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 Posted - May 26 2019 : 9:16:17 PM
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to slow down the action of the US1's? They run a little slower than
a lot of the other makes out there, but like many model railroaders
I like stuff that runs a little on the slow side.
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Posted - May 29 2019 : 9:14:53 PM
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I had misplaced the power pack to a slot track, so I jerry-rigged a connection to a model train controller to run the cars. Actually worked well to slow them down for my god-son. Might work for the US-1 as well. As to the effect on the motors, that is TBD.
Edited by - Locodub on May 29 2019 9:16:05 PM
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Posted - May 30 2019 : 12:20:22 AM
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I might revisit that; I am interested in your results. I had assumed
that the nature of the small (and rather cheap) motor condemned
it to run fast or not at all. I think I tried doing that a while back, and
the vehicles stuttered to a halt pretty quick, but maybe I should try
it again with cleaner track. I was hoping someone might say, "oh,
yeah, just slip on a thus and such gear from this and that company,
but that was a very long shot in the dark.
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Posted - May 30 2019 : 3:15:54 PM
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BY GUMBO, I think I got this problem licked!! The HW1's were running
poorly, and continued to run poorly after wiping down the track and
pick ups.
The pick ups are merely thin brass strips, so I tried gently bowing
them out a tiny bit, which made the problem worse. I gently prised
the leading edges down slightly, not much better.
Then a few grams of lead was added to the roomy hood area just
over the pick ups, and voila, now with solid contact, they instantly
became much less sensitive to electric contact issues and not only
did they run perfectly, without stalling, I was able to dial down
the original Tyco US1 power pack and now they run much more
slowly and consistently. Sweet!
Video shall follow.
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Posted - May 30 2019 : 11:36:57 PM
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https://youtu.be/l23Asxk4usw
The truck definitely runs slower, the van also got a few grams of
weight over the front end, and it runs more reliably, but still
cuts out if I back the voltage off too much, but I think I'll just
quit while I'm ahead.
Edited by - Chops124 on May 30 2019 11:38:48 PM
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Posted - May 31 2019 : 08:18:43 AM
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Nice work, Chops! Certainly slowed-down that truck.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - May 31 2019 : 1:48:09 PM
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I am no fan of the original US-1 power pack or the trackside variable resistor controllers. I never use them - in fact I have cut up several to make a ueful straight!
That said, in thier defence they do have a lower output voltage than most train or slot car transformers.
A chum has made me some bespoke units that give good control accross the speed range. I have also used some quality off-the-shelf feedback type model railway transformer/controllers with Aurora/Playcraft/Faller/Bauer etc and these give great results too.
Some cars are frankly too light so the idea of a little lead is inspired, but it needs to be small amount, not too little and not too much!
Well done.
James
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Posted - August 07 2019 : 4:14:07 PM
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Regarding slowing the van down:
I've noticed that with model trains, a low amperage motor controlled with a rheostat throttle will either be stopped or off to the races. Controlling the same motor with a transistor throttle will give more control down to a lower speed. A more jury-rigged solution (and the one I use) is to put in an automotive tail light bulb in parallel to the motor (essentially across the track terminals of the power pack).
I don't know what the nominal voltage of a slot car is. If it's 6 volts, playing with a model train power supply which is 12-15 volts might get dicey. If it's 12 volts, you could probably just run the slot cars with a transistor throttle model train power pack or a rheostat pack with a car taillight cut in.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - August 08 2019 : 10:28:23 AM
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Interesting, I did have some luck backing down the faster-than-
a-bullet phenomenon by adding a few grams of lead to each unit.
Not too much, or I'll bake the motor. The motor itself appears to
a tiny open framed thing, and will not submit to lower voltages,
I fear.
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Posted - October 18 2019 : 05:49:21 AM
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Hello Guys,
Sorry for the long silence, ( I seemed to be locked out for ages, but suddenly and amazingly I am back in - Thanks for your help and support Chops!)
I have just loaded up the car to take my Life-Like and US-1 to a show this weekend. We have recently bought some Model Railway Feedback Controllers, that allow speed to be kept constant on gradients, but also allow really good control across the speed range, especially low speed.
In the UK the folk with a near monopoly on non digital transformer/controllers is Gaugemaster, of Arundel in Sussex. To be honest they sold so few feedback units that they stopped making them some years back, but they can still be had from time to time on E-bay. I don't think Gaugemaster ever sold stuff outside the UK, but I guess similar products are available in the States?
As well as supplying boxed up transformer/controllers, they also once sold panel mount feedback controllers, which you can box up with your own transformer..... We bought some of these new and unused on e-bay, but instead of marrying them up with a 12v supply, we used a 9v transformer instead.
When tested with trains these seemed quite gutless, but with US-1 these gave great control of speed from a crawl to a reasonable pace. The show this weekend will give them a prolonged test!
The key thing to look for in a suitable controller is the word 'feedback'. Someone more technical than me can probably explain in better, but somehow the the controllers knows what speed the truck is running and adjusts the output to keep it constant.
Obviously we are talking about roadway use here, rather than racing!
Glad to be back on the group!
James
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Posted - October 18 2019 : 10:06:09 AM
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 Delighted to see you back, Highwayman, you were missed!
I did manage to knock a little off the top end by adding a few grams
of lead to the cab, and that also improved traction.
I was reading up on a recent locomotive offering by Scalemaster,
or something, in a recent issue of Model Railroader, which I rarely
read. Seems this locomotive has a starting speed of 1.5 SMPH
at 8 volts, and a top end of 66 SMPH at 12 volts.
By and large, many model railroaders like their stuff to
be able to creep, so I am sure this will be a big hit.
All the slot cars I've seen, particularly the HO ones,
travel at the speed of a bullet, which I am not overly
fond of. But I have been able to moderately reduce the
speed of my US 1 stuff, for which I am glad.
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