DCC Clinic on video

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Just a quick note to say that my DCC clinic from the 2004 National has been put to video. See: http://model-trains-video.com for more.

I talked about what I have learned from using DCC for 11 years. I tried to throw in lots of practical hints and tips from using DCC on a larger layout like my HO Siskiyou Line.

2

Joe,

Does it include material on DCC sound? Particularly dealing with Soundtraxx decoders.

Thanks!

3

I talk just a bit about the SoundTraxx sound decoders I use and I give a video clip to demo how it sounds on the layout, complete with a demo of what happens when it hits a dead turnout frog (sound cuts out, which it should not do, but we’re talking P2K SD9s, which develop power pickup issues as they age … and that’s another story …)

So I do cover DCC sound just a bit in the clinic. I plan on going into more depth on sound decoders – my preferences for installing, programming, etc – once I get to video 3 of the Siskiyou Line series. That’s the video where I go into detail about my electrical and control learnings from the Siskiyou Line.

4

Joe:

I attended your clinic. It was excellent. I still have that consisting question that I posted on this forum a couple of weeks ago.

Jim

5

Jim:

Thanks for the heads up on the other posting. I’ve posted a detailed reply to the other topic.

To summarize from the other posting, I show in my clinic how to do the double-ended consists using CV19 because that approach works with all DCC systems. I can program the two consists totally in my EasyDCC system using consists and never touch a CV, but then the method I show you would only work in EasyDCC.

The main thing, I think, is to show you how to do the double-ended consisting in any system so you can try it out and get the concept down. Then if you can do it simpler in your given system, go for it!

6

Thanks Joe. By the way your video on the Siskiyou Line is great–I frinally got a chance to watch it this weekend.

7

Jim:

Glad to hear you like the video. We are trying to take a more “show it all” approach so that you can learn by example from what we share.

The rest of the volumes will mostly be a collection of my learnings from almost 40 years in the hobby, and especially the things I’ve learned from 14 years of building a large prototype based HO layout using the mushroom multi-deck configuration.

I think the mushroom is an excellent configuration for a layout, and would like to see it used more. I’m hoping by sharing an actual example people can see that its not really that hard to build.

The next volume of the video (design and construction) is turning out to be pretty interesting as we delve into the production of it. There will be lots of “stick by stick” construction video footage done using 3D animated computer models. Pretty cool stuff.

Its not only going to be a fun watch, but it’s going to be pretty educational on how mushroom multideck benchwork goes together.

8

You should have come out with this video BEFORE I started my layout! LOL!

9

Joe,
Thanks for putting that up. I really wanted to see it when I was in Seattle but I slept in too late and missed it. I am looking forward to your next video as well as the latest offering from Athearn! BTW: Hope you like the new sig I drew =D

10

Thanks Joe,

Concern: I have stopped purchasing Athearn locomotives and am planning to purchase mostly P2K diesels in the future.

Would you mind touching a bit on the SD9’s power pickup issues, please? Is this also a problem with other P2K units? Easily corrected?

I’ve been very happy with the two E7s I’ve purchased but it is good to know about potential problems as all of the well known brands have their “quirks”.

Cheers and 10-4!

11

The Proto2000 SD9s have copper plates behind the sideframes and the wheel axle tips go through stamped holes in the plates. A wire runs from the copper plates to the circuit board inside the loco.

The axletips float in these stamped holes and make contact with the copper. The current flows from the track, to the wheels, through the axle tips into the copper plate and to the circuit board, through a decoder that’s been plugged into the circuit boad and finally to the motor.

The problem is copper is a soft metal and those axle holes wear over time and develop slop. Plus the stamped holes have jagged splayed metal at each hole and pick up and hold track grime. The result of all this is as the units age, power pickup through the axle tips becomes less and less reliable.

The solution seems to be to install track wipers soldered to each copper plate, bypassing the wheels entirely.

P2K GP9s also have problems, both in gearing and power pickup, but for entirely different reasons. The best solution for them seems to be replacing the guts of the loco with a Stewart GP9 frame and motor.