Mylocosound question?

dunnyrail said:
Nice Steam Tram, looks to be heavily LGB based. Sorry about the thread drift guys. Perhaps more detail in another thread please?
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As the original thread seems to have ground (puffed?) to a halt, a quick note on the tram. No idea who made it - I found it at GRS. It's a pair of LGB "Daisy" cabs back-to-back (the part number is on the inside.) The 0-4-0 is a Piko motor block. There's a fake boiler inside, and it had a heavy weight which GRS left in when it was shipped so it rattled about a bit. No problem, as the boiler is now full of batteries.
It was very well made though - I especially liked the headlights so I drilled them out and installed LEDs.
 
Fred2179G said:
No idea who made it - I found it at GRS
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Garden Railway Specialists, before they developed their own chassis, used to rob the chassis off ToyTrain Porters, so that they could be supplied with their English-outline loco body kits. This left them with lots of Porter bodies, so they took to making Steam Tram bodies like yours on, I think, Playmobil chassis. As yours is on a Piko block, I suspect it's a self-build (inspired by the GRS models) rather than an actual GRS one - unless someone has re-chassised an original GRS one.

I managed to pick up a couple of Porter Cabs, intending to do the same, but ended up doing it rather differently, moving the cab door from the middle to one end (sorry for the poor picture quality) . . .

1579021989224.png

Cheers

David
 
Greg Elmassian said:
I doubt that there is not even one person posting on this thread that has not done the same, exact thing! Where do you think I got that bottle from ha ha!
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I blew up two Massoth PC modules over the span of a year:cry::cry::cry: before I finally installed connectors that prevent me from putting track power into the track power out terminals! I had two set of wires on my programming track, one I'd hook up to the PC module and the other to my CS3. I would make changes to the decoder with the PC module, then check operation with the CS3. All it took was to forget unhooking the PC module before connecting the CS3 and - POOF - $$$ up in smoke! After destroying the second PC module, I put connectors on the outputs of both my third PC module and also my ESU lokprogrammer that take the same two pole connector used to connect to the track outputs of the CS3. Now I have a SINGLE set of wires to the programming track that are quickly swapped between programmers and the CS3.
 
Getting kind of back on track, It's good to see such outstanding support by Peter for his products. I don't personally have any MyLocoSound products but will certainly have them at the top of my list should the need arise!
 
phils2um said:
I blew up two Massoth PC modules over the span of a year:cry::cry::cry: before I finally installed connectors that prevent me from putting track power into the track power out terminals! I had two set of wires on my programming track, one I'd hook up to the PC module and the other to my CS3. I would make changes to the decoder with the PC module, then check operation with the CS3. All it took was to forget unhooking the PC module before connecting the CS3 and - POOF - $$$ up in smoke! After destroying the second PC module, I put connectors on the outputs of both my third PC module and also my ESU lokprogrammer that take the same two pole connector used to connect to the track outputs of the CS3. Now I have a SINGLE set of wires to the programming track that are quickly swapped between programmers and the CS3.
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I have set up a number of "programming tracks" for friends, and the fundamental safety measure is indeed a single wire from the PT. I also standardized on "sex" of connectors, females for power sources, males for power "sinks".... so that makes it likewise impossible to hook 2 power supplies together.

I also beat my friends senseless to "never add any more wires to the PT track", and always use the connectors, usually indoors the common JST's work well.

For the people that do not "get religion", it usually only takes one blown decoder to "believe"...

Greg
 
I 'only' popped one Massoth PC module.. :sweating::(

it was in the day's when repairs took month's as well..
 
I've blown Massoth Xpressnet wireless modules a few times. Had them repaired by Massoth. No explanation as to why they ceased to function. Only advice was don't use toroidal transformers for the AC supply for the Lenz command station. I wasn't using one anyway! Only thing I can think of is a spike on the mains (could be airborne?) from the spa that is nearby. Gave up in the end, sold the Navigators and now use touch cab on iPhones. Bliss!!
 
The "common wisdom" of using simple transformers for power supplies on DCC systems went out the window years ago in the USA, even though the major manufacturers still sell and endorse them. A well regulated switching supply is the way to go.

I remember some DCC systems require AC power supplies, I avoided them, since a regulated AC supply is way too expensive.

Greg
 
Greg Elmassian said:
The "common wisdom" of using simple transformers for power supplies on DCC systems went out the window years ago in the USA, even though the major manufacturers still sell and endorse them. A well regulated switching supply is the way to go.

I remember some DCC systems require AC power supplies, I avoided them, since a regulated AC supply is way too expensive.

Greg
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Agreed - I've always used regulated power supplies for DCC.
 
Howdy everyone --- long time since the answer to my question sorta went into limbo. As Phil said above, Peter really does give great customer care for his products. Which brings me back to where I left off --- with "magic smoke" coming from my Mylocosound board. Anyway, Peter and his top sidekick engineer put their heads together and, without having the exact Locolinc equipment I have (including the new wifi converter unit), went about making some electronic adjustments to create version "17 E" of their soundboard. Then Peter very graciously had Del at GScale Graphics send me one in exchange for my "toasted" board and $20. How's that for customer service!
Upon receipt, very carefully, I installed it, set it up with load sensitivity at 2 beeps and put it to the test on my work bench. Immediately I knew things were drastically better as I got regular chuffing sound from the engine which I could'nt get with my original board. After setting the proper chuff speed per Rik Bennett, I throttled up and everything sounded great. I held the speed the same for a good while but the chuff would not back off to a soft chuff but remained hard. Then I backed off a little -- nothing -- a little more, and wow! -- it went into coast mode. Backed off some more and it stayed in coast. I then sped up, got the hard chuff, held it there again but no soft chuff. Backed off as before but this time got no coast no matter how much I slowed. I repeated this testing sequence numerous times and most of the time I could get into coast when I backed the throttle up some but never got a soft chuff.
I then set the load sensitivity to one beep as per Rik Bennett and re-tested the board in the same manner as I described above. After numerous test runs the results are that I would get a soft chuff if I left the engine at the same speed for a while but it was erratic as to how long it would hold that soft chuff-- sometimes for a little while but mostly for a very short time. As for the coast mode, it would go into coast when I backed the throttle but it would only stay in coast for only a few seconds before a hard chuff resumed. To be thorough, I did the same testing with the load sensitivity at 3 beeps and I could get a soft chuff well but could never get into coast mode.

I also ran the engine with six cars in tow around my layout and the results did not change appreciably. So, overall, although the soundboard does not run as "perfectly" as Rik Bennett can make it, I am very pleased with the results at the 2 beep load sensitivity setting. The board sounds wonderful, a great sounding chuff, neat whistle and bell, plus several other auxiliary sounds that make the engine sound pretty darn real. Thank you Peter for your patience and efforts especially without all the right transmitting equipment. You have done me a wonderful job and I really appreciate it.
 
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That sounds like a great improvement. Some of my locos are more responsive than others at getting the MLS card to 'coast' and so I need to try and remember how much I need to back off the throttle to get the card to coast for each loco. It does get easier with practice....

Rik
 
ge_rik said:
That sounds like a great improvement. Some of my locos are more responsive than others at getting the MLS card to 'coast' and so I need to try and remember how much I need to back off the throttle to get the card to coast for each loco. It does get easier with practice....

Rik
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You're absolutely right Rik --- it is a tremendous improvement and that's why I'm very satisfied. I also believe as you do that "practice makes perfect" (most of the time anyway).
 
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