2009 November 11

2009 November 11  Wednesday

This day is both a sad day and a happy one :o On the one hand we may pause to remember our grandfathers and their friends who sacrificed so much in the First World War, and in many wars since.. Lest we forget! Australia is.. because they were 8-)
And then about 10 past 10 I got a phone call from my friendly postman because he had a parcel for me :lol:

The parcel arrived at 10.20 am via the Post Office, but it seems too small to hold 5 engines?

It contains only two engines and one of them is not one I wanted.

Anyway lets see what I got :) Out of the bag I opened up B72 in VR, the one I was expecting.
Don't you just love the diagram and the instructions. Typical strong and safe packaging as we would expect from Auscision.

snug as a bug and already looks like they got the colour right!

Oh yes!! it is sweet! Hope those of you who have not yet bought, or are still to receive yours yet, are enjoying the unwrapping :)

And sitting on the track in DC guise less than 48 hours since the post mark was applied.

Oh look at the V/Line one :) I guess that's a keeper ?

I am glad they sent it by mistake, I will send of some more money. I like it ;)

Unfortunately both side grills were unglued in the middle :(

But a real nice job of making it early V/Line period.

B72 represents the VR colours just prior to V/Line Incorporation.
Note the filled in front door and sealed beams but single hose fittings (pre bifurcation)

Gee look at "them" grills :D       B82 a little more subdued, none the less, looks great.

Lets fit a Digitrax DH 165 IP. A tiny 6 function decoder that is designed to be sound added in the future. (Don't have to waste the "quiet" decoder) It is also a quality slow speed low price decoder.

Instructions tell you that pin one is marked with a square solder tag, however the solder had covered the tag on mine. So orientate the decoder to the picture and then insert it in to the Auscision B.

In this picture I have already removed the DC plug to show the clearly marked pin 1
As this Locomotive is "truly" a DCC ready engine you don't have to worry about lights they are ready to go :)
Thank you Auscision! The new kid on the block already knows what we want... and delivers!

The 165 !P is easily inserted and all you need to do is put the top back on and you are ready to run her :)
Be careful! Make sure your pin 1 is in the right place and all 8 pins are sitting in their plugs. It is easy to move them across too far and have pins hanging over the ends or the sides. This may burn out your boards Check that you have it correct, then put the body back on.

oops B82 has loose side screens! they have buckled outwards and are under tension. Suggest it is weather related? 36C here today, what was it in China 6 weeks ago?

Other side

The fix was easy enough, although I did not remove the whole grill. This meant that I was holding the screen down under tension whilst a good quality CA glue dried and bound it in place. Used a hard round tooth pick to get the glue under the screen and then held it down with a flat piece of plastic for a couple of minutes to allow it to cure and make the bond.
A very nice model, indeed. Both engines were converted to DCC and smaller KD's fitted in less than 5 minutes Yes both of them!!
Two hours after the postman called me up to meet him at the roadside delivery box to sign for them, they were running DCC on my new layout with decoders and upgraded CV's
I usually start any new mainline locomotive off with these values:-
speed range CV002 = 002, CV006 = 128, CV005 = 154
acceleration and braking CV003 = 010, CV004 = 005

Cheers
Rod

2009 November 12

"S301 wrote:
About 10mins for DCC on mine :P
Mainly because, for the second time (A being the first) the wires decided to get stuck in the body :(
Just a quick Q for ya Rod. Do either of yours have red tail lights?
Zec"


No tail lights on either. However I suspect they will be fitted to the upgraded paints with the double marker lights red and white same as A.
Jason did tell me that they had trouble lining a red and white surface mount behind such a small lens. They decided to leave the red light out, after all it is completely un-prototypical to have marker lights on with a train behind. and VR never ran twin red lights on rear as a tail light anyway. They ran a single red light to simulate the guards van tail light. The switching meant the opposite (fireman's side would be on showing a white light)
In my opinion they should have left the white marker lights up as well as the number boards on the rear. In 30 years of running B Class locomotives, I never deliberately turned either off the trailing end of the Loco. However if I was double heading I would switch all lights off the trailing units apart from the step and running lights. These lights did not detract from viewing the rear of the train, and were handy to help indicate wheels not getting sand, etc
Cheers
Rod

2009 November 13

DCC Concepts Perth

Looks like I have found a way to get a red tail light on my B.
Also a lot cheaper than the pommie shop at a pound a piece :shock:
Cheers
Rod

2009 November 19

Building benches.. bloody hot work! not getting very far along..... Will try again this morning :D
Bloody hot and dusty! 41C outside and 50C in the train room. The west wall heats up and radiates into the room. It is ok (26C) till about 4.00 pm, then climbs rapidly as the wall heats up. Will have to shade cloth it, except that I am broke! Why am I broke?
The mail man has been wearing a new trail to the door.
The A Class stable has been added by one and the B Class by 6 :oops: Credit card is busting at the seams though.
Just got notified that my 5 S Class are about to arrive in Sydney. Expected date of arrival being 6th December. Owe about $450 on that order and then I will be busted :oops: Need to get a job, I'm thinking!
Cheers
Rod

2009 November 24  Tuesday   Small update on the layout.

I am completing the upper level bench work. I will get it installed and connected down the long wall and along the back wall. I can then start of the centre island which I need to set up so I can hang Trentham on to it. The centre island steel work is already in position (the steel shop shelving) I cannot set that up until I have the bench work on the end wall installed, to set up gradients etc.
Need plenty of work area, as I have a track laying day happening here 4 and 5 of December.
Cheers
Rod