Theakerr

For the loco builders and RTR up-graders I have just received some Accurascale Srew Link Couplings. IMHOP I think these are the best I have ever seen. Along with some Instanter Couplings they appear to be metal construction and the latter may actually work. Perhaps over the weekend i will install a couple on my 'Coal Train' and report back. FYI, I have no connection with Accurascale.

Albatross - Will say no more

Is anyone aware of a wireless remote sensor transmitter to the Arduino? To explain, I am using an Arduino for a Station Stop DC based system I have built using hall effect sensors. I would like to activate the sensor some 40' from the Arduino. I could hardwire it but I cannot help thinking there should be a way that the sensor could send a wireless signal to the Arduino but so far i have not found it.

I believe Robin Williams defined it as Baseball on Valium

Haven't got round to watching the Ken Paterson video yet but over the years he has done some pretty neat stuff including a lot of things that are a bit 'off the wall'. IMOHP NA layouts tend to jammed full because they tend to be operations focused. Some do it very well some not so well. It should also be remembered that some pretty good stuff comes out of the US, Kadee Couplings, Woodlands Scenics and I think it fair to say DCC and again IMOHP often initially poo pooed because it is American. Right now i can think of at least two that seem to be studiously being ignored. Specifically the ready made point system that allows for one extra track in the same length for a storage siding, something I would have thought of great interest to UK modellers with their smaller spaces. Then there is the vacuum pipe/brake system that actually couples the pipes together. I would have expected this to have taken off in the UK where there is a great focus on detail, especially the EM and P4 People and the 'Scale' 00 People

A bit of a change in tone. There is a lot of talk about having a go at building rolling stock and the 'benefits' of soldering versus gluing for construction although this conversation has perhaps been a bit one sided. So when reading some old magazines I saw this advertisement from 1973 and saw the reference to 'kit bashing' and suggested construction techniques using 'one of the modern adhesives or solder ...' I thought I should post it.

Sorry, the dyslexia part of me forgot to mention that I was specifically referring to video cameras. The thought came about as a result of the discussion on the virtual show.

I have sometimes thought about getting a camera primarily for the Model Railway but end up being frustrated by the multitude of reviews each one saying they are the best thing since sliced bread. Would it be appropriate to discuss this on this thread rather than start a new thread? The reason I ask is that this thread appears to attract a lot of like minded individuals so any response could be focused and short.

I am also trying to get my head around Fusion 360. I can now draw 2D squares and rectangles and even get them one inside the other. Cant wait to start on 3D!!

This is interesting because recently I found a loco that could be had for Pounds 60 but the shipping costs were quoted at pounds 25 and then there was a customs clearance charge of pounds 15 or thereabouts. The customs clearance charge was particularly frustrating because in the last 10 years,customs have only got me once and at about Can$140, (60 Pounds) experience says they will not bother. As a result I went no further and having experienced this sort of 'mark up' on several items in the last 6 months or so I decided why bother to waste time looking.

Cost of shipping (to Canada) from some sources like e-bay and some retailers is becoming a very big issue reaching the point that I now no longer look at e-bay and I select my retailers very carefully hoping that they are not a sole source supplier. Apparently it is the same for people in the UK who want to buy from NA. FYI there is a thread on this

Re the split chassis B1, another option is to look for a well priced new Bachmann B1 and swap the chassis. They can (could?) be had relatively cheap and are a direct fit although depending on layout requirements may need extra weight.

I have used Redutex on several models and in general I think it is pretty good. However, and there is always an However, a) I found getting it was very difficult until I went direct to Spain and b) I found it very difficult to weather, especially with powders and if over weathered almost impossible to bring it back.

I try to use my fibre pencil as little as possible but there are certain jobs where nothing else really does as good a job. So when I do use it I wear disposable gloves, clean my bench top, make a point of working over this area, vacuum and do a final clean up with duct tape.

I live in Canada but I see the same thing in reverse and it also appears to apply to some direct sellers (Accurascale) who seem to use the same postage mechanism. I have found there are a couple of ways around the problem and one ultimate way, I don't buy from e-bay anymore unless I have no option. The options I use are 1) try to find a supplier using a 'friendly' postage system who sells the the part as an agent 2) try to use an e-bay supplier who has a real shop and then deal with the shop directly. In the end though I now use e-bay as a search for UK stuff but do not buy. For different reasons but the same end result I and others in Canada tend not to buy from the US at all. Global Economy Anyone?

Sure enough the box I new was there last fall is not there now. Presumed 'surplus' to requirements and dumped. Sod's Law strikes

Now that is a most interesting approach. I am now hoping I didn't throw out the kids crayons in one of my 'reduction' operations.

I think I can just remember the weekly Mother Shopping Train from Louth to Grimsby on a Friday I think. All the Mothers with their respective offspring together with their Prams would be on the platform. The train would come in, Prams would be loaded into the Guards Vans, babies, children and mothers into the non corridor coaches and off they went to the next stop eventually arriving in Grimsby. Then down to the Bull-Ring Market, other places of exotic merchandise (Chambers) and coffee at Guy and Smiths (Carrol's at Christmas, Hyms at Easter). The reverse process occuring in the afternoon. If you are still with me, these Mothers Shopping Trains would be headed by one of Louth'c C12 and I have been procrastinating for some time about building one for a trip down a very vague memory lane. So all the stuff on here about C12s pushed me into pricing one out. Did I ever get a surprise? Compared to the price of some of the newer stuff a kit and all the bits and pieces is actually very reasonable. It looks like I have found my winter project.

I am terribly afraid that the COVID thing will be the end for many clubs. Many were on the decline before, now I wonder how many members will come back once restrictions are lifted. I say once they are lifted, but I suspect it will be at least eighteen months to two years before some restrictions like social distancing will be eliminated. I base this statement on extrapolation of data from countries like Germany, Italy, France and China. With social distancing how will club layouts be constructed and how much fun will it be to have a beer a cuppa when you are 6' apart? Then there are the shows. If the clubs fold how many will survive, especially after a gap of 18months or longer? Although from a personal perspective I have believed for some time that there were too many shows resulting in a decline of quality, so the shows that do survive might be much better and might actually have a beneficial result for the hobby. How might you say do I reach that possible conclusion? When there were only a few shows each year I can remember going to one of these shows and coming back with a renewed sense of enthusiasm because they were a special event to be looked forward to and the shows were good. With the multitude of shows that were I don't think I felt that sense of renewal.

This may just be me, but when I was building Bronzino , I found that if I was generous with the low melt solder the result was much better than when I tried to limit it as I would when soldering electrical bits.

Does look interesting. Thks

Never even thought of that but it is one to add to the mental library and hope I can retrieve it if the time comes. It is doubly interesting though because there is another thread going about 4 Bachmann Locos that have essentially stopped running and one of my suggestions, based on experience and the forum, was to eliminate the decoder plug board by wireing the pickups directly to the motor because some boards have gone FUBAR and I had read also that some people had cut the capacitor.

Ha anyone used this? I have purchased a couple of so called 00 gauge Ivy and a) when it arrived here in the GWN it was the wrong colour (way to light and very matt) and b) was about 1' scale diameter. Years ago I remember an article where dried dyed tea leaves were used. Has anyone tried this method?

Moderator, You might want to take this down. I did a search of the forum and found nothing. I did a Google search and found a thread called IVY that appears to be just what I was looking for.

What do you use to model ivy in 00 or HO? I have purchased a couple of bags of 'Ivy' and I am not happy with either. Both have 1' diameter leaves and the colour is wrong. I seem to remember many years ago an article in a Magazine where dried and dyed tea leaves were used. Ground foam even though I can get it just doesn't have the correct 'flat' appearance.