RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion

New user, poor experience

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KPack:
Dave - very clean install.  You ought to be proud of your work.  The nice thing about Kato locomotives is that there is plenty of room to easily install a keep alive.  No huge weight to deal with!

Glad the videos helped!  If only I had more time to do nicer ones, and more skill.  They are pretty basic and amateur-ish but at least get the point across.

And I agree about our group here.  We have probably the most upstanding and helpful individuals here.  It is a close community and we are all respectful to each other.  I hope we can continue to be a help to you.

-Kevin

G8B4Life:

--- Quote from: The_Dave on February 06, 2020, 11:02:08 PM ---Ps a picture of one of the installs...

--- End quote ---

Hang on a sec, I watched a RP install YouTube video just two nights ago that featured a Kato SD40-2 with that exact piece of fibreglass board and styrene under the LM in it! Busted?  ;D If so your video isn't shabby either.

Back to the topic, those Atlas turnouts are really sharp, I don't think I'd recommend them for 6 axle power if I saw them in person though I can't see any way you'd get a short as they are not power routing, unless the wheels of the loco's overlap to the opposite rail at the frog like Bill's experience with the Peco turnouts. It's not easy to make out if that could happen from the blurry "enlarged" picture on the Atlas website.

Dismissing the short theory for the time being voltage drop within the turnout could be the problem. A bit harder to measure "live" on DCC than plain DC so with the track power off measure the resistance between the outer rails and the inner rails with a multimeter, it should be virtually zero. Also, do as I mentioned earlier and watch the LM info screen on the HC while traversing the turnout and see what it tells you.

As to turnout brands, well that's a can of worms right there but in this country (not the US) Peco is very popular and their Code 83 line is gaining a lot of popularity in the US as well. They don't have anything as sharp as Atlas in the code 83 range (I think the sharpest is a #6) but
your loco's and rollingstock would probably thank you for that. As to expense, yes I imagine the range is just as expensive in the US as it is here which is quite expensive. Another brand that's possibly worth looking into is the new range by Walthers that they are doing after Shinohara pulled out of the market.

- Tim

The_Dave:
Tim, I suspect that was my video. Like Kevin says, not super professional (and not even as good as Kevin’s) but if it helps someone then it’s worth it. Video parts 2 and 3 coming...

The reason for the sharp turnouts is simply a matter of space. My layout is in a bedroom that’s 10’x12’, so it’s an exercise in compromise!

G8B4Life:
Well I look forward to parts 2 and 3. Don't fret about professionalism it's the content that matters. The more people we have doing videos etc the more people we might get converted.


--- Quote from: The_Dave on February 07, 2020, 03:39:33 AM ---The reason for the sharp turnouts is simply a matter of space. My layout is in a bedroom that’s 10’x12’, so it’s an exercise in compromise!

--- End quote ---

In that case we might just have to work with what you've got to improve them if they are indeed the problem. Definitely do the voltage loss tests I mentioned (resistance and LM Info screen). It could be that the turnouts rely on blade pressure on the stock rails or pressure from a piece of metal that the blades slide on for electrical continuity. Those scenarios can be fixed by soldering a small piece of flexible wire between the stock and closure rails, and also the closure rails and the blades if needed.

- Tim

Alan:
A six axle loco has a lot of wheels picking up power. Dead frogs shouldn't pose much of an issue. Certain all the wheel pickups are working?

For all wheels to get power the trackwork must be flat (x and y axes) so as not to lift axles. Is the trackwork flat in and out of the switch?

A wheel tread short at the switch should trigger the breaker in your DCC system. Does your wiring pass the quarter test on the turnout?

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