Thomas??

[Nathan]

James,

It is in San Antonio, TX:

http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/SHD.htm

[smcgill]

Cale nice job with the must have info!
Thanks and am waiting to hear how christmas turned out!
Sean

[tac]

Cale nice job with the must have info!
Thanks and am waiting to hear how christmas turned out!
Sean

Well, over here in Yoorup it hasn't happened yet.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

[Nathan]

Ran our new Thomas for about 7 hours a day Sat and Sun for our Xmas show.  Ran good the whole time.  The only problem was because of some bad track it came uncoupled several places.  We used the stock 'hook and loops'.  When our second Thomas gets here will try the other couplers that come with the set and see what happens.

[StanAmes]

Nathan

I can not iminage track that would uncouple hook and loop couplers with hooks at both ends.  Amazing that Thomas stayed on the track.

We ran both Thomas and Percy at our show both day this weekend.  The kids really loved it.  Sat for a long time just watching two trains go round and round and round.

These trains should be a real hit.

Stan

[Nathan]

Stan,

You had a chance to look at how to put in DCC yet?  Once my sets get here, the clubs got here first, I want to add DCC so we can have them going opposite directions with passing sidings.

Nathan

[Jon D. Miller]

POLARITY

For those that have yet to notice, Thomas is wired to be NMRA Standard S-9 polarity compliant.

Now why did Bachmann do that? 

It will be a simple matter to reverse the power wires attached to the motor to convert to Large Scale polarity should polarity be an issue.

One of the "Enthusiastic Children"

JD

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Nathan,

Does your club have DCC?   Then, I guess you would install a decoder in each motorized unit. 

You can run what you are asking for with some sneaky Block DC wiring for a lot less. 

Just reverse the polarity of one of the motors so they go in opposite directions on the same DC track power.

Build your siding (ladders are better- no "S" curves) with spring loaded turnouts so that East bound takes the siding, West bound takes the main. 

Isolate the north rail of an engine long section of track at the east end of the siding, and also the north rail of an engine long section of track at the west end of the main between the turnouts.

Wire one isolated north rail to one momentary SPST switch, and the other isolated north rail to another SPST switch.  The other end of the switches would be connected to the power supply terminal that would have normally powered the north rails had they not been isolated. 

With one engine parked on the siding facing east and the other parked (facing west) on the main between the switches (with the engines parked over the isolated rail sections), turn on the track power in forward. 

Neither engine should move.   Press  one of the switches for a very short time.  One engine should move forward a bit.  Press the other for a very short time.  The other engine should move forward a bit.  If they both move backwards, turn power off and reverse the polarity of the wires on the power supply. 

With everything correctly wired, and the turnouts sprung in the proper direction with proper tension,

you should be able to press one momentary switch (long enough for the engine to clear the isolated section) where the train should take off by itself,

make a lap, head back into its proper siding, then stop (when it hits its isolated section.)

Repeat using the other direction train's momentary SPST switch. 

Trains must be short enough to completely clear the other track when parked. 

Hope this is not too confusing. 

LGB has electronics that can run two DC Block trains in the same direction while controlling two remote turnouts and automatically starting and stopping the trains at the proper times.  I'm guessing it's pricey, though. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Edit:  Added "north", "east" and "west" and other clarifications.   

[Nathan]

Joe,

I was not asking about DCC in general, I have been using it for may years.  The Club Thomas and Percy will not get DCC.  My Thomas and Percy will.

What I was asking about if anyone who has received their Thomas has looked at the conversion.

Nathan

[calenelson]

Nathan looks pretty easy to me...



not bothered by NMRA wiring...will be snipping it all before too long!

[Chuck N]

Joe:

If you put a diode across one of the gaps on each of your sidings, all you need to do is change the polarity on the track.  You don't need any extra wiring and electric switches.

The diode should be on the east end gap on one track and the west end gap of the other track.  I isolate the entire siding with the gaps and diodes as near to the switches as possible.

Chuck

[Nathan]

Had a chance to swap out the hook and loop couplers for some of the Big Hauler knuckle couplers on my Thomas and tested at the club today.  No unwanted uncoupling.  The club uses 8 Ft Diameter curves.  Also ran them on the R1 curves that come with the set.

[Nathan]

Played with putting DCC in my Thomas and Percy.

Started with some MRC AD324 decoders.  They caused noise with the motors.  Removed the small board and still had the motor noise.  Tried the same decoders in an old Big Hauler 0-4-0 that looks like it uses the same type of motor, no noise.

Had a couple of NCE 408 D408SR decoders I have used in other loco's that have since worn out.  No noise with or with out the board.

You can get to the motor on Percy by just removing the four screws that hold on the cab, you do not need to pull the boiler.

On Thomas you have to remove all 8 screws as the cab and boiler are one piece.  While you have the cab / boiler off pull the face off.  It is held on by some small tabs.  When you have made any changes you need place the cab / boiler on and set the eye movement levers.  Then put the screws back in.