67. No More Gronk-Clonk! Re-Gauging the Big Station

I finally focused long enough to get the real task done! Thanks for hanging in there with me.
This is a perfect example of why doing things right the first time every time is so important. I’ve really paid the price on fixes that should never have needed to be done.
I don’t have a specific link to the Metcalfe card I’m using but it is available at Rails of Sheffield of course and probably most model shops (with the exception of the one closest to me!)🙄
You’re asking how you can help - well here’s the link to do that and of course I’d be more than grateful 😊 (Just ‘treat me’ to a coffee …)
ko-fi.com/trai...
Thanks so much for watching!
F A C E B O O K: / iancurrey
Trains Of Thought with Ian Currey. All Rights Reserved © 2025, Ian Currey.
FTC DISCLAIMER: This video is not sponsored and there are no affiliate links.

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

FISH & CHIPS - READ DIGITAL CHIPS'
There are one or two electrical issues with locomotive chips. First their small size prevents the inclusion of a proper rectifier (to change the incoming 16v AC to proportioned 12v DC). So manufacturers have little choice but to use what is called "Four Diodes in a Quadrant". This method however means that AC (Alternating Current) which is viewed as a "wave form" is only chopped in half. Which does NOT = Direct Current but "Half Wave DC". Remember the old Hammant & Morgan H&M Half Wave controllers, billed at the time as a revolution in controlling 12v DC locos. That quickly revealed they cause Better Quality motors to burn out !!!
Modern Models generally have fairly good motors, indeed a few even have "Coreless" Motors, which can blow like a fuse if fed "Half Wave" when the motor is under load !!
The next issue generally relates to the true quality of the "chips" installed. This is the issue of how to "increase and decrease" the actual DC current being fed to the motor. As obviously the voltage has to go from 0 volts (loco stationery) to 12volts (loco full speed). Again due to the "Digital" nature of the system, it cannot ramp up or ramp down the voltage like a traditional 12v DC Controller does. By using a copper winding wire and a contactor moving across the wires to increase/decrease current which is an infinitely variable voltage adjuster. The Digital method requires a system of "Step changing". The more steps, the better the response, but each "step" requires more digital circuitry, cost & space. Hence the "cheap chips" seem to use 10-12 steps (roughly one step per volt), while better quality chips appear to have as many as 24 steps (one step per half a volt). Which means in principle the more steps you have the smoother acceleration and deceleration will be.
The bottom line is of course the more sensitive the motor & the better its quality, the more likely the motor will suffer. DC motors don't like modern "electronic methods" of feeding them. If a perfectly good & powerful locomotive model, appears to be becoming weaker in its pulling ability, that's the first sign of trouble (which indicates the motor windings insulation is breaking down, and the current is taking short cuts around the windings reducing its power & performance).
Another sign is of course the motor getting too hot under use, and damage to plastic parts close to the motor become evident The copper windings on the motors poles going black being another indication of overheating and damage that reduces performance. All reasons I steer well clear of DCC and certain 12v DC Controllers especially ones that do not have a substantial "Heat sink" (metal plate) which takes out much of the "resistance" that can be generated operating locomotives. Which needs to be "sunk" in the "heat sink" or it will sink itself in the motor, and the motors life will be reduced by it slowly burning out !!!! Remember in this instance another wonderful mistake "Feedback Controllers" which actually burnt out better quality motors. And caused expensive Coreless motors to blow like a fuse under load. Pendon Museum had major issues with such equipment as many of their handbuilt models had Portescap Coreless motors with bevel gearboxes that blew in seconds pulling heavy trains !

[@fabsim5696]

Scale speed 1 billion gazillion Mph ??