!@*&$ Flat Cars

Were you using Transient Voltage Suppression anywhere on the layout?

If not, then the voltage spikes caused by the derailment probably did take out something sensitive to over-voltage.

LionChief boards are around 55.00.

Am I opening a can of worms or should I send it to a pro? And who?

Odenville Bill posted:

Am I opening a can of worms or should I send it to a pro? And who?

Let’s get to the root of the evil first, as ACDX ROB has replied, do you have some sort of suppression system on the layout? What’s your transformer, or control system consist of?.......Pat

Ah the good old days where the worst thing a dead short could cause was a 🔥 

I'm using a Type S transformer. Be easy y'all, I'm a rookie.

Odenville Bill posted:

I'm using a Type S transformer. Be easy y'all, I'm a rookie.

Ain’t nobody gonna pick on ya Bill, we just wanna help ya get past this, and keep it from happening to ya again....pretty sure your S type did the deed...I don’t use Post war type transformers anymore, but if you use the search feature look fortrack power protection or something along those lines, there are quite a few threads about this subject...and I’m sure Rob is watching and might chime in better than I can on that subject....anybody that picks on ya belongs home buttering toast...they don’t belong here...............Pat

Here is a good jumping off point read for making sure your voltage spikes during derailments are clamped with Transient Voltage Suppression.

Where is the best place to connect the TVS, closest to the power source, or closest to the device being protected? And, for the average home layout, how many TVS’s are needed? Would the number of TVS’s needed increase for a modular layout of a similar size?

Bill in FtL

Thank guys, I will have a modern supply system in place before I run a modern again.  Hard lesson learned.

Just to refresh my own understanding of TVS protection.  I have four TVS diodes on my post-war ZW transformer.  Each diode is connected across each of the four power terminals, from the power terminal itself to the "U" terminals opposite each power terminal.  I also have those fast acting circuit breakers wired into the circuit at the bus bars under the layout.

These circuit breakers trip at the slightest mishap.  So far I have had no problems with my two LC+ locos, even though I did have a derailment.  

I'm sure the locomotive can be fixed, I'm not sure even why the tender derailing on an LC+ locomotive would kill the board.  The tender has no pickups, so all it should do is short the track and trip the breaker.  Did you look closely at the drawbar to see if that got mangled?

The drawbar looked fine.  I sent the engine and tender to an approved advertiser for repairs.  Meanwhile I run a MPC era engine on it's own smaller transformer (with a fast breaker).  I'm reading and learning.  I broke some new ground today by ty-rapping a sponge/scrubber to a gondola car, adding alcohol - to the sponge, and making 25 laps.  I'll bet it can get a load of scrap metal over the mountain now.

New question:  I bought a current set of Lionel yard lights.  They are LED and just bright enough.  They do not come with mounting screws.  What size wood screw fits?

Bill, If they are the ones I have, I used a #4, 3/4 inch wood screw into my homasote surface.

Thanks Hokie 71.  I will be getting more lights soon.