# My new house came with HO set - now what?



## yobbo (Sep 5, 2013)

As the title suggests, brought a new house recently and the previous owner left the HO set he had lost interest in in the basement (see photos).

As a total noob, not really sure what I have but here are a few details:
- Can get some of the locos going on some of the tracks, but they often stop (usually in the tunnels!)
- Owner mentioned that some locos were variable speed whilst others I had to program the speed via buttons onthe bottom on some locos
- Cant really get the variable speed system to work - all locos seem to have one speed only
- have lots of spares in boxes to extend track if I want

Looking into input/online reading to get the set going again and educate myself on what I have.

Here is my rough plan:
- clean all the track - how? Rubbin Alcohol/petroleum spirits?
- Clean all locos and rolling stock - again how?
- check track/set for continuity with multimeter - any tricks
- educate self - any good online introduction/setting up railroads?

thanks!


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Welcome...nice layout, previous owner had some idea of what was available. My first move would be to clean all track, using a Masonite pad and rubbing alcohol with a clean, lint free rag like an old Tee shirt. The next part will be a little more difficult for a newcomer--determine which locos are DC analog and which ones are DCC digital. It appears he has the two combined on the layout.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I wish someone would leave me a whole train layout!  Nice bonus...


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Yobbo

Congratulations and welcome to the fun world of model railroading.
You have a truly fine layout for to start with...and all for free, wow! .

As Shay said, you have a layout that is possibly wired for either DC or DCC and
you should get better informed before doing damage to locomotives. Either
have the former owner give you operating instructions or check at a
hobby shop to see if can they suggest someone with the knowledge to
advise you.

Are you ready for a long winded try at guiding you by remote control? 

DC means direct current. The device on the left of the control setup
is the power pack for DC operations. When using DC the voltage on
the track varies the speed of the loco by use of the 'speed' control and there is a switch on the power pack to cause the loco to back up. Trouble is that any loco on
the track will also do the same thing.

That's why there is now DCC.

DCC means Digital Command Control. It is, as the name implies, digital
similar to a computer. The track is always energized. Decoders in
each loco react to signals sent by the controller, which appears to
be the device to the right of the DC power pack. You can run more than
one loco, going in any direction and at various speeds.

These two devices should never be feeding the track at the same time.
Often there is a switch. One way it feeds DC to the track. The other way
it feeds DCC. Do you see such in the controls area?

If you have a multimeter. Set it to DC 200 volts or less setting. Remove 
all locos from the track. Turn off the DCC controller. Turn on the DC
controller. Connect the meter to the track. Operate the speed control.
As you increase speed the meter should go up. (if no meter a 12 volt
auto bulb would change brightness). If it does that is FOR your DC locos.
One by one try them on the track. Do they respond by moving, faster
when you increase speed? Flip the reverse button. Loco
should change direction. That is a DC loco. Try them all. DC locos should
ONLY be on the track when it is DC.

Then turn off the DC power pack. Turn on the DCC controller. Set the
meter to AC less than 200 volts. Connect to track. (do not use
auto bulb, it will burn out) You should see
around 18 volts or so. If you do. Try the locos that did NOT run on
the first test one by one. You should see selectors on the DCC controls.
There will be a different button for each DCC loco. Unfless the panel
is marked you will have to try
pushing each button until a loco responds. Then operate the speed control. Locate the reverse button. Try it. That is a DCC loco. Repeat for each.

There is a DCC forum here that has many threads that will fill you in on
the vagaries of DCC and how it makes running trains more fun.

It is possible too, that the former owner had used the DC power pack
to power the turnouts and did not power the track with it. You can trace
the wires and possibly determine that.

Tray mentioned how to clean the track.

You can easily clean the loco wheels by putting several drops of
alcohol on a small swatch of cloth (I use a paper towel) that is
lying on the track. Place one set of loco wheels on it and the other set on the track.
Use correct device to cause loco to run, hold the loco and increase speed.
Spinning wheels on the swatch will be cleaned in a few seconds. Repeat for
the other truck. And each other loco.

Have no idea what buttons on bottom of a loco you refer to might be. That's a new
one. Locos seldom, if ever, have buttons of any kind. They are controlled
by the power pack or DCC controller. But we have been surprised before. 

By all means after you have done more research ask all of the questions
that you need.

Don


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## James Stoker (May 19, 2013)

Yobbo :


> My new house came with HO set - now what?


Hmmmm. Buy some Lotto tickets? I think you are on a lucky streak here. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Welcome to the site.

Looks like a well made table. :smilie_daumenpos:
Was the guy a carpenter?

Nice start to having a train layout, a lot of the hard work is done already.


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## yobbo (Sep 5, 2013)

DonR - thanks for the input.

Since posting have not had time to check it all out as been travelling with work. Also have been reserving the train for when the weather turns bad.

I believe the DC power supply is nown only for powering the turntable at the back of the second picture - but will need to trace the wiring to confirm.

Looks like I have a learning curve on the DCC though! Will need to google the instructions for the controller.

First step will be to clean the tracks and wheels to see if I can get it running more reliably.

Big Ed - the PO was an amature carpenter. He made most of the built in furniture in the house on his own.


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

That's really cool - buy a train and they throw the house in for free!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Well it looks like he did a nice job making it. :smilie_daumenpos:

You have a good start to the railroad, take your time it is not going to go anywhere. :thumbsup:


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## Zippy4 (Sep 25, 2013)

WOW! wish i could find a house with that in it already ! you have a real big head start .


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## keitaro (May 1, 2013)

wow lucky you and it`s no little track either.


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## toasty (Oct 16, 2013)

wow. i wish i could find a deal like that.


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