Quote from: poliss on January 23, 2010, 10:55:44 AM
I think there's a little confusion in the two languages here. In 'British English' a 'cable car' is a gondola suspended by overhead cables as seen in the Brawa model. In 'US English' a 'cable car' is a tram (streetcar) hauled by a steel cable underneath the roadway. A 'trolley bus' in 'British English' is a rubber wheeled vehicle electrically powered by two overhead cables as seen here. http://www.trolleystop.com/tracklesstrolley.htm
  I hope that clears up any misunderstanding. :-)

In "US English", I never knew "cable car" to refer to under-the-roadway systems - for many years, didn't even know they existed!

I learned "cable car" to mean the aerial system... also called a "finicular".

But I'm from the Northeast, and was influenced by the NY metro systems...
-John

Quote from: ABC on January 23, 2010, 11:02:54 AM

Quote from: poliss on January 23, 2010, 10:55:44 AM
A 'trolley bus' in 'British English' is a rubber wheeled vehicle electrically powered by two overhead cables as seen here.

They had trolley buses in the U.S. and they go by the same name-that is there is no difference between the British and American names. They had trolley buses in Youngstown, OH up until the late 50's/early 60's.

re trolley busses: ...and in Cambridge, MA in the late 1980's (maybe still?)
-John

I'm now researching which Z-scale decoder to try... Probably won't do any conversion till summer, but I'll post when I've got something working...

-John

Excellent info - thanks!

I'm thinking there may be more steam heading my way this year!

-John

Yup! Essentially the same process and results.

Nice photos!!! Thanks for adding them.

(I can't take such closeups without getting terrible bluring.)

-John

Great! Thanks!

Anyone do a DCC conversion?

-John

I haven't seen any replacement decoders yet - do you know of any?
-John

I have successfully converted this switcher to MT 905 (Z-scale) couplers.

1. The existing coupler screw post must be cut down, but it must not be cut flush! The 905 needs to have a slight upward angle in order to mate with normal MT N-scale couplers, so the post must be cut with a slight angle!

2. The sidewalls of the coupler pocket must be filed slightly to accept the z-scale coupler.

3. The rear of the coupler's draft box needs to be cut short by about 3/32".
-- First VERY LIGHTLY weld the upper draftbox corners together with a soldering iron - do NOT apply more than the merest touch or you could distort the box and adversely affect the clearance/seating.
-- Then, hold the draft box on its side (so you can see the internal parts), pull the internal parts outward, and slice the draft box carefully with a sharp razor.

4. Drill and tap a new hole, maintaining an angle that will point the knuckle upward. I do not use the screws provided with the z-scale couplers - they're too short for my taste. I cut down a long screw provided with n-scale 1015 couplers, and carefully restore the thread with a razor blade.

Once done, your switcher will not only look better, but can operate satisfactorily with n-scale couplers on other equipment.

Enjoy!
-John

Product Code: 50598

Is this the same mechanism that has been around for 15+ years, or has this been updated and re-released?

-John

Bachmann Spectrum Item# 81853 - "N" GE 44 TON DIESEL SWITCHER

As I do on all my locos, I'm trying to limit the top speed.

This loco seems to have no capability for such control. It seems there is either no CV05, or it takes values I'm not familiar with. Also, there seems to be no Speed Table - is that correct?

Also, I need to know things such as: what is the reset CV, and what value does it take?

Where can I get tech details about the identity and capabilities of this decoder?

I appreciate your help!
-John

Refer to my post under:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,9613.0.html

I called both Bachmann and Lenz in order to track down a decoder sheet that details the CVs. While I did get help over the phone, it's not the same as a printed sheet, which would be easy enough to include with the loco...

The decoder is a 4.4 XF or a 4.5 XF, similar to a Lenz Value Line.

It compares with the old LE1000. It does NOT have CV05 (top speed), or CV06 (mid). Also, it does not have a speed table.

Stealing from the LE1000 sheet, this decoder probably has:
CV01 (short loco addr) 1-99 [3]
CV02 (start) 1-31 [10]
CV03 (accel) 1-255 [1]
CV04 (decel) 1-255 [1]
CV05 (CONTAINS ONLY A MIRROR OF CV29) 0-39 [6]
CV07 (decoder version)
CV08 (MfgrID) NOTE this is NOT a Lenz ID; This CV serves another purpose: reset.
CV08 (reset) Writing a value of 8 into CV08 (MfgrID) resets all CVs to factory defaults
CV17 (high byte of long address) 192-231

• 
  CV18 (low byte of long address) 0-255
• 
  CV19 (consist address) 0-255
• 
  CV29 (config) 0-63 [6]
  CV50 (decoder config byte 2; special settings) 0-12 [4]
  CV51 (Light dimming for function output) 0-255
• 
  CV52 (dimming CV for function) 0-255 [255]
  CV105 (user CV #1) 0-255 [255]
  CV106 (user CV #2) 0-255 [255]
  CV128 (decoder software version) read only
  
  If you are familiar with values for CV29, you can see that the range of allowed values don't go high enough to permit a speed table...
  
  I hope this helps!
  
  Note that this is the best info I've been able to assemble. I make no claim that it is 100% correct. I still have to take the computer to the layout and use DP to check everything...
  
  -John

For the last 10 years, I have requested the GE44-tonner as my #1 wish-list item on the Model Railroader annual survey.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!


I would ask now that you release a shell liveried out for the Navy. Two numbers, please!

-John
in northern NJ