First run Powerline T class 364 in V/Line livery.

Back in 2007 I purchased two Powerline T class locomotives, these were fitted with a DCC decoder, not sound, just DCC which allowed you to operate them on a DCC layout. The only problem with these otherwise pretty good looking models was the location of the mode selecting switch to change from DC [default as delivered position] to the DCC position. As the switch was located under the hood, or inside the body, however you like to call it. It required the removal the body from the chassis, flicking the switch and then placing the body back on the chassis.

These models were only $260 with a non-sound DCC decoder, which was the norm prior to sound becoming a must-have. Sites advertising these models suggested "fitted with a quality NCE-DA-SR decoder", however, connecting to them with JMRI software Decoder Pro shows otherwise. And it was a recommendation to replace a troublesome OEM decoder with that type...

To remove the body you are required to remove the as fitted from the factory plastic scale couplers. The model does come with replacement Kadee #5 couplers and the European style coupler in a parts bag to allow the user to fit their most suitable coupler.

The red circles are the body screws, whilst the green are the coupler draft box screws.

As the plastic whisker couplers, as delivered, are total rubbish, with the trip pin rotating around inside the knuckle and the spring falling out whilst trying to remove them, I fitted the supplied Kadee #5 couplers and centring spring into the coupler box, once I was reassembling the model.

To remove the body to flick the DCC switch, you are required to remove the couple draft box screws, remove the said draft boxes, these are extremely tight to remove out through the square hole in the pilot, and then remove the four body screws, one in each corner. If the draft box removal was a struggle, then the body and chassis separation is also a nice challenge. The front or rear LED will get jammed and also the marker light PVC tubes will also cause the separation to stick. So be careful, have a beer and a walk around outside before having another crack at separation, of the model and not the handbrake, and repeat till you finally get them apart!

Flick the switch to the right for DCC, it will be on to the left at DC, and not everyone is a fan of the left.

With the unit now selected for DCC you will notice the unit no longer emits that AC hum when placed on a DCC system. You can now program the loco address as you see fit. As I already have a later Powerline T class model of T 364 in Victorian Railways livery from 2023 with the ESU decoder, I just addressed this loco as 364.

As the unit has been it its box and never opened before, I did rotate the motor with a small screwdriver, but not the cocktail, prior to attempting to drive it.

Loco operated ok. Possibly a little noisy, but mobile phone microphones are notorious for amplifying sounds to ear bleeding levels...

The lights are simple, either on or off, and the headlight and markers operate as one and are directional if turned on.

Here's a video of the loco ramping up through all fourteen speed steps on the NCE ProCab and then back down with a clamp meter showing the current draw on the test track.

Due to the style of decoder, it has no ramp and setting to idle or changing direction just bangs it straight into the selected direction or straight to zero if idled.

Due to the size, this video is from ewechube.

Trainbuilder N class on the bench.

    I purchased this Trainbuilder N class oil burning steam locomotive, N 431, back in September 2020 and then it was sent to me via DCCSound to have a LokSound V5.0 micro decoder and speaker installed in the tender. It has been stored since that time, but now with a functional work bench setup in the layout shed I have finally been able to get the loco active and do some decoder and running tests on the rolling road.

    I did my usual things like quieten down the sound a little and also dim the lights right down.

    Image of the lights as delivered.

    And then the lights dulled down with setting them via JMRI and the function outputs with a value of 3. And the rear head and marker lights below, got the same treatment.

    N 431 running at speed on the rolling road under test. I had to take the brake rigging off and adjust some of the 'pads' as they could contact the wheels and cause very rapid shorts. I thought I had some images of the brake rigging removed, but I cannot find them now. Here is a still from a video showing the area that was shorting.

    Now this was not happening all the time, just erratic enough to be a nuisance. Anyhow, removing the brake rigging and giving it a slight adjustment before refitting has eliminated this issue now. So, below is a photo and then a video of the motion running on the rolling road now fully spark free!

    Video from my ewechube channel below:

CLP and CLF class units arrive at Glenorchy to Murtoa.

Auscision Models deliver their CLP and CLF variants.

Well after 1293 days from placing my order for two CLP and two CLF class models they arrived via Australia Post on February 4, 2025. That is three years, six months and two weeks [13 days]. The order form stated the following year, 2022, from when the order was placed on July 22, 2021. There was a tooling model photo on the order form. This is nowhere near the longest pre-order by a model company.

Looking at the model, I am unsure exactly what is going on here with the piping on the left-hand side of the cab, see the red circle below.

Prototype images so it slightly different.

I guess I can glue these up, or something similar, but it does droop and sit outside the line of the locomotive.

The below image shows CLP 17 with the pipe sitting 'out'.

The CLF models have the same issue.

Anyhow, I made a video of some changes I did to the ESU LokSound V5.0 DCC sound decoder that is fitted to these models. The models I pre-ordered were CLP-1-S, CLP-2-S, CLF-1-S and CLF-2-S.

The video is on you tube and can be found at this link:

Auscision CLF class model ESU decoder light and sound mods.

I might do a separate post with some screen shots of the JMRI pages showing the settings. Let me think about it.