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REALTRACK models announce Class 143 and Class 144


Andy Y
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There isn't a lot of room inside a 144 chassis.

 

attachicon.gif1441.jpg

 

Cheers,

Mick

I didn't even get that far tonight!  I managed to get the bodyshell off, just!  Door handrail and one of the white suspension beam came off too!   I eventually gave up trying to pry off the seating casting from the underframe.  Put it all back together and will get Charlie's "workshop" as mentioned in the instructions to do it for me!  Any more and some lasting damage or a severe tantrum would have occured! 

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I bought my Class 144 from Dave on the D&E Videos stand at the Barrow Model Railway Exhibition on 12/10/2013.  It is the purple Northern with red seats.  It is a really nicely detailed model.  I have run it in on DC on an oval track with 2nd radius curves tacked onto a board solely for this purpose since my layout is end to end.  It goes Ok round the 2nd radius curves but does make sqeaking noises when the power power car is pushing the non-pwer car.  No noise when running the other way.  The motor is  quite noisy compared to other modern locos I have.  The un-powered car wheels initially squeeked when turned by hand so against the advice given in the instructions I oiled the axles sparingly with Hob-e-lube Lite Oil from Woodland Scenics.  This cured the squeaking.  But not when the power car pushes the un-powered car.  Hopefully this should not be a problem on my end to end since the radii are larger than 2nd radius.  I will be fitting with a DCC chip shortly.

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Two photos of my unit that arrived today.

 

10351613283_fe67ca532f.jpg
 

 

10351613863_547059db5b.jpg
 

 

And a video... http://youtu.be/chHIVED8hlQ

 

 

Overall, fantastic model, superb detailing. Echo the comments above about the squealing on 2nd radius curves and the dummy car being "pushed" along, but this aside it's a very smooth runner! Impressed!

Edited by Bouncy Bouncy
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144 007 arrived this morning - absolutely fantastic! Smooth, silent and runs like a dream, there is nothing as good as this for the price- sorry meant say any price!

 

Thanks Charlie and Arran you have produced the 'Model of the Year' without doubt, I can't wait to see the 143.

 

Martin.

Edited by Martin_R
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what is the news on the class 142?.

 

This from an earlier posting:

 

From the horses mouth: "No plans fo a 3 Car unit, just a ALL NEW 142!" in an email last month!

 

Will hopefully put an end to Hornby's offering which now has a RRP of £100! 

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This from an earlier posting:

 

This from an earlier posting:

it would be nice if they could do some more dmu,s and emu,s first and second generation to the same spec as the class 143,144.

im sure that would give the mainstream manufacturers of rtr products something to think and worry about.

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HI All

 

Yes the horse has a big mouth!!

 

A 142 has been all measured up and we a price for the tooling with variations for 2 x roofs and detail differences including the sanders that have been fitted in the last year, which could be  retrofit on the 144.

 

But no other work has been done so far.

 

The chassis is identical with different steps from what i can see.

 

Regards Arran

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HI

 

I picked up two 144's from the Newark show, though I have not had them out of the boxes yet. I am awaiting Martin's enhancement of the 144, if your interested here is the link.

 

http://s374444733.websitehome.co.uk/class-144/index.htm

SOUND SYSTEMS

 

Please note the Class 142 Sounds are not the same as a 144, the REALTRACK/Legomanbiffo has it spot on:

 

Featured are:

 

1/ Twin Engine Start.

2/ Playable Single Horn.

3/ Playable Single Horn.

4/ Correct Class 144 Door Sounds (Different from the 142)

5/ Air Brake

6/ Driver Operated Entrance Door.

7/ Compressor Run Up

8/ Air System Sounds

9/ Additional Wheel/Flange Squeel.

10/ Departure Whistle.

11/ Class 144 Guard to Driver Buzzer.

13/ Class 144 'Northern' Passenger Announcements.

17/ Detonator Sounds 'Action Feature'.

 

ALL Recorded from 144s

Edited by charliepetty
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There isn't a lot of room inside a 144 chassis.

 

attachicon.gif1441.jpg

 

Cheers,

Mick

Indeed, Mick. But which way round does the decoder go? Orange to the cab end or gangway end?

 

I've e-mailed Charlie, so if you don't know, I'll post his response on this here forum.

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Indeed, Mick. But which way round does the decoder go? Orange to the cab end or gangway end?

 

I've e-mailed Charlie, so if you don't know, I'll post his response on this here forum.

 

Hi Phil,

sorry, can't remember. I should have some photos of the installation, but for some reason, I can't locate them just yet...................

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Ho hum. Put the decoder in having tested for the positive supply to the lights, and the directional lights only worked one way. Thinking I've got it in wrong way round after all, swapped it round and the lights still only work one way - power car leading. More thought required, darn it.

.

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Okay, I think I might have the decoder issue sorted. I've used a Digitrax DN135PS, it being a small one fits under the seats, but the plug is a bit loose in the socket, and it wasn't connecting fully unless clamped in place, so I wrapped the board and the plug in insulating tape.

 

Now the internal lights on the trailer car don't work.

 

If ever there was a lesson learnt, it is this - let the professionals fit the decoder!

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I did a bit of testing with my 144 to see if it could operate in multiple with any of my other DMU's. Results showed it didn't like my Bachmann 150 as it is much slower than the 144, so was being dragged along. The 153 however was much more suitable for the 144, with them running at roughly the same speed throughout. So at least now I'll be able to run multi-unit combinations :)

 

IMG_7199.jpg

 

IMG_7203.jpg

 

One thing I have noticed is that due to the very close coupling on the unit, it doesn't like set-track point cross-overs, it much prefers streamline sets!

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