Auto Reverse Help/Suggestions
Looking for help on where to locate auto reverse units on this track plan.
Not sure how to attack this.
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Uploaded track Plan to a folder named "New Track Plan 26jan25"
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Thanks for taking a look!
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Rob Fuhst
Grand Haven, MI
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
The system is a complete standalone mini DCC system
Tom in Texas
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Tom,
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That's good to hear.? Does it have a booster of some sort built into it drive a locomotive?? Or do you have a booster or DCC system with it?
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Thanks!
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Allan
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
I installed one of the Motorman units for a trolley run on one of my friend¡¯s layouts. The programming is straightforward, and the unit seem to be reliable.
Tom Pearson
Benbrook, Texas
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
IMHO
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I am not familiar with the NCE mini panel.
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I would keep the shay DC and use a standard auto-reverse unit.
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Circuit.com makes several auto reverse devices. They use opto sensors so do not rely on timing. I install one on a O-scale trolley line. There were two intermediate stops and two end points.
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When a Trolley triggered the device by covering the opto sensor it would stop/pause then resume travel. The end points reversed the track polarity.
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I assume you have a logging line. You could run a supply train and have it stop at logging camps.
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I do not know the workings of the unit, but you could possible have several stopping points since covering any opto sensor would stop the train.
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Glenn
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-----Original Message----- From: < [email protected]> Sent: Jan 22, 2025 1:44 PM To: < [email protected]> Subject: Re: [w4dccqa] "Street Car" reverser for DCC
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Bill D. writes:
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"My layout is NCE DCC.? I plan a single track segment, separate from the remainder of the layout, serving a coal mining complex.? I plan to run a Bachmann Shay upgraded to DCC on the track segment."
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"I would like the track segment to be wired to reverse the direction of the Shay as it passes some detection points, so the loco moves back and forth (rather than being merely a static display).? I have found electronics which will do this for DC powered street cars (and presumably DC powered locos like the Shay).? I have not been able to locate anything equivalent for DCC."
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"I am not technically skilled where electronics are concerned.? I do not do JMRI or even programming of my own locos for that matter.? (I am fortunate to have a very accomplished colleague who enjoys programming and he does that for me.). So a solution which requires complex or sophisticated wiring or programming of custom-built equipment is not something that will work for me.? Plug and play is critical for me."
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"Is there an easy-to-install product which would accomplish my objective that is compatible with my NCE DCC system?"
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The NCE mini-panel should be capable of achieving your goals; push a button to start a process programmed into the mini-panel by your friend.? There used to be a lot of discussion about using the mini-panel for things like this on the NCE-DCC list.? Searching the list archives over there should give you some great ideas on how to achieve this.
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Best regards,
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Steve
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Steve Haas
Snoqualmie, WA
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Martin Gliddon,
My gears are already shot ¡ª apparently from just a few runs/reversals while we were testing the addition of a DCC decoder to determine whether it would work. It does, but the loco can¡¯t move its own weight due to gear failure ¡ª very quick and progressive. I think i would have happened in any event if not so soon due to reversing directions, then surely later.
I¡¯m acquiring replacement gears. From what I can tell, the fix isn¡¯t easy but the results are good with replacement metal gears.
Bill D
N&W Steam Only
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Allan Gartner,
Thanks for the reference. I know better and ought to have gone to your website first for anything DCC!
Will be most interested in whether anyone responds to your inquiry about experience with the Motorman.
From my point of view, the Motorman looks easier than programming the NCE mini panel that Steve Haas kindly pointed me toward.
Bill D
N&W Steam Only
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Scott Haycock,
Thanks for the recommendation. Looks right on point.
Bill D
N&W Steam Only
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Thanks Steve.
Bill D
N&W Steam Only
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Hi Bill,?
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If you are going to use the Bachmann Shay, I would recommend that you get the engine to fully stop and pause for a minimum of a couple of seconds before returning it down the track. These engines along with most Spectrum large scale engines have very suspect gears, they should never be pushed along the track and stopping and reversing the engine without it stopping properly will certainly end up stripping some of the gears and replacing them is very costly if not near impossible.?
If you can get a reversing system that will allow you to pause the engine, even for a few seconds, it will not put a strain on the geartrain, either internally or externally, both sets are suspect!
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Cheers
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Martin Gliddon
Mohawk Valley Railway
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
All,
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A request for a DCC reverser comes up every now and then.? For future reference, note that I have this company (Iowa Scaled Engineering) listed in my Manufacturers webpage. ?
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If anyone has used this product, I would love to hear what you think.? It looks like it should do a good job for modelers who want shuttle street cars or locomotives between two end points.? It also appears that it can make intermediate stops.
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Allan Gartner
Wiring for DCC
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Bill,
Take a look at this:
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On 01/22/2025 11:44 AM MST Steve Haas via groups.io <goatfisher2@...> wrote:
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Bill D. writes:
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"My layout is NCE DCC.? I plan a single track segment, separate from the remainder of the layout, serving a coal mining complex.? I plan to run a Bachmann Shay upgraded to DCC on the track segment."
?
"I would like the track segment to be wired to reverse the direction of the Shay as it passes some detection points, so the loco moves back and forth (rather than being merely a static display).? I have found electronics which will do this for DC powered street cars (and presumably DC powered locos like the Shay).? I have not been able to locate anything equivalent for DCC."
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"I am not technically skilled where electronics are concerned.? I do not do JMRI or even programming of my own locos for that matter.? (I am fortunate to have a very accomplished colleague who enjoys programming and he does that for me.). So a solution which requires complex or sophisticated wiring or programming of custom-built equipment is not something that will work for me.? Plug and play is critical for me."
?
"Is there an easy-to-install product which would accomplish my objective that is compatible with my NCE DCC system?"
?
The NCE mini-panel should be capable of achieving your goals; push a button to start a process programmed into the mini-panel by your friend.? There used to be a lot of discussion about using the mini-panel for things like this on the NCE-DCC list.? Searching the list archives over there should give you some great ideas on how to achieve this.
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Best regards,
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Steve
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Steve Haas
Snoqualmie, WA
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Re: "Street Car" reverser for DCC
Bill D. writes: ? "My layout is NCE DCC.? I plan a single track segment, separate from the remainder of the layout, serving a coal mining complex.? I plan to run a Bachmann Shay upgraded to DCC on the track segment." ? "I would like the track segment to be wired to reverse the direction of the Shay as it passes some detection points, so the loco moves back and forth (rather than being merely a static display).? I have found electronics which will do this for DC powered street cars (and presumably DC powered locos like the Shay).? I have not been able to locate anything equivalent for DCC." ? "I am not technically skilled where electronics are concerned.? I do not do JMRI or even programming of my own locos for that matter.? (I am fortunate to have a very accomplished colleague who enjoys programming and he does that for me.). So a solution which requires complex or sophisticated wiring or programming of custom-built equipment is not something that will work for me.? Plug and play is critical for me." ? "Is there an easy-to-install product which would accomplish my objective that is compatible with my NCE DCC system?" ? The NCE mini-panel should be capable of achieving your goals; push a button to start a process programmed into the mini-panel by your friend.? There used to be a lot of discussion about using the mini-panel for things like this on the NCE-DCC list.? Searching the list archives over there should give you some great ideas on how to achieve this. ? Best regards, ? Steve ? Steve Haas Snoqualmie, WA
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"Street Car" reverser for DCC
My layout is NCE DCC. I plan a single track segment, separate from the remainder of the layout, serving a coal mining complex. I plan to run a Bachmann Shay upgraded to DCC on the track segment.
I would like the track segment to be wired to reverse the direction of the Shay as it passes some detection points, so the loco moves back and forth (rather than being merely a static display). I have found electronics which will do this for DC powered street cars (and presumably DC powered locos like the Shay). I have not been able to locate anything equivalent for DCC.
I am not technically skilled where electronics are concerned. I do not do JMRI or even programming of my own locos for that matter. (I am fortunate to have a very accomplished colleague who enjoys programming and he does that for me.). So a solution which requires complex or sophisticated wiring or programming of custom-built equipment is not something that will work for me. Plug and play is critical for me.
Is there an easy-to-install product which would accomplish my objective that is compatible with my NCE DCC system?
Bill D
N&W Steam Only
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All Electronics Re-incarnated
The former employees of All Electronics have formed a new electronic surplus store called Aretronics:?
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I just found out about this new company today.? I briefly looked at what they have for sale.? They have some of the things that All Electronics had.? They don't have a huge selection of things to buy.? Maybe they are just getting started.? In any event, look over their website and bookmark it.? Give them a few months.? It would be great if they can bring back a lot of what we liked about All Electronics.
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Allan Gartner
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Re: DCC Fitting to Bachmann large scale shay
It seemed to be a general Bachmann problem, very much like certain Heljan British outline O gauge products.
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Cheers
Martin
Mohawk Valley Railroad
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Re: DCC Fitting to Bachmann large scale shay
Also throw in ho gauge too there just as bad or worse . replaced with nwsl¡¯s gears which did the job.
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Re: DCC Fitting to Bachmann large scale shay
You¡¯re very welcome Bill.
Cheers
Martin
Mohawk Valley Railroad
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Re: DCC Fitting to Bachmann large scale shay
Properly maintained and oiled/greased, there is no reason why they shouldn¡¯t last a very long time. Pulling and pushing them along the track kills the nylon gears but even then, the early Spectrum models had such poor quality nylon gears that they very often split before the owners got them out of the box. Thankfully for now, Bachmann still have some spares including gears and the brass gear/ axle set up for the Connie.
With regard to Bachmann PCB¡¯s, I usually junk them. I¡¯m not a fan of smoke units, most take up a huge amount of current that is better directed elsewhere. The flickering firebox is really a gimmick as no one really notices it when it¡¯s going around the track. It¡¯s also one hell of a lot easier to wire everything using NMRA standard practices, which not only means YOU know which wire goes where, but also if you do pass the engine on, the new owner knows which wire goes where.?
I¡¯ve just finished converting to DCC a Bachmann Connie with a Soundtraxx tsunami TSU 4400 and current keeper. I have to say that I¡¯m not a huge fan of Soundtraxx¡¯s auto starting, preferring, or rather used to having to press an F key to start the sounds, but for the price there is nothing out there that even competes with the tremendous number of sounds and features this decoder has. They are also so easy to wire up. I just wish I could get hold of them easier. The UK stock of them is very low and unless you are importing a large amount, costs are astronomical. I¡¯m having to buy mine now from outlets in the States that will ship at reasonable rates to the UK. Thank you very much politicians!
The Blunami is the same only it¡¯s designed for battery operation, whereas I prefer good old mains voltage for my indoor (loft) layout. You can also forget your reed switches and that for getting a chuff, the decoder will do it all for you and it¡¯s fully adjustable so there is full syncretisation of the valve gear to chuff¡and that is far more important in my view than flickering fireboxes¡my view of course.
It¡¯s also well known that the Bachmann wiring diagrams have several errors on which wire goes where! Trying to decipher them is something else
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Cheers
Martin
Mohawk Valley Railroad.
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Re: DCC Fitting to Bachmann large scale shay
Martin,
Thanks for the warning.
Bill D
N&W Steam Only
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Glenn