USRA 2-10-2 light rebuilt

[Schraddel]

Thank you for the laurel.

Since there are no mechanical binds and no electric short circuits and all LEDs are working, i start programming the decoder.
It is an ESU Lok Pilot Basic here plugged in, yes it has an NMRA 8-pin socket now and i will describe my proceeding a little bit comprehensive as here are some DCC newbies.

CV 1 That is the address of the loco, or their "name" in the DCC-World. Here i give the #57 as i have a Bachmann Spectrum 2-10-2 of the same USRA Type in my stock which has the #56.

CV 2 The starting voltage. Put the loco onto the test track and turn on the controller at the lowest notch. The loco should begin to crawl here. If it does'nt, raise the value of CV2 step by step until it will begin to crawl in notch one. Some older motors will have get in form of higher CV values.

CV 3 Acceleration rate. It is your choice how fast the loco will respond if ripping up the controller. Some like it if the loco will react like an race car; i not. Here i choose maximum value of 63 which means every value take app. 0.9 seconds to count. A value of 0 means race car, a value of 14 means 0.9 x 14 = 12.6 seconds, the time passing from still stand until reaching hightest maximum speed. Here i choose the value of 63 resulting:
0.9 x 63 = app. 56 seconds until the loco has full speed.

CV 4 Brake rate. The same procedure as for acceleration, but for deceleration. Here i choose values in the range between 8 - 12. It depends strong on your layout, especially the lenght of the line you have.

CV 5 Maximum high speed. Your choice. As the USRA 2-10-2s were slow locos i choose the value of 18 of 63 possible values.

CV 29 Decoder settings. The compexest CV. Before you do any CV settings here be shure what do you want really.
The settings were done by a binary code. You can imagine there are some little internal switches, called bits, in the CV 29 which will switched or not according to your choice.
Bit 1, this switch asks you if the loco should run normal direction or inverse direction? If OFF the value is 0, if ON the value is 1
Bit 2, your controller is old and only has 14 steps/notches? Then choose OFF position and the value is 0. If your controller has 28/128 steps turn to the the ON position and the value is 2.
Bit 3, should your loco be able to run in analoge mode too? OFF = 0, ON = 4
Bit 4, the ESU Lok Pilot basic has no bit 3, but if: OFF = 0; ON = 8
Bit 5, as above; OFF = 0, ON = 16
Bit 6, short address or long address? OFF = 0; ON = 32. If you want to use a long address, that means addresses between #128 to #9999, you have to change this switch before you programming CV1.
And at least you are adding all switch or better said, bit values.
Here i choose: normal direction = 0; 28/128 steps = 2; analog mode still possible = 4; short address = 0
0 + 2 + 4 + 0 = 6
That means programm the found value of 6 into the CV 29.

CV 49, Back EMF On or OFF = 0? Here i choose ON = 1.

CV 51 Brake modus, i do not need this CV really. This is intended for automatic block signals.

CV 54 BEMF component K. Here the loco made in the factory settings (CV value = 32) of the decoder a jump shortly before it was stopping. I reduced the value to = 15. You have find out in an try-and-error manner depending on the motor type to find settings which will work properly. The CV 54 estimates how hard and strong the BEMF-Government is ruling the motor. Higher values will cause a more harder governing.

CV 55, BEMF component I. Is depending on the moment of inertia of the motor (and flywheel, if fitted). As thumb rule, big flywheels -> low values. But you also have also find out in try-and-error manner which value will do it best. O.K. it is a little bit time consuming for the first time you do so, but the results will satisfy you at least. The next loco will take not so much time and at least a certain routine comes how to fix it.

CV 63, Dimmer for lights. CV values depending to your bulbs. Here i have only warm white LEDs with an resistor of 0.2 kohm and choose value 7 of 7.

This was it for the Basic. Other decoders will need more complex programming and you have more possiblities to choose.
But for them all: RTFM ! ! !

When all programming was done the 2-10-2 moves as i love it. Smooth, soft acceleration, low high speed and soft stopping without any hesitation.


Lightcheck front


Lightcheck cab interior


Test driving


One of the last working was the outfitting with ropes for bell and whistle.
For this i took a lenght 0.3 mm soft brass wire. One end will be fixed in a vise, the other end in a pliers and then pull the wire gently. It will stretch, straighten and becomes thinner.
Cut it in suitable pieces, thread it into the guides and at least into the guides on the cab front. Then solder it onto the handles of bell and whistle. The end in the cab is not soldered or anylike fixed, it reaches about 20mm loosely into the cab. This prevents the thin wire to be ripped off in case of accidental rough handling.
Now you can modelling the hanging of an rope.


The "normal perspective" you will watch the loco on the layout.


There is still some work to do.
- panting
- decalling
- weathering
- adding personnel

But i own no airbrush yet and won't painting it by hand brush. So i have look out for somebody who is willingly to airbrush it for me.

Lutz