Ironroad

22 hours ago, patrick said:

What Kadee do you recommend for the brake van John?

If I may offer an opinion, this is not a straightforward question to answer.  Some trial and error may be needed to achieve the outcome you desire as all circumstances are not the same. A key objective is to achieve the closest possible coupling, and Kadee offer 4 couplers to fit NEM sockets, #s 17, 18, 19, & 20, the shortest being 17 increasing in length up to 20. I have found that #17 is not suitable for use with rolling stock fitted with buffers as the buffer length prevents the couplings from coming together (assuming #17 is used on both items of rolling stock  but may work with a 17 on one and an 18 on the other).  The minimum radius of the track on your layout needs to be taken into consideration since coupling may be achieved satisfactorily on a straight section between two items of rolling stock fitted with say # 18s but they may not couple on a curve, and if the  radius is too extreme they will buffer lock and derail, note buffer length is a factor here and is not standard.   Mixing the coupling lengths used on your rolling stock may be an option to achieve a better median distance between wagons or coaches  but personally I prefer standardisation particularly for goods stock which is more likely to be shunted than coaches.  Hope this helps.  

Thank you John

On 2/1/2022 at 4:01 PM, seagoebox said:

I came across these while trawling through my files.... Limerick 9.6.1988

16 hours ago, Mayner said:

The two tank wagons appear to be different variants of the ESSO tank wagons.

The wagon on the left is a re-gauged ESSO UK Class A Tank wagon similar to the Heljan model https://fromemodelcentre.com/heljan-oo-gauge-4-wheel-a-tank-4089-in-esso-grey-with-esso-logo.html, the wagon on the right appears to have the shorter Class B barrel https://www.hattons.co.uk/203072/heljan_1102_4_wheel_b_tank_3328_in_esso_black_with_esso_petroleum_lettering/stockdetail but set up to handle Class A Traffic.

The end chevron s were replaced with self adhesive marker strip used on trucks and trailers at some stage during the 1990s most likely to improve visibility to road users on the Alexandra Road Tramway. The tank wagons were shunted on the Tramway using Port and Docks Board Tractors (Big purpose built 4w drive). The laden ESSO oil trains were made up ready for collection by an IE loco late just inside the Port Gates on Alexandra Road.

Does anyone know the Irish running numbers of the Esso UK class A tank wagons? The  Heljan model represents them as they were when imported,  I recollect seeing a picture elsewhere on the site of one being unloaded I believe at Nth Wall . The picture above indicates the tank supports were modified at some point does anyone know when this occurred?

2 hours ago, spudfan said:

Does anybody know the correct code that should be applied to books entering Ireland from the U.K. to allow them to pass as normal through the system?

From the Revenue website , see chapter 49 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2021:385:FULL&from=EN

4 hours ago, connollystn said:

Have to disagree with you.

Sir, you have been asked in numerous responses to your original posting to be specific, please do so.  There have been at least two posts that are quite explicit as to relatively minor errors and an improvement that could be made and if PM is reading this thread I'm, sure he'll take these observations on board. But overall these were excellent models that captured the essence of the prototype and were very very good value. for money. Traditionally those that sought absolute precision in every aspect of a model at a specific point in time, have been more that happy to customise as may be perceived as being needed, while the vast majority are happy to abide minor  things that are scarcely obvious unless under a microscope and most certainly not obvious when  passing us at scale speed on a layout. The acid test is "does it look the part?" and is it "dimensionally correct?" I for one think it meets that criteria and that seems to be the consensus. I like the observation that points to our tolerance of monstrous TLC couplings - I draw the line at that.

Wow, lesson learned I'll say no more other than to point out that, what prevails here is'-

“A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.”

10 minutes ago, Warbonnet said:

Forcing? Really? Come on, nobody is forcing you to buy anything. I think that's a poor choice of words, to be fair. 

Please have the good grace to take constructive comments on board. As I've said twice already the approach you have taken was at least for me a disincentive to buy more that I otherwise might have.

15 minutes ago, BosKonay said:

I guess that bears the question would you prefer a triple pack of coaches for €199.99 or single coaches at €89.99

That's missing the point I was making.  But YES I would prefer and would accept paying a premium for a pack that contained the specialty items, IE the driving trailer and restaurant car rather than being forced to buy them separately in packs that contain a total four additional coaches. Forcing customers to buy more than they can accommodate on a layout to create a prototypical train is a bit unreasonable. Secondly I didn't actually advocate selling the coaches separately but did suggest that selling in twos and threes would make more sense than simply selling them in lots of three.  Were that the case I would have ordered a total of fourteen coaches rather then the nine I have on order. 

As I said I understand the business logic of multiple packs. This can also make perfect sense for modellers putting together rakes of wagons. But I'm not so sure about three packs of coaches.  With regard to the MK2b coaches it would be a lot more flexible if two and three packs were on offer. This would open up the possibility of purchasing rakes of 2, 3, 4, 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, rather than the current 3, 6, 9, that is being offered. And in fact as packaged all three packs must be purchased to create a prototypical rake, when I believe as few as 7 was prototypical on the Enterprise. Personally I have three packs on order but would have opted to buy more had there been more flexibility, that is I would have ordered both  liveries rather than just one.       

Inclined to agree with the sentiment that selling in multiple packs can be a turnoff, but understand the the business reasons for it.   I'm not too happy with the combinations the MK 2b coaches are being sold.

8 hours ago, murphaph said:

I thought PM released his own 201 precisely because he wasn't entirely happy with the Lima one and set out to improve on the details. I like my ones very much and would buy more of they were released in the original livery, which is the only one I ever intend modelling. I'm not really sure how much they could be improved upon. The mechanism is good. Cab interior detailing can be done by the modeller. The lighting could be better with the ability to independently control the tail lights and so on but again, with a bit of know how this can be tackled by the modeller.

I'm not  rivet counter though, so perhaps there are some glaring anomalies with the model that I have never noticed.

Agreed, I'm not a rivet counter either and I would also like to understand what the alleged deficiencies are.

The original Lima 201 commissioned by Paddy Murphy was a landmark development as it was the very first real  RTR model model of an Irish locomotive. It was very acceptable at the time and after stocks at retail stores cleared out it sold for astronomical prices on EBAY until the release of the new version in 2011. However,  the decision to produce a revamped model surprised me as the the field was open to Paddy and he might have opted to fill other gaps that existed, EG an A class. We can only guess at his thinking. The attached article published in 2008 may give some insight. http://www.murphymodels.com/files/Murphy_Models_Interview_MR120_052-054.pdf. Note that Hornby had acquired the assets of Lima including their tooling, but did the tooling for the 201 belong to MM and what happened to it. Also note that in 2005 a small number of 201s (in NIR livery) appeared on the market under the brand name AGO, supposedly produced from parts purchased from the liquidators of LIMA. How did that happen if Hornby bought the assets? Was this an infringement of copyright? So perhaps Paddy being true to what he said in 2008 produced a vastly upgraded model in response to a demand that seemed very obvious and he was probably able to rely to some extent on work and research already done for the first model but he may also have wanted to to circumvent or snooker any further use of the original tooling or parts.

This was a quality model and is worthy of a rerun.  

7 hours ago, connollystn said:

Not a fan of the Murpby Models 201. Doesn't capture the character of the prototype due to obvious inaccuraracies. Consodering what the guys at I.R.M. did with the A class would much prefer them to do an up-to-date mode of the 201(new).

I find this to be a very disappointing comment, he stuck his neck out to cater to a niche market and now we are spoiled

1 hour ago, David Holman said:

Circumvesuvio Railway between Naples and Sorrento

I've also travelled on these trains and they blend into their environment. There's graffiti everywhere so I hardly noticed it on the trains  Graffiti is the least of the problems in Naples where to seems to be very little civic pride, to put it mildly.

I've been there

6 hours ago, DoctorPan said:

When in reality, X, Y and Z were mentioned in a draft version of the report but their inclusion didn't back up the aim of the report that the client wanted or political reasoning caused them to be cut.

This is the key point. Who commissioned the report and why? What was the remit?   In my experience external consultants are often used to promote a particular view point regardless as to whether it is valid position.  

2 hours ago, DiveController said:

Ha! so far DHL have had my Taras appear to have visited E. Midlands, Brussels, Miami, New York where they 'left' 5 days ago, presumably by ground. Possible they're in Miami again or maybe the customs clearance is occurring there even though they are somewhere, who the heck knows? They'll get here eventually I'm sure. DHL is complete hit or miss now (hit your box but miss the deadline they set). Crushed boxes but mostly minor damage I think (but I have to finish testing first). 200k people out of work in the US yet some of them seemingly cannot drive a truck, lol. Anyway, looking forward to this livery.

That is really strange. I'm in Atlanta and was notified by IRM that the shipment was on its way on Fri Nov 19, I also received a notice from DHL the same day advising expected delivery date was Weds Nov 24.  DHL actually delivered on Mon Nov 22  two days earlier than originally advised.  Three days from Dublin!!!  I had the same experience with my two orders for the A class.  

I've never been a fan of DHL having had some horrendous experiences in the past but lately I'm inclined to give them some credit. It may be that they do not have the infrastructure to adequately service Houston.  The opened a gateway at Atlanta Airport fairly recently so perhaps I'm benefiting from that. But who knows what sort of convoluted route (perhaps traditional) a parcel may take in their system to Houston where they don't appear to have facilities. Perhaps someone at IRM might have a chat with them and question this because as someone looking in from the outside it would seem more logical o route a parcel for Houston via Atlanta rather than the circuitous route your parcels are taking.

4 hours ago, spudfan said:

and more importantly will it be two thirds the price of the "A" class.....?

I sincerely doubt that

Or the Enterprise

35 minutes ago, connollystn said:

They're big in size and big in uselessness. At the time of their launch there were large parts of the network it couldn't operate on due to the condition of the infrastructure. 

The condition of the network isn't a reflection on the quality of the loco, for that's something management needs to held responsible for. 

54 minutes ago, DiveController said:

I usually ship them in 3-4s. Customs don't seem to bother with them too much that way. Stephen @BosKonaysays they're not subject to US customs charges. If correct, that would be great. It would certainly cost me less if they shipped together and were arrive undamaged.

Hi, I'm also in the US. Toys and models are not subject to duty on importation here and I have never had a problem (even a big box of multiple items from the UK). I ordered a total of eight A class loco's in two separate orders of 5 & 3. both of which I received about five days of being dispatched (in each case two  days better than originally advised by DHL). All received in good order other than a very slight ding to the edge of one box, nothing to be bothered about.  

7 hours ago, declan64 said:

Amazing stuff. I wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen the footage. Thanks for sharing

Did it clear customs?  No evident bar codes , so should have been returned to sender!!!!!

54 minutes ago, murphaph said:

When were the Ranks wagons retired?

Mid '70s

Is there a particular problem on the Westport route?

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30934171.html

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/gardai-called-incident-board-irish-25217808

18 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

What's a "lazy susan"? (Excuse my ignorance!)

There are images and sizes in this website of the basic component. This is a US site but they must also be available on your side of the pond.

https://www.rockler.com/low-profile-lazy-susans?country=US&sid=V91040&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CjwKCAjwh5qLBhALEiwAioods4ySSYAlUZ0JXBwN80EstH6RypPFyK7_wqgWZh8YUcRBN65i0LNyZhoCPG4QAvD_BwE

14 hours ago, Mayner said:

I don't think there is a lot of difference between the standard of service offered by An Post and other national postal services, they are all struggling

It's also worth noting that the US postal service is revising its' service standards. EG delivery standard for a first class letter will be 5 days. A coming trend everywhere?