Paul K

Couple pics over here where they're certainly or probably in BR Green, looking like repaints from original black: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/152207-pre-nationalisation-diesel-0-6-0-shunters/ Here's someone who's done it with a B-mann 00 08; they went with weathered black: Not ironclad sources, but enough that I'd be comfortable doing either scheme, unless I was modelling a *specific* loco at a *specific* time, and eventually rule 1 comes into play anyway...

Do we have confirmed throw distances for both/either the Hornby or Peco Unifrog TT:120 points? Standard in HO/00 is 0.190"/4.8 mm; in N its 0.135"/3.4 mm. I'd *ass*ume TT falls somewhere in-between, but I haven't measured mine yet...

Power reliability requirements for HM7000, in my limited experience, are just as stringent as DCC - power drop-outs cause the decoder to reset and there isn't room for the power bank/stay alive in these locos (as delivered). I'm planning to wire my layout just as I would for DCC. I've been doing the table-top thing with my set track since getting my bundle, and I'm starting to see power hiccups from the track joiners loosening. This isn't really a fault, it's just the reality of expecting track joiners to carry the power. Your question about short protection is a good one. I believe Hornby claim their 14v power supply has built-in short protection, but details are fuzzy to me and I'm strongly considering splitting my layout into a couple power districts, each with DCC breakers.

I'm planning to build a 3'x6'-ish size initial layout for TT, and - honestly - just not going to do gradients at that size, because I want a design that allows continuous running. Even 4x8 is really tight to make it work and keep the grades under 2%. My first HO layout went around the board 3X using marginally too-steep gradients to make it all fit... never again; it was nothing but trouble. What I will do is use a 1" foam base board so I can make the terrain vary up and down around the track, have some kind of water crossing, and break the illusion of a completely flat scene...

John, you don't mention what era/subject you're interested in, but here's my experience as a newcomer to both TT and British outline stock, but not DCC. What you get depends on your starting point. All locos so far, except the Class 08, are intended to use a Next18 decoder. Analog train set locos come DCC-ready for a decoder to be fitted in the tender, but don't include the decoder AND aren't fitted with a speaker (though the tender includes the molded-in enclosure for a drop-in install). Analog stand-alone locos come DCC-ready for a decoder (not included), but ARE fitted with a pre-installed speaker, so all you need for DCC/sound is to drop in the decoder. Bundle locos are included in this category. Digital sets and locos come pre-fitted with DCC/sound, and are closest to what you're used to/expecting. The locos released so far do not have lighting functions, but I'm fairly sure the HM7000 DCC decoders CAN do all the usual stuff, it's just not utilized in TT:120 (so far). CV editing in Hornby's HM DCC environment is the easiest I've ever experienced. It's all done via table/phone, with a straightforward graphical interface, and is worlds away from hunting and pecking on my NCE PowerCab traditional DCC system. But, it's also mostly optional - download and install the appropriate loco profile from Hornby in the app, and you needn't touch a CV if you don't care to. A word on the chips and speakers. Unlike most DCC chips, Hornby includes a speaker and various plastic enclosures in the box with every decoder everything is plug and play and involves no soldering to install (in their DCC-ready locos). While their chips aren't the most advanced DCC sound chips on the market, they're certainly among the easiest and best value propositions out there.

Another thing to consider, once you start thinking about running your trains on the left track of double lines, is that UK railways generally did not like to use facing points off a main line aside from junctions. There certainly were exceptions, but it's something that gives UK station and sidings track plans something of a unique character compared to, say, US railways which I'm much more familiar with.

I'd just like to say, the custom speed curve for 3 cylinders posted earlier in the thread does a very fair job of syncing the wheel speed and chuff rate for my TT FS. It does result in a very non-linear feeling throttle response, but then again real trains/locos are anything but linear, we're all just so used to driving them like slot cars from years of DC controller dials...

One suggestion from a new user: When I go to transfer a decoder from one control device to another (aka: unlink from tablet, link to a new device like a phone), I get a warning that the decoder will be reset to factory settings and any installed loco profile/settings currently programmed will be deleted. It would be much more convenient if decoders were transferable to a new controller while maintaining the current programming, sound files, and CVs on the chip. Since it's a closed ecosystem, is there a way a new controller could simply read the ID of any profile already installed on a decoder upon linking, without a reset?

If you pull the decoder and replace the loco blanking plug, will it run on DC, or has the mechanism jammed? First thing I would try, to rule out a physical problem with the loco drive. If you have another loco w/ a 21-pin plug you could also move the decoder over to test it at the same time...

I have an old Pixel 2 and a Pixel 3 still in the house. I didn't try them yet as I assumed their age might preclude compatibility with mesh type BT.

I had seen that in a post here and tried it multiple times, with no effect. Even after shutting the phone down and removing the loco from the track for a few minutes, it would only come up as a "resettable device" on a fresh scan. To be clear, I tried linking the decoder to my Pixel as the first device out of the package, it was not previously linked to the iPad, or any other control device. Only after getting stuck in the reset loop, and being unable to break it with power cycling did I then attempt to link to the iPad. The iPad detected the decoder as "linkable" on the first scan, and linking plus all the following steps to load a loco profile and run it worked on the first go after that, so I think there was no fault in the decoder. If the Hornby team have any further insight, I'm happy to do a little testing and report back, but at this point I'm also pretty happy to run the train from the iPad, with its bigger screen.

Spent about 2 hours getting acquainted with HM7000 today. NXT18 decoder install in a TT120 A1 took all of 5 minutes, so that was great. Unfortunately, the next hour or so was spent fighting with the app on my Android phone (Pixel 7). It detected the decoder when first scanned, failed on a required firmware update, and then went into a loop of saying the decoder needed to be reset, resetting it, scanning, detecting it as needing to be reset, etc. Multiple power cycles of both phone and decoder had no effect. Happily, switching to (the wife's) iPad achieved a good result. Decoder detected, linked, and firmware updated without issue. Loco profile and sound pack for TT FS installed on the first attempt. Was able to set everything up and do a little static running in and sound testing. It really is fantastic once it all works! I wish I knew why it didn't on Android, but luckily I have iOS devices too, seems that's the more reliable choice for now...

Hello! It looks like there's at least one precedent for this, but I have a pile of 3S LiPo batteries from other hobbies, which seems like it should work to supply clean 12.6v DC to track. With the <1 amp draw of modern locos, there is potentially hours of running time per battery charge in even a modest-sized lipo battery designed for RC use. A couple of potential concerns to mitigate, this is really where I'm wondering if others have already tread this path: Short protection: LiPo batteries (and all others too, really) really don't appreciate dead shorts, and tend to react *violently* when one is encountered. I have no desire to burn my house down playing trains, so short/overcurrent protection is a must in my mind. There's the old taillight trick, but not sure if that's sufficient in this use case.Am I risking the HM7000 decoder? We've seen the changing recommendations NOT to use standard DC power packs to supply track voltage for HM7000. From what I gather that's due to spiky/inconsistent DC waveform which I don't believe should be the case with a battery supply. But I recognize this is not an officially endorsed power source.Just to clarify, I'm looking to use the battery to supply track power, I'm not thinking of trains carrying batteries running on dead rail (yet). I'm in TT:120 and there just isn't the room that I can see.

Flying Scotsman bundle arrived today, and very quickly for overseas shipping I might add - bravo Hornby for that. She looks lovely and runs on analog. It'll be a day or two until I have time to get a decoder in her and have a play with HM7000...

I had a Digital "The Scotsman" set on pre-order, and this same calculus caused me to switch my order to a Flying Scotsman bundle plus a Next18 decoder last week. Even with a separate decoder, the bundle's extra lighted pullman and included track pack 2 more than even things out. They're not "cheap" (for a first dabble in a new scale), but I'd say they're a good value. My stateside modeling interest is the Pennsylvania RR, and the whole TT120 bundle wasn't much more than a nice K4 Pacific or 2-8-0 in HO with full DCC setup would be.