I like the zero to 130 scale MPH in 4 seconds! The scale passengers should all be plastered against the back of their seats and their little scale faces would look like the faces of the original Mercury Seven astronauts from the videos showing them training in the centrifuge.
I love these new mini video cameras! Tremendous layout. Will definitely try to make it to Paterson for the next open house.
Very nice! Does the signal improve while running with the fluorescent lighting turned off? I am interested because LED is becoming quite popular as an alternate to fluorescent lighting and could be a possible solution to the signal problem.
Mike D
That's an interesting idea. We've tested the lines with the new ground wires with and without the layout lights on and it didn't seem to make a difference. I think trying it with the room lights off is a good idea. Of course if that improved the signal we'd have to issue everyone headlights at Trainstock. <G>
The flickering in the tunnel(s) is still there occasionally but to a MUCH lesser degree then before the new grounds were run.
I must be behind the times! I didn't know the TMCC command signal was good all around! Nice videos.
Joe, we have a few dedicated members going line by line trying to fix problems with TMCC. as you saw, they are getting it done.
If you look closely you can see the ground wire we've run under the upper helix and along the telephone poles and high tension towers. Ben installed a new ground system and we've been running new ground wires to it. Running them above the problematic lines and avoiding bundling them with other wires makes a huge difference. We want to make sure we have a couple of lines to run TMCC/Legacy engines during Trainstock.
First, I should say I didn't mean to take anything away from the videos. They are great.
Also, if it sounded like I was downing the layout, it is the best I've ever seen! I just lost track of where you guys were with command issues. I figure if you guys can solve them on that layout, they can be solved anywhere. I haven't been there in years.
I am building a new two rail layout and I'm attempting to add TMCC signal running on a telephone pole near the track, instead of through the rails. The TMCC was fine on it's own. It interacted with the DCS and the two don't get along in my house. I don't want to have to disconnect each system to run the other. So I watch your progress with great interest. Thank you for your patience!!
Fantastic videos! Thanks for sharing.
So Ben, is this pretty much the perspective you get now when you're at the new job? 
- Mike
I must be behind the times! I didn't know the TMCC command signal was good all around! Nice videos.
Joe, we have a few dedicated members going line by line trying to fix problems with TMCC. as you saw, they are getting it done.
If you look closely you can see the ground wire we've run under the upper helix and along the telephone poles and high tension towers. Ben installed a new ground system and we've been running new ground wires to it. Running them above the problematic lines and avoiding bundling them with other wires makes a huge difference. We want to make sure we have a couple of lines to run TMCC/Legacy engines during Trainstock.
First, I should say I didn't mean to take anything away from the videos. They are great.
Also, if it sounded like I was downing the layout, it is the best I've ever seen! I just lost track of where you guys were with command issues. I figure if you guys can solve them on that layout, they can be solved anywhere. I haven't been there in years.
I am building a new two rail layout and I'm attempting to add TMCC signal running on a telephone pole near the track, instead of through the rails. The TMCC was fine on it's own. It interacted with the DCS and the two don't get along in my house. I don't want to have to disconnect each system to run the other. So I watch your progress with great interest. Thank you for your patience!!
Never took your comments that way! I thought I would take the opportunity to start to share what's been working for us as we work through getting TMCC running on ALL the lines on the layout. It's a long journey but we'll get to Mt Doom eventually!
Very cool. I live about 2 hours away from there, when's the next open house?
" I am building a new two rail layout and I'm attempting to add TMCC signal running on a telephone pole near the track, instead of through the rails. The TMCC was fine on it's own."
Not sure sure if I'm misinterpreting the above sentence but just to make sure.
The TMCC ground signal can be run on telephone poles (as we are doing) but the return signal (the U post of the base) must be connected to the outside rail. Make sure you run this wire(s) all by itself. Don't bundle it with the track power as long parallel runs can set up an impedance that can block the signal.
It's actually better if you run the ground signal above the track. The return signal on the outside rail can block it and the engine antennas are usually near the top of the engine. The practice of running a "ground plane" under the track turns out not to be optimal due to this blocking effect.
I'm pretty confident in this info. It comes from a Lionel Sr. Electronics Engineer that we did some work with.
Very cool. I live about 2 hours away from there, when's the next open house?
TRAINSTOCK VI On 1/18. Click on the above link for more info.
Ben,
Does this mean your going to change your name to Captain Video?! LOL!!
Will you be hand cuffed to this maniac (Alex Malliae) all the way to Minneapolis?
Mike R
PS...Great Video's.
" I am building a new two rail layout and I'm attempting to add TMCC signal running on a telephone pole near the track, instead of through the rails. The TMCC was fine on it's own."
Not sure sure if I'm misinterpreting the above sentence but just to make sure.
The TMCC ground signal can be run on telephone poles (as we are doing) but the return signal (the U post of the base) must be connected to the outside rail. Make sure you run this wire(s) all by itself. Don't bundle it with the track power as long parallel runs can set up an impedance that can block the signal.
It's actually better if you run the ground signal above the track. The return signal on the outside rail can block it and the engine antennas are usually near the top of the engine. The practice of running a "ground plane" under the track turns out not to be optimal due to this blocking effect.
I'm pretty confident in this info. It comes from a Lionel Sr. Electronics Engineer that we did some work with.
That's what I get for guessing. I thought that the U wire went to the telephone pole line. I tried a ten foot run with just a wire laid near the track and it worked. I have not tested that on a larger scale. Maybe I could have two wires then? When I connect the base to one of the two rails, it interferes with the DCS signal. I have to run one system at a time. I don't have a problem with the TMCC signal on it's own yet.
Nothing comes close to GoPro quality. I just got the Hero 3 Black Edition. I can watch the video being shot from my I Phone or I Pad and control the camera from them. The other GoPros are still looking good at 1080p. Don
Nothing comes close to GoPro quality. I just got the Hero 3 Black Edition. I can watch the video being shot from my I Phone or I Pad and control the camera from them. The other GoPros are still looking good at 1080p. Don
A most enjoyable video. If Marty Horning were still with us he would be proud of his part in funding his legacy and making it all possible.
Roger, Go Pro Hero3 on double stick tape. This is new to me, so next I'm going to mount it with the lens just through the top of a boxcar behind a lash up and then on a flatcar in front of everything. Eventually going to run all our lines and interchange points. Chris & I are currently mapping out our entire layout, John
I was thinking "I'll be impressed when it takes an interlocking and changes loops"...then it did. That pretty much scoops my goal with the "30 40-car Rampage" 
(though it's still a conventional train--I only have a proposal to stick a Mini-Commander in an Industrial Rail ore car and wire the outputs to the three Plymouths pulling it)
---PCJ
Ben,
Does this mean your going to change your name to Captain Video?! LOL!!
Will you be hand cuffed to this maniac (Alex Malliae) all the way to Minneapolis?
Mike R
PS...Great Video's.
He doesn't boomph right I don't care if he burns
Fantastic videos! Thanks for sharing.
So Ben, is this pretty much the perspective you get now when you're at the new job?
- Mike
Nope this is it My phone sitting in front of the master controller
Great Video Ben!!!
Did you pass the Hong Kong Gardens before entering the tunnel?
My Go Pro mount for train running. F3 front truck. The shoe came with the camera. I just used the supplied adhesive shoe. Pretty easy and cheap.
I thought it was unique that you used inner rails on the tracks on the elevated sections. Never seen that before on a layout. Did you guys add that to the tracks yourself.
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