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Post by carrman on Oct 27, 2014 8:40:02 GMT -8
Well, Soundtraxx doesn't allow you to program your own sounds, whereas Loksound does. Don't know about TCS. When my decoder program warns me in huge letters that I may flush the sound out of it, well I'm going to pay attention.
Dave
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Post by bnsf971 on Oct 27, 2014 8:44:04 GMT -8
Did a show today and for the heck of it put out my last C636 on hand; I sold a C628 in the spring and had a hole to fill. Nobody even looked at the (blank) thing. Not that I'm that surprised, but it was the only one in the building. For whatever reason people weren't buying in general, though, it's been a long time since I set up anywhere and sold so little. So it stayed in it's slot in the table top tray all day long. What road name is it, and is it DCC ready, or sound equipped? |
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Post by Mark R. on Oct 27, 2014 15:46:32 GMT -8
That's true, but even now, unless you purposely select to not make the write the default, any file written to the decoder will be registered as the factory setting. Losing the sound on any factory equipped engine will not happen, and any third party would have to go out of their way to not write the file as the factory reset default.
Panic set in with some of the earlier programmed decoders by third parties because you had to check the default factory setting box before the write and some people missed it. That's not the case any more.
Mark.
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Post by lvrr325 on Oct 27, 2014 18:26:42 GMT -8
A PC 6344 DCC ready.
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Post by carrman on Oct 27, 2014 19:56:02 GMT -8
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Post by kcjones on Oct 28, 2014 9:19:21 GMT -8
For all you guys that we're wondering about the cab issue (droop), I removed the cab from my IC unit. Two items appear to becausing the problem. On all four corners of the cab are raised square areas that sit between the cab and the battery boxes. Also, there is a heavy mold line on the front of all the battery boxes. Ill sand those off first and see what happens. I was planning to strip this one since Bowser does not make one in undec. But I am having second thoughts. The rear screens are glued in place layered between the body and the screen frame. I'm afraid old paint will get trapped behind the screens with no way to remove it.
Keep you up dated
JL
Vancouver wa
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chuckc
Junior Member
Posts: 57 
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Post by chuckc on Oct 28, 2014 9:59:52 GMT -8
For all you guys that we're wondering about the cab issue (droop), I removed the cab from my IC unit. Two items appear to becausing the problem. On all four corners of the cab are raised square areas that sit between the cab and the battery boxes. Also, there is a heavy mold line on the front of all the battery boxes. Ill sand those off first and see what happens. I was planning to strip this one since Bowser does not make one in undec. But I am having second thoughts. The rear screens are glued in place layered between the body and the screen frame. I'm afraid old paint will get trapped behind the screens with no way to remove it. Keep you up dated JL Vancouver wa You describe the cab as "drooping" but isn't the issue that the cab (and the middle part of the loco) bows up? |
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Post by kcjones on Oct 28, 2014 12:43:47 GMT -8
Chuck'
This can be classified as two separate problems. 90% of the bow disappeared when I dropped the tank. It seems the air tanks are hitting the top of the fuel tank. However, as I stated in SPF Sunday, the droopy cab remains. This appears to be an issue of the cab getting pinched at the bottom Cab doesn't sit down all the way forcing the forward battery box to bend forward.
JL
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Post by afbombers on Oct 28, 2014 12:58:39 GMT -8
For all you guys that we're wondering about the cab issue (droop), I removed the cab from my IC unit. Two items appear to becausing the problem. On all four corners of the cab are raised square areas that sit between the cab and the battery boxes. Also, there is a heavy mold line on the front of all the battery boxes. Ill sand those off first and see what happens. I was planning to strip this one since Bowser does not make one in undec. But I am having second thoughts. The rear screens are glued in place layered between the body and the screen frame. I'm afraid old paint will get trapped behind the screens with no way to remove it. Keep you up dated JL Vancouver wa I'm out of town so I don't have any pictures but I corrected this problem by first straightening the frame since it bends for whatever reason, I took off the cab and slightly cut down the slots that fit in the groove on the long hood not the tabs on the bottom but on the back of the cab that run vertically (not horizontal my bad), if you look at the cab it's pulling up the walkway. I took off maybe 1/64 to 1/32 which is hidden anyways. I then took off all the battery boxes and cut off the tabs that go into the walkway at the end that sits next to the cab (there are two tabs one tab in front and back I took off the back/next to the cab) and sanded the front one making it thinner so it could slide forward and reseated them making it square. |
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Post by thebessemerkid on Oct 28, 2014 15:19:20 GMT -8
Pictures would help a bunch in describing problems and solutions. Know it can be a pain, but it helps everyone working towards good models.  |
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Post by afbombers on Oct 28, 2014 15:35:08 GMT -8
When I get in town this morning I'll post some
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Post by kcjones on Oct 28, 2014 20:38:13 GMT -8
Don't have a macro setting on my I phone... That I know of. When I got home, I filed down the tabs on the front battery boxes like MR bombers said to do. I did not remove the rear ones, I just filed them down paper thin. All I did was move the front battery boxes forward about .00000001 of a nano inch. I think this may work. I'll try it on my demo tomorrow and see if that is all it takes. However I am interested in the cab alteration. I don't follow you on that one.
JL
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Post by afbombers on Oct 29, 2014 14:16:28 GMT -8
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Post by carrman on Oct 29, 2014 17:13:43 GMT -8
Don't have a macro setting on my I phone... That I know of. When I got home, I filed down the tabs on the front battery boxes like MR bombers said to do. I did not remove the rear ones, I just filed them down paper thin. All I did was move the front battery boxes forward about .00000001 of a nano inch. I think this may work. I'll try it on my demo tomorrow and see if that is all it takes. However I am interested in the cab alteration. I don't follow you on that one. JL KC, how much did you drop the fuel tank??? Dave |
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Post by carrman on Nov 2, 2014 19:26:07 GMT -8
I’ve got my friend's new Bowser C636’s. All 3 have factory sound. I’ve gone through them and replaced all the trucks to cure the tight gearboxes, and actually have really good speed from them now. Now, I have 3 weird issues with them.
First, with the back EMF turned on, they run slower overall than with it turned off.
Second, they all 3 have a weird speed related whine coming from the speakers, kinda like you’d get from a very old radio when you’re listening to a distant station. This sound starts up after you start the sound, but if you F8 the sound to silence the unit, the whining sound remains. If you never activate the sound and just run the unit, the whining never starts.
Third, I tested all units tonight consisted on a 30 car train. They of course showed me just how weak their motors actually are, but the big problem comes when I run them up our grade with or without a train, the lead unit stop responding to commands to blow the horn, but the throttle still responds. Even then, if you slow or stop, only the lead unit stops. The 2 consisted trailing units keep shoving. They do until I either tip them to one side and break contact, or I throttle back up at which time the leader starts again, and I start going down the hill and then all functions go back to normal. I can blow the horn and all 3 units respond to throttle commands. I’m at a loss here, because no other types of decoders act this way on our layout. And, this only happens one our big hill. We are running a Digitrax system if that matters. Help?
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Post by wmcbride on Nov 2, 2014 19:33:15 GMT -8
I've run two Bowser C430s w Loksound in consist and never had this problem. Sorry. That's the only data point I can offer.
Bill McBride
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Post by grabbem88 on Nov 2, 2014 21:50:13 GMT -8
Carrman turn off your bemf and that noise will go away.
It's not coming from the speakers it's the decoder..
Consisting has never been an issue with mine maybe you need to do a factory reset lol ! Just kidding
Have you motor tuned them?
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Post by carrman on Nov 2, 2014 22:14:09 GMT -8
I did auto tune, and todays test runs were with back EMF disabled.
Dave
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Post by grabbem88 on Nov 2, 2014 22:24:41 GMT -8
Well if you did that sounds like cheap speakers
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Post by kcjones on Nov 3, 2014 11:31:30 GMT -8
Ugh!! I think I'm going to take up stamp collecting.
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Post by grabbem88 on Nov 3, 2014 13:01:20 GMT -8
I want to hear this noise
If you tool cv49 to 0 to disable bemf that electromagnetic noise you hear would disappear but performance will be worse..
A 30 car train with 3 engines and they don't pull??
It sounds to me you are trying to find anything and everything to justify your dislike of Bowser... Esu... Motor
Atleast I made a video no matter how crappy that little rs3 which is lighter and same motor pulled 30 cars with weights and never bogged stalled or burnt up and my layout is 90% turns and one good straight...
Just saying is all... Need to hear and see this
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Post by carrman on Nov 3, 2014 17:34:53 GMT -8
You know, I'm not the least bit obligated to prove squat to you. I observed what I observed. I'm not going to waste my time justifying ANYTHING to you. I'm trying to make nearly a thousand dollars worth of locomotives work right. I'm working with Lee English, the owner of Bowser who's been very happy to assist me, providing me trucks and divulging developments on upcoming improvements and models from Bowser. One of the things he publicly stated is that they are working on a new motor. I wonder why? Maybe it's for the same reason Atlas and IM want a new motor. Because these won't pull. Yes, 3 can run a 30 car train, but they are hard pressed to start it on a grade without being at least at speed step 60, and then when they do it's with a burst of wheel slip. With a 40 car train they were on their hands and knees trying to get it up hill. I want to like these things, I really do. The sound decoders are overly complicated, and have a 21 pin standard I'm strongly against, but they sound very, very, nice. They have horns that are better than anything else I've heard. To that end, I'm trying to figure these things out before I plunk down any of my own money. I'd like to have some of the new U25C's with sound in BN, and they use that same decoder, but with a better motor. I came here for help, but if that's too difficult for you to do for me, don't reply to my posts, or failing that, I'll simply walk away from this forum and ask Donnell to erase my profile. I don't need crap from you when I'm trying to work through a problem like this. Better modelers than I have left here because of attitudes such as yours.
Dave
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Post by thebessemerkid on Nov 3, 2014 17:53:30 GMT -8
You know, I'm not the least bit obligated to prove squat to you. I observed what I observed. I'm not going to waste my time justifying ANYTHING to you. I'm trying to make nearly a thousand dollars worth of locomotives work right. I'm working with Lee English, the owner of Bowser who's been very happy to assist me, providing me trucks and divulging developments on upcoming improvements and models from Bowser. One of the things he publicly stated is that they are working on a new motor. I wonder why? Maybe it's for the same reason Atlas and IM want a new motor. Because these won't pull. Yes, 3 can run a 30 car train, but they are hard pressed to start it on a grade without being at least at speed step 60, and then when they do it's with a burst of wheel slip. With a 40 car train they were on their hands and knees trying to get it up hill. I want to like these things, I really do. The sound decoders are overly complicated, and have a 21 pin standard I'm strongly against, but they sound very, very, nice. They have horns that are better than anything else I've heard. To that end, I'm trying to figure these things out before I plunk down any of my own money. I'd like to have some of the new U25C's with sound in BN, and they use that same decoder, but with a better motor. I came here for help, but if that's too difficult for you to do for me, don't reply to my posts, or failing that, I'll simply walk away from this forum and ask Donnell to erase my profile. I don't need crap from you when I'm trying to work through a problem like this. Better modelers than I have left here because of attitudes such as yours. Dave Umm, I took the post above yours as a legit request for a YouTube to help diagnose the problem. Why not toss one up so everyone can get a better understanding of what you are seeing? |
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Post by Mark R. on Nov 3, 2014 18:26:55 GMT -8
It's a pretty good sized engine, there's got to be some space inside to add some additional weight. Wouldn't that vastly improve their tractive effort ? With everything going on with these engines, I honestly wish I had a use for one just to work on it.
Mark.
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Post by carrman on Nov 3, 2014 18:44:39 GMT -8
Wouldn't add weight until they get a better motor. I'm going to grab the test train again on Wed but run it with the BEMF activated.
Dave
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Post by edwardsutorik on Nov 3, 2014 22:12:18 GMT -8
Are the locos failing because they spin the wheels while trying to pull a light load?
Or are they failing because they have a light load and cannot turn the wheels--they stall under light load?
These are two different things.
Ed
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Post by carrman on Nov 3, 2014 22:28:22 GMT -8
On a grade, the wheels won't turn until a higher throttle setting is reached when stopped on a hill. A higher torque motor would allow me to start the train without a bunch of slip. I'm more concerned as to why the trailing units stop responding at a certain area on the layout. Motors can be replaced.
Dave
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Post by carrman on Nov 3, 2014 22:32:19 GMT -8
I wish I had a trio of C430's or U25C's with sound to test. I want to know if it's motors, decoders, or layout.
Dave
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Post by WP 257 on Nov 4, 2014 5:40:29 GMT -8
Is layout wet rail or dry rail??
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Post by JohnJ on Nov 4, 2014 6:31:06 GMT -8
For what it's worth, I tested my PC 636 as a single unit with a 30-car train on a 2%, 30" radius curving grade. I run DC. The train definitely slowed on the grade but didn't come close to stalling. I was able to stop it on the grade and restart without slippage, though it didn't start as smoothly on the grade as on level track. My train was comprised of 30 empty Bowser hoppers plus caboose. I doubt the single unit could have handled the train on the grade with coal loads, but I'm not sure I'd expect it to.
My unit does not have the truck mod. I wonder if the problem reported here is more related to DCC than the motor? I can't say there was much objectionable in test.
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