I really don't want to be doing this!

[Sarah Winfield]

Gentlemen, you really are being so kind. That's the reason I headed my topic as I did.

Yes, I do have 3 other DCC powered locomotives. I don't seem to think about trying one of the others I'm too set on trying to find out why this one plays up. Possibly my reluctance to try another locomotive has to do with my upbringing, drive the one you have into the ground before risking another!

Plus of course there are so many reasons for my problems; and yes it is the one which was repaired though I would not cast aspersions in that direction.

The voltage reading is about 20 AC and, yes, I do nudge, chastise, encourage, goad and threaten it but seemingly to no avail.

Today is a new one and I'll have a second locomotive on standby.

Thank you, again.

Sarah Winfield

 

[Sarah Winfield]

I'm sorry, I don't understand why it has triplicated my post and I can't seem to find a delete facility.

SW

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Happens all the time on many forums.... don't sweat it.

I know you are worried about hurting another loco, but the fastest way to determine the problem, is for the symptom to come up again, and when that loco stops responding, remove it from the rails (so as not to overload your system's current handling) and put the other on right away, call up it's address and see if it moves... if it does, it's the Stainz... if it does not respond either, clearly both locos would not fail simultaneously, so it must be your DCC system.

Again, the presence of voltage on the rails does not guarantee that the system is sending proper DCC commands.

This is a straightforward "debugging" procedure, and will help you quickly isolate where the problem is.

Hang in there.

Greg

 

[G-force1]

Personally I don't like multi-meters for testing for power. I prefer something that provides a load at the same time, like a bulb. Meters are great for continuity, but only need very small amperage (micro amps) to operate, so won't help finding a high resistance joint for example, only an open circuit.

Do as suggested and use a second known loco.

 

[dunnyrail]

Sarah to me it looks very like your enthusiasm over buying Trains has put you in a position where the most logical thing to have done would be to get an adequate DCC System. Sorty to say this but sometimes things need to be said. Just call me Kirk I like to go boldly where no man has been before!

In the past I have used a different DCC (00Bachman Dynamis) for Testing. Worked fine but quickly shut down when attempting too long a running test on a Rolling Road. I suspect that is what is happening with your system. Think long and hard, save some money (no more trains for a while) and speak to Glendale Junction I reckon they could put together a perfectly working early LGB DCC System for you at around or maybee just under £100. Will not have all the bells and whistles (but neither has what you have got) but will give you some satisfaction. Oh and make sure that it has the LGB Screw Type of Track Connectors as well rather than Crock Clips.

 

[PhilP]

Sarah, keep at it.. You ARE getting there. - Even if at times it does not seem so!

One of these days, you will have cleaned the track, polished the wheels, set your loop-switches, turned the knob, and it will run..
About one-and-a-half circuits, and you will realise all is well in the world, and smile.

That's the smile test.. If it passes that, all is well with the world.

 

[Zerogee]

Sarah to me it looks very like your enthusiasm over buying Trains has put you in a position where the most logical thing to have done would be to get an adequate DCC System. Sorty to say this but sometimes things need to be said. Just call me Kirk I like to go boldly where no man has been before!

In the past I have used a different DCC (00Bachman Dynamis) for Testing. Worked fine but quickly shut down when attempting too long a running test on a Rolling Road. I suspect that is what is happening with your system. Think long and hard, save some money (no more trains for a while) and speak to Glendale Junction I reckon they could put together a perfectly working early LGB DCC System for you at around or maybee just under £100. Will not have all the bells and whistles (but neither has what you have got) but will give you some satisfaction. Oh and make sure that it has the LGB Screw Type of Track Connectors as well rather than Crock Clips.

I have to say that I agree with JonD, the power and control system is arguably the most important part of any track-powered railway.... getting that right means that everything else will become much more straightforward and less of a hassle.

An LGB MTS2 system (preferably a "P" (Parallel) one, although if you're not planning on using sound very much then even an older "S" (Serial) one would work, and be even cheaper) can now be had for a very good price - probably not much more than you've spent on any one of your locos. I appreciate that buying new (or new-to-you) locos and stock is "fun", while buying a half-decent control system can seem like an outlay that you don't "see" very much for - but believe me, it will repay you a hundred-fold in reduced stress and problems. Think of it like buying a second-hand car that isn't running right - you really need to make sure you get the engine sorted out before you start spending out on alloy wheels, new floor mats and a new sound system - otherwise you're sitting there with music blaring out, but you can't actually drive anywhere..... To extend that analogy a little, what you're doing at the moment is as if you've bought a great-looking car, but you're trying to make it run with an old lawnmower engine you had in the back garden.....

My apologies in advance if any of these comments sound overly flippant and/or harsh - but do please understand that we're all trying to help (well, most of us are....), by guiding you down what we all feel to be the best route to a successful and above all enjoyable layout!

Jon.

 

[Sarah Winfield]

Thank you, everyone.

This morning I spent time cleaning all my track followed by the locomotives wheels and pick-ups. It made a heck of a difference and I nearly enjoyed the sight of my locomotive traverse both return loops until about 90% round, it stops!

I think this was due to a poor connection between some track lengths. I would sooner have flippant even harsh comments than none and I feel I'm asking so much of the forum without really checking for the obvious.

I've also received a Playmobil R/C 5258 locomotive which I bought in anticipation I wouldn't have to worry about the track.

If this works I can see myself changing from DCC to R/C.

Sarah Winfield

 

[G-force1]

This morning I spent time cleaning all my track followed by the locomotives wheels and pick-ups. It made a heck of a difference and I nearly enjoyed the sight of my locomotive traverse both return loops until about 90% round, it stops!

More cleaning? Hence why I only run Live Steam or battery power!

I've also received a Playmobil R/C 5258 locomotive which I bought in anticipation I wouldn't have to worry about the track.

If this works I can see myself changing from DCC to R/C.

Sarah Winfield

They do, and very well too. I keep a spare set of re-chargeables with mine, though it runs for a very long time on each set.

 

[Sean.]

Dirty track ... it get over looked every time ....

 

[Neil Robinson]

Thank you, everyone.

This morning I spent time cleaning all my track followed by the locomotives wheels and pick-ups. It made a heck of a difference and I nearly enjoyed the sight of my locomotive traverse both return loops until about 90% round, it stops!

I think this was due to a poor connection between some track lengths. I would sooner have flippant even harsh comments than none and I feel I'm asking so much of the forum without really checking for the obvious.

Sarah Winfield

No apologies needed, pretty much everything becomes obvious once once a solution is found.!
Also I strongly suspect there are visitors to this forum who choose to remain silent but will benefit from reading about your experiences.

In support of Jon (dunnyrail)'s comments of a system near its upper power limit, this hot weather could easily cause it to trip more frequently.

 

[Sarah Winfield]

It's just too complicated for me! Earlier I posted that this morning seemed to be going very well.

However, in the past couple of minutes things have taken a turn for the worse. Without me going into any detail, suffice it to say I cannot persevere with DCC. I shall store my locomotives and replace them with some simple battery powered ones. I just want to see a train going along with either carriage or wagons and being able to stop at a station or do some basic shunting.

I'm grateful for all the help and advice that has been offered. Please don't think you have somehow not succeeded the problems are mine and mine alone.

Sarah Winfield

 

[Zerogee]

At the weekend I helped a friend and fellow local GSS (not GSC) member with operation at his garden open day - his layout is entirely track-powered, quite an extensive line all the way around the perimeter of a medium-sized garden, and is all connected with standard push-on joiners - no clamps or soldered jumpers. Normally he runs with an MTS3 system, but I took my Massoth gear over and we temporarily hooked that up instead. The line has been down for quite a few years, and some of the wooden supported raised sections are showing their age, but my point is that on the afternoon everything that we ran operated faultlessly - no hesitations, no derailments (OK, just one with a Mallet loco on a wrongly-set point!). All that had been done in advance to prepare the layout was a couple of laps with the LGB track cleaning loco.
I'm simply offering this in support of my argument that DCC track power DOES indeed work, and work well, for many, many people......

Jon.

Edit: Sarah, just seen your latest post.... for the benefit of everyone who has tried to help, and any others reading this, dare I ask what has gone wrong now?
I guess that in your case, as you've been having just one problem after another, maybe the decision to go to RC is for the best..... I still stand by my statements about DCC above, but if you can't afford to invest in a decent and reliable control system then perhaps you are indeed better off forgetting about track power. Just one VERY big recommendation - if you are going to RC, buy yourself a good loco or two with professionally installed control gear, and then just enjoy running it. Don't try to skimp with bodged or badly installed lash-ups, or cheap second-hand gear of unknown provenance - otherwise you'll be back to square one again!

 

[G-force1]

Sounds like extreme frustration creeping in. Perhaps you need someone nearby who knows DCC to come over and take a look, and provide some pointers.

Things can get very fraught when you can't seem to get it right, and can't find a solution.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I suspect it's the more fundamental points, track cleaning and track joints and wiring... when everything goes wrong unexpectedly, it's often something fundamental. It's common to just want to run trains (as Sarah states) but sometimes gloss over the foundations as "good enough"... then when you have problems, it could be several things compounded and then it's hard to debug the issue.

I learned long ago, when you have issues, go back to the beginning, and just double check from there on "out"... Sarah has some issues, and I see that it seemed to be track, but it does not appear that the real issue was found and fixed. Cleaning track can flex a bad joint and let it conduct for a while.

Sorry I don't live close by Sarah.

Greg

 

[Sarah Winfield]

The issues are purely personal. I simply cannot get my head round the concept of reverse loops nor the many reasons why my DCC locomotives won't run reliably.

I am going to try battery power at the very basic entry level for 5 to 8 year olds.

Sarah Winfield

 

[PhilP]

I am going to try battery power at the very basic entry level for 5 to 8 year olds.

Hello Sarah... My name is Phil, I am 5.9 and just play trains...
Enjoy!

 

[Zerogee]

Hello Sarah... My name is Phil, I am 5.9 and just play trains...
Enjoy!

5.9 what, Phil? Years? Feet? Dare I suggest inches....?

Jon.

 

[JimmyB]

The problem with intermittant issues is you need to be fully systematic in the fault finding, don't discount anything, and ensure everything is 100% checked, and this is even more true with second hand, as with your Staines, you can't garuntee it was working properly when you bought it.

 

[PhilP]

5.9 what, Phil? Years? Feet? Dare I suggest inches....?

Jon.

Mental / train-playing age... - I will be '6' in September!