All,

I'm am primarily a US HO modeler (DCC) with a focus on Santa Fe steam, warbonnet diesels and streamlined locomotives from the 30's and 40's. While shopping for DC version of the DRG 19 1001, I came across the Kruckenberg Scheinenzeppelin. I purchased kit 3077, with goal of converting it to DCC. This may be sacrilegious, but I stripped out the Marklin components and installed a Northwest Shortline Stanton powered truck in front and a dummy Stanton truck in the back. I installed a loksound decoder with the Schienenzeppelin sound file loaded. I've heard that the propeller motor is not top notch, so I want to replace it with a small can motor.

After installing the decoder, the model did run. However, the model only moves after turning it on and advancing the throttle. The model accelerates very quickly. I suspect I need to modify some of the decoder settings, especially when I install the propeller motor. I know this will be a trial and error procedure. I thought I might inquire if anyone else had done a DCC modification using a Loksound Select decoder and what settings did they modify to start the motor, then the fan and have better speed control. I also have a 3477 Scheinenzepplin that I may convert using the Marklin conversion kit as outlined in Tip: 60903 Conversion of the 3477 Rail Zeppelin. That may be the better route to go, but I like tinkering, so...

Thank you!
Scott

Hi Scott!
Too bad I no longer live in Sonoma, we could have played with this one together.
(I even went to the Sonoma airfield one day to record a taxiing/departing plane for the sound files, just to get that "propeller" feel!) !!)
I strongly suspect the NWSL motor need some special tuning of the "driving characteristics" of the DCC ESU decoder
CV 53 is critical to start with.
You want to make sure that the car doesn't reach it maximum speed before the throttle is "all open".
So try to reduce the value in CV53 until you still measure a speed difference going from speed step 27 to 28. (It's easier to run in that 28 steps mode for the adjustments' sake)
Now you can fine tune the CV 51, 52 54 and 55 to achieve a nice and smooth speed regulation across the whole range
Of course adjust top speed accordingly and min speed for proper behavior at speed step 1.
Now you can adjust the shape of the speed curve for all the intermediary steps. (linear, progressive, exponential, whatever gets your fancy!)
BTW, this is way easier to perform using the ESU Lokprogrammer! (which I assume the tinkerer in you already owns )
Have fun, and keep us posted!
Cheers
Jacques

If you google Schienenzeppelin....you'll find a plethora of info

Here's a teaser....Schienenzeppelin Youtube

What is not told in Wikipedia is that the real reason to build this vehicle was to test an airplane motor (the BMW VI 12 cyl) at a moment when building large airplanes was forbidden to the Germans by way of the Versailles treaty.

Cheers