sjgardiner

Glad to hear both the holding of the price line and the date moving the balance out of 2020 for my budgeting purposes. The EP’s look great to me and I can’t wait to see the livery samples. I think I’d asked before, when they get closer to delivery is there going to be an option to buy DCC sound decoders for them, I assume recordings of 828 could easily be arranged as part of this project before she was out of ticket again. Stephen

You’re not helping They never ran in the country I’m modeling!! Stephen

I don’t need a Deltic... I don’t need a Deltic...I don’t need Deltic.... if I say it enough maybe I’ll keep myself from hitting the buy button. So far from what I can see it looks like it will be a gorgeous model when it hits production. Stephen

It's definitely a gorgeous model I have some better pictures to come, but my initial review is linked below, but I am super happy with how it looks. I have an offer to take it to a friends layout for some running and photography, which will be excellent. I'm working on some better photos and I'll post them here as well when I get them up. https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2019/06/24/rapido-royal-hudson-initial-review/ Cheers, Stephen

I'm strangely OK with that the later the better for my budget at the moment!! After all, its better to take the time and get it right rather than rush! Stephen

It's the worst fear I have as someone who exhibits, some ways worse than theft as that may be recoverable without items being damaged. Its definitely gotten the attention of modellers around the world and I know I'll be even more vigilant than I already thought I was about what I leave at a venue overnight. Sad that it comes to this, but also good to hear Trains4U's post that the club members are already working hard to figure out how to make good come from this. I made a small donation as much as a Pay it Forward type gesture to make sure those affected who lost their models know that the rest of us in the community worldwide care and are aware of their suffering. A far greater loss would be if people quit our fabulous hobby because of an event like this. Model Trains are a way to bring people young and old together, seeing such senseless vandalism just makes me sad. All my best to the members of the MDMRC and all exhibitors who were impacted by this weekends events. Cheers, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada

The Ikea diorama/mini layout idea isn't new. I've been doing it for years. I'm curious to see what the BRM folks come up with. I have gone so far as to build display frames to hold the bookcase shelves when I go to shows with the dioramas on display. I used Besta/Inreda shelves as that's what I had at time time, I have a Billy as well now, and eventually doing something on it is on my to do list. Some examples of my work: https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/building-display-frames/ https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2016/07/10/model-railroading-in-small-spaces-the-joys-of-the-unhappiest-place-on-earth/ https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/from-rpm-to-freelancing/ Cheers, Stephen

Not likely to, the points I have on my little narrow gauge shelf are Peco St-405/406 which I know are too tight for the wheelbase of the Manning Wardell. I may at some point down the road try to take it to one of the couple of people I know with N Scale layouts to see how it runs over other trackage, but in my setup I don’t have suitable points to be running it through. Stephen

Thanks, I don't think i'm going to bother trying to figure out where they go to install them now. Two bits of black acetal plastic aren't going to do anything to improve the appearance of the locomotive, especially if i get them on in the wrong place! I did put up a post with some more thoughts on my Taw yesterday: https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/lynton-barnstaple-railway-taw/ Long story short, IMO at least it was worth the wait and I'm glad to have it. Hopefully those who have had problems with Go Around #2 are able to get them resolved, I'm just glad that thus far it appears I don't have to mess about with return overseas shipping and the CBSA on taxes if it was returned. Stephen

Well, the early returns are in after about half an hour of running in in both directions, and I am very happy with my Taw. Nothing fell off or exploded or did anything else untoward. There is a couple of spots on my test loop where it sounds like something may be clacking, but its the exact same spot on the circuit each time which makes me suspect its more the track than the locomotive, as if it was motion rubbing it should happen at the same point in the rotation of the motion, not the circling of the locomotive. Some quicky videos from my phone while running it in. I'll be writing a blog post this evening with more thoughts and update with the link when its written. The only question I have, given how lousy the Heljan instruction sheet is, is where to parts 81/82 get installed, and what are they? Cheers, Stephen

Mine was finally collected from the post office, post office tried to deliver on Dec 23, but we were away and conceierge at our condo can’t take packages with tax owing at the border. Between holidays and work/evening events, was finally able to pick it up yesterday. Haven’t got it out of the box yet, but a first inspection and test run is hopefully in the cards for today. Stephen

Seemed like as good a place as any for this, but column in the Globe and Mail today by a Mr. Shron on owning a vintage bus as a mid life crisis! https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-sports-car-nope-i-bought-a-midlife-crisis-bus-instead/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links Stephen

All I have to say, is I hate the doom and gloom of the previous posters, but as I type this on 646 heading to my parents for Christmas, I can’t say you’re wrong as hitting crossings at like speed in an LRC club sent everyone’s wine spilling across Business Class. Not the best way to win over anyone doing this for the first time! None the less, I hold out hope that we can find our way to improve and maintain our service. Stephen

Oh, I hope I didn’t give the impression I think this other company is any more than vapourware, I am certainly not holding my breath, or expecting great things from them given what I believe/am lead to believe about who the proponents are and where the model is coming from. I also don’t need a D-10 for my layout or display case, so I’m not going to be too upset one way or the other. Stephen

I think you are likely seeing D-10 cad, the extended spacing between the 2nd and 3rd axles is a bit of a tell on that. Not overtly related to Rapidos video, but those of us here in Canada who pay too much attention to this kind of stuff are watching a mysterious company no one has ever heard of with a proponent who seems to be a pseudonym who claim to have a D-10 that will be in production and on shelves in 2019, it will be interesting to see if they succeed or if Rapidos D-10 formally gets announced with numbers and price and gets the sales. Even with nominally different subclasses, I’m not sure the market is big enough for two D-10’s! Stephen

I can’t tell from the pictures, and don’t remember if it’s been discusssed in the thread or not, are the lamps working leds or do they just have really good lenses that make it look like they are leds? Stephen

My pre ordered Taw is on its way across the Atlantic after all this waiting. I can’t wait to see it and break out my test loop. I really need to pull my Narrow Gauge project shelf out of the closet and actually finish it so it has somewhere to go along with by other 009 loco (Bachmann skarloey-Talyllyn conversion). Stephen

Important to note, Model Railway imports is not a physical store. They are an online business that does travel the physical tour of train shows around Ontario, but there is not a storefront you can turn up to. They are however great to deal with and I’ve been a customer for years. Stephen

Thanks Andy, very glad to hear that! Stephen

I was going to ask more or less the same question. I guess there is some work to do in the system to address previous deposits and confirmations of acceptances and such. I also note my £30 deposit was only £25 which I guess means they took my VAT off as an overseas buyer even on the deposit!! Price is still good as far as I’m concerned for what it is. What I’m curious to see is if a DCC/sound upgrade will be available as the loco is out there to record accurate sounds from. Can’t wait till 2020ish to have it, though it will look out of place on my 1950’s Toronto industrial layout I’m building when I run it!! Cheers, Stephen

Did these ever get announced for sale or did they fall by the wayside? I am very interested in an LMS Red version but i don't recall ever having seen any announcement of them being announced for order or going on sale. Cheers, Stephen

It did indeed arrive safe and sound yesterday. Haven’t had a chance to get it out of the box to test run, that’s on tonight’s agenda. I’ve clearly missed it somewhere, but why is there a second front bogie included? Once I get details and etched plates installed, I’ll post some pictures. Stephen

Yes, that is the going rate for a limited production run resin kit these days. Stephen

I’m just going to go out on a limb and say the email from UPS quantum looking for me to pay import taxes on a package shipped from the National Railway Museum means that my red framed Truro coming to Canada was shipped last week and has made it across the Atlantic at least. Stephen

All good news. I am both a fan of pushing this pre order out to ease my 2019 budget and for it to be gotten right! Looking forward to seeing eventual design work/test shots as project progresses! Stephen