Weekend Update 12/20/20

[NtheBasement]

I was playing around with the cheap video cube camera again this weekend.  This is an (obviously) unedited video of a northbound trip over part of my N scale Housatonic Railroad.  The camera was on a lightweight flatcar, so there is some jerking as the metal low profile wheels go over the frogs on my code 55 track.  None of the buildings are planted yet with detailed scenery, but I am happy with the progress for now.  I'll take any suggestions for decent video editing software, as this is my first foray into that area. 

Your video looks better than mine.  Possibly a better camera or more light in the room for the picture quality.

And you have a lot less layout edge showing than I do, looks great.  The track-level POV sure added new bullets to my to do list.

I used Windows Movie Maker for editing.  It was free and wasn't complicated to death like some other software.  It has been replaced with a new version in the last month or two which I can't vouch for.  I did try another "free" editor which turned out to be slimeware - free until you tried to save a file, at which point they wanted $30.

[Pomperaugrr]

Your video looks better than mine.  Possibly a better camera or more light in the room for the picture quality.

And you have a lot less layout edge showing than I do, looks great.  The track-level POV sure added new bullets to my to do list.

I used Windows Movie Maker for editing.  It was free and wasn't complicated to death like some other software.  It has been replaced with a new version in the last month or two which I can't vouch for.  I did try another "free" editor which turned out to be slimeware - free until you tried to save a file, at which point they wanted $30.

Thanks for the software suggestion.  I used the exact same camera as the one you show, in the same configuration on a flat car.  I agree about the lighting, especially in the closet section at the end of the video.  I just received two 10 piece boxes of 5000K LED tube lights, so hopefully I can eliminate that yellow light and flickering toward the end.

Eric

[John]

what camera are you guys using? 

[NtheBasement]

what camera are you guys using?

Looks like the price went up.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DWX1NQF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Note these do not broadcast, they just save to a card.

[ncbqguy]

Seems to me that the closure and centering action of MT couplers is not the linear compression of the spring no matter if fore or aft of the pivot post.  The action on the coils along the sides of the spring is what provides the action.
Somebody with an operating railroad should try inserting a rod maybe half the inner diameter if the coil spring cut a  spring wire diameter shorter than the uncompressed spring.  This will limit the ability of the spring to bounce and likely not impact the functionality of the coupler.
The assignment is due when you come back from the holidays.
Charlie Vlk

[peteski]

Seems to me that the closure and centering action of MT couplers is not the linear compression of the spring no matter if fore or aft of the pivot post.  The action on the coils along the sides of the spring is what provides the action.
Somebody with an operating railroad should try inserting a rod maybe half the inner diameter if the coil spring cut a  spring wire diameter shorter than the uncompressed spring.  This will limit the ability of the spring to bounce and likely not impact the functionality of the coupler.
The assignment is due when you come back from the holidays.
Charlie Vlk

Charlie,
The way I understand it, when the MTL coupler swings to either side, the shank pivots on the side posts molded on the shanks. The spring still compresses normally (not being utilized along its sides).  Besides, it would require a lot of force to compress the spring laterally.

To clarify, the normal compression of the spring is used to re-center the coupler, but there is probably some tiny amount of lateral pressure generated by the scissor action of the half-shanks when the coupler is swung to the side. Still, the main use of the spring is standard compression.

[ncbqguy]

Not sure equal compression of the spring along it’s centerline does anything.  The compression is on one side or the other.
Charlie

[ednadolski]

Somebody with an operating railroad should try inserting a rod maybe half the inner diameter if the coil spring cut a  spring wire diameter shorter than the uncompressed spring.  This will limit the ability of the spring to bounce and likely not impact the functionality of the coupler.

Not sure about that one exactly, but in the past I tried a variety of modifications and nothing met with success.  Any change that's enough to stop the bouncing will also disrupt the coupling function, and can even prevent cars from staying coupled at all.

Other downsides to such mods are that they are generally hard to do repeatably and reliably on a non-trivial number of cars, and also it's hard to tell how consistent & effective they will be on rolling stock with different wheel sizes, weights, wheelbase, etc, plus across a variety of operational conditions - grades, curvature, train length, and so on.

I gave up on making such mods a long time ago, switched to a non-spring coupler, and have never looked back.

Ed

 

[EJN]

I gave up on making such mods a long time ago, switched to a non-spring coupler, and have never looked back.

Which ones? I tried McHenry couplers but the pin in them seems real loose. Plus the knuckle spring in those cannot be replaced by humans
if it pops out.

[ednadolski]

Which ones? I tried McHenry couplers but the pin in them seems real loose.

I use the Z-scale couplers made by Lee English at Bowser, adapting them for N scale has been a sort of ongoing WIP for a while by some of the TRW folks:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=21980.msg628028#msg628028

To be candid, it's been a few years since I've bought my last batch, so I'm not sure what the availability is like nowadays.  But I definitely like the lack of a slinky and the closer-to-scale appearance.

Ed

[nkalanaga]

EJN:  The McHenry spring can be replaced by a human, as I have done it - once.  I tried on two earlier cars, with no luck, losing the spring in one case.  It's far easier to replace the McHenry with an Atlas Accumate, of which I have plenty, having replaced the truck-mounted couplers with 1025s.

[GhengisKong]

I use the Z-scale couplers made by Lee English at Bowser, adapting them for N scale has been a sort of ongoing WIP for a while by some of the TRW folks:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=21980.msg628028#msg628028

To be candid, it's been a few years since I've bought my last batch, so I'm not sure what the availability is like nowadays.  But I definitely like the lack of a slinky and the closer-to-scale appearance.

Ed

Is he still making those?

[Pomperaugrr]

what camera are you guys using?

John, here is a link to the same camera. 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TDKWQF8/ref=dp_prsubs_1

I paid $14.99 for mine, but this is an even better deal at $9.99.  It does require a micro SD card, as there is no wifi.  The wifi version is 1/4" larger on each axis, so I was concerned about clearance.  It definitely helps find track imperfections too!  I found two expansion kinks in hidden trackage that I did not know about, since the trains rolled through them fine.

Eric

[John]

Thanks all .. I have an old USB one that sort of worked a long time ago .. But the quality of your videos is damn good for $15 .. got one on order ..

As far as finding track imperfections -- I'm modeling CSX .. so I have an excuse .. Actually my Kato SD80s are the track guage train .. video after the holidays

[davefoxx]

John, here is a link to the same camera. 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TDKWQF8/ref=dp_prsubs_1

I paid $14.99 for mine, but this is an even better deal at $9.99.  It does require a micro SD card, as there is no wifi.  The wifi version is 1/4" larger on each axis, so I was concerned about clearance.  It definitely helps find track imperfections too!  I found two expansion kinks in hidden trackage that I did not know about, since the trains rolled through them fine.

Eric

Eric,

Since it's not a Wifi camera, does this mean you have no idea of what your video looks like until you transfer the file on the micro SD card to your computer?  Does a Wifi camera have video you can see before you start recording?  Since I'm in HO, the size is not nearly as much of a concern as it is for you N scale folks.

DFF