Kernow MRC announce 4-TC

[south]

Got my 4tc last week blue grey 1970s. What a fantastic model. Well done Kernow

[colin.divall]

 

The idea of modelling the last train to Wimborne all bulled up does appeal although re-numbering to set nos 409 or 413 (from 404) doesn't!

 

Could always settle (eventually) for the Hants Ferret to West Moors in Feb 1973 - 6511, plus 404 & 420 with buffet 1758 in the middle....

[andyman7]

One interesting thing to note. Am I correct in thinking that both the Replica catering vehicle and Bachman 4TC are the only RTR mk1s that have portrayed the post 'rust rot' window frames?

 

... not that I'm going to rush out and do some reverse 'cut and shut' engineering on a TC to get a proper Blue grey mk1...lol

 

Griff

The Bachmann 4CEP has the exterior frames. Other than that, the old Triang/Hornby RMB had them too....

 

I do wish SOMEONE would model this variation for RTR versions - off the top of my head 7 manufacturers have made Mk1s since the 60s and (except as above) none have ever done so...

Edited October 18, 2017 by andyman7

[Steve Smith]

The idea of modelling the last train to Wimborne all bulled up does appeal although re-numbering to set nos 409 or 413 (from 404) doesn't!

 

Could always settle (eventually) for the Hants Ferret to West Moors in Feb 1973 - 6511, plus 404 & 420 with buffet 1758 in the middle....

 

That's a nice idea as that train would have passed very close to my home at the time. 

 

In the meantime I've resolved my brown underframe conundrum:

 

A fantastic model, but quite delicate.  Over the last few days the guard irons seem to have gone missing from one end (now replaced in brass) and I found one of the dangly end steps on the floor.  The steps under the door for the guard also get bent really easily.  All that and the risk of damaging another wire in the couplings means that my 4TC is now permanently coupled and living in a nice long purpose built plywood box.

 

Steve

[BR(S)]

Final 4-TCs to arrive, NSE livery, are now in stock and being shipped.  

[Butler Henderson]

Wondering if it would be possible to change the couplings as mine will spend time off the layout. Heljan make a 4 pole NEM tension lock coupling which could replace those supplied (albeit from experience the wires on those Heljan couplings are attached very lightly and merely stripping the end of the way can, expensively, pull the wire off the coupling - lesson learnt clamp the wire before trying to strip the end). Glancing at mine makes me think it may be possible to replace the coupling cam with one off a normal Bachmann Mk1 to allow the NEM couplings to be use, assuming they can be sourced on their own.

[RFS]

Wondering if it would be possible to change the couplings as mine will spend time off the layout. Heljan make a 4 pole NEM tension lock coupling which could replace those supplied (albeit from experience the wires on those Heljan couplings are attached very lightly and merely stripping the end of the way can, expensively, pull the wire off the coupling - lesson learnt clamp the wire before trying to strip the end). Glancing at mine makes me think it may be possible to replace the coupling cam with one off a normal Bachmann Mk1 to allow the NEM couplings to be use, assuming they can be sourced on their own.

 

It's quite easy to disconnect the couplings if you use the supplied tool and carefully roll the whole unit upside-down - like coupling/uncoupling 4-CEPs for example.  I have a yard track to do this with a foam covering alongside to make this easy, as this is the only way of cleaning the wheels on all my EMUs. 

[metadyneman]

Final 4-TCs to arrive, NSE livery, are now in stock and being shipped.  

My NSE one arrived this morning. Very pleased with it. Currently waiting for the weather to improve before line testing can begin in the garden. I will be ordering another one once funds permit

[metadyneman]

Not on 4TCs themselves but sort of related: has anyone yet modified their class 33 lighting?

 

I was pondering the idea of changing the white bulb (at least, at one end) to a bicoloured LED and running an extra wire to illuminate the red part when propelling the TC unit(s). Of course, I would also need to add suitable resistors into the circuit to avoid blowing the LED. This would then balance out the changing headcode colour at the other end of the TC. My D6520 is semi-permanently allocated to the TCs now, so I don't envisage having to do this to any other 33 models at this stage. The other thought that occurs to me in this is that perhaps the red LED should be operated by a separate function and output from the decoder, otherwise the white headcode at the leading end (the one coupled to the 4TC) will be showing as well.

Thank you!  You have just solved my problem as to what to do about the 33 showing white blanks when propelling!  Don't know why I didn't think of it myself. Time to get the soldering iron out this weekend and get that sorted!

[metadyneman]

Ok....help time! Recommended decoder for this unit please? Have found out the hard way it needs more than a 36-557 decoder to get all the functions to work so xan anyone point me in the right direction. Ta very much in advance ☺

[Geep7]

Ok....help time! Recommended decoder for this unit please? Have found out the hard way it needs more than a 36-557 decoder to get all the functions to work so xan anyone point me in the right direction. Ta very much in advance ☺

I spoke with Greg at the Farnham show, and he said either a Lenz 4-Function decoder or any other 6 function decoder. As mentioned on my last post, I used a 21-pin TCS EU621X decoder.

[metadyneman]

I spoke with Greg at the Farnham show, and he said either a Lenz 4-Function decoder or any other 6 function decoder. As mentioned on my last post, I used a 21-pin TCS EU621X decoder.

Really appreciate your help there mate. Unfortunately trawling through the 30something pages on this thread is a tad difficult on my phone so I appreciate you taking time to repeat something I couldn't find

[John Isherwood]

Really appreciate your help there mate. Unfortunately trawling through the 30something pages on this thread is a tad difficult on my phone so I appreciate you taking time to repeat something I couldn't find

 

So convenient, these smartphones, aren't they?

 

Says he, who has an ancient Nokia that .......... makes phone calls and sends / receives texts !!

 

Regards,

John isherwood.

[RFS]

Ok....help time! Recommended decoder for this unit please? Have found out the hard way it needs more than a 36-557 decoder to get all the functions to work so xan anyone point me in the right direction. Ta very much in advance ☺

 

The Bachmann 36-557 decoder has been replaced by a newer decoder, which for reasons known only to Bachmann is also called the 36-557. If you use the new version it has the necessary extra functions to work the interior lights (via F5).  The old version will not operate the interior lights as it only has 4 funcitons.  A Lenz Silver 21-pin decoder will also work all the functions. 

Edited October 20, 2017 by RFS

[Rich Papper]

The Bachmann 36-557 decoder has been replaced by a newer decoder, which for reasons known only to Bachmann is also called the 36-557. If you use the new version it has the necessary extra functions to work the interior lights (via F5).  The old version will not operate the interior lights as it only has 4 funcitons.  A Lenz Silver 21-pin decoder will also work all the functions.

 

Apologies if this is a dumb question - how would one tell the old one and the new one apart? The old ones could be sat on the shelves of some shops for years.

[SouthernMafia]

Apologies if this is a dumb question - how would one tell the old one and the new one apart? The old ones could be sat on the shelves of some shops for years.

Taken from a thread on the new decoder in the Bachmann forum:

 

 

On 13-Sep-17 Bachmann announced an upgraded version of the 36-557 DCC decoder.

However, the announcement neglects to tell us what those new features are. That is, it lists a number of features but doesn't emphasise those that are new. Additionally, it fails to tell us how to distinguish the upgraded version from the older version.

I enquired about this and received a helpful reply from Bachmann's customer service manager. In summary:

 

• The new feature is RailCom. The older version didn't have RailCom
• The chip is mounted on a blue printed circuit (PC) board. The old version has a green PC board
• The new version is packaged in a transparent bubble on a colourful card. The older version was presented in a humdrum cardboard box

Am told my NSE TC arrived at my folks place today safe and sound, looking forward to unwrapping ! Will fit perfectly into my operations on Portland.

[metadyneman]

The thing that I find slightly irritating about all this is that nowhere on Kernow's website does it say that the unit requires at least a 6 function decoder to make all the lights work properly. Having spent the best part of £70 per coach - albeit highly detailed with working lights - I would have expected some guidance given the price of the unit as to precisely what decoder will and what won't work in it. I spent a good 30 minutes trying to fathom out why all the lights worked with the blanking plug in and only the theatre lights worked when I put a Bachmann 36-557 in!. It inevitably ended up with a phone call to Kernow Model Centre who advised me as to why it would not work with the 36-557. They also advised me NOT to run the unit on a DCC layout with the blanking plug in as they had received several units back because the lights had "blown" by being used on DCC fed track with just the blanking plate in.
Given the amount of time & research that has gone into making this model, I find it a very poor show that proper DCC guidance has not been forthcoming prior to release of the model  when there was so much attention given to the shape of the front ends at the design stage.

[SRman]

While I agree that perhaps Kernow should have made it clear the units need a 5-function decoder (not 6), it isn't quite as simple as that. Some decoders listed as having only 4 functions will work because they also have 'logic level' functions, which work if there is suitable circuitry on the item's pcb. The TC units appear to have such circuitry, because the Lenz 4-function Silver+ 21 decoders will work all lighting functions on the TC (in spite of my initial failure with this decoder).

Similarly, the Lenz decoder works in DJ Models' class 71 to work the headcode lighting.

I think this has been posted by someone earlier, but for the record:

 

F0 turns on both ends' headcodes (2 functions for directional red/white lights).

F1 turns off the headcode at one end (in conjunction with F0 being on)

F2 turns off the headcode at the other end (again in conjunction with F0 being on)

F5 turns on the interior lights.

[metadyneman]

While I agree that perhaps Kernow should have made it clear the units need a 5-function decoder (not 6), it isn't quite as simple as that. Some decoders listed as having only 4 functions will work because they also have 'logic level' functions, which work if there is suitable circuitry on the item's pcb. The TC units appear to have such circuitry, because the Lenz 4-function Silver+ 21 decoders will work all lighting functions on the TC (in spite of my initial failure with this decoder).

 

Similarly, the Lenz decoder works in DJ Models' class 71 to work the headcode lighting.

 

I think this has been posted by someone earlier, but for the record:

 

F0 turns on both ends' headcodes (2 functions for directional red/white lights).

F1 turns off the headcode at one end (in conjunction with F0 being on)

F2 turns off the headcode at the other end (again in conjunction with F0 being on)

F5 turns on the interior lights.

Thanks SR Man

 

When I spoke to Kernow Models on Friday the gentleman quite clearly said a six function decoder and in the same breath said the Lenz 4 function one will work as well. So you can see how things can get very confusing if one takes one's eyes off the ball. Personally I'm a bit miffed that I have to put a really good and expensive decoder into a rake of 4 unpowered coaches to get the thing to do what it's supposed to do with its lights, adding expense to an already very expensive train! However, the unit is lovely and I do like night time running round my garden with lights on, so I suppose you get what you pay for!

 

Edit:-  PS.... Lenz 10321 decoder now ordered!

Edited October 22, 2017 by metadyneman

[dibber25]

So convenient, these smartphones, aren't they?

 

Says he, who has an ancient Nokia that .......... makes phone calls and sends / receives texts !!

 

Regards,

John isherwood.

 

Phones that receive text? And you can take them outdoors? Mine's still tethered to the wall! (CJL)

[Butler Henderson]

Apologies if this is a dumb question - how would one tell the old one and the new one apart? The old ones could be sat on the shelves of some shops for years.

Simple, they are completely differently packaged. http://www.Bachmann.co.uk/details_archive.php?id=463

 

Problem is trying to find a supplier who has one as every description on every web site I have seen and on ebay refer to 4 functions implying they are the old Soundtraxx ones and not the new ESU one.

[NIK]

Simple, they are completely differently packaged. http://www.Bachmann.co.uk/details_archive.php?id=463

 

Problem is trying to find a supplier who has one as every description on every web site I have seen and on ebay refer to 4 functions implying they are the old Soundtraxx ones and not the new ESU one.

 

Hi,

 

Alton Model Centre had some of the new 36-557 six function DCC decoders a few weeks ago when I got one to fit in my Kernow 4-TC.

The 4-TC seems to work fine with the logic level output from one of the two additional outputs (first four new 36-557 outputs are original Open Collector power outputs, last two are logic level).

 

Model Railways Direct's website appear to show the new circuit board of the 36-577 decoders but their text when I last looked is for the old 4 function type.

 

I haven't found a stockist of the new type 36-557 using Google.

 

Regards

 

Nick

[stewartingram]

Phones that receive text? And you can take them outdoors? Mine's still tethered to the wall! (CJL)

The worst thing about my mobile is getting it out of my pocket. The dial thingy (the bit you put your finger in and wind round to dial the number) catches on the cloth. Yuo would think they could have put pushbuttons on it instead!

 

Stewart

Edited October 22, 2017 by stewartingram

[Gwiwer]

Phones? I have a dyslexic carrier pigeon. He returned from Camborne with a ladies' foundation garment. I distinctly instructed him to order a 4TC not a 40C.

[John Isherwood]

Phones? I have a dyslexic carrier pigeon. He returned from Camborne with a ladies' foundation garment. I distinctly instructed him to order a 4TC not a 40C.

 

..... and he'd got it from Louth !!

 

(Did you see what I did there)?

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

Edited October 22, 2017 by cctransuk