Sir TophamHatt

Well, took the plunge and bought a bunch of Eckon signals. Now to spend £150 odd on control boards!

So it isn't a split chassis thing then? Maybe I'll use a cheap decoder and give it a go. Sure I have one in the decoder box. I sure do have a Zimo but usually take out suppression anyway.

Funny how it seems the majority of problems are with other programs, not windows itself.

The tiny coupling came with my Roco RailJet coach pack. I guess they may be [url=https://www.roco.cc/en/service/spareparts/index.html?p=y&ssp=64189]spare part[/url] available as a spare part? Not sure what the part number is though but I can check and report back. You're right though, no buffers on the coaches. Perhaps the cutting and gluing method will be the way forward. I guess even a Kadee won't be that short. The total length of the RailJet coupling is just 19mm - from tip to tip.

It's a Roco BR 80 - although an older incarnation (mine has no socket). The two wires go to the pickups but there seems to be no other wires. The chassis is metal. Or can I just add wires from the decoder to the motor? Thanks

Although those measurements seem to be not the total length of one? Going by the measurements there, even the ultra close will be too long . If you have any of the "close" and/or "ultra close" to measure the length of the whole thing, that would be great! It's only really an indulgence though. I just worry that clicking the couplers in and out all the time is going to damage them in the end. This is the coupling I want to replace (next to Kadee #18) - very short!

Ahh, my mistake. For some reason, I thought you'd use the spanner type 90° to what you actually do - the gap where the nut would go round the axle, like a hand gripping a handlebar. Dunno why I thought it would be any other way

Why do many look like little spanners. I would have thought an L shape tool would be the most popular shape as it can then sit between the wheels?

Evening all. Busy day today. Started learning more about new job (3 weeks in and still not done more than the induction - but thrn we are in strange times). Downloaded and played an old computer game - Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 (got it free through Steam!) - I could not play it at all. Controls all over the place, graphics awful, but nostalgia 5-stars! Have been mulling over this £500 budget for model railway things too. Can only think of a couple of locos I'd want. The 800 is nice but not worth the money. Watched some videos on the ECoS. I don't think I'd use enough of it to make that worth it. However! Why I didn't think about signalling I'll never know! So much of today was looking at infared control boards and Eckon signals - about £200 worth of kit to power 6-8 signals. Plus, I have another £100 ready for coach lighting (on back order). Suddenly my £500 is slipping away

I added a Zimo to mine. The wires went down the side (where the manual says the decoder should go) and the decoder wrapped in tape at the front, same as above. The wires here look really short. Didn't think to take any photos of mine. Broke some steps while taking the body off so don't want to do it again.

I've seen this written around a fair amount recently. Can someone explain what it is, why they need to be checked and how to resolve any problems All I (think I) know is its to do with the gap between each wheel (where the axle bar is). Cheerio.

Can anyone name some brands of colour light signals? I know there's Eckon and Berko but just working out what would be better for my needs. I did think about the Train Tech ones but they're quite a lot of money. I think I could do the same for less using some control boards and such. Plus, my layout basics are already built so [the Train Tech] signals would take a lot of work to fit plush with the baseboard.

So something like these: https://www.kitlady.co.uk/online-store/Alan-Gibson-4013-12mm-Disc-Wheel-With-Disc-Brakes-x-2-p104511738 Might get me some and see.

Hiya Can you tell me how long I'm total the couplings are when connected? Also, if anyone has any of the ultra close couplings, I'd also like to know the total length of those coupled together. I have some stock that already has very close couplings using a double sided NEM clip (think Bachmann Voyager) but not sure which I need.

I'll take a look into this! Cheers Mr!

Afternoon! Maybe it was a weekend music party as all quiet today! Still having to make a big decision though. I have about £500 spare cash. Do I invest in some stock? Although there isn't much I want or (like the 800) see the value in. Or do I buy the ESU ECoS. I have a Prodigy Advance 2, which could go for £200 - £250, leaving me with £100 to put to some new stock. Many a thing to ponder for the week me thinks. Unless I sell some shaving gear I have - then it'll be the ECoS for sure! Thumbs up for stock. Heart for ECoS.

I'm not sure where people have got the idea they're good for shunting from? I've never seen them promoted in that way. I think the hype comes from the fact they're perhaps better for fixed rakes as the connection is a lot more stable than kadees. They will never be good for shunting. But a 75mph DMU will never be good for express passenger. Both have uses. I've used them on some DMUs, which has helped them stay together better than Kadees.

Watched a video online where the person suggested replacing the wheelsets on their CMX cleaner meant they could push it around with no derailing. They mentioned the flanges on the original wheels are very shallow, which contributes to the derailing. Mine doesn't have too much of a problem although sometimes it will disconnect from the loco. I'm hoping perhaps hunt couplings may help there. But was wondering whether changing the wheels to something else may help. If so, what ones would be suitable?

Hmm. So this isn't great. Next door (rented) smokes weed most weekends. New baby + the good weather means we've been spending a lot more time outside = not great as it honks the whole area. Reported to the police and they went round to advise. I'm quite against drugs but if he wants to smoke on his way home from work or in the house, down the bottom of the garden, crack on! Yesterday, music on quite loud, nearly all day, which is very unlike them. Today, music from 10am until about 12, now it's started again from about 3pm (it's 4pm now). Yet the guy is outside (doors to the house closed) pressure washing the patio Petty pay back (not that the police would've said who reported it and a kids play park is at the end of our gardens). It pleases me to know that my speaker system can be much, much louder but we're gonna ride it out for the week.

Someone just recommended this to me. I'm in two minds. The reason I took the tyres off was to try and get rid of them not replace them with something else. But if I can't find a wheelset that would work, I think I may go back to tyres.

It's more because I don't want them at all if possible. One can make it round my layout fine without them. One was always slippy (perhaps because the traction tyre was more crudded smooth plastic than rubber!). One is a little ropey, but I think that's more the pickups. Thanks for the suggestions. I shall make some investigations.

Morning (actually afternoon!). What a weird day. Sunny one moment, rainy the next and chilly this morning meant a boost on the heating! In June! Our fly catching plant has caught a fly. Feel a bit sorry for it as it's buzzing away to a slow death. Watching Ghost Ship. Some don't rate it but I like it.

I have three locos - all are pretty old and had traction tyres. I have tried tweaking this and that and they're all still a bit ropey so I don't mind / want to send them off to someone who likes / doesn't mind restoring models. They really only need new wheel sets to allow them to run without the groove where the traction tyre was. I accept the older motors aren't as nice as modern ones. I also accept any recommendations here are not an endorsement! Thank you all.

And here's the next question: Can anyone expand on this? I tried [to make a shuttle] with some shop bought diode thing (I can't remember the name now, perhaps by Lenz?) but I couldn't get it to work very well. If the ECoS can perform a shuttle operation relatively simply, I think this will be the clincher to purchase, providing I can sell my PA2 system.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324182794846 £150. What the hell did someone do to that?!