Nova Scotian

I thought everyone's work was like this? "We've got money to do this thing, but it needs to be spent by Friday. I need to approve it by 4pm Friday, so I need it 4pm on Thursday. Your manager should see it 4pm Wednesday, and see your first draft 4pm on Tuesday. It is now 2pm on Tuesday. Let me reiterate how critical this project is..." I had assumed "coal" was part of it - for me part of the preserved railway experience is the smell. Moving to any fuel that's not coal would remove a significant part of the experience. There's still the look, the power, plus the smell of the oil on the moving parts, I guess. Can the preserved/heritage and steam railtours "industry" sustain the number of new builds under development? I guess with some regulars like Union of SA dropping out of use there's room for them?

As you can probably tell, I'm not an engineer I was also a little flippant... Breaking down some of the limitations of later steam, and what could be done to alleviate, mitigate or avoid. - Hammerblow. I'm sure modern design, engineering and metallurgy (and maybe even a hydraulic or electric control solution) could create a functioning valvegear similar to Bulleid's pacifics. Combine this with new metallurgy for lightweighting of parts, and you can probably significantly reduce hammerblow. The valve gear, if electronically controlled, wouldn't need a hard link to the cab, could have infinitely variable steps + cut-offs etc. - Disc brakes. Total redesign could see inboard disc brakes to meet braking performance requirements for high-speed running - Computational fluid dynamics etc on steam passages, exhausts, etc; optimize thermal efficiency and minimize power losses - Four cylinder, two in, two out, for power and loading gauge - again modern metallurgy and design may allow you to minimize various issues from inclined cylinders, "big ends" etc - Simulation/modelling of the dynamic envelope, as they have done on the P2 build, could allow you look at suspension design etc - I have no idea re. pony truck issue - assuming it's about weight transfer into a bend that creates a force through an equalising beam on the drivers? With some imagination, and without going the full bogie route, surely there's a way to either increase the transferred force from a pony truck, or allow the drivers slightly greater movement? (eg. EMD HTCR / Adam's Radial, within a fine tolerance, on the drivers) Anyway, this is tangential to the OP - sorry. The P2 is my favourite currently underway. It just *looks* right, conveys power, and I will pay good money to be hauled by it once it's in service. And when I say good money, that includes a transatlantic flight... Special release of the P2, or re-release, in OO would generate a sale from me. I'm also going to suggest something... everyone would find awful...because when I grew up I LOVED the Wrenns that were beyond financial reach. I'd love to see a P2 in express blue. If I win the lottery (because not an engineer, as already made clear), a 7 1/2" gauge live steam of the P2 is in my future.

I'd like to see a 2-8-2 new build utilizing best practice across the board. Something "new" new. Designed to run at 125mph, but never any more, haul 18 enthusiast coaches up the shap etc. Designing from scratch you could get pretty imaginative on incorporating the new tech required for the railway, along with really pushing power/weight/efficiency.

Resurrecting an old thread - but very frustrated by the PECO website. Selection of a new view format, sorting rule, or number of items per page resets all the filters. Various other filters get reset constantly, seemingly randomly. No way of sorting to see all OO landscapes, buildings, rolling stock, etc. I get why they do it by brand, but it'd be helpful to also sort by category. While there are thousands upon thousands of items, maybe they could start with one range at a time, and those more expensive items? (those more likely to be searched online?). It should be good; it looks like they put a lot of work into this; and then haven't worked up on functionality since launch. E-commerce is hard, really hard. Time consuming and expensive. I get it, but even some minor updates could make this a little easier to get around.

Has anyone tried modifying code 83 for UK outline? Is it best of both worlds (especially for modern outline), or is it terribly American?

I think there's also different types of modellers - and they are sometimes not compatible with the others. I like a diversity of rolling stock - locomotives, liveries, coaches, wagons - a typical UK mainline with an attached branchline is what gets me buzzing. So like many others, BR steam/diesel transition scratches much of the itching there! A BNSF SD70 hauling 100 identical wagons one a single track, then another one, and another... doesn't do it for me. But for others it's the scenery. Or the operational interest. Or modelling somewhere they know. Etc etc. For US outline I'd be interested in 40s, 50s, 60s, probably somewhere around New England where you could throw in a couple of competing lines - some commuter etc. That doesn't fit most peoples' space constraints and budgets though!

"Help" e-mail address doesn't line up with the company's domain name. Lacking many of the required statements for a UK site; cookies, privacy, etc etc. The about us, and various other bits are generic, and english as a second language (but much better than most - it's less obvious). I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

Been here a decade and I find train spotting here mostly dull - but I am at the end of the line. Everything's a hood unit. The class 1 railroad are all Canadian comfort cab. Mostly EMD 70/75s, and GE44s - I can't tell the various types apart. Short-lines are GP38s - and not enough of them. Now, 40s-60s seemed fascinating. Fairbanks Morse, Baldwin, ALCO, MLW and others. Hood and Cab units. FM Erie built were genuinely good looking. I find it such a shame how many lines have been lost - ones that were distinctive, progressive, had fascinating industrial design etc.

Went across one today - "Class 1 railroad" - the steel is 136lb rail and was rolled in 1972.

Hymeks - bet they'd have been dragging welsh coal around until it stopped being mined if BR hadn't prematurely cut their service. Then, someone in the 00s would have re-engined like the 73s, space for ETH and everything else - and they'd be glorious on the west highland way.

It's not dead, it's just resting!

I did this more often when I was an hour from the border - although I can never quite get over calling it "Calis" when it's spelled Calais... Even within Canada the postage is $17 on most items - I'm modelling on a budget (divorced, two kids, live in two provinces) so $10 for a coach is great, $27 not so. Until recently the merest of lip service seems to have been given to Canadian modellers too - Lima were probably the worst offender of just throwing Via Rail (or other) liveries on their US products to satisfy Canadian buyers (even when those locomotives never made it up here!). Older Bachman here were awful quality, I wasn't expecting such weedy motors after my UK experience being so positive. With Rapido in particular the high-end is being well taken care of. The second place I live has a club - they do an open day most weekends so people can watch their running sessions. I take my kids occasionally - https://www.facebook.com/sjsmrr/

I've picked up some North American outline in the last decade, but very little. Most is based in the US - so ebay shipping costs are $30+. Local Canadians on kijiji have no idea what their tat is worth. So generally I pick up UK outline, mostly for the kids, dirt cheap when I'm over every year. An example - I'd love to pick up a 70's Rivarossi E8 (yes, I know they're not seen as the best). I have a powered and a dummy, I want to run two powered (switch the wires so they run properly), so need either a powered in the same livery, or dummy and I swap the body shells. I've fettled mine, lots of weight, well lubed etc and with two like that I'd be more than able to run what I want. I find the version I have is very smooth and nothing like the reputation they got here. I got the original powered one for $20, the dummy for $15 - and $16 packaging as within Canada. Now I can't find anything less than $70 including shipping. For a model that no-one wants. Now, win the lottery and I'm going to personally keep Rapido in business...

Starting bed seems reasonable; if someone wanted to do their own custom repaint this would be a good starting point. WOAAAAAAHH. I did not see the foil glued to the bottom when I formed my initial opinion. What the actual duckery?

How disappointing. Then again, at least if they're not running they're not being held up by livestock on the Acle Straight...

How are they settling in now? My parents are going up in a couple of weeks to Norwich (and will probably do their usual Bittern and Wherry line excursions). Is the reliability improved at all? The thread has quietened down, so maybe? So there were problems with the pan (software?), traction and track circuits, and other software (door opening?). Someone else mentioned the diesel units running out of fuel? What's been causing the most recent failures?

With pending air legislation you've got about a year left of being able to use coal for residential use.

This is great - I'd not been thinking about the outside tracks. In your example rather than looping back in bottom right, I could have it extend into a sharp cliff/quarry area as the girls asked, and on the bottom left have it run again into the scenic area for the quay. MOD runway type structure (massively shortened) middle right, middle left can be the livestock area they want. Through station at the top, with the inner track there suitable for DMU etc. And as you state the loop up above used for storage. Thank you for this

Do you collect IKEA Lack coffee tables from the East Coast of Canada? Or pay for shipping? My partner and I moved into a house, but I spend my time with my kids in another city in a smallish flat - the house purchase means I could move some furniture out of the flat and create room. Thanks to both authors of previous comments re. feedback on dual track. This looks like a must - it's just a shame that it removes some room for getting some sidings or quarry workings in etc. I love the idea of an MOD space - so far they've each built a kittyhawk, one is building a Provost trainer (while the other builds a Beetle....). When I say "built" they do build it, but being 6 it takes a lot of oversight from me. I'm so tempted to add two baseboards to go to 8x6, but then I'd have no operating well etc, so any derailments would involve unplugging a board or two if it happens in the middle. I am not sure I'd have the vertical storage space either. I have two CJ Freezer books that have some helpful ideas - but given the "unrealistic nature" of what I'm going to be building I wonder if I can either pack more in.

UPDATE Some judicious moving around of the furniture, including sending a bookcase elsewhere, has opened up room for an 8x4 OO gauge layout. I've been reviewing various track guides, and am excited by the possibilities. I made the mistake of looking at 8x6 and realising what I could do with a double track roundy with more room, but that would mean two more baseboards and really push me on room... My baseboards are and will be 2x4 - I'll be lining up four of them. They're a decent thickness marine ply, on 2x1 lumber. I needed to go a little light on the lumber to move stuff around, but they're strong enough not to flex. I'll be building modular. My kids are 6 now and they mostly want to build scenery pieces (we've done a few simple plastic kits) and run trains. I currently have one controller - so am in a bit of a dilemma as to the ideal track plan. I'm aiming for a through station, and then an area probably like a quarry with the ability to shunt. By the station I'd have one or two through tracks, at least one local line (maybe for loading goods like livestock). It doesn't need to be realistic, it needs to have operational interest for young kids. They'd like some gradients, so I'll need to work that in. I'm happy with 4% as nothing heavy or long will be on this layout. Most trains will be 0-4-0, some bogie diesels, and some older Hornby (from when I was a kid) that's happy with R2. They'd like a lake or a quay. The quarry. Definitely a "roundy" - my question is whether I should try and go for dual tracks so they can both go around at the same time (I'd buy another controller). As it's split into 4 baseboards I'd have to be relatively careful with placement of points, changes in gradient etc. They want a little bit of a runway area to place the airfix kits we've been building (doesn't need to be long). Do I go for one roundy, with more room for sidings etc? A steep crossover, wind around line through some hills? Or do I do dual tracks? Thoughts? Suggestions? Layout would be accessible from three sides, and be stacked vertically when not in use. Anyone want to upsell me removing the coffee table so I can do an 8x6?

I hope my humour in my original post was conveyed. Your modelling is excellent and I was laughing because the van is in the original photo - despite the "criticisms" whenever someone models a vehicle on a bridge.

Sigh... modelling 101... don't you know that the bus/van is never just "on the bridge" when the train goes by

This (other than the HST clearly being yellow on the sides) could be a scene from my childhood. Fascinating photo with no recent traction, but all those older classes doing sterling work.

Unfortunately she's right in this scenario. I really love the latest O gauge releases though, and 165 of your finest British pounds for a BR Green 05 is spectacularly good value. Between this, the Jinty, 08 and Terrier, everyone should have a little shunting plank in O. To bring this back to bargains - cheapest I could find GWR HST wasn't any of the big box shifters, but a personal favourite (no connection), Bure Valley Railway http://www.burevalleymodels.com/p/12460/R3685---Class-43-HST-GWR-Green-Livery 218GBP - a few quid cheaper than anywhere else, in stock, and a lovely little business to support.

I sent this to my partner with the covering note "If you really loved me..." Didn't go over well. I don't model O gauge. We buy a house in eight days and need things to put in the house that are not trains.