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Recent Posts
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General Discussion / Re: Quartering the wheels on MEHANO 2-8-2 mikado
« Last post by G8B4Life on December 31, 2025, 06:28:39 AM »Since your not driving the wheels with pistons they don't have to be quartered (90 degrees) at all, the angle just has to be the same across all the axles. Another way to look at it, a 3 cylinder loco is "quartered" at 120 degrees.
Wobbling (as opposed to binding because the "quartering" angles are not the same across all axles) sounds like something isn't concentric, like an axle not in it's slot properly as an example. If your able to disengage the motor from the drive train it could be helpful to push the engine by hand and watch the wheel and side rod motion carefully.
As this is not RailPro specific, I'm moving the thread to General Discussion.
- Tim
Wobbling (as opposed to binding because the "quartering" angles are not the same across all axles) sounds like something isn't concentric, like an axle not in it's slot properly as an example. If your able to disengage the motor from the drive train it could be helpful to push the engine by hand and watch the wheel and side rod motion carefully.
As this is not RailPro specific, I'm moving the thread to General Discussion.
- Tim
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General Discussion / Quartering the wheels on MEHANO 2-8-2 mikado
« Last post by carpediem4570 on December 31, 2025, 12:58:36 AM »Merry Christmas To All:
This is the continuing tale of hard wiring my HO steam locomotive to dcc.
After getting my MEHANO 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive from the presidents choice train sets of the 1990’s hard wired to dcc and running, I noticed the loco wobbles side to side quite violently now. A little research suggested perhaps the wheels were out of quarter.
The standard position for wheel quartering are 6 and 9 o’clock. Or 12 and 3 depending which way you are looking at the steam engine.
To my horror, I saw the wheels were set to 6 and 3, not 6 and 9.
I have all 11 presidents choice, (PC), train sets with a couple extra. One of those extras is a second Mikado. Its wheels are also set to 6 and 3. And it to has quite the wobble.
I looked at a couple other PC steam engines and there wheels are set to 6 and 9. They ran smoother.
Then I pull out the 4-6-2 Pacific Express. Wheels are quartered at 6 and 3 and runs as smooth as can be with no wobble.
My question: do the wheels need to be quartered to 6 and 9 or do they just need to be quartered.
Kind regards and Happy New Year,
Max
This is the continuing tale of hard wiring my HO steam locomotive to dcc.
After getting my MEHANO 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive from the presidents choice train sets of the 1990’s hard wired to dcc and running, I noticed the loco wobbles side to side quite violently now. A little research suggested perhaps the wheels were out of quarter.
The standard position for wheel quartering are 6 and 9 o’clock. Or 12 and 3 depending which way you are looking at the steam engine.
To my horror, I saw the wheels were set to 6 and 3, not 6 and 9.
I have all 11 presidents choice, (PC), train sets with a couple extra. One of those extras is a second Mikado. Its wheels are also set to 6 and 3. And it to has quite the wobble.
I looked at a couple other PC steam engines and there wheels are set to 6 and 9. They ran smoother.
Then I pull out the 4-6-2 Pacific Express. Wheels are quartered at 6 and 3 and runs as smooth as can be with no wobble.
My question: do the wheels need to be quartered to 6 and 9 or do they just need to be quartered.
Kind regards and Happy New Year,
Max
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Lighting for Bowser C-636 with LOK decoder
« Last post by G8B4Life on December 30, 2025, 04:01:18 AM »I'm not aware of any C-636's from Bowser that have ditchlights. Do you mean an M-636 or C-630M? If you can tell us which model you have we may be able to look it up (I have several C-636's but have not installed RP in any of them yet).
- Tim
- Tim
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Lighting for Bowser C-636 with LOK decoder
« Last post by DJRCPR on December 28, 2025, 10:15:46 AM »Installed a LM-3S-21 into a Bowser C-636. Swapped out for the board and easy-peasy, we are good go. Basic functions working, playing around with the lighting trying to get the configuration correct if anyone has done similar. Playing with the pairing and have class lights flashing, but trying to figure out ditch and non flashing, dim. On the sheet for the LOK, it says AUX 1 and 2 for ditch, but that doesn't work.
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Can't add new products
« Last post by DJRCPR on December 28, 2025, 10:11:48 AM »Got h Bowser to work, had to re-seat the board as it popped up. Might have to try and swap out the 3S, might be a cable issue.
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Can't add new products
« Last post by DJRCPR on December 28, 2025, 09:13:56 AM »I tried adding a couple of new products and they are not being found.
The first is an LM-3S, and at first it said found, but it doesn't appear on the loco list to complete the install. Tried it again, unplugged the module, tried to find it again and no luck.
The second was a new LM-3S-21, installed in a Bowser. Which was the best so far with a drop in to the board. However, it's not coming up under find products. Anyone else have the same issues?
The first is an LM-3S, and at first it said found, but it doesn't appear on the loco list to complete the install. Tried it again, unplugged the module, tried to find it again and no luck.
The second was a new LM-3S-21, installed in a Bowser. Which was the best so far with a drop in to the board. However, it's not coming up under find products. Anyone else have the same issues?
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Issue with making custom sound file
« Last post by CPRail on December 23, 2025, 09:39:11 AM »Okay, I'll see what the person doing the editing on the files has set-up. Fingers crossed!!
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Issue with making custom sound file
« Last post by JRad on December 23, 2025, 09:27:33 AM »I have had this issue and it ended up being a setting in Audacity. Unfortunately, I can't recall which one. I just went an looked at my latest project from almost a year ago and nothing jumps out at me.
The settings on the track I am exporting is Mono, 44100Hz, 16 Bit PCM and in the export box, the encoding drop down is Signed 16 Bit PCM.
The settings on the track I am exporting is Mono, 44100Hz, 16 Bit PCM and in the export box, the encoding drop down is Signed 16 Bit PCM.
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Issue with making custom sound file
« Last post by CPRail on December 21, 2025, 01:22:50 PM »Hi Group,
I'm trying to load a custom horn file (which I've done before) and I get an "Error - Format not PCM!" message. The specific files are in WAV format, 705kbps bit rate, 1 channel (mono), sample rate is 44.1 kHz. From what I can tell this is all correct as per the Ring manual for the RailPro Assistant.
What am I doing wrong?
I'm trying to load a custom horn file (which I've done before) and I get an "Error - Format not PCM!" message. The specific files are in WAV format, 705kbps bit rate, 1 channel (mono), sample rate is 44.1 kHz. From what I can tell this is all correct as per the Ring manual for the RailPro Assistant.
What am I doing wrong?