Kato GEX sets and the future

[PaulRhB]

7 hours ago, Jim Easterbrook said:

Is this the Digitrax replacement board? On my old Ge 4/4 II the body shell wouldn't go back on properly until I removed some webs inside the roof that were pressing down on components on the decoder board where the original board was flat.

Yes I cut out the light baffle but this is the other end with the contacts, first time I’ve had an issue at that end!

 

This is the light baffle mod

and that’s the end with the blue arrow below, but the other light bar was pressing down where the red arrow is and breaking the contact, the body went on fine as I’d already done the cutaway but as I sat the body down the lights went out so I knew the body was breaking the connection  ;) 

 

 

 

[JimFin]

I went back to TCS after the experience I had with Digitrax on the Hakone loco.

[PaulRhB]

16 minutes ago, JimFin said:

I went back to TCS after the experience I had with Digitrax on the Hakone loco.

Which TCS decoder were you using Jim?

[JimFin]

30 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

Which TCS decoder were you using Jim?

K7D4

[Glorious NSE]

On 06/08/2022 at 01:52, Gordonwis said:

Comparison of RhB Modellbahn semi-artisanal product and new KATO

Feels like the Kato has a bit too much chassis, don't know if that's due to the "broad gauge" compromise moving the fishbelly frames outboard of the real one or not? - But overall that comparison is like night and day really, as you'd expect! 

 

[Jim Easterbrook]

Another night and day comparison. Kato on the right, my attempt (based on a Kato wagon chassis and a 3D printed container) on the left.

Kato RhB freight wagon set by Jim Easterbrook, on Flickr

[PaulRhB]

6 minutes ago, Jim Easterbrook said:

Another night and day comparison. Kato on the right, my attempt (based on a Kato wagon chassis and a 3D printed container) on the left.

Kato RhB freight wagon set by Jim Easterbrook, on Flickr

I think that stands up rather well Jim, considering the variety of types you’d need to look very close to notice and certainly wouldn’t on a layout at normal distances. 

[PaulRhB]

33 minutes ago, Glorious NSE said:

Feels like the Kato has a bit too much chassis, don't know if that's due to the "broad gauge" compromise moving the fishbelly frames outboard of the real one or not? - But overall that comparison is like night and day really, as you'd expect! 

 

For me it’s the translucent container that gives it away at a glance.  The chassis could be saved with axleboxes, hand wheel and decal on the wagon plate and a bit of grot possibly. 😀

[Jim Easterbrook]

4 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

I think that stands up rather well Jim, considering the variety of types you’d need to look very close to notice and certainly wouldn’t on a layout at normal distances. 

Thanks. I'm not planning to "retire" my efforts now I have something better. The more stock the merrier, I say.

[PaulRhB]

 

found this on eBay, British classic commercials, turns out to be via Osborn’s Models

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224219429923?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=m1ethr3brcy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=C5MvROU8Q5u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Cab is separate. 
 

chop off the cement drum and it’s a tad short . .

 

Extend it!

 

 

Getting there

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by PaulRhB

[PaulRhB]

Fitting 1017’s to the new Kato wagons

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by PaulRhB

[PaulRhB]

I also made a height gauge on a 64mm unitrak straight so I can clip a section either end to check the knuckle or tail heights. 
 

[Gordonwis]

On 08/08/2022 at 13:17, PaulRhB said:

For me it’s the translucent container that gives it away at a glance.  The chassis could be saved with axleboxes, hand wheel and decal on the wagon plate and a bit of grot possibly. 😀

 

I agree, RhB Modellbahn's containers were not as good as I had hoped they would be, but having spent a deal of money, and having made the chassis run well by the time honoured method ofbriefly  scraping a screwdriver round the axle box inner I am planning to keep the 4w chassis. I have a variety of non Kato containers that will go on them.

[Gordonwis]

Just catching up with some of the info available on line of recent stock changes, relevant to models made for the 'Kato' RhB N genre.

 

The end of an era - Ge4/4III 651 has lost its 'Glacier on Tour' livery after over 15 years. This is not surprising since the RhB now habitually entrusts the GEX workings over the Albula to Ge4/4II. 651 now joins 647 in 'proper RhB red  (no advertising) 'large logo' livery.

Conversely, 644 has lost its large logo which has been replaced by a photo graphic relating to the upcoming 'longest train in the world' record attempt.

 

Lots of the 'famous' Valser vans have been sold to MGB

[Glorious NSE]

Interestingly i've been seeing combined GEX / Albula rakes again this summer on the webcams, after a few years where that didn't usually happen - a 4 car rake seems to be tagged to the back of an early AM Chur bound service and late PM return, GE4/4III power on them is back in some form!
It seems to run in addition to the two pairs of separate trains.
https://www.schmalspurbahn.ch/filisur/webcam/a220807080123721

Sad but unsurprising ref the Valser vans. 

[Glorious NSE]

On 08/08/2022 at 12:49, Jim Easterbrook said:

Another night and day comparison. Kato on the right, my attempt (based on a Kato wagon chassis and a 3D printed container) on the left.

Kato RhB freight wagon set by Jim Easterbrook, on Flickr

I think your take on this looks fab Jim

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, Glorious NSE said:

Sad but unsurprising ref the Valser vans. 

On the plus side a couple are regularly seen over the Albula now so justifying them being tagged on more trains now. 

[Supaned]

2 hours ago, Glorious NSE said:

Interestingly i've been seeing combined GEX / Albula rakes again this summer on the webcams, after a few years where that didn't usually happen - a 4 car rake seems to be tagged to the back of an early AM Chur bound service and late PM return, GE4/4III power on them is back in some form!
It seems to run in addition to the two pairs of separate trains.
https://www.schmalspurbahn.ch/filisur/webcam/a220807080123721

Sad but unsurprising ref the Valser vans. 

 

So does this mean the GEX section is shunted on or off the Albula sets?

 

Re the Valser vans going to the MGB , do they have much freight traffic to need them?

 

Intrigued on both counts , especially as I'm off over there in the coming weeks

[PaulRhB]

Found these on ebay, (The lorry is bashed from another 3D print off eBay)

 

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384345434502?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=b6gql6hcrfs&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=C5MvROU8Q5u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by PaulRhB

[Gordonwis]

10 hours ago, Supaned said:

 

So does this mean the GEX section is shunted on or off the Albula sets?

 

Re the Valser vans going to the MGB , do they have much freight traffic to need them?

 

Intrigued on both counts , especially as I'm off over there in the coming weeks

 

1) yes. Despite all the 'modernisation' over the last 15 years, RhB cannot tear itself away from shunting things on and off the back of 'fixed rakes'! (much to our delight as modellers...). Interestingly, I did not see that on a brief visit to Reichenau Tamins and Felsberg in June 2022. As stated, in the last few years GEX workings have been separate trains hauled by the 4/4IIs (but hardly ever 623 'Glacier Express'...)

 

2) yes. Visp - Zermatt. MGB is the lifeline for freight to Zermatt (lorries can reach Zermatt but it is largely an environmental choice to stick with freight. On the ex-FO section freight ceased a good few years ago now . I've spent many fun-filled Zermatt ski-ing trips dashing down the slopes at the end of the day in order to phot the 'tea time' freight departure from Zermatt  

Edited August 11, 2022 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

13 hours ago, Glorious NSE said:

Interestingly i've been seeing combined GEX / Albula rakes again this summer on the webcams, after a few years where that didn't usually happen - a 4 car rake seems to be tagged to the back of an early AM Chur bound service and late PM return, GE4/4III power on them is back in some form!
It seems to run in addition to the two pairs of separate trains.
https://www.schmalspurbahn.ch/filisur/webcam/a220807080123721

Sad but unsurprising ref the Valser vans. 

 

Yes, that tallies.

 

1858 ex Chur southbound is IR 1965 and also PE906 (ex Brig). So yes this is how it was for all of them a few years back. The Kursbuch depiction of this has always amused me , in that the IR has  stops at (eg) Domat Ems and Preda, but the accompanying GEX shows as non-stop! As railway people we know what is actually happening of course.

[Glorious NSE]

14 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Found these on ebay, (The lorry is bashed from another 3D print off eBay)

 

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384345434502?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=b6gql6hcrfs&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=C5MvROU8Q5u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

 

Nice find - you might want to add some bits to the "piggy packers"  as the RhB boxes are bottom lift.

This is the Schnaus Strada one for reference, they are folded up here:




 

[Glorious NSE]

21 hours ago, Supaned said:

Re the Valser vans going to the MGB , do they have much freight traffic to need them?

 

https://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf_graphic_tt/2022/GMGBS.pdf - have a look at the top section - the brown lines on this graph are the freight paths, the red ones the GEX workings, the blue the regular units - I suspect your early AM Zermatt bound and evening Visp bound freight runs will use that days GEX loco's.

Usual disclaimer: Booked paths does not mean the train definately will run, especially true for non-passenger stuff! 😉
 

10 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

 

Yes, that tallies.

 

1858 ex Chur southbound is IR 1965 and also PE906 (ex Brig). So yes this is how it was for all of them a few years back. The Kursbuch depiction of this has always amused me , in that the IR has  stops at (eg) Domat Ems and Preda, but the accompanying GEX shows as non-stop! As railway people we know what is actually happening of course.

So looking at this to get it straight in my head, the current timetable has a Zermatt-Chur, two pair of Zermatt-St Moritz, all those as standalone trains throughout, and also a St Moritz-Brig which is a standalone train between Brig and Chur, but piggybacks on the Albula services between Chur and St Moritz.


 

[PaulRhB]

31 minutes ago, Glorious NSE said:

Nice find - you might want to add some bits to the "piggy packers"  as the RhB boxes are bottom lift.

This is the Schnaus Strada one for reference, they are folded up here:

Nice easy mod too, I think I’ll pop down the modelshop later 👍

[Supaned]

5 hours ago, Glorious NSE said:

https://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf_graphic_tt/2022/GMGBS.pdf - have a look at the top section - the brown lines on this graph are the freight paths, the red ones the GEX workings, the blue the regular units - I suspect your early AM Zermatt bound and evening Visp bound freight runs will use that days GEX loco's.

Usual disclaimer: Booked paths does not mean the train definately will run, especially true for non-passenger stuff! 😉
 

So looking at this to get it straight in my head, the current timetable has a Zermatt-Chur, two pair of Zermatt-St Moritz, all those as standalone trains throughout, and also a St Moritz-Brig which is a standalone train between Brig and Chur, but piggybacks on the Albula services between Chur and St Moritz.


 

 

So the question is, based on the formations , does the St Moritz - Zermatt train just have a loco back onto it at Chur to head towards Disentis and thus not need a portion shunt , and then the corresponding Zermatt - St Moritz tags on the rear of a push-pull set so they just drive the P-P set onto the arrival from Disentis and again negate the need for a shunt of the through coaches?