MrWolf Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 I have in the past worked on various control system logic circuits. Not my favourite toy at all. I've never had anything to do with DCC, largely because some of my locomotives are older than I am. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 29, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 13 minutes ago, Nick C said: You're not the only one - I'm a software engineer, work with computers all day long, but still found I didn't get on with DCC, and reverted back to DC when the secondhand gaugemaster controller I had gave up the ghost - kept the chips as I might give it another go one day. I must confess that I haven't really tried that hard with the NCE manual, but so far it seems to be far from intuitive. The loco has now started accelerating even if it's left at speed step 1, so it's basically uncontrollable. Not good, and particularly irritating when it seemed to be running nicely before - and I've no idea which factor has changed. My brain hurts. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDM34046 Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 17 minutes ago, Graham T said: I must confess that I haven't really tried that hard with the NCE manual, but so far it seems to be far from intuitive. I'm glad I'm not the only one scratching my head with it. I've been using it for about 6 months now and still not 100% satisfied. I used the Bachmann Dynamis system years ago and got on very well with it. The NCE system seems to be the big hit in America but I just can't get to grips with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 Have a read of this, it's more likely to be your decoder than the Procab: https://jamestrainparts.com/2018/02/05/how-to-fix-runaway-locomotives-on-a-dcc-layout/ Al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Graham T said: But now 6385 is tearing around like a scalded cat, even on the lowest speed setting. Not very prototypical, and more importantly, a tad hair-raising. Scouring the Powercab manual hasn't helped, and there doesn't appear to be an idiot's guide available as far as I can see. I'm thinking that maybe I should delete the loco from the system and then reinstall it - but I can't figure that out either... Can’t claim to be an expert on this, but might be a decoder issue? Can you reduce the Vmax CV setting? No idea what CV as I do all mine with Decoder Pro and it worries about exactly which CV to tweak. Paul. P.S. I see others have had the same thought and been more helpful! Edited July 29, 2021 by 5BarVT Late to the party. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 29, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 2 hours ago, Alister_G said: Have a read of this, it's more likely to be your decoder than the Procab: https://jamestrainparts.com/2018/02/05/how-to-fix-runaway-locomotives-on-a-dcc-layout/ Al. Thanks Al, I'll take a look at that. I'm sure the PowerCab itself is an excellent piece of kit, and it no doubt has far more capability than I will ever use. But the user manual could be better in my opinion. I'd split it into a basic, get you started section for people like me, and then all the advanced stuff. There is a basic section, but I don't think it's up to much... Anyway, more to come later no doubt. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gedward Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 29, 2021 Just now, Graham T said: There is a basic section, but I don't think it's up to much... Agree! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Gedward said: Agree! Likewise! Al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 29, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 I think 6385 might be schizophrenic. We've gone from scalded cat to Schrödinger's cat - apparently the dead version. The loco doesn't respond at all now, although I haven't actually done anything yet! I'm going to look into resetting the decoder. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 29, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 A hard reset and then re-assigning 6385 seems to have done the trick, thankfully. Bit of time wasted but nothing more. I still have one point that is obstinately resisting my best efforts with the isopropyl though. I may have to invest in cotton buds! 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chuffinghell Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 8 hours ago, Nick C said: You're not the only one - I'm a software engineer, work with computers all day long, but still found I didn't get on with DCC, and reverted back to DC when the secondhand gaugemaster controller I had gave up the ghost - kept the chips as I might give it another go one day. I’m a mechanical engineer so if something doesn’t work I hit it with a hammer, if that fails I try a bigger hammer 2 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 29, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 I was very tempted by that solution Chris, more than once! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) In a nice little diversion from cleaning points and installing rodding, a package arrived with these three today. I know very little about railways, but these look like very nice little models to my inexpert eye. Perhaps Bachmann is the Mr Kipling of RTR wagons? Nice fine brake-gear, that lines up with the wheels, vac pipes and cylinders, lamp irons on the cattle truck, thin tie-rods between the V-hangers, even an off-white roof on the Mogo. No vac pipes on the Mogo, but I assume they would have hung down from the buffer beam to avoid fouling the end doors. And I got my first "foreign" wagon too. Anyway, far too much fun being had Back to the cleaning and rodding... Edited April 8, 2022 by Graham T 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 Would the Mogo have travelled with brown stock? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) A busy day at Chuffnell Regis. I seem to have beaten the final sticking point into submission, using copious amounts of alcohol (both internal and external). Dirty track was of course the problem, in particularly a dirty frog. You wouldn't believe how many times I wished I could say that out loud in my last job... Edited April 8, 2022 by Graham T 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) You have to play from time to time Dean Goods shunting the mixed freight it just brought into Chuffnell Regis. Edited April 8, 2022 by Graham T 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium figworthy Posted July 30, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 30, 2021 20 hours ago, chuffinghell said: I’m a mechanical engineer so if something doesn’t work I hit it with a hammer, if that fails I try a bigger hammer Isn't the badge of a true engineer knowing where to hit it, how hard to hit it, what type and size of hammer to use ? Adrian 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 Don't you just use the biggest one to hand? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted July 30, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 Depends if you want it to work afterwards! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 I'll have you know I've not broken a hammer yet! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gedward Posted July 30, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 30, 2021 15 minutes ago, Graham T said: I'll have you know I've not broken a hammer yet! But maybe a couple of thumbs. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 As a former engineer, I find it still pays to have a varied selection of hammers. I'm always suspicious of anybody who doesn't possess at least one.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gedward Posted July 30, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 30, 2021 Well no need to get suspicious of me. I have the usual claw- ball pein, a pin hammer, a wooden mallet and a rubber mallet for beating up on IKEA furniture. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 30, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2021 I was never an engineer (I used to break things and then let the engineers fix them), but I do have a presentable collection of hammers. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 I can't believe that Pete Seeger or Trini Lopez never had one. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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