ntpntpntp
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Posts posted by ntpntpntp
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Could it be you're getting a short circuit as the bridge moves - as indicated in the diagram above?
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That sounds like the typical problem you get with many types of coupling in many scales: two items of rolling stock have couplings which hate each other and misbehave 🙂 My usual solution is to try turning one coach or wagon 180 degrees in the train, or move one wagon somewhere else in the train. It's worth examining the couplings carefully for any droop or general difference in height, or failure to engage properly. Failing that, sometimes I use a tiny amount Copydex or TackyWax in the couplings as a semi-permanent fix, or for permanent rakes you could try one of the magnetic coupling alternatives.
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A quick google suggests that 67mm is fairly standard spacing for sectional track systems in 00, and 51mm for Peco Streamline.
I know Peco sell a spacing gauge with both measurements. I use the N gauge equivalent tool. When laying tighter radius curves it's best to transition to the Sectional track spacing even if you're using the Streamline spacing on the main parts of the layout.-
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4 hours ago, Generic Hornby Username said:
the Eurostar has cross-channel appeal
I think it was mentioned on here previously, Piko already make the ICE 3 in TT so that could be the basis for a Eurostar e320
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49 minutes ago, Charlie 66 said:
I've gone extreme and ground off the flanges and glued the bogie to the mounting bar in a forward position
Good grief! That seems far too drastic. Given the vast majority don't seem to experience such problems one wonders what was really wrong with your example.
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Would need a catenary system too, representing British style (not simply use one of the European catenary systems). One thing that really annoys me is seeing model locos running with pantos up but no knitting 🙂 I made sure my N gauge system is fully fitted with (non-working) OHLE.
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I hit the same problem this morning (posted on another thread). Once I'd realised I needed to click on the Forum link first then everything was pretty much as it was before. That's the page I've bookmarked.
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This is what I landed on after initially getting a 404 error this morning and then redirected to the 3 brands and clicking into the Hornby section. I hadn't twigged this was a level above the forum which I'd bookmarked in the past. Sorted now.
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It's thrown me that the "Unread Posts" link seems to have vanished (I used that all the time)? Let's give things a chance for the updates to be completed. ....
[edit] Ah it's there at the top once you go into a Most Recent Post. Needs to be on the landing page once you select a brand I think. -
Are the traction tyres present and in good order? The service sheet indicates it should have 2 tyres, one wheel of each axle of the driven bogie.
Check both driven axles are turning under power - in case there's a worn or split gear?
Check the non-powered bogie's wheels are turning freely? -
2 hours ago, atom3624 said:
No idea how good / bad these are - often hear them being mentioned.
Al.
Seuthe smoke units have been around for decades and were pretty much the "go-to" brand for model trains and model boats. I remember my Triang loco with "SyncroSmoke" came with a tube of smoke oil identical those sold by Seuthe.
They do the job but there's no chuff synchronisation and they're only really effective if the voltage is up near the maximum - so on DC that tends to mean running at high speed 🙂
I have a couple of N gauge locos with Seuthe units, and also LGB G scale locos. -
12 hours ago, ntpntpntp said:
Probably worth having the cover plate off and cleaning the commutator face and slots,
Just looking at the photo it looks like the commutator is almost black with carbon and dirt so that really does need cleaning. Could be someone's over-oiled the bearing and it's got onto the commutator. The brushes may have soaked up oil and need replacing. The brush spring may have overheated and lost their tension.
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A motor running under no load at all (no gearing engaged) really shouldn't be drawing anywhere near enough current to trip a controller, so either the motor has developed a coil short or there's some other wiring fault in the mechanism. A dodgy interference suppression capacitor could cause it.
Can you use a multimeter to check the current draw? Probably worth having the cover plate off and cleaning the commutator face and slots, check and clean or replace the brushes etc. and see if that makes any improvements before you invest in a replacement gear. You may need a complete replacement armature assembly if it is a coil fault. -
Give 'em a chance! British TT:120's only been on sale for what - a year and a half ish? More stuff for each era will come 🙂
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26 minutes ago, AlloAllo said:
One query please. What is the purpose of the capacitor?
TV interference suppression. More applicable to the old analogue TV and radio signal than digital TV.
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4 hours ago, Hobby11 said:
Some of the Minitrix range of steamers had traction tyres, their ten coupled locos did, for instance.
Yes indeed many of them do, as do Fleischmann, Arnold, Roco and others in my collection of several dozen. I'd say they are relatively common on European models other than on tank locos and diesel shunters where obviously you need maximum pickup capability. I've never had any problems with them, they're easy enough to replace on tender drive or loco drive when necessary, though they last for many years if not abused 🙂 The improvement in haulage is very noticeable and I'm definitely in the "love them" camp!
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3 hours ago, Rallymatt said:
I’m not sure on [tyred / non-tyred replacement wheelsets for] Steam as don’t have any maybe @ntpntpntp would know (they are probably same in N)
To be honest the only N locos I've come across where alternative wheelsets have been available are some of the Graham Farish tender drive models and I think the old Peco Collett Goods loco (also tender drive). I don't recall seeing any for diesels or electrics nor for steam locos. Never seen any such alternatives for my European N models either.
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1 hour ago, Generic Hornby Username said:
Something akin to what Marklin and PECO did in their HO ICE 4 trains
Piko (not PECO) 🙂
In N gauge the ICE 3 models by Arnold can handle reasonably tight radii perfectly well. Kato's ICE 4 had a little problem on my layout, but only the fairings around the bogies on the driving ends (no problem with the intermediate coaches). A bit of careful cutting away of material on the inside improved things 🙂-
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My ears pricked up at the mention of traction tyred wheelsets for the European class 66s 🙂 Hoping those will be available as parts to retrofit to the UK models?
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Sounds like the old models have deep wheel flanges which aren't compatible with modern track. The old wheels are bumping on the chairs and sleepers.
Folk with engineering skills have been known to put the wheels on a lathe and turn them down a little, but to be honest if you want to run old models it's best to use track of the same age which was designed for the models.-
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This is for plain DC, right? You don't plan to go DCC on the layout?
As others have said, for DC you cut one rail and fit a diode across the gap, the correct way round so that it block power as the loco runs in but allows power in the reverse direction. As long as all locos are wired the same way and run in the same direction, which is the case unless someone's fiddled and re-assembled incorrectly 🙂
Adding a switch across the gap will bypass the diode and allow you to drive in more carefully once the kids have learned to drive model trains appropriately. I had my little lad running my N gauge layout at exhibitions when he was very young!
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@RB51 hmmm I've just checked my 08 and a Hornby point (only items I had to hand). I wouldn't go tighter than 10.2mm b2b as that seems to be the measurement of the frog and checkrail clearance. My 08 seems to vary from 10.25mm to 10.4mm. I've not played with the 08 much as yet.
I suggest you look more closely at exactly what happens when it "clatters" through points and when it derails on the curve. Could be the bogie pivot is still stiff or something is catching? Is it possible the track isn't properly level on the curve, eg. if missed with the hammer and caught the rail when pinning down, or a joint has missed the fishplate? -
@Rallymatt yup 🙂 LokPilot are ESU's non-sound decoders.
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@RB51 that 10.2mm you're measuring, that's between the inside backs of the flanges? Is the derailment happening through point frog/checkrails, or on curves?
If the b2b is too narrow the wheels will jam up through point frogs and check rails. If the b2b is too wide the flange will catch the tip of the frog V and may ride up on curves. Those are the only two tests I've ever used. I've never bothered measuring b2b against a stated standard nor against a b2b gauge, as long as the wheelset passes freely through the points on my layout it is correct 🙂-
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Droppers and decoder
in Hornby DCC
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With regard to the frequency of fitting droppers: personally I feel that fitting droppers to every discrete section of rail is overkill, you'd have to be carrying out very poor track laying if your rail joiner connectivity is so bad you get noticeable voltage drop or DCC signal corruption 🙂 Remember DCC train sets come with one pair of wires and they work fine 🙂 That said, there is of course some benefit to fitting a pair of droppers every so often. As I now build modular layouts with a typical board length of about 3' this does mean my track feeds (to work with DC or DCC) are naturally at that sort of spacing, plus any additional feeds for DC section switching.