.........New Project

Bachmann Class 57/3 in New Logo DRS Livery from R3Sprays

 

Many thanks to Kevin Bates for providing a cropped version of his 57306 photo taken in July 2016.

 

Introduction:

The motive power hauling the MOD nuclear flask trains now often includes Class 57/3 types in their new DRS livery.  My painting skills are not up to that challenge, so I've obtained a suitable unit from R3Sprays in Falkirk. The intention is to replace my earlier DRS 57/0 with this unit. I'll either transfer the original LokSound decoder or fit a protodrive Zimo unit, if Paul has one available. I'll design the electrics for the updated lighting to operate from either decoder option.

The original Bachmann lighting fit does not include the lower front markers or a night headlight. I will add the missing lighting and arrange for the headlights to be switchable, so that yard operations can be done with just the marker lights active, while main line operations can also use either the day or the night headlight. The lighting at the rear train hook end will be enabled for light engine movements and disabled when in train haul mode. The cab light will be switchable but only enabled when the loco is stationary. I'll omit the detonator flash LED as it hardly ever gets used on the original 57/0.

The sound system speaker will be an ESU 50344 20x40mm device, mounted facing downwards in the bottom of the fuel tank, which will be modified to provide a sealed enclosure.

 

R3Sprays interpretation of Bachmann's 57306

 

Possible Circuit Configurations:

LokSound V4 21 pin Circuit Concept. (Only 6 function outputs available.)

 

Or keeping it simpler by using an additional Function Decoder.

 

Zimo 644D Circuit Concept. (Simpler solution due to extra function outputs on the Zimo decoder.)

 

 

Showing how the LokSound V4 plus LokPilot FX V4 circuit could be implemented.

 

Showing how the Zimo circuit could be implemented

 

Adding the missing running lights:

The original rear light LEDs were removed. The new LEDs are all pre-wired chip LEDs. These are first super-glued to small rectangles of plasticard. The plasticard sub-assemblies are then super-glued to the black plastic shroud moulding.

 

 

White paint is added to reflect the rear light or marker light output in an attempt to make it somewhat less directional. The lighting PCB is modified to interface with the new LEDs, including a PNP transistor soldered to the rear of the lighting PCB.

 

 

 

A Note of Caution:

Fragility of side transfer arrangement:

The new DRS logo on the sides of the central region of the locomotive, between the cab doors, looks very effective...... but the paint colour below the entire transfer appears to be white. This means that any damage to the side transfers will expose the white paint, which of course looks very conspicuous against the DRS blue background. (I just made a small nick on the bottom edge of the upper body shell when separating it from the chassis, with my thumb nail.) I can touch this in quite easily, but it indicates that great care will need to be taken in future when handling the locomotive! 

 

 

Cosmetics:

The overall effect is pretty good, in particular, the difficult side transfers are done very well. However, some of the details need a little extra work:

The conspicuous white grab rail on the locomotive front immediately below the windscreens has been over sprayed in yellow, with some minor skinning between bodywork and bar. This will need some careful cleaning up and a white paint job on the grab rail. The adjacent lamp brackets are also yellow, so need over painting with white.

The black paint trim around the headlight and marker lenses has strayed a little into the yellow. This will need some careful tidying with white u/c and yellow.

The white painted vertical grab rails beside the doors need some attention. These have been over-sprayed in blue then touched in using white, with a few imperfections.

Dummy yellow canvas covers are needed over the drop-down coupler mechanism, to mirror DRS practice. (I'll try making a Blu-Tack cover painted in matt yellow.)

A light matt (enamel) varnish overspray to the roof maybe desirable to dull down the semi-gloss finish, hopefully giving a slightly weathered appearance.

One of the metal roof side grills fell off, but I've already carefully glued it back in place using tiny blobs of Glue 'n Glaze.

At the end of the project, the Bachmann hose accessories provided will need to be glued to the front buffer plate.

 

LokSound CV Programming:

The lighting control is via ESU's Standard Function Mapping:

Description LokSound Function Output LokPilot FX Function Output
End 1 markers FO H/L  
End 1 rears FO1  
End 1 day headlight   FO H/L
End 1 night headlight   FO1
End 1 cab light   FO3
End 2 markers FO R/L  
End 2 rears FO2  
End 2 day headlight   FO R/L
End 2 night headlight   FO2

 

LokSound CV Programming

Mapping line Button Direction CV description CV alphas CV32 Actual CVs
5 F0 both(stationary) Parking rears FO1 + FO2 CVA=18, CVK=12 2 321=18, 330=12
20 F14 Fwd End1 mkrs    FO H/L CVA=4, CVE=1, CVK=1 3 305=4, 309=1, 314=1
35 F14 Rev End1 rears    FO1 CVA=8, CVE=1, CVK=4 4 289=8, 293=1, 298=4
30 F24 Fwd End2 rears    FO2 CVA=4, CVG=16, CVK=8 3 465=4, 471=16, 474=8
36 F24 Rev End2 mkrs    FO R/L CVA=8, CVG=16, CVK=2 4 305=8, 311=16, 314=2
37 F27 both (not f14 or f24) Super Shunter F0 H/L,FO R/L, FO1, FO2 all in config 2 CVH=4, CVE=2, CVG=32, CVL=240 4 328=4, 325=2, 327=32, 331=240
- (F27)   Flash above with FOs 1 & 2 out of phase

-

 0 355=12, 363=12, 371=12, 379=12, 375=1, 383=1,   112=20 (flash rate)

(A "super shunter" mode with alternately flashed markers and rears on at both ends is included.)

LokPilot FX CV Programming

Mapping line Button Direction CV description CV alphas CV32 Actual CVs
1 F11 both(stationary) cab light FO3 CVA=2, CVD=4, CVK=16 2 257=2, 260=4, 266=16
2 F15 Fwd (not F16) End1 day H/L  FO H/L CVA=4, CVE=36, CVK=1 2 273=4, 277=36, 282=1
3 F16 Fwd (not F15) End1 night H/L  FO1 CVA=4, CVE=24, CVK=4 2 289=4, 293=24, 298=4
4 F25 Rev (not F26) End2 day H/L  FO R/L CVA=8, CVG=64, CVH=2, CVK=2 2 305=8, 311=64, 312=2, 314=2
5 F26 Rev (not F25) End2 night H/L  FO2 CVA=8, CVH=1, CVG=128, CVK=8 2 321=8, 328=1, 327=128, 330=8

All works fine!

Motor Control CVs

CV CV Value Description
2 1 Start voltage
3 170 Acceleration delay
4 89 Deceleration delay
5 210 Max. speed setting
6 75 Med. speed setting  (<100 expands slow speed part of range)
49 19 Ext Config.1 includes 40kHz motor pulse frequency
51 2 Slow driving I component
52 40 Slow driving K component
53 85 Max speed adjustment
54 50 Normal driving K component
55 100 Normal driving I component (proportional to motor momentum)
56 255 100% range speed control
124 5  Ext Config.2 includes Enable adaptive regulation frequency

 

Sound & Light Control Function list
F0   Parking Rears
F1   Sound On/Off and engine start/stop.
F2   Playable High Note Horn.
F3   Playable Low Note Horn.
F4   Buffer Clash/Buffering up when moving slowly.
F5   Air Release (Air Dump).
F6   Drivers door slamming.  
F7   Compressor Startup.  
F8   Spirax valves. 
F9   Flange/Wheel Squeal Enable.
F10 Dispatcher's whistle.
F11 Driver's Cab Light
F12 Roof Fan/Cooler Group
F13 Sanders
F14 End 1 marker/rear lights
F15 End 1 day H/L
F16 End 1 Night H/L
F17 Detonator flash. (Loco1 only)
F18 Triple Detonators.
F19 Set zero momentum (for test purposes only)
F20 Flask flash. (CV 0/291=12; CV112=10) Loco 2 only
F21 Volume Fader.
F22 Diesel Notch-Up.
F23 Diesel Notch-Down.
F24 End 2 marker/rear lights
F25 End 2 Day H/L
F26 End 2 Night H/L
F27 Super shunter
F28         ---

 

 

 

Zimo CV Programming:

The lighting control is via Zimo's Swiss Mapping:

Description Function Output
End 1 markers FO H/L
End 1 rears FO1
End 1 day headlight FO4
End 1 night headlight FO5
End 1 cab light FO7
End 2 markers FO R/L
End 2 rears FO2
End 2 day headlight FO3
End 2 night headlight FO6

 

Description Button Forward FOs Reverse FOs Swiss Group
Cab light F0 FO7 FO7 1
End 1 markers & rears F20 FO H/L FO1 2
End 1 with day H/L F21 FO H/L; FO4 FO1 3
End 1 with night H/L F22 FO H/L; FO5 FO1 4
End 2 markers & rears F23 FO2 FO R/L 5
End 1 with day H/L F24 FO2 FO R/L; FO3 6
End 1 with night H/L F25 FO2 FO R/L; FO6 7

Set CVs 34 & 35 to zero

Set FO7 to logic FO (not Suzi) CV124=128

Set FO7 to stationary only CV159 to 60

Description CV Value
Group 1      F-Key 430 29
M-Key 431 0
1st fwd FO 432 7
2nd fwd FO 433 0
1st Rev FO 434 7
2nd Rev FO 435 0
Group 2     F-Key 436 20
M-Key 437 0
1st fwd FO 438 14
2nd fwd FO 439 0
1st Rev FO 440 1
2nd Rev FO 441 0
Group 3      F-Key 442 21
M-Key 443 0
1st fwd FO 444 14
2nd fwd FO 445 4
1st Rev FO 446 1
2nd Rev FO 447 0
Group 4      F-Key 448 22
M-Key 449 0
1st fwd FO 450 14
2nd fwd FO 451 5
1st Rev FO 452 1
2nd Rev FO 453 0
Group 5      F-Key 454 23
M-Key 455 0
1st fwd FO 456 2
2nd fwd FO 457 0
1st Rev FO 458 15
2nd Rev FO 459 0
Group 6      F-Key 460 24
M-Key 461 0
1st fwd FO 462 2
2nd fwd FO 463 0
1st Rev FO 464 15
2nd Rev FO 465 3
Group 7      F-Key 466 25
M-Key 467 0
1st fwd FO 468 2
2nd fwd FO 469 0
1st Rev FO 470 15
2nd Rev FO 471 6

 

Motor Control CVs

CV CV Value Description
2 1 Start voltage
3 70 Acceleration delay
4 100 Deceleration delay
5 1 Max. speed setting
6 1 Med. speed setting  (<100 expands slow speed part of range)
9 87 BEMF sampling
56 55 Loop characteristics
112 32 40kHz frequency
57 100 Max Speed adjustment

All works fine!

 

For video of initial solution, click here

 

Final choice of decoder sound system:

I like the Zimo driving characteristics, which give a number of user control features not yet available on LokSoundV4, and Paul knows how to get the best out of them. This would be the decoder of choice..... except, as Paul warned me, the engine sound clips used, are from quite some time ago.... When I compared them to Biff's engine sounds in my original 57/0 decoders, I had to concede that despite the limitations of the LokSound driving arrangements I preferred Biff's engine sounds. So in the end I've gone for Biff's LokSound solution (transferred from my earlier 57/0)......However, all is far from lost for the pair of Zimo decoders, originally intended for the two locos on the MOD flask train: One now has a Gresley A3 sound project on board, ready for my Scotsman and the other has now replaced my original Biff Class 31 LokSound solution, with Paul's excellent recent Class 31 recordings and all the advantages of the Zimo driving options......but that's another story!