Sunday, May 25, 2025

May Update

This month I have a achieved few things that included: Fitting decoder, changing NCE Throttle settings, Operations Version 6, Retaining Walls, NMRA Meeting, Loco Maintenance, Ops Sessions, Tasks completed & scheduled.

Krauss-Maffei ML4000

Over a year ago I purchased a Piko Krauss-Maffei ML4000 DCC Ready as no Sound versions were left. I ordered an Sound Kit from a supplier in Canada that I have used many times over the years. Well after 12 months of back order waiting I cancelled the order and corresponded with Trainworld and within a week a solution was found and within two weeks I had a new decoder and speaker delivered from the US to Aus!

I fitted the decoder and speaker, and it works a treat.

I have speed matched to my running standards and all the lighting functions work well using the throttle function keys. I wanted to set up some automatic options but it is not looking like I can.

The lighting is controlled through an additional light controller via the SUSI bus. I posted a question on the JMRI forum on Groups.io to discover that it is not possible to differentiate between locomotive stopped / locomotive running so I can't set cab lights to come on when stopped.

NCE Throttle Settings

There has been a number of occasions when operators come to me saying "I don't know what I have done with this throttle I can't control my train.... They have inadvertently pressed the "Program" button and then pressed other buttons! I have researched how to avoid this and have a solution.

Find out which Throttle is assigned to Cab02 and label it as Master

Using the Master Procab, Enter the SETUP CMD STATION MENU.
Press ENTER as many time as you need until you see: HIGHEST CAB TO PROGRAM ON MAIN. It about 21 ENTER key presses down. Be carful for it is easy to miss it. It is right after the RESTORE MEMORY menu item.
Press “02” and then press the ENTER key.
You will now see the next item saying HIGHEST CAB TO………..
Press “02” and then press the ENTER key
Go back to step 6 and repeat until you get past the last one which is HIGHEST CAB TO PROGRAM CONSIST - I did not include "PROGRAM CONSIST" as I have jobs requiring consist changes.

Hopefully this will remove the issues we have had.

Another issue is keeping the Master Throttle used at the control panel to check against despatch and running times alive as it kept turning off if no button pressed.

I found this article:

NCE ProCab Power Off Time

Automatic shutdown: As it comes from the factory, the cab will automatically shut itself off after 10 minutes of inactivity. This time can be changed from 2 to 20 minutes by pressing “EXPN” and selecting option #2 (SETUP RADIO). Press 1 through 9 to select ½ the number of minutes before the cab automatically shuts off. Entering 5 set the shutoff to 10 minutes. If you enter 0 the cab will never automatically shut off and you will have to manually shut it off. Press enter to skip setting/changing the Layout ID. The cab should return to normal operation. Factory default is 10 minutes (value of 5)

The Master stays on now! - Barry will be Ecstatic!

Operation Version 6

I have completed the paperwork and Job Cards this month.

Details for all sessions can be found here

The first session was run on 21st and we got through most things with only a few minor glitches.

Flintston Retaining Wall

I decided to use a stone wall as featured below

I got it laser printed on 250gsm board by Officeworks 10 x A4 for $9.70.

Printed on card

I will mount it on the foamboard backing

Front

Joining the pieces

Rear

Joining the pieces

After trial fitting the front and rear walls, I commenced gluing the printed card keeping joints horizontal and vertical.

Trial Fitting Front Wall

Trial Fitting Rear Wall

I'm quite happy with the outcome.

NMRA Meeting

I attended my region's monthly meeting which was held at the other end of town. It took me nearly 90 minutes driving to get there. I enjoyed attending and the associated fellowship, afternoon tea and viewing the layout afterwards. I took a fellow member home who lives closeby but used public transport. We had a good chat throughout the journey as we both have a technical background. He has shown an interest in operating but has family commitments that may limit his availability but that is Ok.

Loco Maintenance

During the last ops session there were three issues Railcar 446 having jerky movements, Loco 5159 front truck derailing and Loco 6127 squeaking.

Railcar 446

Cleaned all wheels with isopropyl alcohol and applied Contact Conditioner to wipers and wheel faces. Check ran and problems appear to be solved.

Loco 5159

Disassembled front truck and checked all wheel sets and the were all narrow on the standards gauge, adjusted axles on the fixed (tight) side and reassembled. Tested and operated normally. If the problem reoccurs then shims on the floating side will be required.

Loco 6127

Dry gears and worms lubricated with Labelle 106 grease on both trucks and oil applied to all bearings. Tested and operated without squealing.

My Ops Sessions

I held two sessions since my last post, and we had some fun see below.

5th May

The ops plan was for five, but it became four due to sickness so the "Ore Trains were cancelled" and a couple of passenger movements introduced to balance the session.

This was the last session using Version 5 of the operating system fittingly it was session 4 which basically ends the full cycle so all trains were in "home locations".

L>R Denis, Peter S, Peter J & Wayne

We finished all the movements within the operating time window and enjoyed afternoon tea afterwards - I forgot to take the photo!

21 May

The crew was Barry (on the control panel) with Operators Denis, Hugh, John, Peter J and Wayne.

We ran Session 1 of Version 6 the first of five in the new strategy where the Hornertown Yardmaster role has been broken up into various "Yard" jobs so every operator will get a job(s) at Hornertown yard over time.

We did not get through everything this time but better than 90% so not bad for the first time under the new regime!

I set am alarm to signal "stop & power off" to ensure we have time for afternoon tea, so I complete any outstanding movements later... The new sessions are 10-15 minutes longer and I forgot to adjust the alarm, so we stopped early. If we went the additional 10 minutes we probably would have finished everything!

L>R John, Wayne, Barry, Peter J, Hugh & Denis

Afterwards we enjoyed afternoon tea and a chat

Picardy Ops Session 19th May

I joined Barry, Peter S & Rosslyn at Ross's and we had some fun running trains through the system, Rearranging consists in the main yards ready for their next run!

Unfortunately, Don took sick at the last minute and so did I about an hour in - We both had an Egg & Bacon Toasted Sandwich earlier in the day and the bacon tasted different to usual - was that the cause? maybe....

Our Host - Ross

Barry

Rosslyn & Peter S

Tasks Completed in last 30 days

Scheduled Tasks for next 90 days

That's it for now so until next time.....

-ooOOOoo-

Thursday, April 24, 2025

April Update

This month sadly we lost a long term Round Robin Member, I have a achieved few things that included: Role of Hornertown Yardmaster, Operations Version 6, Car Card Boxes, NMRA Meeting, Ops Sessions, Tasks completed & scheduled.

Vale Chris Adams

Our Monday Round Robin Group lost a remeber on 19 March. Chris was 79 years of age. He will be sadly missed at all our gatherings. I am grateful for his assistance with bemchwork, wiring, scenery and operations for over a decade.

Hornertown Yardmaster

I have come to the conclusion, that the role is too challenging for most of my operators. My most experienced yard operator, Wayne, has agreed to undertake the role while I rethink how to integrate Yard Jobs into the normal operations without a full time yardmaster.

Operation Version 6

I have commenced the major review to create the new Version.

Concept

On my first pass through concept planning, I have allowed more time for some activities. The effect is to include a fifth session to work through the full roster. See the concept below.

Preliminary Train Scheduling

I have plotted the preliminary Train Graphs and some minor adjustments to start times has been made and here are the links:

These graphs will be updated ad the finalised versions of the sessions progress.

The final drafts will gradually become available here in the Links section.

The next tasks are to: Develop Operator Summary V6 S1-5; Running Sheets V6 S1-5; Develop Job Cards V6 s1-5; and Develop Control Panel Check Sheet V6.

Draft Session 1 Draft Documents

Operator Job Groupings

Mainline Train Movements

All Train Movements

Job Cards

Draft Session 2 Draft Documents

Operator Job Groupings

Mainline Train Movements

All Train Movements

Job Cards

Hornertown Car Card Boxes

I had an issue when keeping the car cards for two consists we on a departure track separate.

Peter J had some car card boxes no longer required on his EVNGR railway and offered them up at the last op session and I grabbed them.

Car Card Box

Modified to work on my layout to hold first out and existing second out

NMRA Meeting

Earlier this year I went through the NMRA Achievement Program assessments (Gerry Hopkins I finally did it - you prodded me a few years back when you came to visit!). At this month's meeting I was presented with five certificates.

They are now mounted

My Ops Sessions

I held two sessions since my last post, and we had some fun see below.

31st March

There were two late withdrawals due to health issues so I ran a modified program involving tarin cancellations and Wayne who was to be a mentor becoming an operator.

We are still rusty from the lack of ops sessions, but we got most things done and had fun which matters.

Denis with Wayne in the background

Peter S

Peter J

Barry Ummm what are the next moves...

Afterwards we enjoyed afternoon tea and the usual debrief and social chit chat

23rd April

The crew was: Barry (on the control panel) with Operators Alex, Denis, John, Peter S and Wayne. We ran Version 5 Session 3.

We gathered in the crew room prior to the session.

L>R Denis, Wayne, Alex, John, Barry & Peter S

4 operators chose their individual jobs cards sight unseen from me in the crew room and Wayne was to be the Hornertown Yardmaster.

We started on time and things initially went very well until we had a coupler failure on the MTH Sunset Limited car set, 3 cars from the Locos. The McHenry coupler head failed completely on a hidden section on a grade coming out of staging We ended up taking the back half off the track. I now have a maintenance job to replace all the couplers in the cars to Kadee’s. Obviously, the subsequent movements were cancelled.

Barry had a reasonable day but unfortunately caused three mainline derailments due to timing of setting turnouts - all of them involved large steam locos which can be a pain to rerail especially at reach or at complex junctions!

We finished the program & all tasks at Hornertown Yard were completed too.

Afterwards we enjoyed afternoon tea

Looks like a busy time before my next session on 5th May

EVNGR Ops Session 24th March

Peter J hosted the Op Session on Barry, Denis, Peter s, Wayne & I attended. We had some fun running Peter J's new operating plan but some short circuit gremlins started popping up around halfway through. Eventually after noticing a small amount of smoke from a turnout we had to call an end to the session and retired for afternoon tea.