DJ Dangerous

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66530480 From the BBC: The world's longest rail tunnel has been shut to passenger services after a derailment in Switzerland causing damage that will take months to repair. Swiss authorities said there was "no indication" when the Gotthard Base Tunnel would reopen. Sixteen wagons derailed and are still stuck inside, a week after the derailment on 10 August. Opened in 2016, the Gotthard rail link took 20 years to build and cost more than $12bn (£8.2bn). National Swiss rail operator SBB chief executive Vincent Ducrot said on Wednesday that Gotthard was one of the safest tunnels in the world. "The fact that an accident like this could happen has hit us very hard," he said. "Fortunately, there were no injuries, though significant material damage was incurred." An investigation is being led by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) and the public prosecutor's office of the Canton of Ticino. Rail operator SBB said in total, around 8km (4.9 miles) of track and 20,000 concrete sleepers need to be replaced. SBB said one side of the tunnel was unaffected and should be operating "in principle" for freight usage from 23 August, but passenger trains would not be able to use the unaffected side due to safety reasons. In a statement SBB said: "Since the derailment, the tunnel has been closed to passenger and freight traffic, and trains must be diverted. "Currently, there is no indication of how long the tunnel will be closed. "Diverting trains via the panorama route means longer journey times for passengers." The route cuts through the Alps and provides a high-speed link between northern and southern Europe. As well as transporting passengers, Gotthard is a key passage for cargo - particularly between Germany and Italy. More than two-thirds of rail freight traffic in the Alps going through the tunnel last year. Journey times will now take at least 60 minutes longer and passengers travelling internationally will need to change trains in Chiasso. Only trains travelling to and from Genoa and Venice will run directly, SBB said.

Can the lighting mod be done via a decoder, or does it have to be hard-wired?

Couldn't sleep last night while worrying about finances... But decided to pre-order this morning anyway...

Is the Garda Ford Transit Connect (76FTC007) a discontinued model, or a current model? https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/ford-transit-connect-garda-76ftc007 Will IRM be getting any more diecast goodies in stock? The levels look a little low at the moment. https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/vehicles/availability_in-stock Might be a few stockings filled with Garda Land Rovers and Bus Eireann Transits if they come back into stock.

Lovely loco.

It'll be Me3 when I get home tonight. Have already spoken with Mr. @murphaph to see if he can weather a few. Does anybody know what the decoder access is like? I remember some members, possibly @gm171 kk and @WRENNEIRE, posting photos from the Raheny show last October, but can't remember what was said about decoder access.

There was no Pre-order button for the locos earlier, only for the coaches, so that helps!

Again! How or where does one express one's interest?

Duuuun dun. Duuuun dun. Dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun...

Based on what has been listed by Hatton's, and whatever photos and comments have been posted here on the forum, the list would look to be as follows. Hopefully, this is of help to anybody who needs to plan or budget. This is not an official list, and could be completely incorrect, but I feel like it's going to be accurate enough.

I seriously doubt that he's anywhere near as skilled as you, @murphaph. There are probably only a few dozen who could work magic like you. That said, the A is an incredibly durable model. To fall from that height, suffer a bent chassis among other things, and still be salvageable is a testament to both you and to IRM.

The 20' HC's must look a bit wierd to you but it's almost all that we have in 20' boxes, here.

COACHES! Assemble...

###dfghuyjhttgfxcvbnjkoiuytrfcvbjhgfvbnkjhygfcvbnjkiuyhgfgvbhj!!!!!!!!!! Did one of the bodies finally decompose?

Patience, you two! We're not all old, rich and retired... The bank will be well and truly broken for the next nine months as things stand.

Let's hope not! March 2024 is soon enough!

Two 6,1m x 2,9m / 20' HC boxes (CRXU-0797504 and EMTU-3510016) near IKEA in San Miguel on Wednesday 2nd, bit late in posting the pictures!

Well...

My MetroRiders have finally arrived at Customs in Madrid! Won't be long, now...

All this Christmas??? Jaysus.

Just wondering if any more thought has been given to 21mm bogie and lighting kits for pre-IRM coaches?

But, wait a minute, how can we verify the authenticity of the photo without a severed finger, today's newspaper and a pub sign in the background? That could be anywhere, from your new warehouse in Las Canarias to China!

Hmmmmmm, now what are you up to at a quarter to eight in the morning???

How very dare you??? Don't you know? BIRD is the word!