Bill

I know this is repeating other posts but.... The HST 125 is really impressive. The TT120 seems to hit a sweet spot. I was travelling up the ECML when BR first brought them out and they made for a great ride when permitted. The model looks really good and captures the spirit of the 125s. The acceleration, speed and sound functions all work well. The Hornby chip is very responsive to the NCE power cab controller. It makes a bit of a high pitched scream when going full tilt, as per prototype. So far no problems - I managed to wreck a coupling. They are very delicate and not easy to repair (when you are 78 and clumsy). (Its advisable to see a tutorial on coupling and uncoupling in TT scale).. A good idea is to buy a spare pack of couplers along with the model. The train will go nicely the wrong way over the points, no issues with points. I am aiming to get the number 6 curves for it to run over as the number 4 curves still produce too much overhang. (Number 4 great for freight!). I do hope Hornby continue with this experiment and others manufacturers join in. Being solely reliant on Hornby is a bust - Perhaps Peco will see the opportunity and up their partnership with Kato to produce some interesting locos?

https://www.marklin-users.net/forum/posts/t49928-Use-AC-HO-Marklin-turnouts-with-DC-power-supply This might help with a turnout/points conversion from Marklin AC to DC running. I managed to convert a RH turnout successfully. The three way should be possible to work out. The main tricks are in (1) isolating the metal frog - Its a pressure fit and with some force it pops out - then grind it down so it no longer connects to the rails (2) removing the flat metal piece that connects the switch blades. (3) connecting up the rails to restore power to them The video gives one the confidence to perform the necessary surgery. Its in German and the guy works very fast so I needed to keep stopping it... . But one you get the principle its all good. I too have a ton of EZ track. The Trix track is easier to set up and break down. Sometimes one simply has to bite the bullet and write off the investment. Such is the pain of learning. Below is an image of the three way. The way its constructed suggests it is one large frog. It could be quite a headache ! It could be expensive to find out..

It seems that they do - I have been wasting my precious time - an interesting waste of time - It would be cleaner and simp0ler to use Trix! The good news is it looks as though the Trix and Marklin will click together

Thanks - I'll check it out... It depends if the dimensions of the track are the identical - Lengths of the straights and radii of the curves and so on.. I managed to adapt some Marklin points to DC...

The Impermanent Way is my current modus operandi in layout building. Every time trains run the track goes different places. As part of this I am experimenting with using Maerklin C track for DC running. A small operation with a pair if snips at each end of a piece of track and voila - AC becomes DC. ( I have yet to figure out what to do with points/turnouts... ) I was wondering if anyone else has any experience to share in this field of experimentation? C track is very versatile and to my eye has a pleasing profile. Maerklin also make a useful range of accessories for it..

I've finally admitted to myself that I'm getting old because.. Half my teeth are missing - I have some nice implants though.. My left hip is no longer my own, I had a new one for Christmas... (And my right hip is now starting to grumble a bit...) I no longer need to get my hair cut by a professional - I just run the electric clippers over my head once a month.. I enjoy cooking my own meals... Life is great!

Spanish transport secretary resigns after new trains too big for tunnels! Head of state rail company, Renfe, also quits as anger rises over fact trains built in £227.5m contract are too wide... Spain’s secretary of state for transport and the head of the state rail company have resigned amid continuing public and political anger after it emerged that dozens of new trains ordered for two northern Spanish regions were too big to fit through some tunnels.

I saw this in downtown Luxor in Egypt and it made me smile, a lot.... The Egyptian Railway still uses them - apparently..

I have a Lenovo laptop with a Ryzen processor. It upgraded flawlessly to Windows 11. Mind you I only purchased it 3 months ago, so it is still in its infancy. My ancient ACER will probably stay with Windows 10 it is already way too slow for my sanity. Although it seems that Windows 11 is a little livelier than 10 - it maybe a perception thing rather than real..

I do have three of these beasties from the first batch in Olive green all different. All boxed original and pristine not weathered . Downside - I live in Canada at the expensive end of the postal chain!

Computer announced today that Windows 11 was ready to be installed - Press, click and ten minutes later it was all done. No fuss. It works (Very, very unlike the Windows 10 debacle! I still have the wounds) Do I recommend this upgrade? At the end of the day does one really have a choice? (No answer required!)

Now there is a fundamental axiom that needs challenging in this thread. Its the elephant in the room that few if no one seems to have noticed. An its so obvious I would have thought someone would have brought it up before. Its like this.. Marmalade I get. It's one of the four essential food groups. man cannot live without it. And there is only one country that has the knowledge of how to make it and that is good old Boris England. Then there is butter which is the second essential food group without which... dad de da dee dah. Then we hit a road block TOAST well it is just that TOAST.. Toast should be toast. Toast just does not cut it. Ruins the bread. Good honest bread. Mother's pride or whatever but its BREAD and its not meant to cooked twice. Its an insult to all the bakers. Its like saying you did not cook it enough. How would you feel if someone saw your trains and said "They are not cooked enough?" And proceeded to microwave them? Bread - Butter - Marmalade.. Now repeat after me....

Well what did it was the H.G. Wells classic 'The Time Machine' - the 1960 version with Rod Taylor. It was X rated and somehow I got in to see it at the local Playhouse In one scene the machine turns up in London when a Nuclear blast is about to Happen.. With the Cold war and all - that scene got to me and opened me up to the rest and it all went downhill from there.. A kind of existential horror that became locked into the over impressionable subconscious mind of a 14 year old. It kept playing itself out in my head and emotions for years. Shudders he does..

Hello Good Bye and I'm out of here in my Yellow submarine...

Ah! BSOD! 5 days ago I had a KMODE exception not handled (with no indication) what have you - The computer kept restarting before the problem could be fixed.. (The fix was to get rid of the Fast Start Up option).. Eventually the computer got sloppy and I got fast enough to fix the problem before the inevitable BSOD with KMODE.. could appear.. It still took a couple of fresh starts before the problem went away (Possibly a non compatible driver needing an update - but there was no indication of what it was.) It may also have an underlying hardware issue - it's an HP! - but for now it boots and stays that way,

If the real PayPal were as bad with their graphics as these villains, then they would have no customers to scam..

Hello The good news is that I have both MR-003 BR Early 68184 and MR-004 BR Late (Dept 57) up for grabs The bad news is that I live in Canada.. Happy to post if you can afford the freight.. Best regards Bill

Now " Your Mother Was A Hamster" replacing the more usual "Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense" is a stroke of genius.. Bravo!

Hello - what would you like? Network Rail boxed Pair 97302/97304/ in original box with bits unattached Network Rail 97302 single with bits unattached DRS 37229 - Jonty Jarvis with bits unattatched Only ever test run Please let me know if you are interested.. (I do live in Canada so postage won't be that cheap..)

Actually is was not these superannuated warplanes that I had in mind to sink HMS aircraft carrier Something more like a stealthy Chinese submarine or two...

Today the NATO exercises must be over the 'Enemy' appear to be migrating back to base... That sitting duck of a UK aircraft carrier arrived in Halifax a week or two ago to join in.. It's very impressive, but like HMS Hood, does look eminently sinkable..

There is a private air force in Canada that is hired by the RCAF to act as the enemy for training purposes.. Here is one their fleet of 16 old Dassault-Breguet-Dornier Alpha Jets..

The new Canadian Air-Force..?

They are not abundant as they used to be - A Monarch Butterfly on its way to Mexico