DCC in Backwoods Miniatures 009 Garrett?

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

Will I be able to fit a controller in here?



(Here's the page:  http://www.backwoodsminiatures.com/009kits.htm.  It's the fifth one down.

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

By the way, their Garretts apparently have two motors.  Can I wire one DCC controller to both, in parallel?  Assuming of course I can squeeze even one in?

[petersmith1942]

Noone has replied yet so here goes
certainly you should be able to fit a single decoder wired to both motors. Much depends on the current draw of the two motors and how much space is in the boiler and below it (or can be created). In theory you should do a stall current test on both motors but I have only ever burnt out one decoder in nearly 20 years of DCC
If the loco is free running without binds and the motors are modern can or open frame Mashima or similar I would have thought a 2 amp decoder would be ok. Most decoder suppliers on the internet give the dimensions of their decoders. The loco looks very well assembled and I would have expected the motors already to be wired together for pick up from both trucks (bogies). I know Backwoods but I am not familiar with them and someone who is might better advise
If the motors are as described above it should be easy to isolate the motor contacts and connect the decoder as per instructions. You might consider a decoder with "stay alive" or with a separate capacitor if you have room but if everything is working well with pick up on both trucks wired together (sorry I have got by for the same time as noted above without too much knowledge of series and parrallel, amps and ohms but there is lots of knowledge on this group which I might provoke) it is not essential
As the loco is all brass you must ensure the decoder itself is isolated from the body but do not breach decoder instructions and wrap it in isolation material, maybe I would make a styrene cradle in or below the boiler
Above all you should ensure the loco operates as flawlessly and freely as possible before doing anything
Peter Smith

[Tigger]

Much more fun if you control each power truck individually.  You can have one end slipping prototypically then!  ;D

[rod335]

Is the loco built already? It would be much easier to fit DCC equipment during construction. As far as I am aware that kit uses two 9/16 Mashima motors and space inside the truck bodies is pretty restricted.

Rod

[petersmith1942]

but Tigger, more likely one truck dragging or pushing the other which is not prototypical?
Peter Smith

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

Thank you all.

I realize I have mislead you on one thing:  the loco is not only not built; it is not even purchased.  The photo is from the Backwoods website.

I'm a bit worried that I have never assembled a brass loco before.

T

[petersmith1942]

Tom
then you have an interesting and possibly expensive time ahead. I would not dream of such a loco as a first attempt or even a first   times x (x being any number you want to think of)
Peter

[gallopingalice]

erm! to quote Backwoods.

Our model features a central motor with universal joints driving all eight wheels and our usual wealth of detail. The kit depicts the loco as modified by the DHR.

richard

[rod335]

Have Backwoods done more than one Garrett? I must confess I completely fail to see the attraction of these brutes, they are not a very typical loco type.

I'm sure I've come across a Backwoods Garrett with a motor in each bogie.

Rod

[petersmith1942]

Unless there is a loco type I dont recognize can we at least get Garratt right. A central motor will simplify DCC installation but its still one heck of a project for first time brass loco construction
and a good way to put an end to 009 layout aspirations. Start with something simple, get something running and go from there
Peter Smith

[rod335]

Sorry Peter, having just had a bollocking in the other place for spelling it wrong, I thought I'd got it right this time. Obviously not.

Rod

[JulienW]

Tom
then you have an interesting and possibly expensive time ahead. I would not dream of such a loco as a first attempt or even a first   times x (x being any number you want to think of)
Peter

Whilst my first etched brass loco* was not a Backwoods Garratt it was one of their kits - the 00n3 L&LSR 4-8-0 tender loco!

Yes, it was somewhat a baptism by fire, and yes, I did make a few mistakes (and had to buy a second chassis etch), but if you take your time, read the instructions several times (before building) then Pete McParlin's kits can be built, and can prove to be surprisingly easy. Also Pete is happy to give advice, as I am sure that a built kit running on a layout is a better advert for the kits than a pile of green boxes sat in a cupboard (or worse, on the 009 Sales stand!).

(*note, the 4-8-0 was my first etched loco kit - I had built other kits, mostly plastic & white metal that were stuck together along with some etched brass rolling stock kits).

Pete's kits can be graded, and the 'entry level' ones are probably the two diesels (Fowler and Hudswell) followed by the Barclay and Bagnall 0-4-0s. In addition I suspect that the DHR stock kits from Worsley Works might also form a useful way to start soldering and end up with finished items that can add to Tom's DHR plans.  Whilst I have only seen the etches the Simplex-bulit railcar is essentially a box that sits on a Kato tram chassis so should be easy, with the modern diesel being a little more complex (i.e., several boxes sat on a kato or other suitable chassis).

[petersmith1942]

Julien
fair comments, would only wish to stress my earlier remarks were not intended as criticism of Backwoods kits. I remain of the view however that kits such as the Garratt are not a good idea for first timers. There are, fortunately always exceptions but they are exceptions
Peter Smith

[Allscales]

Backwoods do three Garrats even:

• the DHR as discussed here
• The Tasmanian 'K1' now on the WHR
• The ex-SAR Garrats also on WHR

I must admit I'm quite keen on the last two, to go with my Mh's on my mountain layout.....

I too would chip mine, as my layout is DCC. I have posted a query with Backwoods to check if this is possible. As backwoods are due to come to the convention I'm postponing my purchase until then.

I have built one loco up 'till now: a Smallbrook studios resin "Echo". Not 009/HOe I know! The idea of reading instructions multiple times came in very handy there! As it is I would still do it differently if I did it again....

Cheers,

Friso