njee20

About 30 years too early, but may be tempted by an n Gauge one depending on details.

Is that not just because you don’t model American though... bit short sighted. I thought it was pretty good, not the best, better than last year. Some pretty good layouts, nothing incredible. I saw a bit more intervention from the giant hand in the sky than one might expect, but I’m not that fussed, can’t imagine the exhibitors wanted that to happen, just one of those things. Traders were alright, didn’t buy anything, but the only thing I was really looking for was to try a particular DCC system, which no one had, which is fine.

And, as if by magic, I have exactly 15 RMC JGAs, and 66152. What rot.

I've said nothing to the contrary, but I still think it's naive to think a machine can't out perform a human in all of those tasks, whilst making fewer mistakes. People are generally the weak link. Of course it'll need sophisticated AI, I'm not saying we could just shoehorn an old Pentium 2 into the cab of an Electrostar and crack on. It's decades away, but I'd be surprised if it didn't happen. You can come up with as many obscure examples about dog owners on one leg chasing people off parapets, but again, cars have to deal with all of that, and far more, and they're doing a pretty good job of it so far. Not perfect, but I'm not sure trains will face many things that we won't have overcome whilst learning about cars. Still, that's a totally different discussion, I get it's emotive, but it'll happen.

Whilst I don't disagree with the sentiment, that's a bit like saying if the farmers stop producing milk the supermarkets will have stock for a while, if the supermarket shuts you can't get some instantly, ergo the supermarket is more important than the supplier?

Fair enough, South Western haven't got as adept at Southern at dealing with it, no difference in service Wednesday or yesterday for us! I'm not sure it says much when you can strike with zero impact.

Whilst current trains can't, of course there's a power to recognise something like a crane swinging things into the path of other trains. Indeed I'd go as far as saying that a network of self-driving trains would be far better at identifying a threat and responding to it - integration with a central network would mean that all trains would automatically be notified of the threat and diverted/stopped/slowed as appropriate, they could be run far closer together because you don't need to know about response times, or wait until the next signal block to update on the location of a train in front. Same with livestock, in the instant a train senses a cow next to the line then all other trains in the area can be notified of it, and can respond appropriately. Again, if we can deliver autonomous cars then we can do trains, whether there's an appetite is something else. There are far more obstacles to content with on the road compared to the railway, where (theoretically speaking) it's a hermetically sealed system. Yes, you get trespassers etc, but that's wholly different to having to interact with pedestrians, cyclists, other drivers etc. Clearly we're not there at the moment, but IMO it's naive to assume it can't/won't happen, and benefit payments for the unemployed drivers will be less than their salaries, that certainly won't be a barrier! But we digress...

So you're saying they're not getting a pay rise? There may be a slant (ie it's not an unconditional payrise, and that gets overlooked), but I'd suggest "not believing them" is akin to "bury your head in the sand". I'm a big defender of drivers, particularly among friends who always just do the "pfft, all they do is push a lever, they don't even have to steer" thing. But... you have to admit £62k, with 'standard' overtime (leaving them on a 44 hour, 5 day week) at £79k is a pretty handsome reward. Yes, they could end up in front of the CPS, I get all that, but there are a hell of a lot of jobs that pay less with similar threats, or worse, frankly.

The RMT? Well given, as Claude says, the minuscule impact their strikes now have they’ve rather lost their ‘bargaining’ ability (by which I mean their ability to hold the public to ransom), so now they’re just a bit like that annoying drunk guy in the corner of the pub shouting at no one in particular whilst everyone else just nods casually now and again.

Here here, driverless all the way, seems a far better implementation of the technology than cars frankly if you’re going to throw billions at it. Then all the drivers can stop worrying about ending up in front of the CPS. Sorted.

I thought it was interesting that any merchants charging a premium for PayPal or otherwise dissuading customers from using them can be downgraded from a merchant status to pauper level.

That's a smaller set too, only 12 piece. Of course you could just buy a complete Snap On tool kit - only $35,000!

That’s a fair price for those. Top end tools are expensive.

Right you are, apologies. Difficult balance I guess - I can see that a lunch break would be nice as an exhibitor, but I still wouldn't visit a show which had a mandated lunch break and had speeches and wine, it's just not what I want from a show (speaking purely as a visitor).

That sounds very different though. There’s nothing in there that I wish Warley did; I’m not going for cheese, wine and speeches, I’m going to look at layouts and buy stuff. By taking one of those things away then I’m less interested. YMMV. I’ve also never found UK exhibitions inherently unfriendly, and they’re commercial ventures, so buying tickets is fair enough. Glad it was a good event, but not sure there are many lessons there that I’m seeing.

Bit harsh. Never bothered about that myself, although I did once buy something clearly from a smoking household, which stank, and wasn’t overly pleasant. You know exactly what he means - it doesn’t smell of smoke, and isn’t covered in hair. Yes, ok, maybe the shop owner smoked 30 years ago, but that’s like saying a car was owned by a non-smoker and you taking issue because maybe the guy at the dealership smoked. It’s neither arrogant nor stupid.

I see some of the German retailers are doing the set with the ICE and the freight loco/wagons for c€550, I reckon you'd easily get €300 back for the bits. It's tempting...

Never said as much, just wondered if you thought there were more or something. Seems an odd turn of phrase. At risk of continuing the tangential discussion, the Wikipedia page here of sporting knights and dames is quite interesting. 4 for golf!? 9 for yachting?

Look forward to hearing it. I should pop down to Gaugemaster and give one a go, being left handed it's amazing how many hand held devices manage to get the ergonomics to be somehow 'biased'. Sorely tempted by one of the sets with track and a train, looks like you'd easily recoup the price difference by selling it on.

Awesome, so it sounds like if one were to procure a Cab Control (which I think is still technically US only at the moment) or a Smart Control you could later 'add' an ECoS. I'm not quite sure why I feel like I might want an ECoS down the line mind. Wonder if there are ever any deals to be had at Warley... Be interested to know how you find the Smart Control.

Yes, I think a good lineage definitely helps with profile and finding more than genetics! I imagine there are thousands of potential Lewis Hamiltons out there who just never got into motor racing for whatever reason, cost being the obvious one!

Do we know if the Smart Control will definitely not (or definitely will) work paired with an ECoS? Tempted by the Smart Control, but I know I’d like some of the features of the larger screen on the ECoS, and can see me buying one down the line. But it will definitely be that way around, as woukd use the Smart Control for 95% of my operating. There are some YouTube videos appearing to show both alongside each other, I know the Mobile Control II is a slave to the ECoS, but I don’t have the requisite funds to purchase both an ECoS and a Mobile Control 2 at the same time!

Fair enough, had my timelines out, was thinking Hoy’s was after his last medal, and Wiggins’s was after his hour record. I stand corrected. Still not sure 3 constitutes a “tedious list”!

Right... so how much are they!?

Firmly in the ‘they’re toy trains, of course they’re not “needed” camp’. Not worth trying to justify it IMO, if you want something, and it’s not going to result in the electricity bill going unpaid or food being unaffordable then crack on!