D&H 4-8-4 (#308)

Introduction

I purchased this completely scratch-built item circa Dec 2020 from a private seller.

Photo Gallery

Loco side view
Tender side view
Tender end view showing the broken coupler
The wooden carrying case – heavy!
Information on the end of the carrier
Tender bottom view showing switches and tender-to-locomotive plugs for locomotive lighting and sound
Tender to locomotive plugs
Decoder and RF receiver details
End of tender view showing the broken coupler and the battery power plug
Battery car plug detail
Battery care underside detail showing battery power switch
Battery care underside detail showing battery charging receptacle
Demonstration of operation using an Airwire transmitter on channel 0 and DCC address 3

Comments

The decoder is a Titan Large Scale decoder. Documentation can be found in the Installation Manual and Wiring Diagram. Check this website for further documentation.

Currently, the locomotive operates by receiving wireless DCC from an Airwire transmitter, NCE Gwire transmitter, or a ProMini Air transmitter on Airwire channel 0 at DCC address 3 (see demo move above). The locomotive will ignore track-based DCC signals in this “mode” of operation. The Installation Manual shows how to change to track-based DCC operation using CV re-programming in either PROGRAM or OPS mode. Note that the switches on the bottom of the tender must be set to “TRK” as well.

Using a wireless throttle such as the CVP Airwire T5000 or the ProMini Air transmitter connected to a standard DCC throttle, I changed to track-powered operation by putting the throttle into “OPS” mode, setting CV46 to 1, and then setting CV56 to 0. Then turn the battery off in the battery car (or simply disconnect the battery power plug going from the battery car to the tender), and set the two tender switches to the “TRK” setting. Then apply either DCC or DC track power and away you go!