Katzhagen - Archive - May 2017
RhB Signals
The RhB signals which had been built a couple of weeks ago finally could be mounted on the layout thanks to a significant improvement of the weather...
The picture gives a wrong impression - it looks far better in reality !
Since the subgrade consists of sidewalk flagstones it was quite easy to mount all
of the eight signals (four main and distant signals each) without any complications.
This job was done in next to no time using an electric drill, dowels and stainless
steel screws.
A bit more of ado was caused by the wiring. On the one hand because changes were required with the main signals and on the other since the distant signals required additional cables to be layed - calling for more work by means of underground work.
Furthermore, a few efforts were required to change both the control's and the controller boards' programming to meet the new signals' voltage and an additional signal - as well did adapting the computer procedures for automatic operations and the GUI.
These modifications provided for a nice side-effect in form of cross-fading signal aspects instead of simple toggling.
A bit more of ado was caused by the wiring. On the one hand because changes were required with the main signals and on the other since the distant signals required additional cables to be layed - calling for more work by means of underground work.
Furthermore, a few efforts were required to change both the control's and the controller boards' programming to meet the new signals' voltage and an additional signal - as well did adapting the computer procedures for automatic operations and the GUI.
These modifications provided for a nice side-effect in form of cross-fading signal aspects instead of simple toggling.
Piko V60 gearbox issue causing problem with power pickup...
... a new insight !
Since the well-known measures like changing the pickup shoes, cleaning the wheels and checking the internal metal leads didn't help to cure problems with power pickup - despite repeating these things twice (accompanied by not just moderate curses) - a thorough inspection was inevitable. The latter revealed a minimal hickup of the gears at very low revolutions... which cried for putting the beast onto the OP table.
Fortunately, disassembling the gearbox and the drive section turned out to be quite simple - lid off, axles and rods out... and research could be started. But both a first and a second glimpse into it revealed nothing suspicious.
The problem was identified by removing the axles which allowed for a view on the gearbox's side walls revealing the mishap: The axles of the first and the second wheelset suffered from a horizontal offset causing one end of the axles having slipped off their bearing. This resulted in minimal wobbling of the axles and hence a temporary loss of electrical contact of the internal metal leads... Remedy: A little hammer was used to put the axles back into their correct position.
March 2017 | Archive "Current Affairs" | June 2017
