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Sarah Winfield

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I have embarked on my further efforts to have a model railway. Having tried just about every gauge (excluding Z gauge) but (including a 3.1/2" gauge steamer) I have acquired a LGB No 2 locomotive. It is quite old, like me, and is fitted with a Lenz LE230-V1 decoder. My first model for DCC. I am told it will go backwards but not forwards though as yet I haven't been able to test it.
I do have both an analogue and a DCC controller.
A very open question, but where do I go from here to enjoy my new acquisition please? My intention is to simply run it up and down an 8' length of track on my window sill.
Thank you.
 
Some decoders enable you to run the loco in analog/DC mode so you may be able to just get 8ft of straight track (either PIKO or LGB) - it comes in 1 ft and 2ft lengths - and attach your analog or DCC controller. I don't know the Lenz range of decoders. However G-scale locos take more volts (typically 18-22v) and need more amps (although your loco is a small one with a single motor) so it depends what your analag and DCC controllers are. Can you supply make and model? I have run G-scale from a Hornby Elite which is designed for OO and N gauge so you dn't necessarily need a specialised controller.
 
Sarah,

Just an idea, but how about an automated shuttle. Your loco could go up and down your window sill automatically.

Some of the shuttle units are quite sophiticated and you can adjust the dwell times at the ends, as well as the speeed.

Sadly you will probably need to remove your DCC chip to get the bet out of it, but shuttling trains are fun. DCC is not my thing, someone here may know more. For example: diagnose why you can only get one direction of travel out of your loco.

James
 
Sarah,

As with many things in life, it is often better to deal in person, being a Member of the G Scale Society, a huge source of information is avaialble, as you are in Dorset, and not that far from Exeter, we have an open afternoon tommorrow Sunday.

Devon & Cornwall Area Group indoor meeting from 2pm until 5pm at

West Town,Newton St Cyres,Exeter, EX5 5BW

The assembled "gang" will be only to happy to asssist.
 
Lenz LE230 is quite an old decoder, rated for up to 2.5 amps and 26 volts which is sufficient for your loco. If it's been reported as only running in reverse that could indicate the decoder is partially blown/faulty. Try it on your controllers and see how you get on.

What DCC system do you have?
 
Thank you for your suggestions and comments.
I have an analogue controller type Gaugemaster Series P and a digital controller Bachmann EZ Command.
Are these suitable for my locomotive please? I do not yet have any 45mm track although I do have some 0 gauge which I might be able to widen (subject to the wheel flanges not being too deep). Your further comments would be appreciated please.
 
O gauge track most probably will not accept g scale flanges.
 
For track, if you just have an 8' straight space, simply buy two 120cm (approx. 4') lengths of code 332 G-scale track - either LGB or Piko (several other makes are available but those would be the easiest to find in that length) and there you go! Or, if you wanted to follow one suggestion made above and have a DC shuttle unit to send the loco automatically back and forth then get one 120cm length and four of the 30cm short straights - this would make it easier to put the necessary insulated track breaks in either end to make the shuttle work.
Unless you are really into scratchbuilding track, don't get into trying to modify O gague track - you'd effectively be building from scratch anyway, and as Alan says above, you will probably have flange depth problems - and G scale track is very readily available both new and secondhand.

How wide is the window-sill area? Could you put a board on it to widen it out to about a foot or so? If you could, then you could have two parallel tracks linked by a couple of Radius 1 points, and you could actually have some fun shunting a wagon or two around.....?

Jon.
 
Gaugemaster Series P is really only for the smaller gauges - it has the usual 12V output at 1 amp. Whilst it should move your LGB loco slowly up and down your short length of track for test purposes, you really need higher output voltage for G scale.

I believe the Bachmann EZ Command is the same sort of thing - a DCC system for smaller scales (though I think I read that you can get a higher output booster?) Again it should be able to move the loco but it won't be very fast.

Lenz LE230 does support running on analogue DC, unless that has been disabled by programming.
 
If it will go backwards ok then it should be simple to sort out forwards too. It can only be something mechanical catching, possibly worn out brushes, or the decoder having been programmed in error to only go reverse. If the motor turns one way it will go the other ;)
A few 1ft or 2ft LGB straights should be fairly easy to find to run it on if you can't find the 4ft lengths.
The little controllers should be enough to test it and shuttle back and forth a few times as the stainz locos will run on half an amp ok unless the motor is in need of service.
There are a couple of members of the Wimborne club who still attend fairly regularly who run G scale and on a Thursday club night the test track including a loop of G is usually out unless there's a talk on. Meetings listed here http://www.wimrail.org.uk/meetings.html
Peco O gauge rail is ok but you'd need to solder it to copperclad sleepers as the chairs would hit the flanges on Lgb stock if you just widen it.
 
Just a quick thought - you say you haven't yet been able to test your LGB loco, as you have no track - but if you have your DC power supply, just turn the loco upside down (supporting it carefully with some foam packing or something, you don't want to break things like the whistle on the cab roof) - then just connect your DC controller to the two pickup "skates" on the loco (either with croc clips, or simply holding the wires on them) and turn the knob - does it run? Reverse the knob (or swap the wires over) - does it run the other way?

Jon.
 
PaulRhB said:
If it will go backwards ok then it should be simple to sort out forwards too. [...] or the decoder having been programmed in error to only go reverse.
Click to expand...
Hmm... never seen any decoder CV setting to do that on any of the brands of decoder I use - can't think of any use for such a facility? On the other hand, I've had a decoder with a blown output FET that would only run in one direction, which is why I suggested it might be partially blown decoder. I've also had at least one NCE decoder which was rather unpredictable as to which way it would run on analogue DC.
 
I've seen one where nothing from the motor but lights were fine, dead as a dodo then reset and fine. I've had two where they just stopped altogether after a short and resets didn't work but rewriting the existing file did. I'm not suggesting it was necessarily a deliberate reprogram but some odd things do happen with shorts and scramble them.
 
Assuming the loco is a Stainz, the Bachman EZ Controller will work it just fine for your Shuttle on 8ft of Track. I used my one for testing before I sold it on to Andy Rush. Any second hand Gauge 1 Track will be OK, my friend uses 10mm G1 Track, but older Locs tend to bump on the Chairs so perhaps some G Scale Track. Or if you need to buy perhaps 3 Yard lengths of Peco G Track may not break the Bank.
JonD
 
I support the suggestion that the loco's decoder is probably faulty.
No big deal, especially on a single loco set up. The decoder may simply be removed and the loco run on analogue.
If the loco can be sorted retaining a fully working decoder, the decoder might be of some use with a shuttle. LGB branded decoders by Massoth, Massoth's own and probably several other brands can be set up with variable acceleration, deceleration and pause times when used on traditional DC track power. All you'd need is a trigger near each end of the track to reverse the power feed. Not only is the smooth acceleration and deceleration much more realistic it is much kinder to the mechanism.
 
Thank you for your continued interest in my situation. I have always fought shy of operating a locomotive when it is upside down in case the mechanism or coupling and connecting rods bind up.

I might be able to support it each end and try it that way.

Are there service sheets available for these locomotives please? I have about 40 H0 locomotives and for most of them I have information for servicing them; or at least removing bodies etc.

I have been in touch with LGB but so far without a reply.
 
Just thinking about my reply above. On reflection it is probably better to have the locomotive upside down because then the mechanism won't be "hanging" but will emulate the locomotive in it's correct normal operating position.

Amazing what things flit through ones mind when reading other posts.
 
This is a very handy site with links to details and instructions if you know the model number of your LGB item:
https://www.champex-linden.de/lgb_p...443927b513dc125691c0045fb8718dd.html?OpenView

If yours is an older model and/or you don't know the model number then I'm sure one of the LGB experts on here can identify it for you. Post a photo of it?

In general don't be afraid to run a loco upside down - it's a pretty standard way of cleaning and servicing. There'd have to be something amiss with the mechanism for it to jam up when upside down: the only time I've had to worry about this is with small scale steam locos when running just the chassis, where the piston rods are simply slotted into the cylinders and normally retained by the bodyshell.

The best means of supporting a loco upside down is often to use the packaging it came in if you have it. Otherwise a soft towel can be useful to support a large scale loco in your lap - keep it clear of the moving parts though!
 
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Trust me, you won't cause any problems by test-running the loco upside down on the workbench. :)

You can find exploded diagrams for many LGB locos here:
http://www.champex-linden.de/lgb_produktdatenbank/
Just find the loco that looks the most like yours, click on it and you should find links to downloadable PDFs of the old service diagrams. I very much doubt that you'll get much response out of Marklin (the current owners of LGB) when you are asking about an old loco.

By the way, any chance of you uploading a photo of your actual loco? That way someone on here should be able to identify and date it, which will make offering relevant advice a lot easier - since the Stainz loco has been made by LGB since about 1968, and over that time (almost 50 years!) the mechanical side (the motor, gearbox and electrics) has been through several major design changes - it will be much easier if we know just what vintage your example is......

Jon.

Edit: almost duplicated Nick's post, we were both typing at the same time.....
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Amazing what things flit through ones mind when reading other posts.
Click to expand...
Oh Sarah, you are really going to feel right at home here. Know any good jokes?
Anyway I can't help with the decoder bit but would definitely suggest you measure up for a reversing unit from LGB or Massoth. I had a unit from LGB which was supposedly fitted under a set of buffers, I didn't fancy having this electronic unit outside so fitted it behind the transformer in the shed with a switch inbetween allowing auto/off/manual operation. It ran wonderfully but I did put the trip too close to the stop, so the loco barely cleared the trip and ground to a rather quick halt. If you decide to go after one of these units then be careful, the original LGB unit simpy stopped the train, the later models have acceleration and deceleration built in. If you decide on this way then I strongly suggest you talk to Muns of Garden Rail Outlet on this forum, he has the bits and the relevant information, plus I would buy the unit then measure up what length of track is needed inbetween, note that LGB and Piko track are NOT the same length or radius but you can pick'n'mix as needs be.
Good luck, and we want photos.
Ian
 
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