rapidotrains Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hi all, It only took us five months, but the first UK edition of Rapido News has now been sent to subscribers. Normally we wait a couple of days before putting the newsletter online after subscribers receive it, but because it's our first one we've put it up straight away: http://rapidotrains.com/rapidonewsuk01.html Please use the link at the top of the newsletter to sign up for future editions (they are free!) and please forward the newsletter to anyone you think may be interested in receiving it. Rapido News UK will usually be the first place that future Rapido product announcements are made, so subscribers find out about new stuff first. Thanks and regards, Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted November 13, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 13, 2014 Just read it on my email. You tease you, your next UK project is........... As a firm Luddite got to disagree with comments on DCC though, I've yet to see a DCC layout with just two wires! Also if you are pure DC there is no fannying about with CV settings . Just have a look at the P2 thread to see some of the complexities of chips and programming CV152 ...what's that , is it the same as ITV4? Whereas on DC I simply put my P2 on the track and turn the knob. Works perfectly to me. And sound , well I can hear the swish of my coaches on the rails and the click as they cross my diamond crossings, as opposed to the annoyance of diesel horns. Sound makes it a bit more like playing trains I think. And when a short occurs , everything stops, then starts up again , going through the whole sequence. Actually I think Hornby found their original DCC Pendolino sets were just too complicated , which is why they reverted to DC! There , that should stir it up nicely! Congrats on the newsletter . Thoroughly enjoyed it . A good read . While neither of your products interest me at moment, I'm sure you'll have something for me soon . a nice APT P for instance. I mean now you've found out how to make things go round corners , you've really got to! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I will admit to switching to DCC only this year but not because of fear! I just did not see the point of chipping my 300 locomotives, some 30 years old, to plain DCC control. Many of these locos avoid having one wire by short circuiting the return back to the chassis block with a fixing screw. Conversion would mean finding a way to isolate the motor from the chassis, yet still fix the motor. The other thing is, I knew the technology offered full computer control but computer programs were expensive. Then DCC sound arrived, so I ordered 2 locos, and 1 multiple unit with sound fitted back in 2010 (all commissioned exclusives with certain shops). Unfortunately that program dragged on for years, with them all finally cancelled. This year, cheap PC control arrived. Hornby were clearing out some sound fitted 08s cheaply to, so I took the plunge. Impressed, I converted my Bachmann 37 to sound, then another shop offered Bachmann s all new blue class 40 with sound fitted (boy the music this loco plays is gorgeous). I then converted 2 Bachmann EMUs, ok the chip is easy to fit, but trying to put speaker somewhere were it does not cover interior lighting was a challenge! Harder still was getting them apart. Whose dumb idea was it to put the plastic clips right next to the ends where the plastic flexes the least? These were Followed by 1 steam loco (c class) and a Heljan class 23 (another beautiful singer). And finally Hornby's TTS cheap sound P2. The APT-E will be 9th DCC sound and 1st gas turbine model. Other models will doubtless be converted but only a small fraction of 300. Fortunately my layout was designed to work on both DC and DCC at once (plus Hornby's live steam!), even the point motors can be fired automatically from the PC or via a passing contact switch. Automating the layout to run from the PC is easy to do and allows me to leave the layout for 20 minutes and meat other people at the show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
branchie Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Brilliant read Jason. I don't think it's possible to write too much. Ever. Enjoy your trip to Tibet - I live only a few miles from Nant Ffrancon so be a good lad and feel free to bring some goodies across the Atlantic with you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 There is a mistake in the news letter (well maybe not just one!), it says a full blown Pendolino 11 car set is £380. Yet the links show £320 for a 9 car sound fitted set, plus £30 for the additional pair of cars. Sorry, just my obsessive-compulsive maths scrutiny.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phixer64 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Excellent read, are going to produce a betamax tape machine.......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidotrains Posted November 14, 2014 Author Share Posted November 14, 2014 There is a mistake in the news letter (well maybe not just one!), it says a full blown Pendolino 11 car set is £380. Yet the links show £320 for a 9 car sound fitted set, plus £30 for the additional pair of cars. Sorry, just my obsessive-compulsive maths scrutiny.... Thanks for catching that! We'll get it fixed ASAP. -Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I have to wonder if the reason why DCC sound is more common in North America, is because the bulk of locos (and their trains for that matter) are so much larger? Of all the North American layouts I have ever seen, most were big diesels pulling big trains. Along with the odd steam era logging train layout. By contrast, a UK layout is either a mainline (or loco depot) with locos ranging in all sizes from the very small to large or small branch lines with small trains and locos. Small locos really are part of the culture of a UK layout and the UK railways themselves. These small locos have only in recent times lent themselves to being readily convertible to DCC ( ie fitted with a plug and - more importantly - space for a chip) and even then are quite hard to convert to DCC sound. Currently I think DJModels are the only manufacturer of small tank locos to have easy to convert to DCC sound ones in the pipeline. Even so there are still older models being made that would present considerable problems for conversion to even plain DCC. The other thought, I would hazard a guess that the average UK model railway enthusiast has over 100 locos (maybe twice that). Not sure what the average would be for someone in NAM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridwatcher Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Great read...refreshingly honest and witty....would love the PDF of the DC/Betamax image to be blown up and framed for our club wall......(on second thought.....!?!?) Roll on the next one and the announcement of the old class 124 /3 Trans Pennine DMU!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrTea Posted November 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2014 I really enjoyed the first newsletter too (and the travelogue thread of the UK trip is turning out to be fun as well). I work in digital marketing and we're always telling our clients that 'less is more' when it comes to copy in email newsletters - I guess it's typical of Jason and co. to go and prove that's a load of rubbish. What I particularly like is the writing style and the overall enthusiasm and sense of fun. This is a hobby that often seems to take itself far too seriously. If the APT-E model is as good as their marketing then we're in for a real treat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidotrains Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 I really enjoyed the first newsletter too (and the travelogue thread of the UK trip is turning out to be fun as well). I work in digital marketing and we're always telling our clients that 'less is more' when it comes to copy in email newsletters - I guess it's typical of Jason and co. to go and prove that's a load of rubbish. What I particularly like is the writing style and the overall enthusiasm and sense of fun. This is a hobby that often seems to take itself far too seriously. If the APT-E model is as good as their marketing then we're in for a real treat. Thanks, Mr. Tea and gridwatcher! Our newsletter open rate is around 75%. So evidently people like what they read. But they take a lot of work to do. I wish we could send out more but there aren't enough hours in the week! :-) -Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Loving the Class 87 images Jason.....when do you go into production Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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