DCC - Electrical

JLandT Railroad's picture

Soundtraxx Tsunami - Success...

Hi All,

Well today I decided to take another step in the evolution of the JL&T.  I installed my first Soundtraxx Tsunami TSU-AT1000 DSD with a Soundtraxx Mini Oval 8 ohms, 1.0 Watt speaker into my Atlas MP15 - Conrail switcher.

Loco Speed

After laying out a basic oval as a test track I tried out several locomotives on it. My problem is of all the engines I ran only one an Athern ran as it should. All of the rest ran slow. I'm using a Digitrax DCC controler. All of the locos were brand new and had never been run before. Any ideas would be appreciated.

kleaverjr's picture

Am I miscalculating for DCC Booster Distict requirements

I had settled with building my own DCC 3 AMP Boosters (I found a couple different websites that offer kits or instructions to build them) but as I consider the power requirements I am concerned that 3 AMPS even for one train block will be insufficient based on maximum potential load.  If I'm calculating things properly, I will need a Booster for each train block!

Found a source for LocoNet cabling!

I have had trouble finding 6 conductor flat phone cable for LocoNet wiring (I can get Cat-5 in 6 conductor at Lowes, but not the flat wire). I found some at cmple.com - at very reasonable prices! ($1.79 for 25 foot; they have other lengths as well). I cut what I need to length and crimp on the ends. Lowes, Home Depot and places online have the 6-conductor plugs as well as crimping tools. Hopefully this helps others having the same problem.

David Calhoun's picture

DCC Wiring

OK, I've read the book from Kalmbach several times; let me see if I've got this correct:

A. Unless the switch is DCC ready, I have to gap the frog rails before and after the frog (Sihonhara Code 70 turnouts on sidings and yards - Code 83 mainline.)

B. Doing so means that I have to provide a power drop both BEFORE and AFTER each turnout for power continuity.

C. A 60 degree crossover means gaping where??? Power drop where??

locomotive wiring problem

Hey All

I recently wired a NCE D13 SRJ Decoder in a walthers  GP-9M AM Trak  loco,  after hooking the wires up and programing it,  when I push the forward button it would run in reverse and same for reverse it goes forward this is the first installation of a walthers loco. Done some in Athearns and no problem. What is the differance in the way it's hooked up? Any help would be great.

Thanks ,Turkeycall

Summer Shunting Shelf Project

My nine-year-old daughter & I are building an N-scale shelf switching layout for the summer. Even though layout design is one of my trades, my daughter brushed aside my ideas & jumped on Byron Henderson’s “Alameda Belt Line”: a 1’ x 6’ shelf designed to fold in half for portability.

TCS FL2

To place the question in context (!) I am running up to 36 DCC trains, some of which are the older Triang/Hornby locos I have successfully converted to DCC.  I am using the Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance system and have not had any problems with it. I am now adding DCC Concepts Flicker Free lighting to coaches and have even managed to build my own version, its just not as "pretty".  I say all this to show I have a reasonable amount of knowledge on fitting lighting and decoders.

Decoder short in Throttle up?

My MTH SD70M has a digitrax DH163D decoder installed and it has worked fine. Until today? When I power up the system, the lights come on and everything seems fine. When I turn the throttle, it immediately stops and indicates a "short" in the system.  So, with no short at "idle", then the truck wiring must be ok. As the throttle is increased, power is fed to the motor and it stops. I could check the wiring of the orange and grey wires to ensure they have not somehow loosened causing this short.


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