[upnick]

Following on from piermasters inspiration in his ''My physiotherapy project'' thread i have purchased several items to make up a diesel fueling point amongst them some kits from Dave to start me off (thanks Dave).
How far this venture goes depends on space and my imagination

this Morning i recieved three cars stock cattle car & an open hopper U.P.needing some weathering down as they are a little bright for U.P. the other car is an Athearn 'Blue box' Delaware & Hudson weathered covered grain hopper i wanted to purchase a weathered car to set me off, and it was reasonably priced

.

The three locos for the project are SD40 Milwaukee from Athearn and two more SD40'S Norfolk & Southern ....... Union Pacific the Milwaukee has been converted to DCC with a TCS M4 the other two already factory fitted with decoders From Bachamnn i would have prefered Kato but want to keep the finances of this down if possible they will be weathered and detailed to enhance the basic locos ....... snow ploughs have been ordered and piping work will add more details.

Once i'm more mobile i will make a start on the board in the mean time here are a few pics so far.



Milwaukee before conversion to DCC a roof light is now added the rails needing attention as can be seen in the picture.



A start on the weathering of the N&S SD40



The weathered up Delaware & Hudson covered grain hopper



Overall view of the hopper.

 

[upnick]

[quote name
I have a small ammount of Athearn Blue box sapres tucked away. try and rescue the handrail stansions but if you cant then send me a message. i should have plenty of spares of those.

Peter
[/quote]

Hi Peter,

Many thanks,
I will look at the handrials today and let you know shame they got damaged i have a good idea the loco ran very little or not at all.

 

[upnick]

Hi Zmil,

I do enjoy the larger scale of HO but still cant get used to the scale difference compared to my N gauge

of course the advantage is a decoder isnt a problem to install .... i even am thinking of a sound install in another loco if i an find either another U.P. or N&S

There is of course more choice in HO for accesories trying to work out now the minimum board width i would need to have a so i could run them within a reasonable sized layout keeping some interest but not too large as you know i am restricted for space

 

[upnick]

Hi Zmil,

Now in series or parallel is confusing me

i have just looked around for a sound decoder and though not Loksound or Tsunami quality of course i have ordered a Digitrax (sorry Richard)

sound bug with a suitable decoder to plug it in to enough to have sound but as i said i am trying to keep the cost down.

 

[upnick]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 19 Nov 2008, 14:21) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>*** Why apologise - if you are happy, then thats really all that matters! Experimentation is good for all of us.

Richard

Lets hope i'm happy when i get it installed Richard

I do like HO and to have sound in a smaller space will be good

 

[upnick]

Hi all,

I recieved the decoder Digitrax DH165AO this morning and have looked at the instruction which confuses me where the lighting functions solder to the pads there could somone indicate where on this diagram of it where the white/yellow/green leads go and where the blue positive connection is made please three lights are in the loco body.

 

[upnick]

Hi Richard,

Many thanks for the diagram, i did look at the TCS A6X but needed the 8 pin connection for the soundbug and so chose the Digitrax DH165AO

 

[upnick]

Help guys,

I have tried the sound install in the loco and the speaker is too big for inside the cab .... having cut away as much of any surrounding material from inside the cab still no go, so its either a smaller speaker or house the speaker in a car behind the loco.

If i house the speaker in a cattle car i have then theres plenty of room for the sound to get out and space to build up a baffle box, my problem comes when looking for a very small two pin connection from the loco to car so the loco is not permanantly attached, i'm happy to have it this way not my initial idea but a compromise ........... if it was a steamer then the tender would be used after all.

Using Kadee couplings the wires wont be as obtrussive blending in. if anyone knows of a tiny two pin connector i would be greatful.

 

[upnick]

QUOTE (poliss @ 21 Nov 2008, 16:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Express models do a 2 pin micro-connector.
http://www.expressmodels.co.uk/acatalog/Mi...Connectors.html

Hi Poliss,
Many thanks

just sorting the car for the speaker now ..... now where are the Kadees

 

[upnick]

Hi Zmil

I soldered up the speaker on exteded wires to test it last night and nothing decided to leave it as i was tired......

I didnt get the meaning of your sentance .... '' The Thing to be careful of is Having the Sound decoder on with no speaker by accident.''

could you explain to me please

hope i havnt done anything wrong.

 

[upnick]

*** Richard,

I take on board your advice and wouldnt doubt it at all, but the loco is a bachmann with a large metal chassis i bought new recently not the one i posted here ''Milwaukee'', i did change my plans (hold my hands up to that one ) i would like to go for the loksound but it isnt economical for the cost of any of my HO locos as i want to keep the cost down.

As for the huge board decoder yes i was advised to use it in conjuction with the sound bug .......... but would need a plug for the bug to hook it up to a normal decoder surely the board could be used elsewhere on another loco.

I did try the decoder without the speaker for motor movement and lighting ......... as Zmil has said do you think i may have damaged the bug as i can get it to read CV's the characteristic click heard after a read present but no sound after soldering the speaker back up, in the instruction it does say F8 is 'mute' but if i try to press F8 ( NCE powercab ) nothing appears in the display or changes.

if ive blown out the amplifier then its down to experience

 

[upnick]

Thanks for the advice Richard,

I will try it and cut out the loco when i can sit at the bench more.