Model Trains

[andy3055]

Great videos, Dave. Thanks for posting them. In the area I live, there is just one rail club with a layout.  It is pretty decent but I haven't gone there for a long time.  Must make a visit with the grand kids when they come next weekend.

Joe, I would love to see a photo of the motor you are talking about. With a wound stator, is it like an old Marklin motor?

[joeqsmith]

Marked up a few photos from the internet for you to help explain.   I went a slightly smaller gauge and more turns.  Also higher temp wire.   To reattach the riveted posts, I used a punch to expand the brass. 

[andy3055]

Som of the old Marklin locos had AC motors with a woubd stator. Those had a complicated reversing arrangement. They were also 3 rail tracks. I think Marklin still produce the three rail tracks and locos but  they are DC/DCC, I think. Never seen one upclose to be sure.

[MarkF]

There is a video and a manufacture that makes new motors that fit inside where the old rotor goes.
I believe there were three different sizes.
For the life of me, I can't find the video or where you can buy the new motors.   

[andy3055]

Is it this one? He is in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/@HornsWhistlesWorkshop

[joeqsmith]

44 to 45 AWG.  Got a few more feet on there.  About 20' total.  Kapton on the bottom and top layers.   You can see where I ground out the studs to remove the stator and dimpled them with a punch to reattach.  Both studs are from the donor.   

Runs very smooth now with good control and a good amount of torque.  I removed the dead glass bulb and replaced with an LED.  A bit harsh.   

[joeqsmith]

Clip of it running, cycling the forward/reverse solenoid, finger dyno testing, overspeed.   And after all these years, I still treat it like a race car...

[NiHaoMike]

Som of the old Marklin locos had AC motors with a woubd stator. Those had a complicated reversing arrangement. They were also 3 rail tracks. I think Marklin still produce the three rail tracks and locos but  they are DC/DCC, I think. Never seen one upclose to be sure.

[MarkF]

Is it this one? He is in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/@HornsWhistlesWorkshop

I don't know if that's the exact site.  But, those are the motors I remember.
I do HO.  So, never bookmarked it.

[MarkF]

Som of the old Marklin locos had AC motors with a woubd stator. Those had a complicated reversing arrangement. They were also 3 rail tracks. I think Marklin still produce the three rail tracks and locos but  they are DC/DCC, I think. Never seen one upclose to be sure.

Thanks,
That is the refresher I was looking for a few days ago.
School is a little foggy. But,it's been 45 years ago.

[andy3055]

Great clips! That repair seems like almost new, the way it runs. These locos are very noisy. I wonder if they will improve with some Lubrication.

I once saw a diagram that shows how those locos are wired for forward/reverse. I wonder as to why those came with such complicated arrangements.

[joeqsmith]

Someone's video demonstrating the Lionel and Marx engines on both AC and DC.  BTW, I used DC for that clip showing it running.  The forward reversal solenoid toggles when you pulse the power to the engine. 

IMO, one of the more interesting motors I have is on an old Lionel banjo type signal crossing.   This thing uses a vibrator (solenoid) that pulls the motors rotor in and out.  They have a washer inside with three small rubber tits that are mounted on an angle.  This acts as a ratchet system and caused the rotor to turn.   Mine would need a new washer to run or I would  make a clip for you of it running.

I wonder if they will improve with some Lubrication.

I cleaned, polished and greased all the moving parts when putting it together so I don't think I can improve it.   Of course, the camera is only a few inches away when I made the clip.

[joeqsmith]

First post shows the banjo signal's motor with the washer I mentioned.   

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/mpc-lionel-banjo-signal

[andy3055]

Things were much more complicated just a few years back!

[tszaboo]

Things were much more complicated just a few years back!

Oh really? Have you tried DCC?
Did you have decoders blow up just because the engine derails?
Figured out if two piece of equipment is compatible, or try to figure out something with severely lacking documentation?

[andy3055]

I have not used DCC. However, you got my post wrong. Enough said.

[joeqsmith]

Seems you could make it as high tech as you want.   Run the trains autonomous.  Forget powering them through the rails.  Maybe a short section of metal track that charges the super cap banks like some of the electric transit buses.  Use BLE interface to a PC.   GPS to track their location.  Maybe just use a virtual simulated train set.  With a 3D headset, you could ride the trains.  Maybe a rumble seat for that extra realism.   

[andy3055]

Actually,  there are train simulator programs already. It lets you select all sorts of locos and features for the given loco! Much like the flight simulator.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=train+simulator&sp=mAEA

[MarkF]

Here's a brief discussion of automation programs that are available for DCC and
a demo of Train Controller.  A little long winded in my opinion but worth a look.

Somewhere in one of his other videos he shows how to place track insulators so that
the train slows and stop at exact positions (like the end of a siding or at a platform).



IMHO the DCC equipment is very expensive.  The locomotives with decoders and sound are
a bout $50 more expensive.  Plus all the supporting DCC equipment under the layout.
Although, it does make running trains MUCH nicer.

Looking back, all my computer interface electronics is starting to add up too.  I started
designing it back on my Apple ][ when DCC wasn't around.  The Apple was just too slow
and the design was tabled for many years.  The design didn't really come into its own
until I started experimenting with PIC micro-controllers.

[MarkF]

For those interested, some recent photos
(Underside is only a small left hand corner of the layout)
(Sander belts are mock-up mountains)

[RoGeorge]

Meanwhile, people who don't have trains ...

[tszaboo]

Here's a brief discussion of automation programs that are available for DCC and
a demo of Train Controller.  A little long winded in my opinion but worth a look.

Somewhere in one of his other videos he shows how to place track insulators so that
the train slows and stop at exact positions (like the end of a siding or at a platform).



IMHO the DCC equipment is very expensive.  The locomotives with decoders and sound are
a bout $50 more expensive.  Plus all the supporting DCC equipment under the layout.
Although, it does make running trains MUCH nicer.

Looking back, all my computer interface electronics is starting to add up too.  I started
designing it back on my Apple ][ when DCC wasn't around.  The Apple was just too slow
and the design was tabled for many years.  The design didn't really come into its own
until I started experimenting with PIC micro-controllers.

DCC is the part that an EE can do themselves. There is DCC++ that you can run on an Arduino. I designed my own turnout decoders and I'm in the process of making decoders for the engines. For me it's part of the hobby, and it's more fun than stocking fake grass from the shop to some plywood.

[MarkF]

Yes.  But, I believe it is now called DCC-EX.

[joeqsmith]

DCC is the part that an EE can do themselves. There is DCC++ that you can run on an Arduino. I designed my own turnout decoders and I'm in the process of making decoders for the engines. For me it's part of the hobby, and it's more fun than stocking fake grass from the shop to some plywood.

Reading "Hackers" (book I previously linked) they talk about the two type of members in the MIT model railroad club.  Ones who enjoyed the art, the others, the engineering.   I had a book growing up on model trains where they showed removing the center pin (3 rail track) and running two wires to switch the rails.  I then expanded on this idea using that motor driven rotary switch I found in the dump. 

[joeqsmith]

Here's my first layout, consisting of three straight sections.   Don't let the simplicity fool you.   I had more track than connector pins.  I remember getting a box of nails that I had cut up to make my pins.  These nails are what is inside these rails.   Then note the soldering directly to the tracks.  This solder could have been anything.  Looks like cold joints.  From the lack of any burn marks, guessing I used my dads soldering gun.   This is how I was applying power to the different sections of track.