| Observations & Conclusions | |
Modules & the shelf suspension system.
Pluses:
Lots of unused space around rooms, especially
if you have storage shelves on them. You can snitch a space to play pretty
easily.
Negatives:
I used 1/16" 1"x 1" aluminum angle to extend the shelving unit
horizontal support arms to hold the wider modules. If you have a wide module with no
modules at a 90 degree corner to help support it I'm not sure the shelf system I
used will support it. All my modules that are 24" width are supported
from below as they span the computer desk or file cabinets. For a period of time
I had one unsupported over the computer desk and noticed that it did sag some.
This was before any track or scenery was applied.
Hint:
If you are going to use wider modules/shelves I would suggest you look at
the double width track systems at the building supply centers. The vertical
track that mounts to the wall studs are about 3/4" wide with two
rows of slots in it. The arms are molded - about 1/2" wide - with two
sets of connecters on them that go into the tracks. STRONG - and they do
make support arms that are at LEAST 24" long for this system.
Woodland Scenics Sub Terrain & Track Bed Subroadbed System
Pluses:
You will never run trains on a quieter layout - PERIOD!
It's the quietest system I've ever run trains or seen trains run on.
Negatives:
When laying out grades and sanding the sub roadbed - it is VERY easy to
over-sand and make dips in the sub roadbed. Sometimes you don't see these when
testing - a couple of mine only showed up after I glued the Tracked down then
glued the track down. Now how do I get these dips out?
Hint:
It's the easiest way to get track laid short of a flat table top
I have ever used. But if you have to change it, I'm not sure if you will
be able to salvage anything. This remains to be seen - I'd like to see
Woodland Scenics address this in their FAQ section on their website.
Atlas Code 83 track system:
Pluses:
Finally - they have a turnout that meets the N.M.R.A. standards gauge. I have
some older code 100 turnouts and also some code 70 turnouts - all of various
makes. This Atlas code 83 beats them all - the locos and cars go through them
with less shake and wobble than any other manufactured turnout I've ever seen.
Negatives:
Have one turnout (naturally the hardest one to get to) that has a quality
control problem. The way the points are connected to the throw bar is suspect to
me. I wonder how long that little plastic nib for each rail on the bottom
of the throw bar will last - especially with solenoid-type switch machines.
Digitrax DCC
Pluses:
Love the lack of wiring necessary. Love the realism
- at long last those loco's will crawl. Those I re-geared and re-motored
really shine. But the stock loco's run better than they ever have also.
Negatives:
I like pushbutton controllers with a buttons for
speed control. The Digitrax controllers are more dependent on a knob for
speed control. If you need to slow down quicker than your momentum setting
allows you the emergency brake is a real STOPPER. A controllable braking
button would be appreciated. Quality of the pushbuttons on some controller
models isn't up to others - this gives a different 'feel' to the different
controllers.
Hint: When using the PR-1 for Windows software. Always save the file with a different name than the current set up. Old & New for instance. I save a file for each loco. My PR-1 won't read many of my loco decoders so I use these files as a reference, documentation, and starting point. I can load a file, make changes save it, then send the info to the loco. Then I have the old setup and the new setup available.
Soundtraxx Sound and Decoders
Pluses:
Sound and DCC is the greatest step forward to realism I've ever
experienced in the hobby. If you have a loco that is capable of creeping at a
very slow speed while the sound is roaring out of the locomotive, you can hear
those modules creak as that massive hunk of machinery goes by at eye
level. I've never seen anything like it. I have so much fun with
this I'm wondering if I'll ever get scenery built. I built some sound generators
from articles in the early 1980's and was aware of the benefits of sound but those were
very crude to what Soundtraxx is doing. The nicest thing is it's incorporated in
the decoder and very programmable.
Negatives:
Soundtraxx and the dealers don't put up sample
sounds of their 'generic' LC sound systems on the web, so it's a bit of a gamble
when you order one. I was very satisfied with mine.
Hint:
Use LOTS of momentum - I set my Sountraxx decoders
up for a setting of acceleration (CV-3) and deceleration (CV-4) of 20. That's
why I need controllable breaking button besides EMERGENCY
STOP on the handheld controller.
General Observation:
Programming various DCC decoders with a variety of
loco's.
DCC is the ONLY way to go for a control system. When you get into
changing the characteristics of the loco performance it is a new world.
Finally, you can get realistic performance out of those little electro-mechanical
monsters. With the proper programming you can limit the top speed to something
realistic, control how they start, and how they accelerate. There is much
more to it than that if you care to pursue it. The thing that really got
interesting for me was the job of getting multiple locomotives, with different inherent
performance characteristics to all perform together as a unit. It was quite
satisfying to MU them on the controller then see them go around the layout and maintain a 1" separation
between all them from a dead stop up to road speed, then back to a stop.
It is not something you will do in the first five minutes of programming the
decoders I can tell you. I would think the Digitrax PR-1 programmer is the ONLY
way to go when you are dealing with this kind of application as it's so easy to
visually change the speed curves.
Jim Q
e-mail When your e-mail editor starts - please remove the first character (underbar.) It makes it a little unhandy for you - but it's the ONLY way I know to slow down those e-mail robots currently sending so much automated junk e-mail currently.
Copyright © 2002 Jim
Quarles, all rights reserved. Text, graphics, and HTML code are protected by
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Jim Quarles
Springfield, MO
Revised: May 22, 2003
