george stein

Good (if complex) advice. If it helps, loco is Hornby R3552 "Aberporth Grange" 6860. George North Carolina

Hornby loco to tender wiring loom (x6113) to be replaced after all wires pulled from plug. So, cannot trace which two wires to motor and which two wires to pickups. (Don't want to fry decoder!) So, anyone who has used Hornby replacement wiring loom x6113, Please advise on which wires where. Thank you. George North Carolina

Thanks. Will do careful check of wheel pickups and back-to-back.

Installed a Hornby "Hall" TTS decoder in the Hornby "Large Prairie." Works fine on regular track and double slips. However, when crossing a Peco Insulfrog turnout (either direction) the momentary power interruption stalls the loco; it sits for about five seconds and restarts from startup mode. Very strange. Clearly not supposed to happen. Is there something about TTS I don't know like, for example, don't use insulfrog turnouts? Any ideas? Thanks. George North Carolina

Thanks for helpful comments. Another question: would not two 8 ohm speakers wired in SERIES be better for producing more sound with less demand on the speakers? Never quite understood the series vs parallel dual speaker wiring issue. ?? George North Carolina

Writing from the USA. Several years ago there was a fair bit of discussion on using I-phone speakers, especially from I-phones # 4 and 5, as DCC sound speakers. So, in November 2021, we're up to I-phone #13. To those forum members who research such things: have any of the speakers since # 4 & 5 demonstrated improvement, equivalence, size advantage, etc. The older 4 & 5 are getting both more expensive and hard to find. Thanks George North Carolina

I have been gifted, from a closed shop, a Dapol OO scale green a4. No paperwork, etc. I thinks it's supposed to be the "Golden Eagle." What kind of decoder did they use? (No reply from Dapol!) I'm asking as I have read that Dapol uses "Lais" decoders, which other fora "suggest" are illegal Chinese version of the US TCS decoders. TCS says Lais are bootleg and the company has blocked import to both the UK and USA. So, does anyone know what decoder is in the Dapol a4 and should I consider replacing it? Thanks. George North Carolina

Thank you both for the helpful replies. George

Leaving aside the otherwise good & bad of the Bachmann 60' Collette coaches, should the bogies have a "strengthening bar" linking the wheel boxes added to improve the basic looks of the model. Thanks, George North Carolina

Writing from the USA, so excuse the ignorance. Pictures of signal boxes, especially in Big-4 era, often show a bar or rod across the face of the upper level windows. Was this standard? Purpose??, etc. (basically it looks an easy way to improve the looks of a signal box kit on the layout.) George North Carolina

The box art of the old Keil Kraft plastic kit of the Thorneycroft parcel van claims the kit is 1/72 scale. One would expect it to be 1/76 or OO scale. Was this a box art misprint or is the kit actually 1/72? That would be too bad as it's a nice GWR lorry. George North Carolina Stay Covid safe.

I know this is an opinion/experience question but I'll ask anyway. Most commonly it is recommended to give painted OO figures a final coat of clear flat (e.g., Dullcoat). I have tried both semi-flat (too close to dead flat in my opinion) and satin (e.g. Humbrol or Vallejo). In my opinion -- clearly noted as opinion --I find satin seems just a bit more realistic -- especially under the artificial lighting we use for layouts and exhibitions. In passing, I also use satin for the painted parts (not metal like radiators) of Oxford Diecast autos. Looks less toy-like at viewing distance. So......, please share your opinions/experience on figure and vehicle final finishes. Thanks George North Carolina

Were there distinctive Big Four type wagons exclusively for War Department use in the inter-war period? Distinctive livery & markings?

As the constable said to the solicitor, "evidence trumps advice." Pretty clear evidence that coloring strips by any method trumps leaving them white. Thanks George North Carolina

For those using Scalescenes roofing tiles, do you color (e.g. light grey) the exposed white lower edge of each individual strip? Or is it not worth the effort as the white serves to mimic reflected light and thus adds depth? Advice please. George North Carolina