 | | More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
Hi, Someone recently mentioned the fact that 9V tracks can only handle a limited number of motors/engines (whatever you call them). Also, puting multiple motors on the track will result in each motor getting less "juice" (current?). Is it true that (...) (25 years ago, 19-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) There will be an increase in power, but a decrease in maximum speed. The electrical formulas are complex because the power pack is not an ideal constant voltage source, nor is it an ideal constant current source, thus increasing the load will (...) (25 years ago, 19-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Yes, this is my experience. I find that multiple motors help with traction. Speed, however, hasn't been a concern. (...) No, and if you aren't careful, you can damage them. (...) The buffers, specifically, are the round balls on each side of (...) (25 years ago, 19-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) I'm going to disagree with John2 here - there is a time when multiple speed regulators would be handy: If your layout gets to be so large that you're getting a voltage drop on the far side of the layout. The GMLTC is starting to get see (...) (25 years ago, 19-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) This is so,but this won't mean that you can't place 3 or 4 motors on the track. The transformer gives 10V output at a 'power' of 7VA. Some explanation : VA is the multiplication of Volts & Ampere. This means in our case that the transformer (...) (25 years ago, 19-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Well, I haven't melted any -track- yet :) I would guess that the track is probably up to putting 2-3 amps out across it before melting (perhaps as much as 6-8 amps cont, and shorted for a small period of time, a _lot_ more. (...) Yes and No. (...) (25 years ago, 20-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
ode) (...) No, all we would need is a busbar with connectors every 25-50 ft of track. (IE a plate connector every 25-50 ft, connected by a heavy (in this case, something like #12 or so gauge wire) All you want to do is to reduce the resistance so (...) (25 years ago, 20-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Strongly suggest that you put gaps in to divide the track into 2 sections. Then, except for when a motor is bridging the gap between sections, there is no connection between one regulator and another. Ludo may disagree but I think it's a good (...) (25 years ago, 20-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Bzzt. In reverse, perhaps, or when slack is bunching, but in basic forward motion the couplers, and only the couplers, transmit the force. This is true on both sides of the big pond. There is no connection between the buffers of one car and (...) (25 years ago, 20-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) *** Warning *** Not a Lego purist application *** MRC Tech II throttles, well known in the model railroading world, solve this problem nicely. I have a passenger train with two locos (4 motors) which is no problem at all for my MRC throttle. (...) (25 years ago, 20-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
Jim Rorstrom wrote in message ... (...) slightly (...) transformer (...) this (...) is no (...) MRC (...) monitoring (...) I also saw somewhere something about a new MRC throttle which has a switch which divides output voltage by two. This switch (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Not true. You -can- solder to the lego track. I know. I have about 10 pieces that have various combinations of wires leading off them, plus having rebuilt points to a all curve/straight pattern. You need a good temp. controlled soldering (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) I am not 100% sure, but I think it may be a coil. Many devices have these and they serve as RF interference supression. Since at least some theories have the waveform from the controller being PWM, RF supression is important... (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) I would say that it is a fuse, never tested it but by the weigth it is to ligth to be a coil and also because a capacitor would be better help than a coil. Martin (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) More likely a thermal, self resetting, circuit breaker like the controller and motors apparently have. (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) If you open one up, you'll see it's nothing that fancy. A loop of metal, perhaps magnetic, that the 9volt wire wraps around once. I'm guessing it has something to do with RF interference, but that's a complete guess... John1, GMLTC (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Look like it is a coil by the description. Do you have a picture of it? Martin (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
Martin Legault <mlegault@nortelnetworks.com> wrote in message news:FLM44y.I9H@lugnet.com... (...) to (...) than a (...) has (...) It is a ferrite core used as a RF choke. (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
How would you put gaps in the train track? Should you just separate the track say 1/4 inch? (...) your (...) sort. (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Take the track sections apart where you want the gap, cover the metal ends of both sections with tape and put back together. Black electrical tape is an obvious choice but, is a little thick. I use silver duct tape. It matches the color of the (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
Jim Rorstrom wrote in message ... (...) track (...) of (...) the (...) need to (...) no (...) You can also just separate the two pieces of track by one stud. I have found that to work quite well. Even the small train wheels go across this small gap (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) There are a couple of ways. 1. Separate them by 1 stud. (all lego solution, only good on tangent (straight) track) 2. With some scotch tape. Tape over the ends carefully, and clip the track together. Not quite all LEGO solution, but not (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) track (...) Ok then, what happens after you have created separate blocks when the train goes from one block to the other? For example, how do you get the speed regulator for each block matched up enough so the train just take on a blast of (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) One more all LEGO solution, which also maintains the geometry: 4. turnout (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
Careful, some brands of silver duct tape are conductive. Electrical tape is better. For an all LEGO solution, merely mount the track ends one stud apart. The wheels cross over fine, and if you do it on a straight, you can put a baseplate or large (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) It takes two turnouts to completely isolate one section from another... each turnout only isolates one rail, so you mount them back to back facing in opposite directions. (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Of course for many isolation purposes, one rail is sufficient. In fact, in most model railroad wiring, one rail is left connected throughout the layout as a ground. The problem with trying to do this with LEGO trains is that there is no (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Wouldn't that throw off the alignment of the rest of the track in other places by being a stud off? Is there a way to get around this? (I'm thinking specifically of situations where the entire layout is mounted on baseplates). Steve Martin (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) The track is flexible enough that you can adjust the alignment - and if you're trying to mount everything down to baseplates you're going to have to get creative in the corners anyway... John1, GMLTC (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) One of several reasons why I switched from Snap Track turnouts to Custom Line when I was about 13... would that I had switched from brass to nickel silver at the same time and you all might never have been plagued by my presence here, nickel (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) One more thing in my "wish" list. Molded roadbed pieces which have some way to fix them to baseplates, preferably adjustable (in which case the edges would have to sit above the studs). If they were'nt adjustable, they could get away with 5 (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) Steve don't forget that you are going to have two section of track that will be separated in this fashion so the two gaps should 'even out' in the end and you should not have this problem you are talking about. At least that is the case in my (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) If the controllers are set to the same "notch" (there are only 5 speed levels each direction on a lego controller) then the train will not really speed up or slow down much. I usually just set the 2 throttles to about the right level, and let (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
(...) No, because the curves don't mount to the baseplates. James P (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie
|
|
On Tue, 23 Nov 1999, Larry Pieniazek (<383ABCCC.767908F9@...ager.net>) wrote at 16:11:56 (...) And nickel oxide conducts electricity :-) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
| |
| | track curves on baseplates (was: Re: More Questions from Another Train Newbie)
|
|
(...) As long as the track is elevated at least one plate, it's easy to put the curves on the baseplates. Just use some 1-stud plates (1x1 or 1x2) and some tiles in places the studs don't line up. As it pertains to this discussion, if the place (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
|
