Dogmatix

On their website, Heljan list three 33/1s in blue: D6511 (no headlight, no orange cantrail); 33 119 (no headlight, orange cantrail); 33 102 (headlight, orange cantrail). They do not do a 33 1xx without headlight and orange cantrail. So I wonder which is easier: change numbers on a D6511, or paint over the cantrail on a 33 119. Or just wait until someone else makes a better version...

Talking of liveries, can anyone tell me when the silly orange cantrail first appeared, and when it became compulsory for all diesel locomotives, even preserved ones in liveries which never had one? For example, a good stable-mate for a blue 71 or 74 would be a 33/1, as offered by Heljan - but their TOPS-numbered version is only available with that %&%##@&% orange cantrail.

Blasphemy!!!

I'd be interested in a 'fantasy' 74 in green (SYP, but none of this orange cantrail business) - maybe as a 'preserved' 74 retro-painted into a livery it never carried - there are precedents.

Now that the 71 is being shipped..... how's the 74 coming along?

How are the NEM pockets mounted/arranged on this model: 1) moulded as part of the bogie frame (worst-case scenario) 2) simple pivot on bogie frame 3) close-coupling mechanism ? (or maybe using an NEM dove-tail shaft instead of pockets?).

OK, I've got a WLANMaus now. Setting it up was pretty easy - I never made changes to the supplied TP-Link router, preferring to keep my Roco WLAN separate from my house WLAN. The WLANMaus works pretty much as expected; if you have used the MultiMaus, you know how to use the WLANMaus. The display has a blue backlight, which works well. The batteries are accessible via a battery cover with one screw; you could not bother with the screw, and the catch holds the cover in alone. I can see the sense in using AAA cells rather than a dedicated in-device rechargeable battery - if the batteries run out in mid-session, they are quickly replaced with new or freshly-recharged ones. One puzzlement: in the supplied booklet, on the page that explains the display symbols, for the point (sorry: turnout) symbol, "Menu level: Route menu" (German page: "Menüebene: Fahrwege-Menü") is mentioned - but there is no further mention of this anywhere. Does this hint at some sort of route-setting feature? Any ideas?

Hmmm... Lippe are still showing for pre-order only (I don't have an account, though I have ordered there before). The Roco website seems to have an automatic delivery date postponement routine; it advances one week, every week; now showing week 13.

The delivery date for the Roco Wlan-Maus has slipped yet again; now showing week 8 (week commencing 20th February).

Back to the forthcoming model: will it have close coupling at the outer ends, as well as between coaches? After all, it is meant to be coupled to a locomotive and/or other EMUs, and there are no motors in the way, so no excuse, really.

According to the Roco website, the Roco WLAN Maus (10813) is now due week 6 of 2017 (week commencing 6 February) So much for Christmas....

Kernow, Hattons and Gaugemaster have shipped to me here in Germany; I imagine most dealers do.

According to the Roco website, the Roco WLAN Maus (10813) is now due week 51 (week ending Christmas Day).

Week 49, i.e. week starting 5/12. Should. In theory.

I asked Roco about the batteries in the WLAN-Maus, and whether they could be recharged in situ, and got this reply: Zur neuen WLAN-Maus 10813 wurde uns für den Aspekt der Energieversorgung von Seiten der Entwicklungsabteilung folgende Auskunft gegeben: - Es sind Batterien wie auch Akkus verwendbar - Es gibt keine Ladestation, in der die WLAN-Maus in Ruheposition aufgeladen werden könnte. Insofern würde es sich empfehlen, zwei Sätze Akkus zur Verfügung zu haben. Auch ein zunächst diskutierter Auflade-Anschluß über eine X-Bus-Buchse wurde aus Kosten- und vorschriftsrecht- lichen Gründen wieder verworfen. - Die Akkulaufzeit beträgt nach allen bisherigen Versuchen zwischen 6 und 11 Stunden, abhängig von - der Güte der Akkus - der Helligkeit der Hintergrundbeleuchtung - und der Dichte des Datenverkehrs für Bedien- und Rückmeldeänderungen The nub of the gist is yes, you can use rechargeables, but no, you cannot connect a charger, you have to take out the batteries to recharge them, so they recommend having two sets. One charge should last 6-11 hours, depending on the battery quality, the backlight brightness setting, and the density of data traffic for control and feedback change signals.

Yes, I have. Why?

The Roco WLAN controller (item 10813) is now showing available from week 49 (week starting 5/12). A full-page advertisement has appeared on the back page of the November Eisenbahn Kurier; this also says that the controller will be available from December. It also mentions a few features (including the power source: 3xAAA batteries, dry or rechargeable - but doesn't says if recharging can be in situ).

The Golden Arrow one does look particularly good. Actually, all the green ones look good. Such a pity that no 74 survived long enough to be preserved and painted (unauthentically) green so that it could be modelled by DJM.... Also, a Night Ferry version would be great, along with some CIWL sleepers and a fourgon....

According to the Roco website, the Roco WLAN controller has slipped to week 45 (week starting 7th November).

Here in Germany, Piko is pronounced "pEE-kaw". I write 'aw' for the 'o' because that's the closest you can get in English to a pure 'o' vowel sound; no hint of the English 'oh' glide. Peco is hardly ever pronounce at all, as it is not that well known here, but when it is pronounced, the 'e' is lower than in Piko. I usually specify "Britisches Peco" just to be sure. I am surprised to hear that in Britain, Piko is prounounced 'pie-kow' - it sounds just awful. But I shouldn't be surprised, after all, I have heard Brits pronouncing Ikea with an 'ie' sound instead of the continental short high 'ee' before the 'k'. As for Bachmann - pronounced here as it is spelled, with a short 'uh'-sound for the a's, and a German 'ch' like Scottish 'loch' - I suppose the English pronounciation 'bakman' with the 'a' as in 'back' is the closest it's going to get. American pronounce it with the special long 'AAhhh' sound they reserve for German and French names, like 'AAhhhndre' and 'HAAhhhmbrrg'.

I hope the 4TC has close-coupling mechanics at the unit ends as well as between coaches....

Looking at those pictures, it seems to me that the headcode is set well behind the centre window (probably to allow for swapping and lighting)... is that so? In comparison, the version offered by the Other Brand has its headcode much closer to the window.

The Roco WLAN controller (upon which I also have my beady eyes set) is due out in week 37 (week beginning 12 September). The price in Germany is €99. At the moment I have an ESU Mobile Control base unit (original version) connected to the Roco bus port, and two wireless mobile controllers. I also have a wired Multimaus and some Lokmaus2's available for when my friend comes around with his kids. I hardly ever use my smartphone with my Z21. I did try it, and went through the business of photographing some engines etc, and arranging point icons, but I felt it was more bother than it was worth. At the moment, I don't even have the router connected. I have dabbled with a Piko Smartcontrol (the bigger ESU ECoS base being far too expensive and far too complex for my taste), but I have put it away again. It would be interesting if Piko or Roco or a third party would write a Z21 app for the ESU/Piko mobile controller, but both Piko and Roco say that their part of the software is open so someone can write an app if they like, but they're not about to do it themselves. So no-one is doing it.

And yet when it come to cooperation between the two companies to adapt the Z21 app to work with the Mobile Control II, both say it's up to the other to do something!

I have inquired again of Piko when we can expect an update to activate the LocoNet port; they replied that ESU are still working on it and an update should be available "between the third and fourth quarter."