robertc

Hi Chris, sounds like a good idea, must get around to doing mine too. If your friends would like a 30T as well then one has been done as an experiment. They might be persuaded to do a run if they got enough interest. The problem I see with ETS is they have taken a policy of using blacked steel wheels not nickel silver. This to me is a retrograde step, I had enough of that nonsense in HO years ago and replaced wheels with n/s ones . Given there are two humps and hollows on my access ramp that can not easily be solved, the long wheel base of the 4-6-4 tank engine becomes an issue, particularly when the bogies are now limited in upward travel due to the Kadee draft boxes above them. To assist with pickup I have livened up the rear bogie. cheers Bob

Now that is interesting, I did not know the clutch drive could be disconnected in the factory. I suspect for most of us that would be a good move. I have had a few contact me direct regarding the model since my letter in AMRA Journal. ETS need to be told that nickel silver wheels are what we want not that dodgy black coating that Ace specify. The grass even makes the HO look OK running around. cheers Bob

I have done a couple of videos of the layout especially for a friend who cannot get to see them running. A bit dodgy but getting better as I get to understand the camera in video mode. cheers Bob

Here is a short video of the Garratt and train. Special run put on for a mate.

Hi Vecchio, these trains use knuckle couplers, much higher capacity than hooks so not an issue. Five of these baby Alcos only adds up to one modern EMD or GE loco anyway :>) They are only 950 horses each. Four was more the norm due to siding capacity. cheers Bob

Here is the quintuple consist I originally aimed to run. Use to see such things on grain trains. The Hollywood Foundry mech just needed the band put back on one end after a spray clean of the pulleys and it was away. cheers Bob

Engine balancing ?? :>) cheers Bob

A friend came by who is interested in HO so I found my 60 class and hooked up a coal train for him. Looked quite impressive running around 6' radius curves. cheers Bob

Magically the little critter arrived back today to have its photo taken :>) Huge, isn't it ? :>) cheers Bob

I really should have taken a photo. A friend brought around his HO NSWGR paybus from Auscision fitted with a sound decoder. Given you could probably fit two in a cigarette packet I wondered how it would go on my outdoor track. Much to my surprise it trundled around without issue. The track has not been cleaned for months, if at all, just given a rub over with the graphite stick when I installed it. This is the little beasty. http://www.auscisionmodels.com.au/Pay-Bus.htm cheers Bob

42109 gets assistance from its older cousin 4206 as the load is just over the limit for the steep grades ahead. 4206 has had a recent trip to the paint shop. It has been a long time since the growl of the K&M mech has been heard round these parts (42109). cheers Bob

It was only when a mate expressed interest in seeing the suburban set running yesterday that I finally had to address the problem of the couplers. Many moons ago when I modelled in HO I started the conversion to body mount Kadees, but only did 4 of the 6. So last night I finally did the last 2.

As I have not completed my FEPV, let alone started the 4 car suburban set, today I cheated and ran the HO versions. They look very nice running in the long grass. and through a window of the garage cheers Bob

Hi Chris, all their boxes are labelled for 1:45 even when doing 7mm or 1:48 for special runs. The 38's look to be running very nicely, just need to take out a second mortgage to get another 8 carriages to run behind them :>) cheers Bob

Hi Chris, I would not say it has been built to 1:45. Is it the pony truck wheels that have put that in your mind? They are certainly 1:45 from existing stock. The drivers are a little small . They too are no doubt from the existing stock and are a little smaller but perhaps within range of worn tyres. The wheel base is actually slightly larger no doubt due to use of existing gears. Body is slightly larger and smaller in some dimensions than the Datasheet drawings for 7mm. I believe the HMRCAA ordered it as 7mm. I don't have one myself but I have been told it looks the same when sitting next to an OGH one, which was made to 7mm. cheers Bob

Hi Chris, I PM-ed you regards disassembly. The grass should last longer than previous efforts and is not copyright. :>) Should be useful indoors too. Once the re-ballasting starts the HO track may not be welcome any more. Didn't take the spiders long to find the overhead again. cheers Bob

Yippee! cheers Bob

This is how it is at the moment. Perfect weather for train watching, 27C and fine. cheers Bob

And for those of you who are in the cold right now I submit this. cheers Bob

I normally post on the 7mm+ section but for those who don't frequent that area, here are a few shots of my outdoor NSWGR layout over the years. cheers Bob

Nice work ,once again Ross. I wouldn't stress about the gauge difference. No need to follow the folly imposed on us with the real thing :>) cheers Bob

Well, (no name supplied) that is very nice work. If it runs as good as it looks you will have a real treat. HOn42 a little too small for me these days. regards Bob Comerford NSW

The signals in the scrap box are a bit small, but they will do for now. Anything for a bit more vertical reference for the trains. cheers Bob

Have you got your C30 yet Chris? cheers Bob

Kadees at last for the 30 class!! A crew has been added and some toning down of the toy market shine had also started. cheers Bob