I think if needed when the track is back again..... I can add it.
Thanks will ask James f it fits as they have all the model numbers
LGB new to this DCC help?
- Thread starter walkerart
- Start date
Thanks will ask James f it fits as they have all the model numbers
It is quite likely that the tender has power pickups so wires will be used to send power forwrds to the motor, sometimes the motor is in the tender so the loco pickups send power backwards to the motor.
Ok I will look I think there are only two pick ups on the loco.
Great news after all you advice I’m going with the massoth decoder as Muns and Phil mentioned.
So I probably need to know more about TIPS switches? And what they do.
Also I think the buffer option is a good idea it’s only £30.
So I can get a James to set the power items as you recommended and we can fit it here.
Any advice on where the wires go
Other than pins would be great.
Also : what’s the best way to clean your track and fishplates please?
I was thinking a bath of vinegar…
But once it’s down?
Hope you are all well.
Chris
The pickups can be the readily visible skates and they can also be 'bullets' which are fitted with springs behind the wheels and press on the wheel back to make contact, these need a little more peering to find.
Especially for outdoor use I think it a wise idea, I wish I had fitted them rather than run after stalled trains to give the loco a helping
I had one of these track cleaning locos by LGB, expensive (relatively) but it works beautifully. Piko do a smaller one which you could ask
Gizzy
about as his boss has one. There are various hand operated devices which work well but are obviously more work.For the fishplates I used a small wire brush then put in a tiny blob of LGB graphite paste when assembling the track, the paste aids conductivity BUT a lot of the people here fit rail clamps instead of fishplates and from experience I can see why as they not only guarantee an electrical connection but hold the track together too which is a huge help especially if your track is not fixed down. An initially expensive outlay but I can see that the results will be well worth it and again something I wish I had used. Shown below are the Massoth (L) and Piko (R) versions.
If you use these try to fit them so the mounting screws are behind the visible side of the track to conceal the screw heads.
Dip switches, not sure what they do but they need to be off when a decoder added to the circuit board as I mentioned in an earlier post where you first asked about them. They do nit need to be set on an individual basis either all on no chip or all off chip fitted.
curtis
Registered
Hi Chris, welcome to the forum. Some really great advice from the members above!
You said you were in Cheshire, it may be worth checking out the G Scale Society. Membership is £28 a year and includes 4 journals - but one of the key benefits are the local groups. The North West Area Group is extremely active and full of wonderful people. They do a number of a meet-ups (in both a parish hall and in member's gardens) - it's a great place to meet new friends, see how other people do things and discuss your own plans. I'd definitely recommend it!
You said you were in Cheshire, it may be worth checking out the G Scale Society. Membership is £28 a year and includes 4 journals - but one of the key benefits are the local groups. The North West Area Group is extremely active and full of wonderful people. They do a number of a meet-ups (in both a parish hall and in member's gardens) - it's a great place to meet new friends, see how other people do things and discuss your own plans. I'd definitely recommend it!
curtis
Registered
I am one of those that has a Track Cleaning Loco and uses rail clamps.The pickups can be the readily visible skates and they can also be 'bullets' which are fitted with springs behind the wheels and press on the wheel back to make contact, these need a little more peering to find.
Especially for outdoor use I think it a wise idea, I wish I had fitted them rather than run after stalled trains to give the loco a helpingkickhand.
View attachment 341584
I had one of these track cleaning locos by LGB, expensive (relatively) but it works beautifully. Piko do a smaller one which you could ask
For the fishplates I used a small wire brush then put in a tiny blob of LGB graphite paste when assembling the track, the paste aids conductivity BUT a lot of the people here fit rail clamps instead of fishplates and from experience I can see why as they not only guarantee an electrical connection but hold the track together too which is a huge help especially if your track is not fixed down. An initially expensive outlay but I can see that the results will be well worth it and again something I wish I had used. Shown below are the Massoth (L) and Piko (R) versions.
View attachment 341585View attachment 341586
If you use these try to fit them so the mounting screws are behind the visible side of the track to conceal the screw heads.
pugwash
is correct, the rail clamps do have a fairly high initial outlay (I think they're £1.50 each and you'll need 2 per piece of track). However, I've found them to be extremely helpful for the reliability of the railway. Not to say other methods aren't good - just that I can vouch I've been very happy with this approach.I spoke a bit about this setup in a video (shameless self-plug here!)
The Track Cleaning loco definitely reduces the effort to clean the track - easy to set it off and potter on other jobs while it does the heavy lifting. Key thing is to run it slowly. However, I'd never be without the LGB Track Cleaning Block (LGB 50040) close to hand to give the odd spot a polish!
Have to agree with Curtis re track clamps, started using them in my old line in Hemel Hempstead back in 2000 a d still using them today in the garden though I went all battery outside some years back now. But I use track clamps on my modest loft railway.
Last edited:
craigwrdouglas2
Registered
I have the track cleaning locomotive as well - we tend to use it that the start of the period of the year when train running is done.
We used the graphite paste (below, and sometimes a tin of the same stuff from castrol) in the joints whilst laying track and it's made the track power much more reliable - the track has been mostly down for 20 years now.
The manual track cleaning block is also very useful.
We used the graphite paste (below, and sometimes a tin of the same stuff from castrol) in the joints whilst laying track and it's made the track power much more reliable - the track has been mostly down for 20 years now.
The manual track cleaning block is also very useful.
craigwrdouglas2
Registered
The Dip switches in some of the older locos just do what the blanking plates do in modern locomotives.
Aha BUT alegedly if you do not turn them to off the chip can get trashed. Nit something that you can do with a blanking plate so it is a bit more involved with Herr Wilhelms LGB (aka Bill Gates) products.
Yes thank you. I went last Saturday lovely folk. Also Dave from SMTF who has my loco to for the decoder was there.
I’ve made some great progress from this forum and Dave’s group …, so totally on point for my decoder and buffer on my little start up loco ( I know it’s a bit crsp but it’s my start up )
I’m going to respray it to look weathered.
I just now med to find this wire.
Which the team here have told me is a part LGB bought in to use.
So I will start that search.
So far …. X5 days in on advise I feel so much better.
Thanks chaps
Attachments
Hi
So today I’m told the “dip” switches turn the loco off from analogue to digital.
So you turn them off
Fit the decoder and leave them off. ??
Any advise would be great as I am ordering my massoth decoder tomorrow x
craigwrdouglas2
Registered
Yes, that's why the blanking plate system replaces the dipswitch system in modern locomotives as there is a lower risk of installation error, but the purpose is the same, that is to provide a mapping for analogue for a board that is designed to take a chip.
craigwrdouglas2
Registered
Yes, exactly that, fit the decoder and set the dip switches to off. do BOTH before you apply track power to the locomotive.
Yes leave them off.
Hi but after the decoder is in…. We leave the DIP switches off?
Also again sorry what does DIP mean and what do they do ?
So Danny says leave off
Thanks a Danny
Can you tell me what DIP means and why they exist ?
Thanks
So excited as I now know which decider to get so it’s so close to go DCC