New LGB 23100 Capricorn - early comments

OBBherr

OBBherr

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Business has been surprisingly good recently so I finally bit the bullet and ordered a 23100 Capricorn. Only the 2 car set as the extra passenger cars were priced out of reach - business hasn't been that good. Plus my layouts are a bit tight for space so a 2 car set is ideal, if not prototypical.

After an initial test run I note the following:

1. Although it runs on R1 curves with the (adjustable) coupling at maximum extent the instruction booklet actually recommends larger radii and recommends slow running on R1. This is not mentioned in the catalogue. My outdoor layout is mainly R2 so this isn't a problem out there. Indoors it runs fine, but of course it looks unnatural on R1 curves
3. Navigates R1 points when changing tracks so effectively an S-curve; good news
4. The connecting cable flexes on curves and eventually works its way out, despite it being a tight fit
5. Instructions only show functions against f-key numbers not CS3 screen icons, so a lot of trial and error to work out which does what. I need to switch to my Massoth set-up and work through the multiple options.
6. I can't work out how to get the driver's cab light to illuminate going forward; the empty cab light works in reverse; more experimentation needed here
7. Nor can I work out (as yet) how to get passengers inside.

I'll report back if I get any answers to the above, but any advice from current owners appreciated.
 
any jobs available at your place , hee hee. look forward to pictures and vids on this.
 
OBBherr said:
Business has been surprisingly good recently so I finally bit the bullet and ordered a 23100 Capricorn. Only the 2 car set as the extra passenger cars were priced out of reach - business hasn't been that good. Plus my layouts are a bit tight for space so a 2 car set is ideal, if not prototypical.

After an initial test run I note the following:

1. Although it runs on R1 curves with the (adjustable) coupling at maximum extent the instruction booklet actually recommends larger radii and recommends slow running on R1. This is not mentioned in the catalogue. My outdoor layout is mainly R2 so this isn't a problem out there. Indoors it runs fine, but of course it looks unnatural on R1 curves
3. Navigates R1 points when changing tracks so effectively an S-curve; good news
4. The connecting cable flexes on curves and eventually works its way out, despite it being a tight fit
5. Instructions only show functions against f-key numbers not CS3 screen icons, so a lot of trial and error to work out which does what. I need to switch to my Massoth set-up and work through the multiple options.
6. I can't work out how to get the driver's cab light to illuminate going forward; the empty cab light works in reverse; more experimentation needed here
7. Nor can I work out (as yet) how to get passengers inside.

I'll report back if I get any answers to the above, but any advice from current owners appreciated.
Click to expand...

6 - you'll want F13, and its directional. The car with first class is actually the rear and the second class is the front - the one with the motor blocks and pantograph.

1703105441192.png

7 - All the screws to open it are on the bottom and there are a lot. Its a bit of a bear, the intermediate cars are easier.
 
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Good luck getting punters inside, most of the big bogie LGB Railcars and Trams in my experience have not really been made user friendly to pull apart, getting them back together is an even bigger trial.
 
I saw a pair of these LGB Capricorns running in the Albula Museum when we visited the RhB in April earlier this year.

They were running on a display layout. I guess these run constantly whenever the Museum is open. The layout was a figure of eight inside an oval, probably using R2 curves. They seem to run well enough and I assume all cables were connected....
 
Hello,

A friend of mine had similar problems with the Allegra LGB20400.
The rigid couplers were causing derailments.
He removed these couplers and replaced them with 2 new flat steel arms mounted between the top of the bogie and the bottom of the wagon. So they now sit at the pivot point of the bogies. He coupled the free end of these 2 arms with a flexible piece of plastic creating an extra bending possibility which was necessary because in sharp turns the arms were stopped by the construction of the wagons.

He was also bothered by the stiff wires between the carriages which, when cornering, slowly worked the plugs out. He replaced those wires with two 8-conductor ribbon cables twice the length of the available height at the rear of the wagons that could be disconnected at one end with an 8-pin plug and mating plug. The plugs are on the top and the wires are hanging down in a U-shape creating a lot of flexibility
An additional advantage of this solution is that this made enough room to couple the carriages 20mm closer together which also looks much more real.

Gerard
 
OBBherr said:
Business has been surprisingly good recently so I finally bit the bullet and ordered a 23100 Capricorn. Only the 2 car set as the extra passenger cars were priced out of reach - business hasn't been that good. Plus my layouts are a bit tight for space so a 2 car set is ideal, if not prototypical.

After an initial test run I note the following:

1. Although it runs on R1 curves with the (adjustable) coupling at maximum extent the instruction booklet actually recommends larger radii and recommends slow running on R1. This is not mentioned in the catalogue. My outdoor layout is mainly R2 so this isn't a problem out there. Indoors it runs fine, but of course it looks unnatural on R1 curves
3. Navigates R1 points when changing tracks so effectively an S-curve; good news
4. The connecting cable flexes on curves and eventually works its way out, despite it being a tight fit
5. Instructions only show functions against f-key numbers not CS3 screen icons, so a lot of trial and error to work out which does what. I need to switch to my Massoth set-up and work through the multiple options.
6. I can't work out how to get the driver's cab light to illuminate going forward; the empty cab light works in reverse; more experimentation needed here
7. Nor can I work out (as yet) how to get passengers inside.

I'll report back if I get any answers to the above, but any advice from current owners appreciated.
Click to expand...
Not all of us are LGB officianados - what is the 23100 Capricorn?
 
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