N scale. Post if you dare. Only your stuff. (WARN:large images inside)

1. N scale
2. ONLY your items or creations
3. Real Model Railroad (no virtual)

Some gifs i made...

N scale, Terminator style? AI can't decide if it should go forward or back?












Video...



More videos uploadin!





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QL0VjV4ETA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H20hMBDJmiQ

A more recent recording...

N scale Dual Stack Talk Digitrax sdxn136ps decoder Using http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/atchison-topeka-santefe-3776-4-8-4/
Also using the jmri profile of "sfx sound decoders - series 6, and choosing the extended series 6 / steam / diesel, i can see many more cv's are showing and able to be modified. Use one of the 3 extended series 6 at the bottom for sdxn136ps decoders.

The little durango and silverton 481 is also using a sdxn136ps decoder with http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/canadian-national-k5a-4-6-4-type/


The durango track and the engine shop and the upsd70ace track aren't on the map below, it crosses track 3 right near track 17, and then joins at track 19 right near track 21.
The camera stops and the layout loses power at the spot where it joined track 19 because its not wired and i forgot the switch was flipped.

The dual 484 steam engines with 16 coalporter cars and a lit grey caboose is running on track 16. towards track 17 (looks like a 7)


In latest version of JMRI.....


Extended series decoder info,






Much more volume control options than regular sdxn136ps profile above...


And startup and shutdown, plus others...



Tools and tips to make sound files for these decoders. .spj format.

SPJHELPER and SPJ VIEWER are most important for making the sound files...

http://www.fnbcreations.net/spjhelper/index.html


http://www.fnbcreations.net/Articles/All About Digitrax Sound Decoders.pdf


You can use jmri to do sound files also.

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrix/loconet/soundloader/EditorFrame.shtml

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrix/loconet/soundloader/LoaderFrame.shtml

You are restircted to mono, 11khz files. (they can be 8,12,16 bit)

http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/sound/sound-project-files-spj/

Here I went forward and backward to show the engines don't jerk or derail eachother. (from mismatched engine trim)
The second engine loses power for a second and jerks a bit, because it needed tender pickup work..

Here is a demo video of what happens when one engine in a MU loses power and the other doesn't.
The one that doesn't loose power, helps pull the one that did, back into a part of the track that lets it get power again.


These decoders need a capacitor about 2-10 Farad at 16v to do well on bad connections.

The first engine has one, but the second doesn't.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/nichicon/JUWT1155MPD/493-4331-ND/2538685

6 of these in series makes a 1.5 farad 16.2v capacitor that is small enough to fit inside a tender or boxcar.

Have you tryed Kato Track? Here an old layout I use to have with Kato track.

VIA6415 said:

Have you tried Kato Track?

Click to expand...

If you are saying this because of the second engine connection issue, the track wasn't the problem, it was the pickups on the tender.


I have some short sections of straight kato track that came with the amtrak car set.
From the looks and feel of both, they are pretty close to the same.

I didn't want to pay the high costs of kato many years ago, so bachmann was the choice.
And I don't regret it, I was able to purchase bulk (50 pieces) of bachmann track for much cheaper than kato, its why I have so much track in my videos and pictures...

The bachmann switches and crossovers are not as nice as the kato, but they are acceptable, sometimes they need some tlc.

I can work with tiny things so doing tweaks on bachmann stuff is easy and worth the cheaper price since i can do that.

If you want less trouble with switches and crossovers, etc, and engines, and cars, buy all kato.


But if you want a cheaper product that you can modify and hack, and not be afraid to wreck, buy bachmann.
I would be afraid to modify and do the things I have done to my stuff if it all were kato, because the cost would have been scary, and I would be afraid to run the layout even.

But with bachmann, i know its low quality, because i saw the price, and so when I accidentally snap a track off its fake plastic roadbed, or a horn off of the engine, i just laugh, and save the pieces.

You can almost soak bachmann plastic shells and all their items in 70% rubbing alcohol and they are fine, paint too.


If you even think about bringing any alcohol near any kato product, it will melt, first the paint, then the plastic. Then you will cry like a little boy.



I like to run, a railroad. So in that thought, I found a nice tip for running rail..

Clean the rail with rubbing alcohol, and then dust it with super fine graphite, with a paintbrush.

You can find it in the hardware shop area for door keys, also. On amazon, everywhere.
AGS Extra Fine Graphite

Then run a heavy long consist that rolls well around your freshly dusted track.

The track will shine nickel. You cannot see the shine in the video, but you can see a consist running hard and heavy.

You can see the shine in this gif I posted earlier..
Its clearly visible on the mainline.

Total Railroad Control: Digitrax DCC DCS240 with DCS51 with sdxn136ps

AT the end you can see the steam engine come to a dead halt, that is because its whistle volume and main volume are both so high that I choked the decoders power, which restarts the decoder, which makes the engine start from speed 0 while the other one is still trying to run at speed. A bigger capacitor might help here, simply turning the volume down, and getting a better speaker(or two speakers)

Double header 484 pulling 28 cars, plus a caboose. Plus other movements.

Double header GOING REVERSE!, 484s pushing 28 cars, plus a caboose.
It wrecks the 4th or 5th time around, as I expected, my finger was on e-stop the whole time.
I did this to test the microtrains trucks and connectors. THEY PERFORM EXCELLENTLY
All the consists cars, caboose, engine, tenders, etc have microtrains connectors. The engine and tender and caboose have all had plastic melted into shape to allow the mt connectors to be glued and placed properly.

On the topic of rail trucks and connectors. I have tried kato's connectors, bachmann, rapido, kaydee(i think) and microtrains.

My favorite is microtrains.


I order the N Scale Bettendorf trucks with medium ext couplers 10 pair (1003-10)
https://www.micro-trains.com/index....th-medium-ext-couplers-10-pr-1003-10-00310022


They have other truck looks also, ball bearing, etc.. Thats not a big deal to me, I am more concerned with the connector and how it performs.
To replace all my railcar trucks, i use the original metal wheels if they are metal and good quality.
I pull out the plastic wheels that come with the microtrains trucks, I stretch the microtrains trucks a bit where the wheel meets the truck because the trucks hold onto the wheels too tightly.
I stretch them open till the wheels jiggle back and forth a bit, so there is almost no tension on the axle from the truck.


Once your railroad has good trucks and connectors, you can run backwards pretty well even.

Some other items you need if you plan to re-do all the connectors to mt connectors.

You need tools.
Naturally you need a standards gauge --> https://www.handlaidtrack.com/tl-0017



And the microtrains connector height / other gauge --> https://www.micro-trains.com/coupler-height-gauge-1055-98800031



For custom trucks on things like cranes and such, i cut the microtrains connector out of the bettendorf truck and glue it in place of the connector that was there.
A temperature controlled soldering iron lets you turn the temp to a degree exactly where plastic melts slowly, and won't burn.
You can use this to carve out the spot where you will put the microtrains connector.
I will be uploading example pictures here.

I could order custom trucks and connectors for each engine and unique truck type, but i don't have time or the money for all that. Its eaiser to simply chop up a bettendorf truck for its mt connector box, and then shape the engine/custom truck to fit the mt connetor box.
Its faster, cheaper, and will probably look better if you decide where it gets mounted and at what height.

And lastly if you do choose mt connectors you will need the connector JIG.

Here is a starter kit that has the height gauge and connector Jig.
https://www.micro-trains.com/n-scale-coupler-starter-kit-1050-98800081


The JIG is NOT easy to use, or to even figure out HOW to use it, so I will upload a demo video on how its used.

Dual SD70Aces pull 44 cars and caboose. Sdxn136ps decoders.
A pair of sd70Ace engines pull 45 cars.
Consist:
1. SD70Ace- #8512
2. SD70Ace- #8444
3. Erie Lackawanna #2914 crane load car.
4. Reading Coal Car #40296
5. C & O Box Car #23000
6. C & O Box Car #23000
7. ACFX Condition Car #47622
8. ACFX Condition Car #47622
9. The Rock Boxcar #516668
10. SantaFe Boxcar #55360
11. RF&P Boxcar #2802
12. Leigh Valley Boxcar #7120
13. CSX Boxcar #101997
14. State Of Maine Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Potatoes Boxcar #61585
15. State Of Maine Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Potatoes Boxcar #61585
16. Great Nothern Cattlecar #582033
17. Great Nothern Cattlecar #582033
18. The Milwakee Road Boxcar #706129
19. Gerber Straind Vegetables Boxcar #1002
20. Union Pacific Boxcar #499000
21. Union Pacific Cattlecar #476306
22. Burlington Northern Cattlecar #508590
23. Southern Gondola #352450
24. Pennsylvania Gondola #262581
25. Pennsylvania Gondola #262581
26. Dow Tanker #14003
27. Dow Tanker #14003
28. Dow Tanker #14003
29. Penn Salt Tanker #67925
30. Penn Salt Tanker #67927
31. Hooker Chemicals Plastics Tanker #69502
32. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288033
33. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288081
34. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288005
35. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288078
36. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288033
37. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288081
38. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288162
39. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288139
40. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288162
41. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288005
42. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288139
43. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288131
44. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288078
45. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288131
46. Union Pacific Bethgon with Coal #288111
47. Silver Caboose #9153

Need to order more MT connectors and trucks for a longer train...

all those locomotives will fit in your pockets

pdkoester said:

all those locomotives will fit in your pockets

Click to expand...

If you need pockets to put some in, I can find some for you....

Thats a nice stack of engines..

I don't have all my engines working, I am trying to figure out sdxn136ps decoder transponding problems.
I havent nailed it down yet, but the digitrax dcs240 and the digitrax power supply ps2012 have voltage mismatches for all scales really, and so the voltage trim in the dcs240 needs to be adjusted to a level below the ps2012, otherwise the dcs240 will be charge pumping the voltage up to the needed level, which screws up many things like programming, and transponding etc.. The ps2012 should only be doing voltage reduction with the default voltage trim settings. But again, with default settings, the dcs240 charge pumps n scale track voltage up, because the ps2012 is putting out 13.8v and at that voltage the dcs240s default trim causes a track voltage ABOVE 13.8v, this makes the dcs240 charge pump the track, not good.

Everyone needs to use a power supply that provides the voltage at or above (max is 3v above) their layout needs.

N scale settings on the ps2012 put out a voltage of 13.8v, plenty above 12.4.

The default trim inside the dcs240 will make your track voltage for nscale settings about 16v.
So it charge pumps the power in default config... TISK TISK, who the hell made this crap, might wanna put this in the manual...

So you must go into the dcs240 voltage trim mode and down adjust the track voltage in respect to ground till you reach 12.4
I had to trim the dcs240 voltage to a throttle of reverse 28 to get it to 12.26v

My RailA measured 6.02 and RailB was 6.24 close enough, and the two are not above the ps2012 supply of 13.8v.


Track Voltages should be approximately (depending on trim pot adjustments you have made):



http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB909/track-voltage-measurement-on-dcc-layouts-with-dire/


Why have a nscale/ho/o setting on the ps2012 and on the dcs240 if the dcs240 still needs to have its voltage trimmed with default settings AT ANY SCALE.
They need to put a big warning sticker over their new command stations that state you MUST do the voltage trim even with the switch set to the proper scale, and even if you use their power supplies, the voltages will be wrong for all scales until you adjust them with the trims.


Oh well, my transponder issues still remain, but seem to be reduced. So I suspect its related to the decoder model, and possibly the decoder having manufacturer issues, or the led plus resistor I am using are too restrictive and I need to beef them up to allow more or less current, not sure..

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