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…....................--- HandCab-DC – DC Version of the DCC HandCab ---

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Decided to try and make a ….

…. DC version of my HandCab (DCC) shown above that is a WiFi throttle. This one will connect to the bayou with a tether wire. The controls wont be as advanced as the DCC HandCab since you can't do as much with a DC throttle as you can a DCC throttle. It won't have the display, keypad or most of the buttons. I do hope to experiment with horn and bell audio possibly.

As far as I am working on it using the non-commercial Fusion CAD program. About a good days work.

There is a two step pulley attached to the bottom of the $4.00 12v PWM DC controller. One step is connected to a brake pulley attached to the brake handle. The other step of the pulley is attached with a line to the throttle pulley/handle.

I made enough progress on the third day to test the concept and I'm fairly happy with it. Made changes to the above (see previous image) and need to do another print of the housing and the double pulley.

When the reverser handle is pulled to either side (fwd/rev) it trips the limit switches on that side and changes the track polarity. In the middle the track power is off and the loco won't move.

Modified the main housing some and other parts also. After printing most of the new pieces there will still be some small changes to a few of the parts but I'm able to use what was printed. The changes will be for any others that want to build the throttle.

Exploded view of the parts above. A lot of parts just to turn the pot shaft on the motor controller board. Need to finish the case now that I'm comfortable with how it works. So far I've printed everything with the resin printer but might switch to the filament printer for the main case parts.

Looking at the image above you can see the pulleys connected to the brake and throttle handles to not rotate very far. Due to the difference in size between them and the pulley on the motor controller shaft it rotates about 50% further than they do. Still not enough to rotate the shaft on the motor controller all the way.

Still far enough to run over N scale 100 mph with the engines I tried. I drilled small holes in the pulleys where I wanted them and used I think about a 12 lb. fishing line. More on that later in the build.

Put up a demo of the project to this point ( HERE ).

Next I'll finish the wiring and hopefully the case also.

To be continued.....

A link to the DCC HandCab (modeled off a GP7/9 control stalk ( HERE )

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