Go to the MTL Website. They have the best list of trucks/couplers.
Next best may be Atlas Accumates. Don't know enough about Athearn Mchenry or Bachmann's new Knuckle Coupler. Red Caboose Unimates are OK for some applications.
Anything is better than an old C(Rapido).
There's a lot of things Micro Trains does that puzzles people... Pizza cutter flanges, towering ride height, and Happy Birthday boxcars being the tip of the iceberg...
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Truck Retaining Springs:
Well I finally got 2 springs installed on one axel of one box car. I put the car on the end of a string of cars with Micro-Trains trucks and it worked. No jerkyness (?). But of course it had to be on the end of the string.
I then tested a string of cars that didn't have Micro Trains-Trucks, and didn't attach the car with the springs, and also no jerkyness.
So, what's the conclusion. Is it better to not use Micro-Trains trucks? But their cars are so nice. I will be running modern era equipment, so no cabooses. So maybe I should try to install one set of srpings on one axel of each Micro-Trains car? I'm afraid I would go thru an awful lot of springs, but like everything else, the more you do it the easier it becomes, but for 75 year old hands that's asking a lot.
I'm really surprised that Micro-Trains doesn't offer these springs factory installed. Don't others worry about this problem? Do you just learn to live with it?
Jerry
Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!
A fellow on the Atlas board uses the Micro Trains draft gear box, but puts the two-piece Accumate couper in it. The loop on the Accumate is not sprung, (centering is accomplished with whisker style springs on the side of the shank) so it completely eliminates the dreaded slinky effect.
Kind of an expensive fix though, since you need two trucks to make one...
I've been trying to install some of these to prevent the jerky motion when pulling a cut of cars at slow speed. I've decided it's impossible, at least for me. Out of a pack of 12 springs, I have about 3 left and none installed yet! The rest have flown around the room somewhere. So, my questions:
1. What's the trick for installing these?
2. Are there any other solutions to prevent this jerky action, like specially designed trucks or some other ideas?
I would appreciate some help to overcome this hindrance to realism.
Hey, RT...
Kato's GG1 announcement's up on their site! Taking orders now! Jeez, I can't wait for my tax refund...!
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
R. T. POTEET wrote:The NSR HORIZONS column in the new issue of N Scale Railroading blurbs that Hornby is - I don't quite know whether to say 'considering' or 'in the process of' - retooling at least some of their Rivarossi, Arnold, and Lima dies. This column states that Hornby has been..........lobbied to bring back some of the better models currently unavailable with various upgrades............ I would relish a reissue of the Arnold S-2; Lima - at one time I believe - issued an RSD-15 and FA2/FB2 both lokes being on my transition era wish-list.Let me inject a comment here: it used to be that the differing mechanics between manufacturers necessitated lashing up like units - or at least like manufacturers - into motive power consists. An A-B-B-A lashup of F7s is very handsome but DCC makes it possible to mate,say, an FA2 with an F3B with a GP18 - and that, probably more than anything else, has stimulated my growing interest in DCC.
..........lobbied to bring back some of the better models currently unavailable with various upgrades...........
It would be great news if Hornby or somebody released a New & Improved Alco S2. I'd take anything in the Alco S1, S2, S3, S4 line. Anything made by Lima would be junk today. Still, a New & Improved RSD-15 Gator would be nice. We don't need any more FA type units. Menano/IHC has released a cheap version. Walthers/LL version is a fine model.
Dave Vollmer wrote: I would also love to see pictures of other N scale layouts - complete, under construction, or just a plan!
I would also love to see pictures of other N scale layouts - complete, under construction, or just a plan!
Its been just about two years since my last post on this forum. I had started a HO layout in the old house and then of course we moved. Now that were in our new house (two years) and all has settled down... I was able to claim my new layout space and my wife gave up trying to keep me from starting another one. That brings me to this post, I don't have the same size room as I did before so I decided to start fresh with N scale. I told the wife it would cost less because the trains are smaller. Its working for now. Anyway, I started working on the bench work and got so excited while doing it I forgot to add wood work for any elevations, so now I have to go back and do some cutting to fix that. Its overall size measures 16' 2" X 4' 0" and after a few changes will have some elevation to it just not sure where and how yet. I will post some pictures ASAP.
Mike,
If you go to this url,
http://www.atlasrr.com/pdf/LE063XF%20Manual_Atlas.pdf
you can download the manual for the Lenz decoder which comes installed in Atlas DCC locos. There is a table in the manual which lists all the programmable CVs, their defaults, and ranges. It should be helpful to anyone working with one of these decoders. A couple of things to note: On this decoder, CVs 5 and 6 are not addressable, so you can't change top and mid voltages. Also, CV29, bit5 switches between 2-digit and 4-digit addressing. If you have a value for CV29 which sets 2-digit addressing, you need to add 32 (2^5) to that value to change to 4-digit addressing.
Hope this is useful to you.
-Walleye
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
navygunner wrote: The lenz decoders in Atlas locomotives for the past few years are low cost, low frill items. The sound that you hear is the motor reacting to the frequency of the output of the decoder. The decoder puts out about 8KHZ square wave to the motor and at low speeds you hear the motor oscillating at that frequency. A lot of the consumer installed decoders are 'supersonic', they output at a frequency above 20KHZ. This frequency is above that which we can hear.On the H16-44, there is only the factory supplied decoder due to the class lights. They are going to make noise.When buying decoder equipped models, you are going to have to deal with the sound and complain to Atlas. If you keep buying the same old thing, you are going to get the same old thing. BobBob: This sounds more like the situation I am trying to describe. It is the "Humming" that occurs when the loco starts and stops. Once up to speed, the loco runs great. The TCS decoder I have in my MP-15DC is "quiet" upon start and stop. It is obvious when you run the two locos side by side. This is why I am concluding it is the decoder. I am going to install a digitrax decoder in one unit, and leave the Lenz in the other GP-38 and we will then know for sure! Thanks to all for the great info! John
The lenz decoders in Atlas locomotives for the past few years are low cost, low frill items. The sound that you hear is the motor reacting to the frequency of the output of the decoder. The decoder puts out about 8KHZ square wave to the motor and at low speeds you hear the motor oscillating at that frequency. A lot of the consumer installed decoders are 'supersonic', they output at a frequency above 20KHZ. This frequency is above that which we can hear.
On the H16-44, there is only the factory supplied decoder due to the class lights. They are going to make noise.
When buying decoder equipped models, you are going to have to deal with the sound and complain to Atlas. If you keep buying the same old thing, you are going to get the same old thing.
Bob
Bob: This sounds more like the situation I am trying to describe. It is the "Humming" that occurs when the loco starts and stops. Once up to speed, the loco runs great. The TCS decoder I have in my MP-15DC is "quiet" upon start and stop. It is obvious when you run the two locos side by side. This is why I am concluding it is the decoder. I am going to install a digitrax decoder in one unit, and leave the Lenz in the other GP-38 and we will then know for sure! Thanks to all for the great info!
John
PhilSF wrote: Thanks, rtpoteet. I guess I should have waited for one more post. I remember the HO Railroad That Grows, and wanted to build it. However college, family and life got in the way. Now that I have time I'm just going to do the best I can with my little 36" x 80" door layout and have fun. That's what it's all about.
Thanks, rtpoteet. I guess I should have waited for one more post.
I remember the HO Railroad That Grows, and wanted to build it. However college, family and life got in the way. Now that I have time I'm just going to do the best I can with my little 36" x 80" door layout and have fun. That's what it's all about.
n2mopac wrote: I have this same loco w/ factory installed decoder by Lenz. This is not Lenz's top of the line decoder, but it is not as bad as made sound here. They can be speed matched and mu'ed--I run mine in a lash-up for local freights. Your humming problem is not due to you decoder. The decoder is a glorified computer chip--there is nothing there to make noise. You are getting vibration in your motor. Try lubing all of your motor bearings. Especially grease the bearing at the extreme end of the drive shaft at both ends.Ron
I have this same loco w/ factory installed decoder by Lenz. This is not Lenz's top of the line decoder, but it is not as bad as made sound here. They can be speed matched and mu'ed--I run mine in a lash-up for local freights. Your humming problem is not due to you decoder. The decoder is a glorified computer chip--there is nothing there to make noise. You are getting vibration in your motor. Try lubing all of your motor bearings. Especially grease the bearing at the extreme end of the drive shaft at both ends.
Ron
Please tell us how you were able to speed match your locos. I'm not being sarcastic here, I'd really like to know.
When I tried to adjust CV's 2, 5 or 6, they seemed to accept the new values, but when rechecking, they reverted back to factory settings of CV2-002, CV's 5 and 6-000.
As mentioned in my previous post, when attempting to enter the speed table values supplied by Atlas, and trying to maintain my four digit addressing, nothing worked. I had to revert to my previous setting to CV29 just to get the loco to respond to the throttle.
When MU'ing with Kato or earlier Atlas, the loco drags behind in the consist. My H15-44 needs a throttle setting of 28 to start creeping, my other locos are moving right along at that setting.
If I'm missing something, please tell me what it is.
From what I've experienced, it costs no more, other than time, to buy the loco decoder ready and install a decoder that you know will work to your satisfaction.
Thanks for the information from both of you! I will try the lubrication route and attempt to continue to break in the engines, if not I will definatley try the decoder route.
Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado.
Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy
Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings
John,
I guess I can't really give you a full answer to that question. When I asked Atlas why they didn't used a better decoder, I was told it was on their "to do list" to change the decoders.
For me, a full function decoder allows alterations to the basic CV's. I've never had to resort to using speed tables when speed matching locomotives, just CV's 2, 5 and 6.
He Emailed an Excel file with some settings for enabling the speed tables as well as a set of values as a starting point, but I couldn't get them to work at all. The settings he recommended for CV29 would have negated my four digit address capability, I use the locomotives number for my addressing. My SD24's and my H15-44 have three and four digit numbers respectively.
I have a brass UP turbine. I bought my first SD24 to MU with it, but the Lenz decoder prevented speed matching. I had contacted Digitrax and John didn't know if one of their decoders would correct the situation. He sighted the "scale speed motors" that Atlas is using in their newer products as the cause.
Rather than using it for a lone switcher, I finally bit the bullet and bought a Digitrax decoder and installed it. Shazam!!, problem solved. I've only used Digitrax decoders in the past and have never had a problem with them. I'm sure there are others that are just as good, but I'll stick with what works for me.
One note, however. The Lenz decoder had large blobs of solder at the points where they make contact with the chassis. Those chassis points had been broadened to accept the decoder. As a result, I had to do some creative mounting to get the Digitrax decoder to make a good connection. When you change the decoder in your GP38-2, you may have to close the gap in the chassis to acheive good contact. Be very careful not to break the chassis. The white metal chasis is soft, but some care needs to be taken.
My second SD24 was purchased without a decoder installed. The chassis didn't have the spread contact points like the other and made decoder installation much easier.
I hope this helps, John. I've sweated over the same thing you're going through and though it isn't rocket science, it's disconcerting.
My neighbor has four or five of the newer Atlas locos and he's looking at having to replace the decoders in all of them.
Please don't read more into my post than my discontent with the decoder, Atlas makes some of the best locos available in N scale.
Thanks for the info! Now I feel like I have wasted money in the decoder equipped units. I will try to find a replacement for the gp38-2's. One question though, what is the differencebetween full function and the alternative?
thanks,
john
The Lenz decoders that Atlas is using are not full function units. I've exchanged Emails and phone conversations with one of their techs.
I've replaced a decoder in an SD24 with a Digitrax unit and everything is now fine. I've since purchased a second SD24, but this time without the decoder.
The Decoder equiped N scale locos from Atlas cannot be speed matched to other locos.
Buy them decoder ready and put in a Digitrax decoder, it will save you alot of stress.
I hope a fellow n scaler can help me with this question: I recently purchased an atlas geep 38-2 low nose w/ a lenz decoder equipped and notice a humming that comes from the engine upon starting and stopping. I played around with cv2 to change the start voltage, but still get the hum. I compare this to an atlas mp-15dc which i personally installed a TCS decoder, and has no hum whatsoever, and runs beautifully. Are the Lenz decoders inferior to the TCS decoders or am I missing something? Is there a fix to this problem, have I not broken in the engine enough? PS, I have two of the same atlas gp38-2's, so I know it is not the particular engine. Sorry for the rambling, and thanks for the help!!
Hi mazdamn02,
Just to bump this up and maybe get you some responses.
4' x 8' can be an EMPIRE in N scale compared with what one can do in the same area in HO. I don't know what you're modeling but whatever it is, you'll have more room for it.
I have a 3' x 6.5' layout based on a rural scene with a (very) small town and 2 industries serviced by my short line with a double mainline going by. It's not a monster, but at 64, it's my first (and probably last) layout and I get a lot of kicks with scenery modifications.
If you're still interested in N, e-mail me and I can send you a list of several sites for layout plans and more.
Phil