077 - Shelfington - Adding DC Control To The Test Track

[@Wickford_N_Gauge]

Greetings, Shelfington, and hello Ian 👋 The Gaugemaster DC controller's are a great choice 👍 so much so I wondered why I went with DCC 😳 The Growler runs a very impressive DC layout 😍 maybe I should have stayed off the chips 😉 A HST and a Class 37 💃 thats real eye candy 😇 I hope they serve you many years 🌞 Very best wishes from the Emerald Isle ☘️

[@iansngauge]

Greetings to the Emerald Isle, and good afternoon Paul! Yes, it seemed like a great little controller, but I definitely think that DCC is the way to go, especially if you have thoughts of performing any sort of automation! Euan's layout is very impressive though! Glad you appreciated the eye candy! I'll be happy if they last half as long in model terms as their real life counterparts! All the best, Ian.

[@endoorrailway]

Hi Ian, I too considered wiring to allow DC - a toggle switch between DC and DCC, but concluded that it was inevitable I'd accidentally fry something one day by forgetting which mode the layout was in, or which locos were on it! Great to see that HST in action :)

[@iansngauge]

Hi Jonathan! Yes, I thought it best to keep the two systems separated by only utilising the one wire that had to be physically disconnected from one system, and added to the other to avoid any such potential accident! Of course, I still need to remember to remove locos from the track, or isolate sidings... All the best, Ian.

[@wimbletrain]

Hello Ian, nice job, always the way to go having a DC test track so that new locos can be test run straight out of the box. The 37 and 43 (my favourite livery too) look great!

[@iansngauge]

Hi John! Yes, I've wanted to be able to run locos in using DC for a while, and have plans for a separate test track once the Shelfington build is underway proper! However, with my WiFi throttle not working, this seemed like a good temporary solution! Yes, I'm very pleased with both the 37 and the HST as the look and run great! Can't wait to see how they perform on DCC! All the best, Ian.

[@lynganddistrict]

Lovely loco Ian - you must be dead pleased. Although I am staying in the steam age, I can still very much appreciate a diesel pulled rake running around! Regards Steve

[@iansngauge]

Thanks very much Steve! Yes, the HST in Blue / Grey with Yellow ends is one of my all time favourites, and is a classic of its time! It's amazing that there are so many still running after over 40 years of service, albeit not for much longer! I doubt my Dapol will still be running after that amount of time! Lol! I like a steam loco too, and my recent BR STD 5MT purchase has spurred me on to look at some other steamers that would fit in on Shelfington! All the best, Ian.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi Ian, 37s have always been fantastic runners, rarely any issues. I do have soft spot for the HST, so glad they are still with us for a while longer in some areas.

[@iansngauge]

Hi John! I'm glad to hear that the 37s rarely have issues, and touch wood, this one has ran really smoothly on DC so far! Will be interesting to see how it performs once I've installed the DCC decoder! Yes, the HST was the first "new" train I encountered as a kid, so I have a soft spot for them too! Should really go and track one down and take a ride before they're all taken out of service! All the best, Ian.

[@markabbott358]

Hi Ian tx again, have used your research to purchase a combi for same purpose as have recently acquired some 2nd hand locos that are DCC ready, but cannot afford to get mthem chipped yet.. Also give me an incentive to build a proper test track rather than my single current 1 m one.. keep up the great work tx Mark

[@iansngauge]

Thanks Mark! Glad I could be of some help! Good luck with the "proper" test track! That's what I'm going to eventually do - a separate test track on a board that I can store behind the sofa, and just bring out when I need to run in a loco, test some new rolling stock, or figure out how to use some new electronic gizmo! All the best, Ian.

[@markabbott358]

Tx Ian good idea, I intend to put it in a cotrol box so I have one feed to the track fed from both DC and DCC sources via a control switch and will use a LED indicator to show which is live.. when built will share a photo.. assimung I can make it work ! @@iansngauge

[@ThisWayWorksTWW]

Hi Ian, lovely video as usual, i really like how you film your videos and the cherry on top was how you surprised us with the run of the glorious HST 👍 I am very partial to the HSTs myself.. Take Care Rich

[@iansngauge]

Thanks Rich! Yes, the HST got here just in time to make a guest appearance! It'll be back in a dedicated video at some point, and of course, I still have to perform the curved setrack point testing, so it'll definitely be in that! All the best, Ian.

[@andyp6737]

Great vid as always. Just to say that my fledgling layout is dc because I've bought far too many pre-owned locos to switch to dcc due to the cost of needing to buy so many chips. In case anyone is not aware, a dcc fitted loco will run perfectly fine on dc, but don't run a dc loco on dcc as it will not work and will also potentially damage the electronics in the pcb. Regards. Andy

[@iansngauge]

Thanks very much Andy! I seem to be accumulating more DCC ready locos nowadays thanks to me becoming more comfortable with taking locos apart to fit the chips! Like you though, I've also found that purchasing extra decoders can be a bit of a drain on funds! I know some DCC fitted locos can also be run on DC, but I'm not sure that all of them can! In fact I'm sure I've got a couple of DCC fitted locos where the instructions explicitly state that they shouldn't be run on DC! I guess it all depends on the decoder chip they've got fitted! All the best, Ian.

[@aleopardstail]

I have a similar "duel" supply set up on my own layout, though both the DCC (DCC++EX) and DC (An Arduino & Motor shield) are hard wired. I managed the issue of making sure they didn't blow each other up by including a relay to feed the track power bus. this normally connects to the DCC supply, however the DC "controller", which is exceedingly crude, and nowhere near as nice as that one also controls the relay so when it wants to it can cut the DCC power and take over. there is a second relay that switches the short programming siding between the main track bus and the DCC programming output. its all nicely isolated using DPDT relays to ensure both rails switch at once. main drawback is the _whole_ layout switches. for your setup I don't know how you plan to go but it could be worth having the sidings on a different feed (somewhere to park DCC stuff when you run the loops on DC for running in). My eventual plan.. in a few years.. maybe.. will see my current little layout relegated to a pure DC operation running in loop with the points etc locked in place (or just an oval for pure running in) and that HST is beautiful

[@iansngauge]

Hi Dale! That's an interesting solution to use relays to avoid cross-wiring the two different controller systems! Once I start laying Shelfington proper, it will be wired for DCC operation only! However, I plan on having a separate test layout, pretty much based on what I've got at the moment, but with a lot more sidings where locos can be isolated! It will be wired for both DC and DCC, but probably just use a DPDT toggle to switch between the two control systems! Oh, and yes, the HST is beautiful! :) All the best, Ian.

[@exehavenharbour]

Hi Ian, ah a class 37 I love them and of course the HST in original livery, I’m hoping yo have one of those in the near future😉, in the meantime I have HST envy!!!! I made myself an oval test track that can do DC and DCC, bought a 2nd hand Hornby controller, I done it because the instructions generally say run in on DC first, not sure what difference that makes but it seemed a good idea! Have a great weekend Ian, cheers, John

[@iansngauge]

Hi John! Yes, with the 37 and HST I've nearly completed the BR fleet that I have clear memories of from my childhood - just a 40, 44/45/46, 47, 50, 56, another 20 and a couple more 08s to go in that department, so maybe not that complete then! Then, of course, I'll need more steamers! Lol! Yes, I'm planning on having a separate test track layout once I've begun to work on Shelfington trackwork proper, and hopefully keep it stowed behind the sofa or somewhere like that! Yeah, I always wonder about the instructions! Does that mean we should remove decoders from our DCC fitted locos, refit the blanking plate, and run them in on DC - or have they already been run in? Enjoy your weekend too mate! All the best, Ian.

[@collinsngauge5493]

Hi Ian great running they look flawless. Your bus isn't got any droppers to the tests track if it has the dc power will go down the droppers to your 5000. Have a good week. Colin

[@iansngauge]

Thanks Colin! No, the bus only had one set of droppers connected to the test track, and those were the ones that I removed to connect to the DC controller! Have a great weekend! All the best, Ian.

[@thegrowler-blackwoodngauge]

You can't beat a class 37 - my favourite loco😊. I seem to be a serial collector of them 😅. The HST in original livery is also a classic. As a matter of interest does the power car with the motor in it behaves itself when run in both directions ? My HST'S all run fine except in one direction they seem to emit a sound akin to something grinding on something... hmmm... 😮

[@ThisWayWorksTWW]

The scraping noise will more than likely be the flanges on the wheels just kissing the underside of the chassis i suspect. This can be remedied a few ways.. check the plastic chassis base is up rite against the main part of the chassis and not drooping... bending the pickups on the chassis a little to spring the bogies down a bit away from the plastic chassis plate or worst case shaving some plastic from the plastic chassis underside.. one last option could be to file the flanges down but thats super drastic to do and super risky.. 👍

[@thegrowler-blackwoodngauge]

​@@ThisWayWorksTWWMany thanks Rich - I'll take a look and see if I can get rid of the annoying sound. Cheers Euan

[@iansngauge]

Hi Euan! Yes, the class 37 is a wonderful workhorse of the railways, and bang in the middle of my era! I can't help but like them! I think the HST's were the first 'new' loco I encountered as a kid, and I remember it being quite exciting when they arrived on the scene! Yes, my power car runs really well in both directions! Looks like Rich is on the case with some good suggestions for you to take a look at! All the best, Ian.

[@hayridgemodelrail4046]

Hi Ian, I was thinking that if you were going to want the DC connection to be more permanent then may I suggest a double pole double throw switch, which would allow you to switch between the two power supplies without worrying about shorting either of them out. Another interesting video, I always enjoy a good electronics session. Keep up the good work. Allan

[@iansngauge]

Hi Allan! Thank you! Yes, that's a great idea, and I'll probably end up doing something like that when I create my "real" test track - which will be a separate layout that I can stow behind the sofa or suchlike until I need to run in a train or test a new piece of rolling stock! All the best, Ian.

[@peterjackson-cheadleheath1182]

Hi Ian Nice Class 37, is it a 6pin one or Next 18 ? I've thinking about getting that one, and yes Blue/Yellow for HST's is the best for me, although I'm stil wary of these Dapol ones. Thanks

[@iansngauge]

Hi Peter! Yes, the Farish 37 is quite nicely done! It's a 6 pin socket, and I plan on fitting it with a Bachman (Zimo branded) decoder! It runs really smoothly on DC, so I'm expecting much better things after its been DCC fitted! The HST has the same 5-pole "supercreep" motor as my class 33, which I've been really impressed with, and is a loco that I consider to be my best runner! Hopefully the HST will prove to be just as reliable! All the best, Ian.

[@ngaugefouroaksstreetstatio6932]

To a degree i think some Locos run better on DC?

[@iansngauge]

Hi Chris! Now this seems like the basis for an interesting experiment! DC vs DCC running could make for some interesting comparisons! Thanks for the suggestion - there'll probably be a video out in about six months! Lol! All the best, Ian.

[@ngaugefouroaksstreetstatio6932]

Now that is a very wide ranging subject as I have no doubt it would open discussion on varying types and qualities of DC controllers and possibly similar on the DCC side with varying decoders and control systems. Could be an interesting project. Also it is interesting that a few years ago the manufacturers always mentioned running in on dc first but that seems to have gone as I'm sure not everyone has a DC controller. All the best @@iansngauge

[@iansngauge]

@@ngaugefouroaksstreetstatio6932 - Yes, I think I'll do some simple experiments first to see if I can spot any differences in DC and DCC running, but you're right, there are controllers to be taken into account, decoder types - 6 pin, Next18 - and even types of motor - 3 pole, 5 pole, coreless! Could be a great long term experiment! With the running in, my last few Farish locos have all had instructions to run the loco in using DC, even when DCC sound fitted - like the 5MT steamer! I just ran them in using DCC, as messing about with decoder removal and fitting blanking plates seemed like overkill! All the best, Ian.