Ron Ron Ron

For those who may not know how, or have not seen how RailCom Plus automatically detects and registers a new loco on a layout, here is a short YouTube video. This is just one function of RailCom, which is capable of quite a lot more than this.

A video from Nuremberg. Made by Train World, an American retailer for their YouTube channel. The American interviewer sounds like he's going to explode with excitement ! However, it gives us a chance to have an early look at the SmartControl.

First mentioned by GoingUnderground (Keith), in the ESU 2015 post, in January this year. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95331-esu-2015/?p=1760014 Announced at the Nuremberg trade show in that same month. After seeing mention of this new system in another thread today, I realised there hasn't been a dedicated topic posted yet. Piko have published some details and prices are posted on some model shop web sites already. Piko SmartControl Brochure r.r.p. = €399.99 Modellbahn-Lipp are advertising it at €331.99 (approx. £240) Modellbahn-Kramm are more expensive at €387.49 (approx. £280.15) .

A bit of a diversion, but I saw these photos of a couple of sleeper compartments. Ireland's Grand Hibernian The Royal Scotsman.

Chris Jones - Long after you're gone.

Gretchen Peters - Blackbirds

That issue was covered at length when the franchise was awarded to VTEC. The competition issue is a red herring, as hardly any of the two routes traffic actually competes with the others.

The return EC made was on the back of Zero investment. If the projected outcomes are realised over the term of the new franchise, the new operator should be making significantly more money for the taxpayer, than under EC. Not forgetting the investment requirements and pledges. Profits and dividend returns for the private shareholders will be dwarfed by the return to the government. Of course that is barring some economic catastrophe, or a GNER or NEX type failure to deliver on economic commitments. .

They're only going to see 4 to 5 years work, apart from any small number of 225's kept on for a few years, as per the rumours.

I thought the intention was that First Class as such would cease to exist by the time the new sleeper stock is introduced; being replaced by a new Business fare? Has that changed? The en-suit berths are described as "Business berths" in the Transport Scotland documentation. .

This version of the VTEC livery looks softer and more organic than the rather more industrial design, techno look of the West coast company's trains. I like both.

I'm very surprised by this announcement and more than happy to eat my own words (above), written only less than a week ago. Having stupidly dithered when there were loads of the original sets on sale all over Warley, a couple of years ago, I've kicked myself ever since on missing out. So one happy bunny here, even if the price will be substantially higher. I strongly suspect the decision to re-run this model has not been a straightforward one. Rather than just re-issue the model as produced in 2013, which would have come with a larger degree of commercial risk (especially in view of the higher production costs involved two years down the line); they've taken the sensible route (IMHO) of introducing "added value" in the form of special packaging and including the extra's. Re-packaging of the product (added-value) may in itself be an attraction or inducement to buy for some who chose not to purchase it first time around. Not to mention it being attractive collector fodder, coupled with the increased chance that this will be it; the final chance to get a Midland Pullman. I suspect these factors would help, or be necessary in achieving the number of sales required to make the re-run viable, especially in view of the unknown size of the unsatisfied market and the inevitable large price increase? I still can't see it being any more than a limited run though. The pricing will no doubt be a calculated risk between what the market will stand and the increased production costs. The "added value" being a "sweetener". Who cares, I'm having one regardless !!!! .

I imagine there is a great deal of worry........ ....that there might be new uniforms. Sorry. couldn't resist that. I'm sure it's a real concern and you have my best wishes it turns out well. All the best. .

...or a magazine, or another person or group willing to take on the risk. I would be very surprised if Bachmann were to do a new run of the original (Blue) Midland Pullman on their own. Let's face it, those who dithered (like me) missed their chance. .

Whatever livery they produce it in, it looks a mess with the howler on the front.

It isn't "the very youngest end of our hobby" at all. It's the children's toy market and very little to do with the hobby at all. .

Nile, it certainly wasn't me who posted that information. In fact it was you...... That reply is a surprise, as they've said the opposite elsewhere. i.e. settings will be stored in the app. It would be good news if the reply you received was the more up-to-date, or accurate. .

BlueRail Trains have posted a video of a test of their system using the "Dead Rail" battery power option.

I find it hard to believe that a guard with passenger safety duties, could possibly be able to supervise or manage the safe evacuation of several hundred passengers, from a train that is anything from 4/5 to 10 coaches long, in the event of a serious accident. If people want to draw comparisons with passenger aircraft, note that on a commercially operated aircraft there is a legal requirement for a minimum of one cabin crew member, for every 50 or fraction of 50 passenger seats installed in the aircraft. That's seats installed, not the number of passengers on board, i.e. irrelevant if the plane is full or empty. e.g. a 64-seat Dash-8 would need a minimum of 2 cabin crew, a 180-seat A320 would need a minimum of 4 cabin crew. Their primary duties are safety related (and yes there are safety responsibilities during the flight too), they key ones being those in the (unlikely) event of an aircraft accident. Of course the two modes of transport are very different, as are most of the safety issues involved, but it does rather highlight the weakness in the safety case for passenger rail transport. .

I agree that the electrical load and plumbing requirements will probably be rather taxing, it would also be fair to say that the technology that will probably be used in this area has come a long way from when the ENS stock was designed, 30 years ago. I'm only guessing, but I would have thought that less complex and more cost effective solutions can be found today. Crikey, they've even put luxury showers in the A380, where weight and fuel saving is paramount to the operating economics. This was only possible because of modern technology. At the moment it's all pure speculation and there's no point poo pooing something until we can see what they produce. Equally there's no point placing too much credence on what was done 30 years ago. . .

The £2M per vehicle is obviously an average cost. Presumably some of these different vehicle types will cost more than £2M and some less, depending on the fitting out and on-board services required? As such, the more expensive vehicles (e.g. Business Class En-Suite?) might be closer to £3M a vehicle. That's without the additional cost of separate maintenance contracts. .

Hardly Railtrack 2. In fact that suggestion is laughable. .

Get your cameras out now, before the knitting goes up. Some views will never be the same again

All lines will closed between Hayes & Harlington and Didcot Parkway over the Easter holiday, for major electrification work. This includes all the Thames Valley branch lines. .

Should the sleeper service, which is now a completely different franchise, different type of rail service and is being continued (only because of political intervention) to serve a specific purpose, be able to be used by non-sleeper service passengers? From the post I made above, it appears that "ordinary" seating may be eliminated from the new sleeper trains when they are delivered. .