Anton's Live Diesel

Thank you all, for the response and the diagrams...

I know it is probably a very simple thing im asking for but i just do not know how.

Carl, i hadnt actually thought about it until i posted about the switches...I can solder but not amazingly.

I would appreciate it if you could mock one up for me and post it (if you wouldnt mind)

And you are correct in saying that there is no fuses in this loco. The main reason being that i didnt know how to wire them in. The second reason is that the voltage regulator is rated at 36volts @ 10 amps, and at full throttle, Shunt chucks out around 18/19 volts. Im not sure if this is wide or not but i thought i wouldnt need one (please state if you thin otherwise).

Yes there is a micro servo attached to the throttle but it is not connected to any receiver. I am just using it to hold the throttle position and i can manually move the arm for more/less throttle. I could very easily attach a micro receiver to it as i do have a spare one, but then i have to worry about a battery pack, as i am not sure of how to give the receiver power from the generator...(if anyone could explain, it would be much appreciated) as i do not know what voltage the receiver can handle.

I've made this:



The are 2 pairs of wires, 1 red pair and 1 black pair. One pair is the input to the switch from the speed contoller and the other pair is output to the Essel motor. It doesn't matter which colour but don't confuse red and black with positive and negative.

There is enough space on the ally bracket to fit your speed controller pot. You will need to drill a suitable hole.

You can then screw this to the chassis (wooden block) I would put it in the doorway of the cab if there is enough room.

You should really have a fuse protecting the speed controller. Put one inline, about 1 or 2 amps will be fine, You shouldn't be drawing that much I would have thought.

The radio control is another more involved issue. If you do it I would use a separate battery pack for the receiver, 4.8v usually.

You can run the receiver via the BEC (battery eliminator circuit) using the same power source for the Essel traction motor, i.e. a parallel take off but this will need to be a near constant, stable, certainly limited voltage and FUSED!
Then you would need an R/C receiver controlled speed controller and this would probably have reverse function too.......

IMO stick to what you've got for the moment (manual control) and just add the reverse switch.

Not sure when I'll get to the poste this week as I'm back at work tomorrow.

Thank you very much again Carl, as you are very quick in getting things done for me. the switch looks perfect. The body came this morning and i must say it is a pretty good fit. The only part which i will have to severely cut down is the bonnet cover, as the Voltage regulator sticks up too much, so i will have to add in a slot for that to come through.

A question for all:
Now going completely off topic, and im sure ive already asked this but cannot remember the answer, I need a Eflite park 480 1200hv brushless outrunner motor for this new plane that i have purchased. I also need the eflite 40 amp esc that they recommend. Now already having just spent £100 on the airframe alone, i could do without spending another £115 on motor and ESC.

So i have found an alternative that will cost me £20 in total...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Park-480-KV1250-Brushless-motor-C3536-ESC-60A-RC-new-/330594347336?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item4cf8f56948#ht_4223wt_1068

Its seems to be exactly the same thing....but a fraction of the price as its from HongKong, and i know that Carl has purchased a few motors from Japan/china and they seem to work fine...

Or has anyone got bad experience with reliability with such products?

Right, this is the body that Carl, very kindly made for me to a spec that i had given him. It required minimal modification and gluing together and requires more sanding and then a few coats of the BSA green













Its looking more and more ready for the expo (hopefully)

Shame about the speed controller thing being a bit too tall. But, hey not too bad....

I'm a bit worried why a plane has crashed into it though.

I'll post the switch off as soon as I can get to the PO.

Yes it is a shame about that, but I am extremely pleased with how the loco now looks. Just the switch to add now and then is should be pretty much complete. Yes it appears so, that the plane has just managed to lodge itself nicely on the bench. my new toy!

I need to find a 40-60 amp ESC if you know anywhere that's I could source a cheap one, as I'm not willing to pay £50 for an eflite one. :/.

Regarding the rail expo, where exactly is it? And what's the easiest way to get to it from Paris, as I will most probably be getting the Eurostar...

Try Hobbyking for ESCs at less than 20$

See separate thread for RailExpo

Lookin good!

Hope to get my shed sorted this year (again)

Well done Anton

Well a bit of a disappointment today, as i had emailed the chairman of the North London Society of Model Engineers, as the have a 5 inch gauge track and a gauge 1 track as well as an indoor o gauge track. I had shown him the video and talked to him about my build, and he said that it was to noisy to take to there outdoor gauge 1 track . Its proving difficult to find somewhere to use this machine

The upside is that he said: when my 5 inch loco is complete, i can take it there as long as it has a proper silencer...although that will be a while till that gets up and going.

antonr91 wrote:

....I had shown him the video and talked to him about my build, and he said that it was to noisy to take to there outdoor gauge 1 track . Its proving difficult to find somewhere to use this machine

The upside is that he said: when my 5 inch loco is complete, i can take it there as long as it has a proper silencer...although that will be a while till that gets up and going.

You tell him where to route his precious gauge 1 line. Blooming cheek, too noisy. I bet some of of those cranky, clanky old Bowmans and Basset Lowkes make a hell of a racket hurtling round like demented demons.
I wonder if he would refuse Mr Symes's diesels or if Wada san from Japan turned up unexpected. NOT

You're welcome here, make as much noise as you like, the cows and sheep don't care they think it's just another funny sounding tractor.

A quote from their manifesto:

"The North London Society of Model Engineers (NLSME) was originally founded in 1944, the aim through which the Society was originally founded still remains today, and that is to promote and encourage model engineering and its related pastimes."

Great encouragement eh???

Yep, it was a bit of a shock to me, especially as he seemed to like the project

He did as me to come along to view the layout but have no interest in just watching a layout, i want to run the diesel

And the track is only 10 miles from my house as well .

Well thank you again Carl, as you have always been very welcoming. One day i would love to come along to yours for a proper diesel day

Infact, today i have been watching many of your videos, in an attempt to figure out how big your railway actually is, and i was amazed by some of the detail that you have in your garden.

So its back to square one for finding a place to run it, as have been searching all day for; Gauge 1 tracks/layouts in my area, and or open days and couldnt really find anythng

I can honestly say Anton that to me your loco is as quiet as the sound of silence -as I cannot tell the difference!!! I shudder the think what they would say at the "acoustic output" of one of my proposed locos. Let us not forget that the LNER 10,000 "the Galloping Sausage" itself was rated at 2 horse power of draft noise.

I would suggest you arrange a demo to this gentleman at your place -to prove that it is not at an offensive level. I have used a SPL meter to measure the sound levels from the Fell and they do not exceed 80dB which a factor 4 below what you can safely work for 8 hours per day unprotected.

I have other things to do in the near future but when it is time you may use my SM32 trackwork to your hearts content -I am two bus rides away from East Midland Aeroport. Before I retired I used to "commute" each week to Schipol...

regards

ralph

antonr91 wrote:

Infact, today i have been watching many of your videos, in an attempt to figure out how big your railway actually is, and i was amazed by some of the detail that you have in your garden.

Here in Normandy I have just a small simple test track oval in a 10 metre triangle which will be expanded. I am only restricted by time and money!

Before when I lived in Chelles I had a relatively tiny garden but an extensive railway of about 100 mteres. That was the late lamented SNCFG

Might it not be worth joining either the 16mm group or dare i say it the G-Scale society?

I'd be prepared to wager a modest sum that somewhere near you there will be a member with some track who'd welcome you with open arms for a trial of your loco - especially a live diesel!

http://www.g-scale-society.co.uk/

http://www.16mm.org.uk/newsite/default.html

The trouble is that most Model Engineering societies are mainly full of grumpy old blokes. A few years ago I started a posh kit for a 1/8 scale Flying Scotsman, and did a turn at a model engineering exhibition, assembling the frames. At the end of it I had a bit of leg pulling (backed up with genuine offers of help) from the serious engineers, and a lot of grumbling from a random selection of the audience. I decided I would be much happier minding my own business, and sticking with model makers rather than model engineers.

After that moan, I do have a helpful suggestion. On the understanding that you continue your participation in this forum, have a look here http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org
The membership are mainly SM32/16mm and there seem to be a reasonable number of younger people - some of whom have 5" inch gauge loco's as well.

Clive, thank you for the links, but at the present moment i m not willing to pay just to be part of a forum...propbably not the right attitude for someone who wants a volantire to come forward for track use but there you go

Ive had a look at that "gardenrails" forum and have actually put a small post on there, as there seems to be a little bit of interest for this kind of power, they only seem to speak of the Pilgrim loco though, and show a picture of Jerry Hydes machine. I only plan to put a little article on that forum, just to advertise my machine , and to hopefully find some people interested in it perhaps an invite .

Now to the more exciting part, well for me anyway. Ive got hold of the green paint and sprayed the body today. It was meant to be a BSA motorcycle green but its turned out more like a Pinewood green. But it still look pretty good. as i have a few ideas which i would like comments on (a few different paint schemes). whether to have the whole front yellow, or just a small part surrounding the front grill (as pictured)?

And more....

Looks a pretty damn fine paint job to me from the photos.

The only things I would do are paint or put some black tube or PTFE over the exhaust pipe. And it just needs a decent centre buffer/coupling.

Looks a tad like a custom built Hunslet with a hint of MOD Dean Hill.


BTW, have you received your switch yet? I posted it last Saturday.

Thank you very much Carl

Yes i actually have the same tubing in black, so i will add that on.

Thats the second to last thing i need to do to this loco, and Essel do them for £4.50 for 2

http://www.mattharvey.com/esselengineering/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=39&Itemid=62

Not sure what the postage costs from Wales tho...

Do you know any other places for centre buffers.

And th last thing i plan to do, although i know i will need help from someone such as yourself for this, is to add running lights

And the switch came thi smorning, so thatnkyou very much again for that Carl, much appreciated.

Lookin good Anton!

Looks just right with the yellow on the grill.

The front done in yellow might be too much, but I'm sure

some one will disagree!

For a choice of centre couplings -try Brandbright

http://www.brandbright.co.uk/

I use the Tenmille Chopper couplings...

Tell me what sort of "Running Lights" you want!

regards

ralph

Yes Liam, a agree with you, i will leave it how it is now, just give it a few more coats

Ralph, thanks for the link

I was thinking of two small front lights. Perhaps one yellow and one blueish LED type....as thats all i can recall trains having...

and maybe one or two red lights at back....

Either on all the time or just when I flick the switch for forward and reverse....but obviously taking there power from the loco (without much drain)

What you are looking Anton, are not LEDs -but 12 Volt "Grain of Wheat" bulbs. These are tiny incandescent light bulbs -Gaugemaster make them for use in model railway layouts, and I use them for the lights of my locos.

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM71



If you are simply moving stuff around -you need one yellow light at the top of the bonnet and two red ones at the rear -whichever direction you are travelling. This is quite simple to do and you need to "tap" into the switch that Carl sent you to feed two reed relays.

Welcome to the world of building small locos!!!

regards

ralph

They look just like what i need, and pretty cheap as well

Now what i am looking for is more gauge 1 and 0 gauge forums, so that i can advertise the loco in the hope that someone will want it at a layout somewhwere...

Anyone know of any forums, or even better, people who are interested in the live diesel concept but have never seen one?

Or any gauge 1 or 0 gauge open days?

Anton,

1) Just Engines will make you a right angle nuckle manifold for about £20. See the website.

2) Whats wrong with joining the 16mm group. It might cost you £20 but you will get details of members open days and in your area I expect there will be about one per week. I think you can go without being a member if you wish and there are plenty of 45mm layouts. Unfortunately I have disposed of the 2011 program as I dont have time for the open days but the would be ideal to run your great loco. Contact Alan Regan on 01234 241150 for further info.