Crosland

As well as Phil's three/four technology based groups you should also consider the operational differences that mean different systems can tell you; - who is at a particular point (RFID, LISSY) - who is on a particular section (railcom, transponding?) - someone is at a particular point (magnetic, optical) - someone is in a section (block detectors) RFID is a little different as it can detect across multiple tracks at the same time giving a "who" is nearby. This can be a advantage or disadvantage. Software can (potentially at least) track the trains using simple "someone" single point detectors around the layout once the layout is calibrated so you only need to detect "who" at particular pinch points (or enter the information manually), so long as the hand of god does not intervene. Andrew

With all the superb pictures from the AGM I am feeling unworthy:) Here are a few pics of my best effort so far, Nigel Hunts 2-4-2T. Just waiting for the castings to be available from N Brass. The bits sticking out at the from will form the clams for the smokebox door. I may have departed slightly from the recommended order of construction I am very pleased with this kit and the chassis runs really well. I think this is down to the simpler 4-coupled mechanism (compared to my other efforts) and the radial trucks being lightly sprung, giving good pickup. Andrew

JMRI is open source software that runs on mainstream desktop OSs. It is not an "app". The apps such as Engine driver and WiThrottle are provided by third parties and do not use any manufacturer specific protocol to communicate to the core JMRI code. As with most open source software, features get added by someone who wants them. Clearly no one is currently interested in interfacing to the Z21 Andrew

If you go "there" you stand a good chance of getting the ear of the developers if the question is more than something basic. Here you will be relying mainly on users, who may not understand the subtleties. There's no reason you shouldn't set up a forum on RMWeb but I doubt it will ever offer the same level of expertise as jmri-users on Yahoo. Yahoo v Forum debates can get quite heated Andrew

Am I correct in thinking that the chassis assembly jigs have a fixed width central spacer, so uing thicker than intended frame material will increase the external width over the frames? Are they supplied as a set of two as shown in the shop photo, or does "each" really mean each? Andrew

On the subject of small drills can anyone explain the price difference for 0.3mm HSS bits between Chronos at 72p and Eileen's at £5.60? Is there really a vast difference in quality? Andrew

Thanks fro the thoughts. I do have a small chuck with a hex shaft that fits a drill driver but it will not go down to 0.3mm drills. I will investigate the others. I'll also try the sleeving method. Andrew

Problems with pin vices. I have a (cheap) Eclipse branded set from a local tool shop that are, frankly, rubbish. An Expo one with four collets, also poor and a set of 4 "English Pattern" from Eileen's that are marginally better. None of them are really very good at gripping drill bits. It seems to me the problem is the way the "chuck" is formed by cutting two perpendicular slots in the end. When you tighten the collar it only squeezes then very tips together. In a 3-jaw drill chuck the faces of the jaws remain parallel and grip along the length of the bit. So, is there such a thing as a pin chuck with something more like a miniature drill chuck? Would Eileen's TLSMC01 Mini chuck be any better? It's difficult to tell from the picture. [Edit] Should I be looking for a pin chuck rather than a pin vice? This looks like it may be better http://uk.farnell.com/eclipse/160/pin-chuck/dp/442926 Andrew

Warranty is irrelevant if there really is a known manufacturing fault. Bromsgrove not existing is a problem Andrew

If you bought them in the UK then the UK supplier is liable if you can show they are faulty (that comment from NCE looks pretty damning to me, too). Andrew

Thanks for the comments. I think I have realised one of my problems with my early attempts. The wire I used for the simpson springs was way too stiff and gave no benefit. For some reason i had it in my head to use 0.3mm phosphor bronze. Either a re-work or another association chassis kit is next on the to-do list Andrew

Any tips for straightening N-gauge coupling springs for use in Simpson springing? I tried one farish one that kept snapping, using a technique I was taught for straightening connecting wire which is to stretch it slightly. A Dapol one seemed more robust. I still ended up with a very loose spiral that I couldn't completely straighten out, but managed to complete the job at hand. Would the 41SWG phosphor bronze wire from Eileen's be a better solution? Andrew

Why? Snipe bidding only works if you bid more than anyone else has bid. Obviously no one did. Had they done so it would not have made a jot of difference if you had made a last minute snipe bid at the same level As an further example, my last 5 bids, all made at the start of the auction, were all successful. There were a few bids at the very end but none higher than I was prepared to pay (i.e. my week old max. bid) and I won all 5 for less than my max bids (50% less for two of them). Andrew

I have been building Nigel Higg's Hunt's 2-4-2T kit and found that to produce a much better chassis (in my hands) than the association Jinty replacement chassis that was my last project. A good deal of this may be down to my gaining experience on the Jinty chassis but I think the number of spacers also contributes to the overall stiffness. Some of the spacers in some of the association chassis are vertical and offer no longitudinal stiffness. I have also decided that I prefer the separate motor mount to the fold up gear box. I struggled to mount the motor and get a satisfactory mesh with the Jinty chassis, which also makes no provision for restraining the motor. With the separate fold up motor mount (designed for the association flat can and its fixing screws) it's easy to adjust the motor position with shims between the mount and the spacer to which it fits. I understand the association kits are designed to be easy to assemble but the chassis workshop was based on the Raithby 4F kit which someone commented is "not recommended for beginners". Again i found that chassis (my first 2mm) to be reasonably straightforward. I do intend to have another go at an association chassis, to see how much of the variation in my results is down to growing experience, and how much is down to the design of the kit. Andrew

The Bachmann EZ Command will do it. Many of these simple systems cannot read back anyway, they just program blind. Any system should be capable of programming any address within it's own limitations, regardless of what the decoder is currently set to. Otherwise it is not fit for purpose. Andrew

Interesting about the run around loop. It was definitely a GWR flavour layout, or so I believe. I have been thinking that adding a loop would be an excellent excuse to try building some points

There are no more dead sections. The power was routed by the frog switches to a lot more track than I thought, but all the dead sections are sorted now. Confession time. The permanent short was the classic error, that I really should have spotted, of there being no isolating gap between back-to-back points. Or, at least there was, but I didn't spot that it had been linked across. Some clever DC power routing I suspect. The short happened when I added extra feeds for DCC. The point operation is an interesting mix of wire-in-tube and OO rail held in bent nails , sometimes both: You can just see the OO rail going top to bottom on the underside of the baseboard. It connects to the wire-in-tube a few inches away, which then returns to the switch. I am now left with four gaping holes in the scenery but at least there's plenty of access to attach servos to the tie bars. All of the switches are make-before-break and cause the command station to shut down. I'm using an EZ-Command for testing. Eventually it will, of course, be a SPROG but I can't be bothered to turn the laptop on every time I want to test something I don't want to disturb the points too much but two switch rails have come adrift from their tie bars, which explains the large gaps commented on in an earlier entry. It's an object lesson in what can go wrong with soldered joins between switch rail and tiebar. The throw of the existing switches is too great, contributing to the larger than finescale gaps. I suspect the alignment was not quite correct, putting pressure on the soldered join when the switch rail was pushed against the stock rail. Thanks for all the comments! Andrew

Confession time, the Jinty body was just sitting on the chassis, no screws I do also have a similar pickup problem with the tender for a 4F that rocks. That has two screws holding the body so I'll try adjusting the tension in those. Andrew

Not quite as much progress to report as I had hoped. The missing track has been replaced by easitrac. The layout has been (re)wired for DCC, i.e., all track sections live. I had to fix a few loose sections and the point frog adjoining the Easitrac had to be fixed back down, but nothing too serious. These little blighters, however, are becoming a right pain. They are the polarity switches for the frogs, buried in the baseboard and only accessible by removing bits of scenic finish One seems OK, two are make-before-break (what???!!!!???) and cause a short as the point is changed and one doesn't break at all, causing a constant short when set for one route. I had hoped to keep these switches, to avoid too much messing with the tiebars, and connect the existing operating links to servos, but it looks like replacement with microswitches is now on the cards. So, the choice of routes is very limited at the moment, but as the title suggests here's a short, not particularly good, clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8PsSFcWkK8&feature=youtu.be The loco is a Farish Jinty on a 2mm SA chassis. The chassis has been through the wars a little and I can't seem to get reliable pickup at the moment (even with simpson springs) so I may build a new one and put it down to experience. Andrew

Banning the practice may fall foul of the law, hence no option to report it. You do not have to sell to anyone, just because they want to buy, and a buyer cannot force you to sell to them, subject to other laws on discrimination, of course. Ebay do care, and do take action. I have first hand experience of reporting items that were promptly removed, one some time ago and one quite recently. In the first case I cannot think anyone else would have complained, so it was likely due to my complaint. In the latter case it may have been coincidence, but I am sure the item was taken down because of a complaint from someone. Andrew

I would not rely long term on the blade contact. Are they soldered construction? Andrew

It's gone Andrew

The volume control on my previous car (a rotary encoder, rather than a pot) was sometimes like that Andrew

LOL! Not your fault though. More to get to the edge of a decent bit of board which can sit on the new frame. Andrew

I promise I will soon run out of ghastly title puns The new frame is taking shape. The first picture is the end that had the "carbuncle" removed. I decided the cross piece at the other end needed to be inset a bit to give the best support. I don't want to lose the building so this end will not be trimmed. Hopefully I've got the pictures down to a more reasonable size. Andrew