# LGB curent plus + and Minus -



## RUDYSMALLET (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi Folks, New to LGB scale Modelling.. I like to know the fundamentals of DC Analogue. LGB or G csale trains runs on DC Current. I understand they have mostly shoe Pickup and Wheels pickup. 
connecting the wire from the transfomerto the tracks dictates the rotation of the motors on the Engine.. is it always the rules that Plus which color code "Blue" is clockwise forward and color code "Red" is counterclokwise reverse motion. I have read about the Reverse Loop "1015" K. Doing so the reverse Loop and using the standard LGB transformer that can be turn to right forward and quick left to create the continuos forward motion will not damage the engine. Or is it safe to say that taking it to Zero "o" position to stop momentarily makes a good train engineer to make the engine eliminate the unnecessary damage to the motor on this case. Going Further with this, I just bought a Bridgewerk 15SR 15 amp link: http://www.bridgewerks.com/Pages/MagnumSRSeries.html . The control have a slide voltage run and a seperate swith knob for forward-Stop-Reverse. How does this one will work if not like the standard LGB like a reostat style knob from forward - zero- Reverse. It also have the Momentum switch which help on the take off and stopping. I hope I made my curiosity question cleared enough. 
Happy to join the BIG BOYS,
Rudy


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

ok 
im not a mechanical engineer 
but 
i do know how hard it is to get LGB parts at the current time 

regarding your first question 
imho it is a good idea to go to "0" before reversing current-ie slowing the train 

while i have never had a worm or spur gear break on an lgb loco (that im aware of due to an instant reverse)-and since locos might tend to slip on the rails rather than transfering all the stress to the gears- 
my careful side would tend to think slow and then reverse is better to safeguard the engine mechanicals- 

i think things like traction tires, weight in the loco , slipperiness of track all contribute -obviously lots of slip makes the concern less-an instantaenous reverse may be OK -but i dont do it

(i can well remember as a child hitting full reverse just to watch the dirvers spin opposite of train travel with no ill effects-because the engine slipped and protected, if you will, the gears) 

i can tell you without qualification i would never do this on a rack loco because they cant slip

However, because i hate broken toys-and the scarcity of parts, and high prices
and my learned lessons that speed and 'stupid kid tricks' usually inevitably result in a toll upon my trains-im more and more acting like an adult (with my trains that is) 

to answer the bridgewerks question 
i have one too 

you can slide to 0, then flip the reverse (polarity) flipper-just as recommended above -and then proceed
or as i have done when moving *very slowly-like when switching *-you can skip moving the throttle, move direction control to the neutral- -no current to track postion-and then proceed onward to reverse 

as for the momentum-its great too 

all the 1015 does is has a pair of diodes-they act like one way gates to the flow of electricity depending on polarity-once the polarity is reversed -one set shuts off while the other allows flow of current 

hope this helps and has answered your question


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

the ‘stop’ setting on the bridgeworks cuts power, ie an emergency stop -no power to the track 


=momentum will also be cut if it has no power-it will be as though you pulled the plug- 

there is no storage capacitor -cut power and everything stops -put it in "stop" and theres no power to the track 

so you can either move the throttle bar down and then reverse 
or 
you can set momentum, move the throttle down, wait for the voltage lights to go out, and then reverse, and start up 

what I suggest is that you play with it and youll get a feel


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

If the LGB loco has a MTS/MZS unit, the decoder does the stopping/reversing, not the power pack. Decoders are really computers that run the engine with commands from a base unit, but when used on analog systems, default values are used. It is the computer that speeds up and slows down the motor along with the track power. After slowing down and stopping the computer allows the reverse to work. 

I like the LGB Moguls for analog as they will coast to some degree, the wheels do not lock up when power is removed, hence no gear stripping.


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

yes-and if you really change polairty fast on a decoder in analog-it wont recognize this and will continue in the same direction despite the reverse-has done this a few times



not to derail
Dan
i have several LGB locos with decoders-but i run ananog
can the default values be changed for analog-ie if i like a bit of momentum-
and 
i presume if so, i must have an entire mts system to do this??


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The default values for a decoder can be changed, but no MTS by LGB can read out the existing value. And you must use an indexed method to blindly write info. 

You can assume the value in the manual is the one in the decoder but on used gear, one can not be sure. 

BUT, the LGB 55045 computer module will read out existing values and allow you to store all the cv's from 0 to 127. Of course a computer is needed to do this with windows software. 

I used this for many years before getting a DCC system. 

CV3 is acceleration, CV4 is deacceleration on all decoders I have seen. Plus for advanced users there are speed step tables.


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## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

Dan - you're right about the 55045. It lets you read and change CVs for any decoder (not just LGB).


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Stanman, I mentioned the 0-127 as ZIMO decoders have sound functions above CV255. Volume is CV 266!! 
55045 will not go that high, software limited???


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

When inside a reverse loop connected to a 1015 (which is just a bridge rectifier), it is safe to just slam the polarity from forward to reverse as all the engine will see is a short dropout while the reversing switch is being moved. Reversing switches are break before make so that a short dropout will occur. The bridge rectifier will maintain the same polarity at it's output. You can slow to a stop and start again or just slam the controller over, no harm, no foul.


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