LGB new to this DCC help?

[walkerart]

Hi Chaps, silly question maybe.... is it important to have the screws inside the track head when using brass track clamps? I have only added the first four today but they are the wrong way around.

Also using flex track which I started yesterday, is it better to slide the track in the sleepers then bend it or bend the heads then add it. I did it track head first on my first try and it seems to have worked.

Hope you are all well and enjoying the great sunshine out on your railways...

Chris

 

[PhilP]

Hi Chaps, silly question maybe.... is it important to have the screws inside the track head when using brass track clamps? I have only added the first four today but they are the wrong way around.

Also using flex track which I started yesterday, is it better to slide the track in the sleepers then bend it or bend the heads then add it. I did it track head first on my first try and it seems to have worked.

Hope you are all well and enjoying the great sunshine out on your railways...

Chris

There is no 'right' answer to where the screwheads should be. But perceived wisdom, is they should be on the outside of the track. - Keeping them away from the flanges on the wheels..

However, if you want the track to look 'pretty' from the front, you would hide the screws behind the rail, from the main viewing direction. - This can make it a PITA to work on them! But hey! We suffer for our art..

Bending track:
Depends how tight your bends are going to be?
You may well need to snip the webs running under the rail on the outside of the curve, and possibly remove some sections on the rail on the inside of the curve?

PhilP.

 

[JimmyB]

Hi Chaps, silly question maybe.... is it important to have the screws inside the track head when using brass track clamps? I have only added the first four today but they are the wrong way around.

Also using flex track which I started yesterday, is it better to slide the track in the sleepers then bend it or bend the heads then add it. I did it track head first on my first try and it seems to have worked.

Hope you are all well and enjoying the great sunshine out on your railways...

Chris

I have various type of clamp, from "split-jaw" type to Massoth, which all clamp differently, but all my screws are on the inside of the rail, and I have not found any issue with wheel flanges.

 

[walkerart]

There is no 'right' answer to where the screwheads should be. But perceived wisdom, is they should be on the outside of the track. - Keeping them away from the flanges on the wheels..

However, if you want the track to look 'pretty' from the front, you would hide the screws behind the rail, from the main viewing direction. - This can make it a PITA to work on them! But hey! We suffer for our art..

Bending track:
Depends how tight your bends are going to be?
You may well need to snip the webs running under the rail on the outside of the curve, and possibly remove some sections on the rail on the inside of the curve?

PhilP.

 

[walkerart]

Hi PhilP
Thanks for your response.. I kind of thought it was an aesthetic thing.. to me as you said keeping the larger screws away from flanges makes sense … and if on the view side they can be painted to hide the screws mostly … or sand in the case of my cowboy station.
I bought flex track with the bendy sleepers so will look to see if any webs need to go… it seems just fine it was only my first attempt and after just wondered if best bent in the sleepers… but it’s worked so I will stick to this way for now.
Met a new thing but solved it. An older bend R600 had excessive wear on the inside of the outer rail so when linked to my new track flex bend created a right clunk jump. Took it out … but may cut it back to insert the excess from that new flex as that needs trimming back… thus making a longer constant curve and removing the weird wear.
It’s all a “learning curve…”
Chris

 

[dunnyrail]

If you have flex track it is certainly easier to bend just the rail then feed the sleepers onto it. Does make feeding the sleepers a little harder so tis worthwhile to make a little bit off the flange each side to make threading the rail in a little easier. As for the Clamps, I have a bit of both but if you only look at the layout from one side then having the screws inside closest to you and outside the other rail works just as well. I have never had any issue with screws being run on by flanges, but some if the very early LGB may have issues. Either way well worth remembering that the screws can be a very convenient place to add your wiring, make up a loop on a screwdriver just bigger than the clamp screw, tin the loop with solder for a good clean strong feed.

 

[walkerart]

Oh I also managed to burn out my MTS 55005P …. I had left a metal hinge over the track eek.
Hoping it hasn’t destroyed my decoder… fingers crossed.
I can get a replacement for about £50 Antony Green apparently so SMTF Dave tells me.
I know they are old but while I learn and destroy things I’m holding back

 

[walkerart]

If you have flex track it is certainly easier to bend just the rail then feed the sleepers onto it. Does make feeding the sleepers a little harder so tis worthwhile to make a little bit off the flange each side to make threading the rail in a little easier. As for the Clamps, I have a bit of both but if you only look at the layout from one side then having the screws inside closest to you and outside the other rail works just as well. I have never had any issue with screws being run on by flanges, but some if the very early LGB may have issues. Either way well worth remembering that the screws can be a very convenient place to add your wiring, make up a loop on a screwdriver just bigger than the clamp screw, tin the loop with solder for a good clean strong feed.

Thank you

 

[walkerart]

Thank you

Hi here’s a random question. My station is coming on … where is best to get 3D letters to make.my station sings?
“Houston” after our dear dog who has passed away and the station is by his grave. X I can make it up just need the letters or if you know a great company that make them fab.
Happy hot days
My MTS is with my brother who is great at electronics… I may have trashed it bulb g a metal hinge on the track
But he says it’s coming on. Replaced old solder on the boards for new I guess the previous owner left it out side.
We shall see. X

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi here’s a random question. My station is coming on … where is best to get 3D letters to make.my station sings?
“Houston” after our dear dog who has passed away and the station is by his grave. X I can make it up just need the letters or if you know a great company that make them fab.
Happy hot days
My MTS is with my brother who is great at electronics… I may have trashed it bulb g a metal hinge on the track
But he says it’s coming on. Replaced old solder on the boards for new I guess the previous owner left it out side.
We shall see. X

Slaters do sets of letters.

 

[JimmyB]

Slaters do sets of letters.

I use Slaters as well

 

[walkerart]

Hello chaps,
How are you all?
Had an outage on my MTS eek my fault left a metal hook he over the two track heads. Lesson learnt.

So I’ve tested it ….. now after cleaning up some corroded solder points ( prob left out side before I got it second hand )

I'm reading 10.62Vac on each side of the track feed, which adds up to 21.24Vac total.

Is this correct ?
Sorry another possible silly question.

X Chris

 

[Gizzy]

Hello chaps,
How are you all?
Had an outage on my MTS eek my fault left a metal hook he over the two track heads. Lesson learnt.

So I’ve tested it ….. now after cleaning up some corroded solder points ( prob left out side before I got it second hand )

I'm reading 10.62Vac on each side of the track feed, which adds up to 21.24Vac total.

Is this correct ?
Sorry another possible silly question.

X Chris

Measre between each rail using AC.

It's not accurate as it's not an RMS voltage but around 20-22 V should be about right.....

 

[walkerart]

Not getting an AC reading across the output, just 10.62Vac on each side. Still think it's lost a phase, either + or -.
Reason I asked what locomotive, is it may be that the decoder switches it on

Gizzy this is from my brother who is an electronic person like you…
Chinese to me x

So this does sound positive ?
Maybe the only way is to get it back from him in Cornwall and try.

He’s replaced old elec joints which looked a bit corroded.
We can only assume given I got it second hand…. It’s been out in weather.
I can house it in a water tight box with gel packs.
I got it to try and dip a toe in dcc without going bonkers on price.
Put massoth in my loco. Worked well as I am building.
Until I left a metal hinge on the two track heads
Past the points and everything went dead.
Put it a chap who said oh no can’t be done. So sent to my brother and feels like we maybe getting closer.
I’m aware I can get a second hand unit about £50 but want to learn.

So any thoughts very welcome chum.

Chris

 

[Gizzy]

Not getting an AC reading across the output, just 10.62Vac on each side. Still think it's lost a phase, either + or -.
Reason I asked what locomotive, is it may be that the decoder switches it on



Chris

So if you are getting 10 Vac on one rail, where is the other probe connected to....

 

[walkerart]

Hi Gizz
Can I get my brother to join this thread he’s working on my mts
Each out put to each track head

 

[walkerart]

The point of AC is that it goes +/- so it doesn't matter where the probe is. For DC it needs to be + to positive, - to negative.
This is my brothers response…. Chinese to me x

 

[dunnyrail]

From what I understand AC does not have a pos and neg as we understand it for DC. However putting a lump of metal across AC as supplied for DCC or MTS for that matter will cause a short circuit.

As a rule AC DCC MTS systems will do a ‘shut down’ with a warning of some sort, with LGB MTS a red light is displayed on the ‘base station’ .

 

[Gizzy]

The point of AC is that it goes +/- so it doesn't matter where the probe is. For DC it needs to be + to positive, - to negative.
This is my brothers response…. Chinese to me x

If you put a probe on each rail and can measure around 20 V ac, then your MTS is probably working. If not, then you have a duff unit.

The short across the track should have been detected and the unit should have shut down, but a fast full voltage, full current short by the metal bracket has probably fried the circuits....

 

[walkerart]

Ouch …. Well lesson learnt to check the track before doing any running.
My brother is checking it over but Gizzy I feel you are right.
But as the whole thing transformer MTS and controller cost me £100 to start my DCC adventure I guess it’s not so sad.
That said I can’t see a 55005p available so any tips would be fab.
If it’s a no show I am talking to a James at
Gartenbahn Supplies

Who is a lovely chap and very supportive. So it may be heading to time to take that giant step into a real control system.
I was hoping to get running the full loop with the old LGB to teach me and test the layout before a big cost.
So I either find a replacement or consider which used control to go to next?
Or go the giant step. But which way ?
It’s no small choice at £1250 to start… I’m not posh only running two locos as it stands but I do love it.

Advice so so welcome
About to post my loco to my brother to test if the MTS is alive.