Fox Valley GP60M's

[oakcreekco]

Haven't had any time to run mine yet, but the lighting won't be a "deal breaker" for me to buy more.

I do get a kick on the Kato bashing that usually happens around here, but at least they're not glued together. LOL

Now I'm not FVM bashing either, as using glue is the typical method of manufacturing from the source that's available.

The ATSF's are great lookers, and a little actual "modeling" may have to be done to get it "there" with some issues.

Overall, nice job.

[sundowner]

If you looked at the pics from Milwaukee, there is a 70M-2 in the pics. I swear I wasn't dreaming!

They had a an actual shell at Milwaukee.

[jagged ben]

I suspect if you want bright ditchlights you'll need to add some LEDs.  But given the light board I'm not sure just how.  With a PNP board there are pads for additional lighting - but this is not a PNP board. 

A possible solution is to use a regular wired 3 or 4 function decoder, and solder pins to the 6 wires that correspond to the 6-pin decoder that the board is designed for.  The trick would be figuring out where to solder the blue wire and return for the LEDs.

(BTW the problem is not that isn't a PNP board.  A 6-pin decoder is about as PNP as you can get.  The problem is simply that it's a two-function board designed for a two function PNP decoder.)

[peteski]

A possible solution is to use a regular wired 3 or 4 function decoder, and solder pins to the 6 wires that correspond to the 6-pin decoder that the board is designed for.  The trick would be figuring out where to solder the blue wire and return for the LEDs.

(BTW the problem is not that isn't a PNP board.  A 6-pin decoder is about as PNP as you can get.  The problem is simply that it's a two-function board designed for a two function PNP decoder.)

The 6-pin (NEM) PNP decoder does not use blue common return for functions. Instead, they tie the positive side of the function-controller devices directly to either rail. This results in the bulbs controlled by a function output to flash at the rate the DCC signal at the tracks is pulsing. The pulsing is not visible to human eyes.  Sometimes this arrangement (especially with LEDs) does not work well.  In those cases, a blue circuit can be simulated using 2 additional diodes outside of the decoder).  Each diode's anode hooks up to one of the rail pickups. The cathodes are then tied together and that is the common positive for the functions (blue wire).

[jereising]

Another possibility is to see if any decoder boards will fit.  The FVM boards look pretty close to some decoder boards I've seen and fit on the chassis in the same manner...good idea for a rainy day project...

And yes, I agree that the FVM six pin plug in is pretty much the ultimate PNP.  Nice to keep the terminology straight.

[jereising]

As an update, I was able to get the paint off the light tube and the dim ditchlights have returned.  I WAS able to completely disassemble the front porch, doesn't look like any glue in there at all...which gives me ideas on LED ditchlights, I think a nano would fit nicely into the housing, and running the wires would be no problem.  But where to tie them in?

I also did a compare with the decoder boards I have on hand but none of them would work - all too long.  They were the K series - understandable since I run only a few Atlas and mostly Kato locos.  That will change when FVM gets their ACes going.

[peteski]

Polishing the surface of those light pipes might slightly improve the light transmission. Wrapping them with some white-colored material (but not gluing it to the light pipes), might also make a difference.  But most serious operators will probably need to install separate LED for each ditch light and hook them up to separate function output of a decoder (for full control over the ditch lights).

[fifer]

Russ,

You get the tinkerer's medal for attacking those ditchlights.

My initial thought on seeing that massive "pipe" was that it was too much pipe for the LED to illuminate. Quite a difference from what Kato does in their SD70ACe's.

While I like my GP60Ms, this is a hosed up design for the ditchlights. 

Being in the Fiber Optic business for many years , I think the problem lies in the square cut out of each corner below the walking deck. No way light will make it round there. The corner should have been a 45 to create a reflecting surface.
IMHO

Mike

[basementcalling]

My ABBA set arrives tomorrow... but a question in the pre-planning of bench time: can they safely be put back in the nests with the details applied?

 
Yours are decorated for Swedish RRs?

[tehachapifan]

Polishing the surface of those light pipes might slightly improve the light transmission. Wrapping them with some white-colored material (but not gluing it to the light pipes), might also make a difference.  But most serious operators will probably need to install separate LED for each ditch light and hook them up to separate function output of a decoder (for full control over the ditch lights).

I'm going to try putting a couple of those tiny SMD's either inside the ditchlight housings themselves or just below in the light pipe "ditch" facing upward, underneath the housings.

[oakcreekco]

I'm wondering if it wouldn't just be as easy to dump the pipe portion, and just add some fiber optic cable from each ditch light, to the main LED??

[peteski]

 
Yours are decorated for Swedish RRs?

That explains why he has city of Waterloo on his layout, and there is an arrival track there. 

[C855B]

 
Yours are decorated for Swedish RRs?

...Mamma Mia...

[wmcbride]

Being in the Fiber Optic business for many years , I think the problem lies in the square cut out of each corner below the walking deck. No way light will make it round there. The corner should have been a 45 to create a reflecting surface.
IMHO

Mike

Mike,

Do you think it might be possible to drill up into the light pipe under the walkway toward the ditchlights, put some fiber optic tubing in the hole and then attach/run it along the FVM plastic light pipe back up to the LED?

Bill McBride

[jereising]

Polishing the surface of those light pipes might slightly improve the light transmission. Wrapping them with some white-colored material (but not gluing it to the light pipes), might also make a difference.  But most serious operators will probably need to install separate LED for each ditch light and hook them up to separate function output of a decoder (for full control over the ditch lights).

And then we come back to the question of just where to connect the wires on the FVM board - or which DCC board will fit the FVM chassis.  Will the resistor on the FVM board handle three LEDs?