Does anyone know a source for an AMP meter for a DCC system?   I'm assuming it would need to be an AC meter.   At the local electronics store all I could find are analog meters with such a big range I wouldn't be able to observe what I'd like to.  A digital that reads tenths of an amp would be nice, or an analog with at most a 10 AMP range, preferably only 5.
   
The NCE Powercab has a meter built in, but they left it out on the higher amperage boosters.

Thanks, Bob

Got a solution.

The unit Stan (stanstrains) uses is an LBG 10340.  Here's his Email to me about it:

I have the most recent version of the 10340. There have been several versions, but don't ask me why they didn't change the model number. In this version, you can configure the unit in the "Basic" mode, which offers adjustable acceleration and abrupt braking, or the "Prototypical" mode which allows adjustable acceleration and braking.

A further refinement of the "Prototypical" mode allows you to put a second set of gaps in the track which will cause an emergency stop if the soft stop fails to halt the train in time.

The "station stop time" can be set from 2 seconds to 8 minutes.

The unit comes with a pair of diodes which has caused a lot of confusion. It turns out the diodes are only used to put across the second set of gaps for emergency stopping. I use only the one set of gaps, which does not require use of the diodes.

He gave me PDF of the instructions - let me know if you want them Emailed to you.

It may be too late, but if want some cars and spare parts, ask your local Sam's club manager if you can have the display unit when they've sold out.  They don't pay anything for the display units.  The locos are stripped (no motor, lights, etc.) but the cars as I remember were only missing couplers. 

I put a response regards DCC on your derailing post.  Although I wouldn't use track power outdoors, I've had very good luck with DCC indoors.  I've been reading the posts for some time now about hybrid systems,  but especially indoors I don't have power problems except with 0-4-0s going over switches at a slow speed.  This is easily solved by picking up power from the first car back but it doesn't matter with kids - all they want to do is go fast. 

If you want to have kids running trains on the same track, I would get extra cabs.  Even though the inexpensive Powercab will run more than 2 trains, the recall feature only works for 2 trains.  If you run more than two it gets a little exciting having to select a loco quickly.

I'm not sure this is true with other decoders, but if you use NCE in Big Haulers, hook the motor up reverse from what you would think - i.e. connect the decoder gray wire to the red motor wire, and the orange decoder wire to the motor black wire.  No big deal, you can set the reverse bit when you program the CVs, but if you do it this way you also have to change the forward and reverse light settings.

I've converted a number of Big Haulers, a Shay, a Porter, and the little Clementine, so if you want any help just ask - rperego@qwest.net. 

Bob

Regards the front truck, don't tighten the center screw too tight of it will restrict the truck from moving sideways.   

I'm running Big Haulers indoors on DCC for very little money.  I use an NCE $16 decoder, not meant for G guage but I can pull 6 cars and am still well within the limits of the decoder, and the relatively inexpensive NCE Powercab.  I just upgraded to the 3 AMP unit because of lights I added, but the 2 AMP Powercab will run 3 Bachmann locos at the same time, including Tsunami sound boards.    I can adjust the speeds so multiple trains can run for a fair amount of time before having to make any speed adjustments. 

To avoid a huge discussion, what I'm doing is admittedly on the edge - if a loco hits something you could blow a decoder.   My track is flat and I need to watch the current draw on curves.  However, it was a cheap way to try DCC and it convinced me when I go outside it will be either battery of live steam.   

If you get the Aristocraft auto reversing unit, for less money you can get just the reversing unit and install your own diodes at the splits in the rail, rather than buying the unit where the splits are incorporated into the RR crossings.  Also, some of my cars didn't like going over the ART RR crossings.

Word of advice - if you're planning on a minimum of track beyond the splits in the rail, test for a given speed how far the trolly will slide before stopping.  The ART unit doesn't do a soft stop due to the design of the unit.  If you run it fairly fast, it will slide a fair distance before coming to a stop.  If you want a unit you might be happier with, check with Stan at www.stanstrains.com.  When I was at his place this summer I think I saw a unit than does a soft stop.  Also, because of how the ART unit works, the lights in the trolly go out when it stops - unrealistic - watch your step getting out in the dark

Another tid bit with the ART unit is to put some extra gaps in the track to make it easy to move the diode if you wind up putting a longer trolly or whatever on the reversing track.  If you have any kind of car pulled by the trolly, the diode has to be farther from the stopping point at one end.  I attached my diodes to the bolts on ART split rail joiners.  If you already have some splits in other places all you need to do is move the diode.

Another thing about the ART unit - don't be surprised if you change the trolly speed while it's running.  The unit operates by the drop in current when the trolly passes the diode.  It thinks this is happening if you slow the trolly down while it's running.

Have fun...

I fixed the problem areas by loosening the outer rail connectors so they could separate if desired, and forced the rails wider by using toothpick ends as wedges.

I measured some never installed curved track and found that in nearly all places the ID is less than straight track sections.  Also, as I experienced with track I installed, in some places the ID is unacceptable.  I now know when installing to check the width everywhere.

Thanks for the advice on the min and max standards.  The 1.766 min. sounds reasonable given the most I measured on various wheels I checked was 1.760.

Forget this post - the problem is the ID of the track in some places is less than the minimum required.  Also, the wheels on some of the cars with the knuckle couplers don't spin true which is compounding the track width problem.

I'm not sure what the name is of the points where I measured some wheels, but from where the angle begins on the flange I measured between 1.755 and 1.765 on a number of Bachmann car trucks and wheels of locos.  This explains my problem on the curves - the wheels are riding up where I have less than around 1.765.  I watched closely and sure enough, this is what is happening.

Next question is, how do I fix this or did I maybe just get defective track?  The track doesn't move within the plastic keepers so I'm not sure how I can increase the width.  Any thoughts?  I will check that the rails aren't leaning in.  I thought about this when screwing them down, especially because for a holiday layout I first covered the board with a white felt type material - it could be the ties where the screws are have depressed in the middle causing the rails to angle in - although one would think I'd have the same problem on the straight sections.


Thanks, Bob

I posted a problem earlier concerning drag on a curve.  After checking my track width in various places I'm wondering if this isn't the problem. 

On straight sections I'm averaging about 1.787.  However, on the curve I'm having the problem on I only measure 1.740.  Most of my curves are measuring less than the straight sections.   The cars that are dragging have plenty of slop sideways but I noticed when I positioned a Shay on the curve in question I can't move the trucks sideways hardly at all.

My track is all USA.  I was pretty careful when laying it out not to torque the curves - in fact I laid out complete circles first and made sure the diameter was the same at various points before establishing various portions of circles.

Is 1.740 unacceptable?

Thanks, Bob

I'm trying to determine why I'm experiencing a fair amount of drag with one train on a layout with 5' diameter curves.  It appears the bachmann couplers are so stiff they torque the wheels against rails.  Another train with the same number of cars but with hook and loop couplers draws considerable less current on the same curves.   The cars having the problem are plastic wheels whereas the ones with the hook and loop are metal.

Is there a suggested modification to make the knuckle couplers move sideways better rather than twisting the truck or is hook and loop the better solution?  I've also noticed fewer problems backing up around tight S curves with hook and loop.

Thanks, Bob

Any ideas about the best way to convert Hartland couplers to Bachmann?

What I've currently done is put Bachmann trucks on the Hartland car but it isn't wonderful because I had to shim the truck away from the body to avoid the wheels hitting the underside which in turn required another washer so the screw wouldn't tighten down on the truck.  It works but the car rocks too much being the post isn't the right size for the hole in the Bachmann truck.

Is doing some sort of mod. to make a bachmann coupler fit the Hartland truck a better way to go?

Thanks, Bob

Michael - I have a similar need if you wouldn't mind Emailing me with what you end up doing.  Thanks Bob - rperego@qwest.net.

Any suggestions for getting power off the wheels of a Bachmann side dump ore car?

For 0-4-0 locos to avoid hic-ups over switches etc. I've been adding an LGB wheel set on the first car back but the ore cars I just got have smaller wheels.

A local hobby shops sells the special copper wire for fabricating a pickup - is there an easier solution than this?

TIA, Bob