The December 1 meeting will be a gift exchange at the Science Spectrum, Monday 7:00 P.M. Bring the kind of gift you would like to receive. Snacks will be served.
Newsletter Articles and Web Page
at http://home.earthlink.net/~jackseay, My email is now mailto:jackseay@sbcglobal.net, . If you want to write a newsletter article, give it to me at the meeting, email it to me, or call me.
Roster Corrections
Jon Hays - email mailto:jon.hays@usa.net, Dave Lamberts - email mailto:71217.304@compuserve.com, Jack Seay - work# 792-6512
Cheaper than a fishing licence and more exciting (we hope). $12 individual, $18 family.
Hobby Shop News
Wings N Things - Atlas GP35 BNSF Pumpkin N-scale, Walthers N/z catalog, N DCC decoders.
New Officers
Patrick Pritchett - President, Brad Jones - Vice-President, Nancy Reed - Secretary, Jerry Dukes - Treasurer, Marshall Higgins - Librarian, Jack Seay - Editor, Jan Kutch - Deadwood. Also on the board to keep the rest of us in line are Bob Moulton and Jon Hays.
Executive Committee Meeting
The next Executive Committee Meeting will be Tue., 7:30pm, December 16, at Jan Kutch's house, 3611 Chicago (on a cul-de-sac).
Trainmaster is Wil Jensen. Our HO layout will be up until Jan. 3,4. Open when we can be there, Mon - Sat 10-5:30, and Sun 1-5:30. Not open evenings except for groups (such as Scouts). We are in the smaller room that is only open from the museum. It is to be locked except for times display is manned. We will be teaching the staff how to run the trains so they can display them. The room is roughly 25 by 50 feet. There is a built-in VCR.
Texas Tech Museum in Lubbock is now presenting a photo exhibit on the second floor, "A Century of Progress: The History of the American Railroad Industry", 1869 to 1969. The exhibit will be displayed through next Spring. Go see it. Thanks to Patrick Pritchett for presenting an excellent slide show, model display, and lecture in November about "The Allure of Trains".
Slide SIG
There will be a slide show in January about early switch engines. More details will be announced later.
Several of our members have gotten into digital control recently. Bob Moulton recently showed his Digitrax Chief system. Each hand-held controller (cab) has two throttles. It can control many locomotives, turnouts, lights, crossing gates, etc. When I was demonstrated it, strange things happened. Later, I found out that it was because the power wasn't turned up all the way. Computers, like people, tend to lose their memory when not operating at full voltage.
How does digital control work? Full power is on the track at all times. Tiny computers, called decoders, inside each loco control the direction, lights, and voltage to the motor. The hand-held cabs send signals to the base unit. It sends signals through the tracks to control the computers inside all the locomotives; and optionally to the turnouts, building and street lights, etc.
Do you need digital control? First, check out the price for a full system. Can you afford it? If not, you don't need it. Next, do you already have an operating layout that you are happy with? If so, you don't need it, but there may be reasons you want it anyway. Or you might just want some decoder equipped locomotives to run on other layouts. They can still be run on a "normal" layout. Are you building or do you plan to build a new layout? Then consider it if you want to be able to operate several trains at once. You can simplify your wiring, especially if you will be using powered turnouts. Each Digitrax stationary decoder (computer) can control up to seven turnouts and/or lights, and needs no extra wiring, as all power and control comes from one connection to the tracks.
When choosing a system, look for the letters "DCC". This means it is compatible with the NMRA Digital Command Control standards. These standards only specify the signal sent through the track to the decoders. It doesn't mean that any brand of cab (hand-held controller) will work when plugged into your setup. "DCC" will ensure that any compatible loco will work on your layout, and your locos will work on other DCC layouts. This is important if you want to be sociable.
Dec 1 - Meeting/Hobo gift exchange 7:00pm, Science Spectrum
16 - 7:30pm, Executive Committee Meeting
all month - Science Spectrum layout, and Tech Museum photo exhibit
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