Ask MRVP: Episode 4

While using a switchmaster motor for a project not for a switch, some times the motor wouldn’t start every time. It is normally wired so it works off 12 to 16 volts DC with a voltage dropping resistor inline with the motor. This drops the voltage down to what it required for the 3 volt motor. I found if you wire in parallel a momentary normally open push switch so you can momentarily apply the full 12 volts to the motor (bypassing the resistor) it will start every time. If you use the momentary switch too much you may be needing to replace the motor soon.

As always you have the greatest tips and information. I was wondering if you changed your mikes becauseif sounds like your talking in a big echo chamber. Thanks again for all the helpful tips.

On the MR&T do you periodically exercise the many locomotives to keep the gears and moving parts running loose?

Do you have any tips for dusting a layout once scenery is in place?

As a British railway enthusiast, I subscribe to the magazines you showed but you omitted Hornby Magazine. It is another very good magazine

Michael Stanley from Washington. I saw another person from Illinois ask this same question about whether or not you have to remove the spring from the turnout using micro engineering turnouts with the same switch motor really could use an answer on this one I’m building a 13x26 layout Thanks

Have you at MR every built an operating draw bridge for a walk through on a layout instead of a crawl under or a manually operated bridge/

I would like to see a scientific article on how to clean track and rolling stock wheels.

Something that does an un biased and quantitated account of this subject.

Thanks,

John Armstrong

Hinckley Southern RR

Do you guys think you’ll ever do anything on N scale T-Trak modules. Space is limited where I live and I am working on building modules for a small layout. It’s my hope one day to turn them into a semi-permanent layout if/when I have the available space. Love everything you guys are doing keep it up.

A similar question. Is it necessary to remove the points spring on Peco turnouts if using Tortoise switch motors or is it OK to just leave the spring in and use it as extra force to hold the points against the stock rails?

David, thanks for answering my question about the Peco turnout springs. I’ll be moving ahead with confidence in that area. Not to hog the blog but I am hoping you can suggest quality motor replacements for N scale locos. I have had success in the past using Sagami motors, but they are no longer available. In the March 2015 issue, Max Megliaro uses a Faulhaber, but the choices on the Faulhaber website are very complex and the motors are super expensive. I haven’t had much luck searching the web, any alternatives or is Faulhaber the best bet?

Robert, I think the point (pardon the pun) is that the switch motors can’t overcome the force of the Peco spring to switch the points to the other route. It seems that David’s opening statements on how to remove the spring confirms that.

David, Thanks for mentioning the resources from the British magazines. These, Like MR, are also available in ‘electronic’ format. Saves a lot of space on the library shelves, not to mention the cost of postage!

David. Thanks for going over some of the British model railroad magazines. A chain bookstore I frequent carries Model Rail and some others. I’m very impressed by their quality. A lot of the featured layouts are small and contain great ideas for small-space model railroading as do their layout projects. Even though the closest to HO they get is OO, some of the articles can apply universally to all like ballasting, weathering and kit-bashing. I even saw an article that featured a mockup of the trackplan. Now where have I seen that before?

Neville mentions the cost of postage. These magazines are about double the cover price after conversion to dollars so I’d be interested in their Ezine format.

Steven Garnack in Ohio, Dallas Model Works has them, they are called Snaps! by Accu-Lights. Their website is dallasmodelworks.com

Another note on the availability of the British magazines ‘on-line’ - if you ‘google’ the name of the magazine and find their website, look under the ‘subscriptions’ tab and you should find a link to ‘electronic’ only subscriptions. Incidentally, when my printed subscription to MR runs out, I shall change to electronic only.

Hi David, I’ve seen a couple of videos on wiring the frog on a turnout. Both times you wired the frog through a switch machine- one Tortise and one Blue-Point. How do you wire a frog without a switch machine? I’m using Caboose switch throws on my layout.
Marty from Minneapolis

I run a DC layout in N scale at my house, but the layout my club runs is a N scale Digitrax DCC layout.
They provide the locomotives, but I need a cheap, Digitrax controller. What one would you recommend?

I have a layout in my house that is currently DC powered. I want to switch to a Digitrax DCC system. What one would you recommend for a beginner?

I wouldn’t remove the Peco switch springs (didn’t do it on my layout). The alternate is using a heavier piano wire than what is supplied with the tortoise motors. The heavier wire exerts a bit more force and overcomes any resistance the spring provides. The down side of removing the springs is you’ll probably NEVER be able to get them back in if you ever need to.