Decoder Selection for N-Scale Arnold SW-1

[newt749]

Hey Russ, that makes a lot of sense to me. Widening the electrical pickup footprint should help it through my PECO insulated frogs. Once I get my decoders in and tested at slow speed, I just might give that a try.

Thanks,

Rob
Hampton, New Brunswick

[newt749]

Well I got back from a short holiday visiting the Grandkids in Nova Scotia and found that the mailman had left me a small package at the Post Office. My decoders from Streamlined Backshop had arrived. I finally got my chance to install them yesterday. My German isn't very good, alright almost non-existent, but with Peteski's fine review and circuit diagram I was able to get the shell off and the decoder installed. At first I had it upside-down and had both headlights shinning. A brief reread of the various posts and I figured it out. Once reinstalled right side up it was just a matter of programming. I have an NCE Power Cab with a USB interface connected to a small computer running JMRI. What a treat to use JMRI for programming!

Thank-you to all of you for your recommendation of purchasing the Zimo decoder. I was quite impressed with the engines. Very quiet and smooth running. Once I get a bit more of my layout  ready I'll be able to break the engines in and I should see even better performance. I'm very happy with the purchase. Streamlined Backshop was great to work with and their delivery was very prompt for here on the East coast of Canada. Very definitely will consider them again in the future.

Rob
Hampton, New Brunswick

[newt749]

Oh Russ, I should have also mentioned that I did have a look at the traction tires on the wheels as you suggested. I found that the traction tires were not on the same axle of each truck but rather on only one tire of each truck. This meant that only one wheel of that axle was insulated by the traction tire at a time. As the other truck was the same, just reversed, it really didn't matter what you did to the traction tires as the engine was setup to get electrical feed from the extreme wheelbase. This seems to me to be a pretty smart idea compared to my steamers which have the traction tires on a single axle. It really appears to help this tiny switcher navigate the insulated frog turnouts.

Rob
Hampton, New Brunswick

[peteski]

Oh Russ, I should have also mentioned that I did have a look at the traction tires on the wheels as you suggested. I found that the traction tires were not on the same axle of each truck but rather on only one tire of each truck. This meant that only one wheel of that axle was insulated by the traction tire at a time. As the other truck was the same, just reversed, it really didn't matter what you did to the traction tires as the engine was setup to get electrical feed from the extreme wheelbase. This seems to me to be a pretty smart idea compared to my steamers which have the traction tires on a single axle. It really appears to help this tiny switcher navigate the insulated frog turnouts.

Rob
Hampton, New Brunswick

Good to hear that you are happy with the decoder and the dealer.

The single traction tire on a wheel set is a fairly common practice on European N scale Diesel and electric locos.  What Russ meant is to switch the location of the traction-tire wheelsets. Normally they are located on the outside end of each truck. Russ recommended to snap the truck's bottom covers off then switch the wheelsets so the traction-tire wheels are inboard of each truck.

[newt749]

Thanks for the clarification Peteski. I was wondering if that might be what was being suggested but I just went with a less thought-out idea. I'll try to give the engines a break-in period and then make the modification to compare them. It does make sense to have both wheels on the outside as electrical pickup.

Rob
Hampton, New Brunswick