Loco noisy on one layout and not another

[Anonymous]

if you are just getting started never clean your track with an abrasive pad like a rubber eraser it will leave microscopic groves in the rail that will attract more dirt and grunge use a liquid cleaner and cloth pad only .denatured alcolhal check to see if it reacts with any plastic first, like the ties, hope this will help glennbob

[rrinker]

I'm with those who say it's the layout construction. If the loco runs and you can control the lights - you've got it wired correctly. If you didn;t have things wired up, you wouldn't be able to control the loco.

If that's one of those Bachmann locos that comes with the decoder in it, it's never going to be very quiet, the decoder they use doesn't have a 'silent running' or 'high frequency' drive.

Different track voltages shouldn't make much difference other than top speed. And if anything, the Zephyr is going to have the lower voltage to the track of the two.

--Randy

[canazar]

Well, one thing I have found, if you goof up a wiring job, usually the train wont go Hehehe

After readignyour description of the 2 different layouts, I am willing to bet that it has alot to do with it. Good luck.

John k

[tcf511]

Thanks, there is a lot of activity at the club that could distract and the room is full of scenery, etc. At home, I just have a lot of plywood with cork roadbed. I'm told if I run it awhile things may "free up" and get quieter. I'm just a little paranoid that I'm doing something wrong with my first attempt at wiring a layout.

[canazar]

I can kick in my 2 cents here with my own theroy.

Yup, road bed or even the room can size can make a loud buzz quiter.... or As in my case..

It could be the voltage differences in the systems makeing the decoder buzz. I have Atlas that sounds like a old Blue Box on my DCC Prodigy powered sytem. But when i throw it on the DC track, smooth and quiet as glass. On the NCE system, (my club) you can access the Control Variable and tune the voltage frequency to quite it up. (hence the whole "quite decoder")
Also, could be voltage supplied to the track. I recently found out my problem is my lack of power leads to the track, the voltage is too low. I noticed it one day when I saw it corss over a switch to the outer loop and it got quiter.. (whoa) when it went back to the inside loop, got louder again. Doh!

Dont worry[8D], it less than 2 weeks we move and I tear the whole thing down and rebuild it again. Will definalty put more power to it.

Hope that helps

John k

[Anonymous]

[#ditto]

That's got to be it.

[Don Gibson]

I'll bet the Bachmann has the same noise at the club, just you don't hear it.
- More distratction's, larger - less intimate space.
Possibility #2. Different sub-roadbed.

I'll vote for #1.

[tcf511]

I am building my first layout. At this point I have some of my track down and my DCC installed. I'm using the Digitrax Zephyr for the DCC. I have on of the Bachmann GP40s with the DCC installed. On my club's layout we use NCE and the loco runs well with just a little buzz. At home on my layout the buzz in the loco is much louder. Could this be something that I've done wiring wise? If not, can dirty track cause a buzz and will a loco run better with one brand of DCC than another? Any suggestions would be appreciate. Thanks.