Ox Mountain Railway

Thanks - I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Did some testing on the layout (latest acquisitions) before backing it into the shed!

LGB Steeple Cab in trailer.JPG PCC in trailer.JPG PCC in trailer (1).JPG
The PCC car isn't for use in the trailer but I thought I'd try it. Apart from needing a higher voltage, its a nice vehicle.

The steeple cab is my first LGB loco. S/H but runs well!
 
I also tried them out on the garden line (well part of the line). This again confirmed that I needed a higher current. The Aristo TE should do the job but I couldn't be bothered to get it out!

LGB Steeple Cab in Garden (4).JPG

PCC in Garden (4).JPG
 
Well I did manage to run something before the sun went in. I tested a Playmobil train. I acquired a centre carriage for it some time during year. Didn't think about the livery because it will all get a respray/bash to represent a Dublin Luas tram. Slight problem with TX which I'll have to determine and the batteries on the train need a recharge.

Playmobil 3-car set (6).JPG

Playmobil 3-car set (4).JPG

Tried a different prog to resize and disguise my lack of photography skills - a focus thingy.
 
If the batteries on the train need recharging, Mick, then when you try and run the train in reverse it will tend to judder backwards and forwards when setting off. Is this the problem you're having?

The centre coach is very heavy and this does slow the train down quite a bit. The good news is that if you buy one of the motors used with the Playmobil track-powered locos, you can just slot it in in place of the R/C motor, holding it in place with heavy duty double-sided tape.
 
playmofire said:
If the batteries on the train need recharging, Mick, then when you try and run the train in reverse it will tend to judder backwards and forwards when setting off. Is this the problem you're having?

The centre coach is very heavy and this does slow the train down quite a bit. The good news is that if you buy one of the motors used with the Playmobil track-powered locos, you can just slot it in in place of the R/C motor, holding it in place with heavy duty double-sided tape.
Click to expand...


Yes, that is the problem Gordon - as you describe in the first paragraph! The batteries were not fully charged (I tested and they were about 85% before I used them). I thought that it was the handset.

I have the tender off of Steaming Mary but I was going to use it for when I build a loco. Presumably, changing over the motor means that it will have to be track powered?
 
a98087 said:
You can also add metal wheels into the outer bogies of the driving vehicles as they are the standard 31mm wheels.

The RC system isn't the best but does work, it best to use new fresh batteries

Dan
Click to expand...

Yes that's a possibility Dan. As Gordon says, the centre coach adds a lot of weight (drag). What I find is that it doesn't like R1 curves (even short portion thereof) which is a shame. My trailer layout is mostly R1 (about 95% of the curves).and I found it slowed down on these.

One question though - did PM make a charging unit for the battery assembly? At the moment I unscrew the end cap and charge them up as individual cells.
 
trammayo said:
One question though - did PM make a charging unit for the battery assembly? At the moment I unscrew the end cap and charge them up as individual cells.
Click to expand...

PM R/C train sets used to come with a sealed battery unit and a charger unit. There were two versions of the battery unit produced, the original which was 950mAh and a later 1200mAh version, but these were quickly overtaken by developments in battery technology and so the battery unit/charger approach was abandoned and a grey battery case was produced with later R/C sets and the user provided their own batteries (rechargeable or otherwise) and charger if needed. Here's what the battery case looks like:

http://www.justgardenrailways.co.uk...15/05/dress-your-dolls-788153315483845381.jpg

You can get spare battery cases from Playmobil Direct Service for £6.35 plus postage (the total is under £10) or off eBay at a starting bid of about £15. I have one spare if anyone wants one, and I am doing an order with Playmobil shortly and can easily add one or two battery cases to it.

As regards the original charger unit, it was pretty basic and I found it could be a bit temperamental when i got old; you could go away with the red battery charging light showing it was on and come back later only to find that the vibration from someone walking past had caused the battery to wobble and charging to stop!

If anyone wanted to order a battery case direct from Playmobil, I can give you the part number.
 
playmofire said:
PM R/C train sets used to come with a sealed battery unit and a charger unit. There were two versions of the battery unit produced, the original which was 950mAh and a later 1200mAh version, but these were quickly overtaken by developments in battery technology and so the battery unit/charger approach was abandoned and a grey battery case was produced with later R/C sets and the user provided their own batteries (rechargeable or otherwise) and charger if needed. Here's what the battery case looks like:

http://www.justgardenrailways.co.uk...15/05/dress-your-dolls-788153315483845381.jpg

You can get spare battery cases from Playmobil Direct Service for £6.35 plus postage (the total is under £10) or off eBay at a starting bid of about £15. I have one spare if anyone wants one, and I am doing an order with Playmobil shortly and can easily add one or two battery cases to it.

As regards the original charger unit, it was pretty basic and I found it could be a bit temperamental when i got old; you could go away with the red battery charging light showing it was on and come back later only to find that the vibration from someone walking past had caused the battery to wobble and charging to stop!

If anyone wanted to order a battery case direct from Playmobil, I can give you the part number.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info about the charger and the link to the battery case (it is the same as mine). So as I usually (in summer at least) have quite a few sets of batteries ready charged that shouldn't be a problem now that I know low battery power causes the juddering effect!

What about the spare motor used by track powered PM locos - would that operate on the 4.8v battery?
 
playmofire said:
The track-powered locos used a voltage up to 16v so I'd be surprised if they would run on a 4.8v battery, other than slowly.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gordon. I recharged the batteries yesterday so I'll give it another go.
 
Well, with batteries fully charged I was still not impressed. It didn't judder but it did stall on a short curve.

So track power may be the way forward. Before hacking things about, I will consider the options. I'm thinking of different power units (then I can keep the PM R/C bogie for another project. When I come to a rational decision (for me) I'll post a thread "From train to Tram". I may well be able to operate it on my trailer layout then!

Thanks for the advice and suggestions chaps.
 
As I said, Mick, that middle coach is very heavy and does kill the performance. I have one of them and have run it with the main set only once or twice because of that. Have you just run the basic unit to see how that goes?
 
playmofire said:
As I said, Mick, that middle coach is very heavy and does kill the performance. I have one of them and have run it with the main set only once or twice because of that. Have you just run the basic unit to see how that goes?
Click to expand...

Yes I have and, as you say, it runs better without the middle coach. I want to bash it into a representation of a modern tram which, obviously, will be heavier still.

If I convert to track power (thinking of the range of motor blocks from G Bits) then I think the proposed bash will be the better for it. The released battery powered unit would then form the basis of another tram - I like the R/C concept and am loath to butcher it!
 
Maybe a bit overkill in complexity but seeing as you already have all the RC gubbins in the playmo block, could you just wire that into a different motor block? Then include a larger battery of the other end?
 
Hi Mick
I bought, a couple of years back, one of the complete Playmobil set (front, rear, and centre) for our granddaughter to use when visiting us.
Initially it was for indoors but during the summer I knew that she would be able to use it on the lawn with the plastic track and then on my layout.

Well when using it inside I noticed that it did not have a great range and would 'stutter' easily unless the remote aerial was aimed directly at the motor block.
I discovered that, where I had laid out the train, was the problem.
There was a radiator very near one ned of the layout and that was creating RF reflections and causing mayhem with the RF signal.
But even when it was out side the set did not perform very well....it was better than inside, but as soon as the batteries had been used for a bit, it did need the remote being pointed at the train. It had 'the 'red' RF set.

So I bought a 'brown' RF set and, low and behold, it performed so much better...even indoors in the same site that the 'red' one had trouble.
The radiator caused so much less aggravation.
Both 'red' and 'brown' were tested with topped up rechargeable and alkaline batteries.

Neither the 'red' or the brown' set had problems with dragging the centre car up the slope on the lawn so the power in the actual motor block is plenty.

Maybe the RF signal has got interference from the rails of your layout or some ferrous metal object nearby or even some other RF signal.....
What colour is your RF set?
 
musket the dog said:
Maybe a bit overkill in complexity but seeing as you already have all the RC gubbins in the playmo block, could you just wire that into a different motor block? Then include a larger battery of the other end?
Click to expand...

You do realise that it would be a great idea to do what you suggest - but me and electronics are not great bedfellows! I seem to get worse as I get older. I envy people who can sort all these little technicalities out.
 
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beavercreek said:
Hi Mick
I bought, a couple of years back, one of the complete Playmobil set (front, rear, and centre) for our granddaughter to use when visiting us.
Initially it was for indoors but during the summer I knew that she would be able to use it on the lawn with the plastic track and then on my layout.

Well when using it inside I noticed that it did not have a great range and would 'stutter' easily unless the remote aerial was aimed directly at the motor block.
I discovered that, where I had laid out the train, was the problem.
There was a radiator very near one ned of the layout and that was creating RF reflections and causing mayhem with the RF signal.
But even when it was out side the set did not perform very well....it was better than inside, but as soon as the batteries had been used for a bit, it did need the remote being pointed at the train. It had 'the 'red' RF set.

So I bought a 'brown' RF set and, low and behold, it performed so much better...even indoors in the same site that the 'red' one had trouble.
The radiator caused so much less aggravation.
Both 'red' and 'brown' were tested with topped up rechargeable and alkaline batteries.

Neither the 'red' or the brown' set had problems with dragging the centre car up the slope on the lawn so the power in the actual motor block is plenty.

Maybe the RF signal has got interference from the rails of your layout or some ferrous metal object nearby or even some other RF signal.....
What colour is your RF set?
Click to expand...

Do you mean the crystals Mike? I'll have to take a look in the morning - I remember thinking that the coloured, almost oval shaped, cap, must be where you change them for a different colour. Such is my memory, after noting the colour (two days ago) I have completely forgotten. Doh!
 
Hi Mick
Yes they are the crystals.
The colour on the transmitter has to be the same as the one on the block.
 
My first track powered run since October last year - testing the new Forney - tried to post a pic in Coffee Lounge but failed. So I'll try here instead!

So that failed.

Tried again on Windows 7

Forney (2).JPG

Well that worked! I'll log into the desktop (Win 10) and see what happens!
 
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