mog

If you wave at the camera, you get named. New rule :-)

Nick's camera car did a run on Sunday morning.. (didn't get to every corner unfortunately)... Cab Ride video edited and up on Yootoob ... https://youtu.be/jPZ0vLuxzB8

Latest 'Diaries' video posted (day off work + much rain) :-) Been having a go at stripping and repainting HO engines lately and share my results. pardon the skew-wiff decalling, I have such an unsteady hand and poor eyes these days! https://youtu.be/mIJbi4Rhnd4

Okey doke - I get that. It's just that there is a page with all the info. Chris G will be able to furnish you with the suitable gubbins I'm sure. cheers

Do you do Facebook Paul? Can point you at plans and some guidance re the operating this year

Thanks guys.. sounds like there might need to be some 'try it and see' :-) I'll start simple and just go for lights.. something like this (http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/locomotive-decoders/function-only/tl1-decoder.aspx) though I haven't a clue what a transponder does!

I wonder if anyone can advise.. It's probably the heat and hayfever melting my brain this evening. I have a fairly basic Athearn GP40 that I picked up cheap and using as an experiment - I want to try stripping, painting and applying decals. I've stripped the engine out and tweaked the gears so it is a dummy unit. However, I was thinking about adding a decoder to at least have lights for when it is doubled up with a 'live' engine. I may even add sound, although it's likely to be coupled to a sound-equipped engine so that may be overkill.. Anyhoo - A. Simpler option: I'm guessing that I could take a fairly basic decoder, connect track power and lights and then consist it with the powered unit so that the lights are directional etc? Is it that simple? B. For sound, I suspect that things might get tricker, as there is no motor and it needs to be 'synched' to the sound engine that it's consisted with. Any advice on sound-only decoders ? Any advice appreciated, thanks

Always a good show, sorry the numbers were down Nick but it was very hot so perhaps not a surprise! My pictures were pretty poor but I've put together some clips into a video.. https://youtu.be/1l3aE75Hio0

ooh, kind of threw a lit firecracker in there didn't I? :-D I'm not sure how we could do a live feed thing - I imagine we'd need wifi really. Youtube mobile needs you to have 1000 subs or more, and I'm only half way there with mine.

And I can't believe we've still not met Jack, after all these years corresponding now via MTI and Carl's site and now here. Maybe we should set up a video link at TVNAM - a live webstream for all those too far away to join :-)

That's looking really good

Piedmont Blues is a good name Dan.. stick with it :-) As it happens, (I'd forgotten), but Brett was a make-do name that ended up sticking.. it's german for 'plank'.

Looks really good! Great to see so many scenicked modules too. Looking forward to Armitage :-)

Thanks Nick, really appreciate your comments.. re the sky colour.. I think (!) I went for the dulux mineral mist. Having a bit of a memory lapse, but it was either that or something else very close to it!

I have one of these Baldwin DS4s - Bowser with Loksound. I love it. So much so, that I hope to build a layout around it one day! (Been looking for a zebra stripe body for my Bachmann S4 too)

Hi Gene.. Switchlist works just fine for me.. I do find sometimes that it will want to keep dispatching the same cars, but playing with the loads and assignments to see if I can iron out that wrinkle. The groundthrows are okay so far too.. I know they don't look very prototypical but it was a compromise for me. They don't feel very strong, so I do wonder how long they'll last.. but maybe that's intentional give in the material chosen?

Thought maybe I should bump this.. I don't lurk in RMWeb much and clearly missing out on some great builds chaps. Just posted an 'ops' video on youtube.. https://youtu.be/T-zVgjJwJa4

You know I'm a fan of exactly this kind of layout .. will be watching with interest :-)

Certainly the way I'd do it.. a step towards the railway in the landscape/cityscape. I built up a healthy collection of American N scale, was mostly focussing on Vermont Railway re engines. For freight stock I tended to grab stuff that was vaguely 'North East ' ish.. don't know that was particularly prototypical. there's so much on tinternet though to give you an idea (even just Youtube and railpictures). For me I gave up on N and stuck with HO because of a fairly 'gut' feeling. I just preferred the weight and feel of HO. And at the time, sound was coming in and prohibitively expensive in N. Ultimately, there is no right way - do what you want and don't waste too much time trying to decide on stuff.. best way to learn if something works, or if it appeals, is to get stuck in and try it out!

No reason at all to not use HO in that space. Couple of things to think about - earlier stuff is generally shorter and don't try cramming track onto every inch of the layout! You'll see from LM's ideas that sometimes 'less is more'. I'd be tempted to decide what kind of layout you picture building and operating and then making a decision on scale rather than allowing the scale to dictate the plan?

cheers chaps. Yep - the temptation to keep filling up the space was there, but I tried to focus and KISS ;-)

Actually been making progress on the new layout. (Many thanks to Colin for supplying me with the flexi track I was short of as I had wildly under-ordered!) Rather than blogging, I'm sticking with the youtube business for now.. https://youtu.be/rTv0LCcnQvk

Great weekend, thanks to all the people who made it happen and kept it running smoothly too. Mostly spent the weekend on Yard work, although took out a train on Sunday afternoon and had lots of downtime too, just watching, chatting and taking pictures. Still not put that many names to faces really. Maybe I'll make bigger badges next year and we can write our names on them! (kidding)... A couple of videos posted .. Pics and run-bys etc... https://youtu.be/BzLdsZMJdZQ Cabrides... https://youtu.be/yyRVoCKNrvQ

I'd go with Long Island Jack if you're going to route them 'offscene' anyway.. Use a slide switch with a hole drilled through to take a wire to operate the point, and the contacts to switch the frog polarity if needed. OR.. nothing at all. Just fit dummy scale throws and use the 0-5-0 ? I was looking at some manual system a while ago that looked nice - the 'Bullfrog' - Handlaid tracks have them.. but I'm a skinflint and couldn't find a UK supplier. Finally.. came across this neat idea too .. http://www.nmra.org.au/Layout_Tours/Saxon/Switch_Throw.html

Brave? What are you saying? ;-p