a complete newbie !

[austinbob]

I personally run my locos in using a loop for half an hour each way then turn the loco around and run for a further half hour each way.

Hi Jack - Yes I do that as well - great minds think alike eh!!

[scotsoft]

Hey i looked at the metcalfe kits they look brilliant! and not too expensive either.. love the engine sheds.. Ill try and slyly reel her in by getting her to make some for me lol..

Craig

Hi Craig,

Before you go buying any buildings to try and get your other half to build for you, why not try some of these free downloads 

Low Relief Warehouse
http://www.scalescenes.com/

Signal Box
https://sites.google.com/site/smartmodelsgbbo00/products/railway-models/railway-buildings/free-signal-box

A site for printing your own choice of brick paper
http://paperbrick.co.uk/index.php?action=home

The beauty of these free buildings is if you have a less than successful attempt at one, you can print off more and have another try 

cheers John.

[austinbob]

Before you go buying any buildings to try and get your other half to build for you, why not try some of these free downloads 

Low Relief Warehouse
http://www.scalescenes.com/

Signal Box
https://sites.google.com/site/smartmodelsgbbo00/products/railway-models/railway-buildings/free-signal-box

A site for printing your own choice of brick paper
http://paperbrick.co.uk/index.php?action=home

The beauty of these free buildings is if you have a less than successful attempt at one, you can print off more and have another try 

cheers John.

That's a great idea John - i might just try that myself.

[cjbeattie]

thanks jack/bob for info running in..

THis must be a new thing cant remember doing this with old mainline stuff.. but that was in the 70's my old mainline train just ran from xmas day one for years after never stopped, no oiling or anything..

If i do go down the Dcc first of all with a dcc starter kit then it would be logical then just to buy locos that are already 'dcc ready' and leave them as that.. im surely if you dont touch anything of them and run them in on a dcc line then your warranty wont be effected.. sorry if i misunderstood you here...

thanks scotsoft for that link.. they look great for free! ill give it a go... watched on utube someone building a metcalfe signal box and factory they really do look fantastic for there size and cost 

I did some sums last night and by the time i get everything i need, engines, stock, and scenery im looking at around 500 - 600 pounds in total.. may i ask how much have you guys spent on your set? and did you buy it all at once or a gradual thing?

[austinbob]

thanks jack/bob for info running in..

THis must be a new thing cant remember doing this with old mainline stuff.. but that was in the 70's my old mainline train just ran from xmas day one for years after never stopped, no oiling or anything..

If i do go down the Dcc first of all with a dcc starter kit then it would be logical then just to buy locos that are already 'dcc ready' and leave them as that.. im surely if you dont touch anything of them and run them in on a dcc line then your warranty wont be effected.. sorry if i misunderstood you here...

thanks scotsoft for that link.. they look great for free! ill give it a go... watched on utube someone building a metcalfe signal box and factory they really do look fantastic for there size and cost 

I did some sums last night and by the time i get everything i need, engines, stock, and scenery im looking at around 500 - 600 pounds in total.. may i ask how much have you guys spent on your set? and did you buy it all at once or a gradual thing?

Its a good idea to run your loco in on DC first. If a loco is DCC ready it doesn't have a decoder in it and it will run on DC no problem. If its DCC fitted, that is a decoder is installed then I believe you can run it in DC mode - but I'm not sure. Others will be able to help you with this.

As for cost - how long is a piece of string? I don't think you have to buy everything at once. Perhaps by a simple DCC system with a siding or two to get the feel of things. Add more stock, scenery etc. later. Got to keep the misses happy with the costs eh! Buy her the odd bunch of flowers, dress, shoes etc. to keep her sweet. Oh - don't show her this post I don't want to get in any more trouble than I already am with my misses.

[Jack]

If you buy a loco that is "DCC Fitted" then the decoder is fitted at the factory and therefor you would run it in under DCC as per instructions that come with the loco and that wouldn't affect any warranty.

I did some sums last night and by the time i get everything i need, engines, stock, and scenery im looking at around 500 - 600 pounds in total.. may i ask how much have you guys spent on your set? and did you buy it all at once or a gradual thing?

That's one question not to ask  If your other 'alf found out.....  You might need the keys to the dog house! 

[Ditape]

I did some sums last night and by the time i get everything i need, engines, stock, and scenery im looking at around 500 - 600 pounds in total.. may i ask how much have you guys spent on your set? and did you buy it all at once or a gradual thing?

Don't ask it must run into the thousands over my 3 layouts.

[austinbob]

I did some sums last night and by the time i get everything i need, engines, stock, and scenery im looking at around 500 - 600 pounds in total.. may i ask how much have you guys spent on your set? and did you buy it all at once or a gradual thing?

Don't ask it must run into the thousands over my 3 layouts.

OH!! don't put the poor chap off Ditape - I imagine that, like me, you spent loads of cash over a number of years to get where you are. Unless, of course, you're really rich in which case a donation to the Bob Austin benevolent fund would be much appreciated. I jest of course!!

[MalcolmInN]

You might need the keys to the dog house!

Or the poultry coup in my case.
Even worse than the swmbo problem ( actually in my case she is very ummm , , supportive ! ), , even worse is my schizophrenia, " No, really, you could buy another two locos for that! ", I say to my alter ego
Sorry I did digress.

A problem with the 'already fitted' decoder may be that it is not the decoder of choice ?
How does the decoder fitted in the set measure up in the eyes of the cognescenti ?
and the controller/command station ?

[austinbob]

A problem with the 'already fitted' decoder may be that it is not the decoder of choice ?
How does the decoder fitted in the set measure up in the eyes of the cognescenti ?
and the controller/command station ?

Oh no!! - Now my brain really hurts - where did KISS go (keep it simple stupid)   

[MalcolmInN]

 

Oh no!! - Now my brain really hurts - where did KISS go (keep it simple stupid)   

Sorry Bob ! and excuse me CJ for hijacking your thread !!
but I bin reading

If we later wanted to do some computer control ( because the simple EZ ? command stations seem to only support 3 {perhaps 4 at N} locos {which I could do easier with 3 DC controllers} like Geoff et al are doing we would have to dump the EZ controller ?? It seems to have a port, but not a compatible one ??

My head hertz also !
Back to you CJ.
PS good thread, I have learned allsorts.

[Jack]

A problem with the 'already fitted' decoder may be that it is not the decoder of choice ?
How does the decoder fitted in the set measure up in the eyes of the cognescenti ?
and the controller/command station ?

I personally wouldn't buy a DCC Fitted loco as I prefer TCS or Digitrax chips.

Of the two main ones Farish fit their own Bachmann chips and Dapol fit Gaugemaster, I don't know if Kato do DCC fitted.

I, and others, have always gone along the lines with decoders that train makers decoders aren't the best. Having said that others will say they are fine. Everyone has their favorites.

Have a read - http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=13750.msg137683#msg137683

Oh no!! - Now my brain really hurts - where did KISS go (keep it simple stupid)   

Sorry Bob ! and excuse me CJ for hijacking your thread !!
but I bin reading

If we later wanted to do some computer control ( because the simple EZ ? command stations seem to only support 3 {perhaps 4 at N} locos {which I could do easier with 3 DC controllers} like Geoff et al are doing we would have to dump the EZ controller ?? It seems to have a port, but not a compatible one ??

My head hertz also !

It might be a kindness to start your own thread because we're drifting  Computer control is a whole different ball game!

[cjbeattie]

np malcolmAL

Ahaha love your answers ! You all seem in denial into how much you have really spent on your sets!! Lol. I think if you get enjoyment with making it and using it then the money isn't important its what you get from it.. I can think of worse things to blow your money that's a bigger waste... (no way im telling my other half that line btw)

Your right if my other half found out she would hang me out to dry.. So got to do this in a way that the money disappears a wee bit by bit lol

Jesus this dcc dc fitted not fitted stuff is a pain in the arse, they could of made it simpler for newbie's rejoining the hobbie after decades gone.. So the engines I will need are 'DCC fitted' now lol

You know all this hassle with chips and DCC I realize why some of you guys have stayed with DC.. I assume dc hasn't changed since my mainline train in the 70's just two wires. To a track lol

I would go to my local model shop and ask all these questions but not sure ill understand it and dont want  him to start pushing to sell me stuff when ive already checked his prices and the prices on ebay and the net and they are roughly around 30% cheaper..


thanks for link jack.. what exactly is it decoding? lol (almost scared to ask here) sorry for being over Analytical here and probs my aspergers but just wondered the details of it.. the science of this dcc stuff seems to be all over the place.. as in some chips work some dont, some do different things that others dont lol its a mine field

[MalcolmInN]

It might be a kindness to start your own thread because we're drifting  Computer control is a whole different ball game!

Yes you are right of course, I got carried away with Bob and my head's struggling !

Thanks for your thoughts on the chips btw.

Back to you CJ, before I think of something else lol!

[MalcolmInN]

what exactly is it decoding? lol (almost scared to ask here)

Ok I'll start
The controller box ( aka command station, or throttle) sends voltage pulses onto the track (a bit like barcode pulses of black & white) which are picked up by all the locos on the track.
Each set of pulses start with an address ( like a post code) and end with some data ( like a love letter ) so each loco knows which data (packet, letter) belongs to it (addressed to it ). That is the first part of the decoding that they all do.
The second part is the love letter itself, it contains some instructions about what the specific loco should do next, like speed up or slow down etc. that is the second part of the decoding task.

Stop me when I go too far, I used to be an electronics engineer in the dim mists, I get lost on the specifications of what is being sold by which vendor cos they dont always say