Thanks for any reply's TCS WDK-ATL-1 Zeke
Cheap and easy way to test LEDs?
Out of a batch of 60+ supposedly "warm white" LEDs, I've now found two that were actually much more cool white - noticeably so. I'd like to now test the remainder I have on hand so I can send back all the bad apples to the Ebay vendor who supplied them at one time for replacement. Can anyone suggest an easy, hopefully cheap way to test LEDs? I have a micrometer - can that be used? And if so, at what setting?
Power Districts
Been watching a series on Model Railroader Plus about wiring for DCC and the latest installment talking about power districts. On a small 9x11 layout how does one go about determining how many districts they need.
I will basically be running my as a solo operator and would I really need it?
Also I'm leaning towards a RailPro DCC system and if I break up into power distrcits would the NCE circuit breakers work with it?
Coal Shed
Another project in the works,
A two track coal shed that was in the December 1979 issue of Model Railroader.
I wanted to build a model of this building ever since I first read the article in the summer of 1989.
Berrett Hill Conversion
I just converted switch machine controls on my existing layout to a recessed, lighted button type from Berrett Hill. An easy 10 minute operation and one where I will start from "scratch" as I work on the new West End of the railroad.
Setting Digitrax Decoders So That Rear Lights Are Always On Dim
I recently purchased two N scale Atlas GP-40 DCC equipped locomotives. Both have Digitrax decoders. I want to consist the engines which is no problem, but I want the rear lights on both engines to be dim at all times. The front lights need to be bright with direction of travel and dim on the front of the trailing unit.
I know how to do this with TCS decoders, just can't figure out how to do it with Digitrax decoders...
Thank you for any help.
The poll results are in!
Thank you to all who participated.
The results are in with 68 total votes.
71% (48 votes) for dry rails with a graphite treatment or similar
19% (13 votes) for dry rails with nothing on them.
10% (7 votes) for some sort of conductive oil on them.
Here is the link to the original poll.
SPSF Meadow Sub: Ex-SP Kodachrome SW1500 - A Locomotive Detail and Painting Blog
A couple weeks ago, I embarked on yet another kodachrome repainting project for my proto-lanced SPSF Railway, this time an ex-SP SW1500.
What follows is my personal journal through all steps of this project.
Engine LED Question
I just started installing my first Loksound decoder in one of my engines. The set up I'm using is a Loksound Select 21 pin decoder coupled with a TCS motherboard that includes a Keep Alive circuit. According to the instruction sheet that came with TCS motherboard, it says...
"For LED’s: This motherboard features onboard, 1K, current limiting resistors."
feeder wires
When wiring your bus wires and feeder wires, I'm using # 14 for the bus and # 18 single strand copper wire for my feeders. Do you think that #18 is a good size or should I go #16. I heard that #18 may create too much resistance because it's small, true but still it's a copper wire which is a good conductor in itself and the feeders are short. I use suitcase connectors to connect the feeders to the bus.
What do you think ?
Chuck
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