What did you do on your layout today? (N scale)

[chadbag]

2 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

I was so tempted to just order a bunch of these things. I even had them in my cart at Hobbysearch. But strength prevailed. I'm going to wait for my components and do them the cheap way! For the money I'll save, maybe I'll finally buy myself one of those Chinese trains!

 

4x 6-packs of the warm white, delivered to the US from Amazon.co.jp is ¥ 11003 🙂 which is a hair over $100 (around $110.40 -- $110.50 probably if your card does not charge foreign exchange fees)

 

[Yavianice]

I use @JR 500系 Chinese lights for my tomix and micro ace trains and some kato ones. They are about half the cost of normal kato lights and work just as well.

[gavino200]

3 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

I use @JR 500系 Chinese lights for my tomix and micro ace trains and some kato ones. They are about half the cost of normal kato lights and work just as well.

 

Interesting. Are you using these with DC or DCC? They don't have the same over-brightness problem that TORMs have?

[gavino200]

6 minutes ago, chadbag said:

 

4x 6-packs of the warm white, delivered to the US from Amazon.co.jp is ¥ 11003 🙂 which is a hair over $100 (around $110.40 -- $110.50 probably if your card does not charge foreign exchange fees)

 

 

Yeah, it's a fair whack. Plus, I really want to start using 'stay alive' circuits. I have the worlds lowest tolerance for flicker. Even one micro-flick per lap pisses me off. 

[Yavianice]

Just now, gavino200 said:

 

Interesting. Are you using these with DC or DCC? They don't have the same over-brightness problem that TORMs have?

He posted about them pages back. I only use DC. In general I am satisfied with them. Because in general they have good light distribution. And in general I don’t think they are too bright. (Slightly less bright than torm). But making them less bright is not really possible with for example paper. To me I just want to have my trains lighted. That it is too bright is not really a concern of mine yet because it is not too obvious unless I video tape it. I’m happy with them because they are cheap and super easy to install, in general. 

[gavino200]

2 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

He posted about them pages back. I only use DC. In general I am satisfied with them. Because in general they have good light distribution. And in general I don’t think they are too bright. (Slightly less bright than torm). But making them less bright is not really possible with for example paper. To me I just want to have my trains lighted. That it is too bright is not really a concern of mine yet because it is not too obvious unless I video tape it. I’m happy with them because they are cheap and super easy to install, in general. 

 

I bet they look fine. As far as I can work out the same LED kits (TORMs etc) shine a good deal brighter with DCC. On my layout they look like mobile suns.

[Lina_Blue]

3 hours ago, gavino200 said:

I found a bunch of Kato light units but without diffusers. Maybe I can find a way to make some diffusers for them. 

 

I have a bunch of spare diffusers and orange thingys, you can have some if you want.

[gavino200]

6 hours ago, Waisneed said:

 

I have a bunch of spare diffusers and orange thingys, you can have some if you want.

 

If you have no use for them I'd love to have them. I have about ten light units with no diffusers.

[chadbag]

I added extensions to some KATO feeder wires plugged into KATO feeder track, after snipping off the KATO connector.  I did this on two double track feeders (total 8 wires).  I also made two pair of connector feeders for a third feeder set and was able to connect the three detection blocks (in two power districts) of my inner double loop and get it running.    I was able to use the test train and bring it out from the outermost loop to the innermost, which shows that the wiring is good 🙂 

 

My son wanted to use the Cassiopeia set and as I had already added a TCS decoder to that, that is the one we used to test.   I bought it used (10-399 6 car set and the EF81 in Cassiopeia colors) for like $70-$90 -- around that on Japan Amazon through Zenmarket.   I had never actually run the wagons, just the EF81, up to now and it turns out they have light kits installed as well!  Score.  Some flickering, so I will clean off the wheels, check the contacts, and eventually install the anti-flicker stuff we are working on in the DCC topic.  The EF81 is running a little rough, and as I bought it used, is probably to be expected.  I will do a maintenance job on that one of these days.

 

FYI: For the connector feeder wires I made today, I used the 22 AWG wire instead of the 20 AWG wire.  It was easier to work with and solder onto the bottom of the connectors.

 

I do have some issues as wire is just laid underneath track (feeders I cut out space for etc but wire from other sections of track (e.g. inner loop) that has to pass underneath out track I just run it underneath).  The rack does not lay exactly flat, and some trains have some issues with decoupling etc.  This is just a temp layout, but I may still depress the blue foam underneath the green table cloth I am use to try and solve the problem.  The EF81 today has knuckle couplers and as it went over a small bump was decoupling from the E26 front wagon on the outer loop.

 

Unfortunately today, we have a bi-annual conference at church and as I am in "leadership" (exec secretary) I need to go to a leadership training meeting this afternoon and tonight is the general adult session so I won't be getting much more done today.  😞

 

[Lina_Blue]

17 hours ago, gavino200 said:

 

If you have no use for them I'd love to have them. I have about ten light units with no diffusers.

 

I have about 10 I could spare.

Let's discuss the shipping details per PM.

[Sheffie]

Found this little thing attempting to wrap itself around the power pickup wheels. 

My old nemesis, the stray hair

[cteno4]

Do you have a cat? Cat hairs love loco gears and axles! One of our club members brought me a dd51 that was not running and when I tore it apart it was caked with cat hairs! He had 2 cats. I had quite the schmutz pile after it was all dug out! 

 

Jeff

[Sheffie]

Alas, our cat passed away a couple of years ago. This hair was one of mine :/
Interesting to see a bit of buildup on the wheels already, though. I would not have noticed that if I hadn't seen the loco pulling weirdly and turned it over under the magnifying glass

[railsquid]

Amateur :P

 

microace-101-axle-fluff_01 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

microace-101-axle-fluff_02 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

(The fluff is not mine, I hasten to add, it came with the cars, which were very cheap :D )

[chadbag]

Saturday I took the background wall I had previously built and glued the dowels on it that hook it to the layout (I can either put the background up or put other short dowels in and put the short glass safety panels in).  Some of the dowels popped off the back before the glue set so I need to glue those back on.  And remove the tap, which was supposed to hold the dowels on while the glue set.  It was CA gel glue (so longer setting time) in a cold basement (so longer setting time).

 

This morning I hooked up the Tam Valley DCC Booster (for accessories) to the command station and then the DR4018 switch module to the new booster and tested it.  The one switch hooked up worked fine.   I have one more DR4018 on its way (from Iron Planet Hobbies -- a US Digikeijs dealer along with more DR4101 adapters -- to adapt KATO switches to the module).  I will install both switch modules and the Tam Valley accessory booster (only doing switches -- no track) on a separate board and hang it underneath the layout on the other side where all the switches currently reside.  That will make the wiring much easier.

 

[Pauljag900]

4 hours ago, chadbag said:

Saturday I took the background wall I had previously built and glued the dowels on it that hook it to the layout (I can either put the background up or put other short dowels in and put the short glass safety panels in).  Some of the dowels popped off the back before the glue set so I need to glue those back on.  And remove the tap, which was supposed to hold the dowels on while the glue set.  It was CA gel glue (so longer setting time) in a cold basement (so longer setting time).

 

This morning I hooked up the Tam Valley DCC Booster (for accessories) to the command station and then the DR4018 switch module to the new booster and tested it.  The one switch hooked up worked fine.   I have one more DR4018 on its way (from Iron Planet Hobbies -- a US Digikeijs dealer along with more DR4101 adapters -- to adapt KATO switches to the module).  I will install both switch modules and the Tam Valley accessory booster (only doing switches -- no track) on a separate board and hang it underneath the layout on the other side where all the switches currently reside.  That will make the wiring much easier.

 

J

Looking good chad,👍👍😀

I m all for making the wiring easier.

this is also the bit I love most,getting everything prepared ready to just connect up.

hoping to have all six tracks powered up and trains running this weekend,including the isolated sections.

[gavino200]

5 hours ago, chadbag said:

 

This morning I hooked up the Tam Valley DCC Booster (for accessories) to the command station and then the DR4018 switch module to the new booster and tested it.  The one switch hooked up worked fine.   I have one more DR4018 on its way (from Iron Planet Hobbies -- a US Digikeijs dealer along with more DR4101 adapters -- to adapt KATO switches to the module).  I will install both switch modules and the Tam Valley accessory booster (only doing switches -- no track) on a separate board and hang it underneath the layout on the other side where all the switches currently reside.  That will make the wiring much easier.

 

 

 

I don't really get what's what here. The Tam Valley DCC Booster is going to run you switches. It connects to your command center. 

 

The Digikeijs DR4018 is what? your controller? It connects to your tracks and is controlled by a hand held throttle cab? Why do you need another one?

 

What's a DR4104 adaptor? Is that a computer interface for your DR4108? 

 

What is the end user method of controlling your switches? Can you control them with your hand held throttle? Or do you control them on a computer screen by pointing and clicking on a schematic of your track?

[chadbag]

23 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

I don't really get what's what here. The Tam Valley DCC Booster is going to run you switches. It connects to your command center. 

 

It is a booster. It takes the "rail sync" input (the DCC signal input) and (in very un-electronic terms) adds power to it.  Like any DCC Booster.  (The Tam Valley can operate as an accessory booster or a track booster -- same basic functionality in both cases but as an accessory booster it has a few different parameters).   Just like you cannot hook your switches directly to the DCC rail signal, you cannot hook them directly to the Booster either.

 

23 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

The Digikeijs DR4018 is what? your controller? It connects to your tracks and is controlled by a hand held throttle cab? Why do you need another one?

 

This is basically a "switch decoder".  It is actually a more generic "accessory decoder" and can run switches with solenoids, motors, LED light accessories, etc.  Anything you want to access over DCC commands.  It is analogous to the normal train decoder (said generically) in that it takes the commands that come over the DCC bus and converts them to outputs the accessories understand.  Just like your train decoder takes the DCC commands and converts them to things your locomotive (or lights or whistles etc) understand.  The DR4018 can control up to 8 accessories/switches.  I have 13 switches so need more than one.

 

23 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

What's a DR4104 adaptor? Is that a computer interface for your DR4108? 

 

The DR4101 is a small adapter that converts the generic output of the DR4018 to one that is compatible with KATO style switches.  The DR4018 has 3 wire output and this converts that to the KATO 2 wire output (and pulse).   There are a few other ones Digikeijs makes to interface with other switches etc.  In fact, I only had 8 of the DR4101 adapters and ordered 8 more (2X 4 pack) and they sent me DR4102 "Points crossing interface" instead (note, I am not exactly sure how they work but Iron Planet Hobbies labels it "frog polarity controller for DR4024 -- they look similar but the chips/electronic pieces between the 3 wire and 2 wire connectors are different).  They are sending me the right ones plus the new DR4018 switch controller (Decoder).  

 

23 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

What is the end user method of controlling your switches? Can you control them with your hand held throttle? Or do you control them on a computer screen by pointing and clicking on a schematic of your track?

 

I can trigger them from my hand throttle.  (I could also trigger them through software or any other method that can talk "DCC").  The siwtches get assigned a switch address and your throttle or software just sends a switch command to the command center which sends it out under that switch address, completely analogous to how the throttle controls a locomotive at a specific loco address.  The Roco Z21 hand throttle has a loco/switch toggle button to allow you to switch between loco mode and switch mode.  You can then scroll through the list of programmed switches and the throttle has two switch buttons -- one to move the switch to the side and one to move it back.

[gavino200]

It's a nice system.  I think I like it better than Digitrax. Thanks for explaining.

[chadbag]

1 minute ago, gavino200 said:

It's a nice system.  I think I like it better than Digitrax. Thanks for explaining.

 

Note that the DR4018 will work with any command center.  So you could add a DR4018 to your Digitrax system to control switches.  (As long as your throttle or other controllers/sw can send DCC switch commands).

 

I like the DR5000-ADJ command center as it is Multi protocol" meaning it supports Loconet, Xpressbus, Z21,  S88, etc so you have the whole gamut of accessories available.  That is how I have both Digitrax / withrottle style throttles and Xpressbuss and Z21 throttles at the same time.

[gavino200]

10 minutes ago, chadbag said:

 

Note that the DR4018 will work with any command center.  So you could add a DR4018 to your Digitrax system to control switches.  

 

Currently I just use Kato physical switches. Currently I only have eight switches, and they're logically grouped, so it works ok.

 

10 minutes ago, chadbag said:

 

(As long as your throttle or other controllers/sw can send DCC switch commands).

 

It probably could. It's ridiculously complicated - my main complaint of it, along with the horrible design.

 

10 minutes ago, chadbag said:

 

I like the DR5000-ADJ command center as it is Multi protocol" meaning it supports Loconet, Xpressbus, Z21,  S88, etc so you have the whole gamut of accessories available.  That is how I have both Digitrax / withrottle style throttles and Xpressbuss and Z21 throttles at the same time.

 

I think I'd buy one if I were starting over. It's a beauty.

[JR 500系]

Work is slow, but slowly progressing... manage to make a little 'food street' and entertainment street for my town! More details in my layout building thread!  🙂

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by JR 500系

[EH500 (12)]

I prepared some tracks for my wip layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by EH500 (11)

[gavino200]

48 minutes ago, EH500 (11) said:

I prepared some tracks for my wip layout.

 

 

 

 

What exactly are you doing there?

Edited February 16, 2019 by gavino200

[chadbag]

@EH500 (11)  Exactly what are you doing here?  Looks interesting but I am not sure what you are accomplishing with all the wires.

 

Gavin and I posted at the same time.  I didn't misspell anything so I will leave mine up 🙂

Edited February 16, 2019 by chadbag