Roundhouse Darjeeling - looking for advice

[Ralphmp]

So if anyone in the Hemel Hempstead area heard a very loud “Yaaayyy!!!” at about 3 pm this afternoon it was me! Yes, I’ve finally got the Darj behaving like a proper loco - no more scalded cat take offs and, with a bit of practice, some very smooth departures and arrivals at my station area. I also found steam was kept up for much longer and, as in the Roundhouse manual, the gas ran out before the steam did.

And above all, my wife tells me I had a big smile on my face all the time I was running the loco!

Next job is to figure out how best to modify the couplings on the loco and/or some rolling stock so I can have some reasonable sized trains for the loco to haul.

Thanks once again for all the advice and the encouraging messages - really glad I persevered.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

So what factors were the secret to success?

Please share.

 

[dunnyrail]

So if anyone in the Hemel Hempstead area heard a very loud “Yaaayyy!!!” at about 3 pm this afternoon it was me! Yes, I’ve finally got the Darj behaving like a proper loco - no more scalded cat take offs and, with a bit of practice, some very smooth departures and arrivals at my station area. I also found steam was kept up for much longer and, as in the Roundhouse manual, the gas ran out before the steam did.

And above all, my wife tells me I had a big smile on my face all the time I was running the loco!

Next job is to figure out how best to modify the couplings on the loco and/or some rolling stock so I can have some reasonable sized trains for the loco to haul.

Thanks once again for all the advice and the encouraging messages - really glad I persevered.

Brandbright did some couplings that were compatible with LGB couplings, but as they are in limbo that is a problem. You could make a wire that will accept the LGB Hook and allow the stock to be pulked and shunted as Inhave done on sundry locs, but you need to use the buffer to make that work so no R1!

Left Hemel Warners End in 2012, shame you could have joined my operating crew if I knew you then.

 

[JimmyB]

Brandbright did some couplings that were compatible with LGB couplings, but as they are in limbo that is a problem. You could make a wire that will accept the LGB Hook and allow the stock to be pulked and shunted as Inhave done on sundry locs, but you need to use the buffer to make that work so no R1!

Left Hemel Warners End in 2012, shame you could have joined my operating crew if I knew you then.

If I recall correctly, with my Fowler, LGB couplings fitted without modifications, not sure if yours is the same.

 

[Paul M]

some rolling stock so I can have some reasonable sized trains for the loco to haul.

Do you mean you need some Indian rolling stock?

 

[dunnyrail]

If I recall correctly, with my Fowler, LGB couplings fitted without modifications, not sure if yours is the same.

I had a Fowler years ago and that indeed took LGB couplings directly, but my Jack, and Russel would not but Stanley did. However the Brandbright when available has the added advantage of being able to take 3 link couplings which is what most 16mm‘ers tend to use on their stock. And yes some of them do have 45 track as well!

 

[Ralphmp]

So what factors were the secret to success?

Please share.

Main thing was, as I expected, if I’d read the manual properly at the outset then I’d have realised that

(a) start with regulator fully closed
(b) select direction of travel by moving remote control spring loaded switch fully to the left/right and holding there
(c) open regulator slowly until loco moves off and
(d) make tiny adjustments to regulator to maintain speed, deal with inclines, slow down for junctions, etc.

Also, once safety valve pops turn gas down to avoid wasting steam.

Obvious, I know, but there’s no fool like an old fool…

 

[Ralphmp]

Do you mean you need some Indian rolling stock?

Sorted that out yesterday with a visit to GRS

 

[Paul M]

Sorted that out yesterday with a visit to GRS

How's the wallet feeling?

 

[Paul M]

Main thing was, as I expected, if I’d read the manual properly at the outset then I’d have realised that

(a) start with regulator fully closed
(b) select direction of travel by moving remote control spring loaded switch fully to the left/right and holding there
(c) open regulator slowly until loco moves off and
(d) make tiny adjustments to regulator to maintain speed, deal with inclines, slow down for junctions, etc.

Also, once safety valve pops turn gas down to avoid wasting steam.

Obvious, I know, but there’s no fool like an old fool…

May be worth investing in getting the regulator on RC

 

[Ralphmp]

How's the wallet feeling?

A tad lighter!!!

 

[Ralphmp]

May be worth investing in getting the regulator on RC

Ahh, sorry - didn’t make it clear that it already is on RC, so when I mentioned opening the regulator slowly I meant move the non-sprung remote control switch in small amounts.

 

[artfull dodger]

What I did to my Roundhouse engines was first, upgrade the tx to one of the palm size units from RCS. This gives much better control of the throttle, much like running smaller scale electric powered trains. Second, I fitted a Slomo inerta device from SSP. They offer them for many of the Roundhouse engines including the Darjeeling B class. This gives the engine the "mass" of the real one to counteract the vast power that steam has when it expands in the cylinders. Real ones have the sheer mass to temper this, yet they still can spin their drivers on the rails if given to much steam at once. Our little beasts lack this heavy mass. So they tend to take off like a scalded cat instead of slipping their wheels. The slomo gives the model a feeling of mass so start ups are slow and controlled and the engine will coast slowly to a stop when the regulator is closed. Still takes a bit of practice but it totally transforms the model's behavior, even when pulling no wagons. I never cared for twin stick radios, and I raced RC cars with them for a few years before the pistol grip radios came about. But on a train it just didnt feel right. The palm size tx from RCS combined with the SSP Slomo inertia device makes running live steam a joy in 16mm scale. AD

 

[Ralphmp]

What I did to my Roundhouse engines was first, upgrade the tx to one of the palm size units from RCS. This gives much better control of the throttle, much like running smaller scale electric powered trains. Second, I fitted a Slomo inerta device from SSP. They offer them for many of the Roundhouse engines including the Darjeeling B class. This gives the engine the "mass" of the real one to counteract the vast power that steam has when it expands in the cylinders. Real ones have the sheer mass to temper this, yet they still can spin their drivers on the rails if given to much steam at once. Our little beasts lack this heavy mass. So they tend to take off like a scalded cat instead of slipping their wheels. The slomo gives the model a feeling of mass so start ups are slow and controlled and the engine will coast slowly to a stop when the regulator is closed. Still takes a bit of practice but it totally transforms the model's behavior, even when pulling no wagons. I never cared for twin stick radios, and I raced RC cars with them for a few years before the pistol grip radios came about. But on a train it just didnt feel right. The palm size tx from RCS combined with the SSP Slomo inertia device makes running live steam a joy in 16mm scale. AD

Sorry, but who are RCS?

 

[dunnyrail]

Sorry, but who are RCS?

This lot I think, similar options available from Fosworks.

Tony (Anthony) Walsham ~ 1943 - 2023 ~ Tribute

2.4 GHz RADIO CONTROL, 3, 5 or 7 Ch DSM2 RADIOS IN A POCKET SIZED CASE. TAILORED R/C SOLUTIONS BY REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEMS (RCS). FOR GARDEN RAILWAYS USING LIVE STEAM & ON BOARD BATTERY POWER.

www.rcs-rc.com

 

[Ralphmp]

This lot I think, similar options available from Fosworks.

Tony (Anthony) Walsham ~ 1943 - 2023 ~ Tribute

2.4 GHz RADIO CONTROL, 3, 5 or 7 Ch DSM2 RADIOS IN A POCKET SIZED CASE. TAILORED R/C SOLUTIONS BY REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEMS (RCS). FOR GARDEN RAILWAYS USING LIVE STEAM & ON BOARD BATTERY POWER.

www.rcs-rc.com

Thanks Jon

 

[artfull dodger]

I think Chuffed to Bits also once had a palm size TX. The ones from Remote Control Systems of Australia work with any DSM2 compatable receiver, like Spectrum brand. I use my RCS TX1 transmitter for both my live steam engines and 3 of my battery electric ones. So when I go to shows or visit layouts. I only have to remember to pack one transmitter for all the engines I will take. I never run more than one at a time, why should I spend extra money on more than one transmitter?

 

[Paul M]

I think Chuffed to Bits also once had a palm size TX. The ones from Remote Control Systems of Australia work with any DSM2 compatable receiver, like Spectrum brand. I use my RCS TX1 transmitter for both my live steam engines and 3 of my battery electric ones. So when I go to shows or visit layouts. I only have to remember to pack one transmitter for all the engines I will take. I never run more than one at a time, why should I spend extra money on more than one transmitter?

Same here, all may locos are tied to one transmitter, seems to work for me, but probably wouldn't for someone like Jon D who has multiple trains running at the same time

 

[JimmyB]

Same here, all may locos are tied to one transmitter, seems to work for me, but probably wouldn't for someone like Jon D who has multiple trains running at the same time

I do have a couple of Tx and a separate one for my live steam, this is partly to do with allowing the Grandkids to run trains, so a couple of basic Tx without the bells and whistles (literally).

 

[dunnyrail]

Same here, all may locos are tied to one transmitter, seems to work for me, but probably wouldn't for someone like Jon D who has multiple trains running at the same time

Generally with multiple bods driving them. I rather hate the Stick and Pistol grip car/plane/boat rc’s, if you have almost had an eye poked out by the earlier ones with long stick type ariels you would know why. Most bods eventually used to put a ping pong ball on the end for safety back in the day of 27/35/40 mhz. 2.4 gig do have shorter ariels so less of a danger but still a pain to use with a shunting pole and simplifier to hold.