I agree John, with a little patients anyone can install a decoder. I have some lengthy videos on my channel that show complete installs. I try to convey that they are not as hard to install as people think. Good work.
Looking good, John. Watching you do the dcc work on these p42's was inspiring. I'm kinda like you in the "overwehlmed" aspect of it and while I do HO Scale, I feel a lot more confidant in wiring a new decoder from ESU into my stewart F Units. That train looks so much better with the lights off the way they were in the video.
I'm enjoying John's Models segments. It's good to watch you learn. It helps the novices see that they can do it, too. About the models, or more specifically the sound systems...I sure hope they sound better in person. The prime mover sound is weak, and the horn sounds like the National Weather Service warning buzzer when they broadcast a weather warning. Maybe crank up the volume? (CV 125 I believe)
CV settings are one of the next DCC things I have to work on figuring out. I am hoping to speed match these locos and will probably make adjustments to things like sound volumes at that time. I did not change anything yet. Thanks for watching!
I like just about everything in that video. Well done. Just as a point of procedure for future operation, Amtrak runs their locomotives "elephant style" in case the lead locomotive has to be removed for some reason. That way the second locomotive doesn't need to be turned. Wyes aren't common outside of terminal areas. The Southwest Chief was 22 hours late coming into Chicago the other day after the lead locomotive hit a boulder and derailed in New Mexico. Ouch.
i have occasionally seen them run with the rear loco facing the other way (like the starlight and lake shore limited) but I know the p42s are always orientated that way on the auto train (rear loco facing the other way)
do you know why the auto train is run that way then? (i know they dont turn the superliner consist around other than the locomotives and auto carriers trading places)
dont they just couple the locomotives to the other side of the superliner consist? and vice versa with the auto carriers. I have seen in different youtube videos that the orientation of the superliner consist for both train 52 and 53 is the same.
To some extent, this could represent the Empire Builder that splits at Spokane to go either to Portland, Oregon or Seattle. That section leaves the main train at Spokane, to continue to Portland while one section goes to Seattle.
Yes, I thought of running it that way too with only 4-5 cars. I would need to check some reference photos. One loco could take part of the train and the other loco take the other. Sounds like fun.
pdx section is and the seattle section is lounge baggage coach transition sleeper coach/baggage 2 sleepers sleeper diner 2 coaches (sometimes a coach baggage is there)
There will be more as I find stuff to work on. One major difference between my models and Dan's is that I have literally no budget to work with, so I will be taking cheap stuff, or stuff I already have, and trying to do something worthwhile with it.
No budget is always a difficult one to overcome... Perhaps.. Well, I remember a long ago segment where someone won a contest, or something, and they sent in a model (D&RGW orange and silver boxcar, iirc) and Dan added a couple details and weathered it, and sent it back to the guy. I thought that was very cool, and was hoping to see it done again (and be the guy, of course XD ) maybe you could do something like for you? i.e. we the viewers send you stuff to do? Either straight-out donations or loaners? I don't know. Maybe a dumb idea. But you might get good response..
Both of these models have the SDN1440K0A decoders in them. I am planning to replace both with upgraded decoders and speakers with enclosures in an upcoming series.
Kato makes a light kit for those cars. I may end up buying some in the future. Right now, I am just trying to have some decent-looking trains to run at the layout, and I think it can receive fine tuning like lighting kits later.
tsgmultimedia sure! but those "waves" dont fit the shape of the upper body shell... in germany there is a saying: "color breaks form" i dont know if the translation is faithful enough to the meaning of the german version. it basically means, that the color or shape of colored areas should follow the shape of the colored or painted object. :-) but its true there are exceptions to any rule too.
Wow, come to see and hear the decoder "road test" but heard non-stop fictional yapping instead, what I did hear (I think) of the bell and horn, sounded like crap, no mention of the speed response! Thanks for nothing...
Definitely need to solder these on. I do have some p42s where I haven’t had to solder yet.
Fantastic run, John. Glad to see you got some coaches for these units too. Great work.
Thanks. It's nice to have something that looks this nice running on the track!
Well done. Great looking train!
Thanks, but Kato deserves all the credit for that one!
I agree John, with a little patients anyone can install a decoder. I have some lengthy videos on my channel that show complete installs. I try to convey that they are not as hard to install as people think. Good work.
Thanks! Just need to do a little reading ahead of time and set aside enough time to do it...
Looking good, John. Watching you do the dcc work on these p42's was inspiring. I'm kinda like you in the "overwehlmed" aspect of it and while I do HO Scale, I feel a lot more confidant in wiring a new decoder from ESU into my stewart F Units. That train looks so much better with the lights off the way they were in the video.
Wellllllll.......it runs. Backroads Bob
Great video like always
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Great Video John, I would love to see more of John models
Well, when I get some time, I will do another episode. i have a few things to work on here.
Great video!
Thanks MGR! Please share it with your friends if you enjoyed it.
Hey John! I liked the night time effect on this video.
I guess it was a lucky thing about how hot it was that weekend. I liked the effect of having lower lighting too.
only thing that could've made the night time effect better would've been light kits in the passenger cars.
great vid man!! really like the storytelling
Thanks. I had to think of something, right?
hahahaha hotter than SH*** out! Glad you figured out what was happening to that engine
It was hot that day! :D
Looks good!
Thanks - I was happy to see the train rolling around that day. I even had one of the visitors that came in for the open session compliment me on it.
I'm enjoying John's Models segments. It's good to watch you learn. It helps the novices see that they can do it, too.
About the models, or more specifically the sound systems...I sure hope they sound better in person. The prime mover sound is weak, and the horn sounds like the National Weather Service warning buzzer when they broadcast a weather warning. Maybe crank up the volume? (CV 125 I believe)
CV settings are one of the next DCC things I have to work on figuring out. I am hoping to speed match these locos and will probably make adjustments to things like sound volumes at that time. I did not change anything yet. Thanks for watching!
I like just about everything in that video. Well done.
Just as a point of procedure for future operation, Amtrak runs their locomotives "elephant style" in case the lead locomotive has to be removed for some reason. That way the second locomotive doesn't need to be turned. Wyes aren't common outside of terminal areas. The Southwest Chief was 22 hours late coming into Chicago the other day after the lead locomotive hit a boulder and derailed in New Mexico. Ouch.
i have occasionally seen them run with the rear loco facing the other way (like the starlight and lake shore limited)
but I know the p42s are always orientated that way on the auto train (rear loco facing the other way)
There are always exceptions but it's extremely rare.
do you know why the auto train is run that way then? (i know they dont turn the superliner consist around other than the locomotives and auto carriers trading places)
There doesn't appear to be a wye convenient to Lorton, VA. They'd have to run light all the way up to D.C. to turn the power.
dont they just couple the locomotives to the other side of the superliner consist? and vice versa with the auto carriers.
I have seen in different youtube videos that the orientation of the superliner consist for both train 52 and 53 is the same.
To some extent, this could represent the Empire Builder that splits at Spokane to go either to Portland, Oregon or Seattle. That section leaves the main train at Spokane, to continue to Portland while one section goes to Seattle.
Yes, I thought of running it that way too with only 4-5 cars. I would need to check some reference photos. One loco could take part of the train and the other loco take the other. Sounds like fun.
pdx section is and the seattle section is
lounge baggage
coach transition sleeper
coach/baggage 2 sleepers
sleeper diner
2 coaches (sometimes a coach baggage is there)
At 3:39 I can here a N&W a class
So it's official.. with a logo and everything. Can we now expect "John's Models" as a regular (scheduled) feature? I hope so!!
There will be more as I find stuff to work on. One major difference between my models and Dan's is that I have literally no budget to work with, so I will be taking cheap stuff, or stuff I already have, and trying to do something worthwhile with it.
No budget is always a difficult one to overcome... Perhaps.. Well, I remember a long ago segment where someone won a contest, or something, and they sent in a model (D&RGW orange and silver boxcar, iirc) and Dan added a couple details and weathered it, and sent it back to the guy. I thought that was very cool, and was hoping to see it done again (and be the guy, of course XD ) maybe you could do something like for you? i.e. we the viewers send you stuff to do? Either straight-out donations or loaners?
I don't know. Maybe a dumb idea. But you might get good response..
Do both units have the same decoder?
Are both decoders the Digitrax SDN144K0A (both sound)? or is one with sound, and one without sound (DN163K0A)?
Both of these models have the SDN1440K0A decoders in them. I am planning to replace both with upgraded decoders and speakers with enclosures in an upcoming series.
Do your P42s have sound? I don’t remember them having a speaker in the original video.
Yes they both have sound and a capacitor circuit.
The superliners don't appear to have working lights, even the marker lights on the last coach aren't even on. Do they have working lights?
Kato makes a light kit for those cars. I may end up buying some in the future. Right now, I am just trying to have some decent-looking trains to run at the layout, and I think it can receive fine tuning like lighting kits later.
How could install dcc in n scale as there so small
Check out the linked videos.
the P42 looks so much better in the classic amtrack painting scheme... this one really does not charm the nice shape of these locomotives...
Everyone has a preference, it seems!
tsgmultimedia sure! but those "waves" dont fit the shape of the upper body shell...
in germany there is a saying:
"color breaks form"
i dont know if the translation is faithful enough to the meaning of the german version.
it basically means, that the color or shape of colored areas should follow the shape of the colored or painted object. :-)
but its true there are exceptions to any rule too.
tsgmultimedia btw. you have great videos! very interesting and well made. Even helpful for europeans...
Thank you - please share with your friends and colleagues if you think they would also enjoy the channel!
Wow, come to see and hear the decoder "road test" but heard non-stop fictional yapping instead, what I did hear (I think) of the bell and horn, sounded like crap, no mention of the speed response! Thanks for nothing...
Maybe watch it a few more times. You will feel much better about yourself.