murphaph

Thanks very much MOGUL. That means if a certain company releases 47s I will only be able to use them for keg traffic but that's just fine as I can free up some my keg P42s for use under containers. It does mean I won't be going mad on 47s though as I can only use them for kegs in 1995 it seems.

Cheers John! At what point did containers start being transported on them?

I've actually seen 111 pics with the beam and buffer shank in two different shades of red. When I say burgundy I mean something like this: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2557816934510963&set=g.426208300769851 or this: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=187126985506491&set=g.426208300769851 This one is a mix of shades and or dirt: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=144044430628427&set=g.426208300769851 Could all be tricks of the light or camera differences of course but in the absence of a code I thought the best thing was to use the MM models as a reference. I also never understood why the buffers are painted differently across the three locos, 112 being different with just the buffer shanks themselves painted, not the bosses or whatever they are called. Odd.

In the end I just used RAL swatches and matched up as close as I could from a MM sample but I decided against the RAL yellow that arrived and used Vallejo Air Chrome yellow instead, which I felt was closer to the MM 112 anyway (I took a sample from 8113 but the yellow is lighter on that compared to 112). The red I chose was this one: https://www.ralcolorchart.com/ral-classic/ral-3013-tomato-red I believe NIR buffers have been different shades of red down the years. I've seen more post office red types but MM seems to have used the more burgundy shade so I've tried to replicate that.

When did the 47s come into service? Wondering will I need any for a 1995 layout.

Viessmann has a commercial product for example but this feature originated in the openDCC community I believe. OpenDCC servo controllers can definitely be programmed to simulate the bounce. Here's a video on Arduino based solutions. I really like that Hans guy actually:

Sean you can incorporate semaphores/servo motors into your computer control also. In fact you can do some cool stuff with the right equipment, like simulating the way a semaphore really moved in reality, often going up slightly before moving down as the cable tension was applied to be able to release the lever or whatever. The bounce of a semaphore as it gets to the top or bottom can also be simulated.

Whaaat? The doors open?! Never even attempted to open them. Would have never crossed my mind to try. Good find!

The best decision I made was in addition to my IR variants to secure a specimen of each of the silver and green A's to work a steam-diesel transition era layout I will someday build. I'd be raging if I'd let them slip through my fingers. I have the bookends so to speak, the earliest 4 and latest 6 A's.

I've also now come across another product by a company called Erdal, however their product was also discontinued and replaced by "something siomilar" though I have found some forum posts where the new stuff is being used too without any complaints and some say it even doesn't react with decal softeners: http://www.figuren.miniatures.de/erdal-glaenzer.html It's in German but google will translate it for you I guess. Allegedly it's now in a yellow bottle and the manufacturer is called Emsal: https://www.modellboard.net/index.php?topic=4056.30 I'll probably give this a try too as I can pick it up locally it seems. Edit: Allegedly the Lidl floor shine is comparable to the SC Johnson products, at least according to some German modelling forums. Costs even less too. It's a seasonal product in Germany it seems, released in late spring and autumn each year. It's not in the regular assortment here. It looks like this outside Germany:

I was hoping to pick up the "current version of Klear" because it's cheap really, rather than buying a product specifically made for modelling to be honest. George I'm not sure the stuff I've ordered will be the same. I suspect it might be an "EU version", milky in consistency to discourage accidental ingestion. Might still be worth a try though as it should turn clear in use as it's supposed to be a clear gloss floor polish too, not leave some milky sheen. Darius thanks for the video. I had already watched it earlier today in fact. The guy said it's not available in the UK and he had to buy it from the US.

I've ordered a bottle of this stuff from the Netherlands. I think it might be the same. That's what it's called in the US these days anyway: https://www.vitadvice.de/pledge-pledge-zusaetzliches-schutzholz-750-ml-750.html

I keep meaning to try this stuff out but SC Johnson seems to love changing the name and possibly the recipe of this stuff at regular intervals. I've also heard the stuff that works as a modelling aid (for me it would mostly be to gloss areas to apply transfers to) is only available in the US these days but I am hoping that's not the case. I believe this is the current packaging that works for US modellers: https://www.amazon.de/JOHNSON-WAX-Floor-Care-27-oz/dp/B000ARPH4C Note the €42 delivery charge from the US and then probably customs on top. Thanks but no thanks Amazon. It's not available in Germany at all it seems but if it's available in Ireland I could pick some up on a visit. Cheers for any info.

Jim already got back to me and provided an invoice. He's an absolute pleasure to deal with.

Oh great, I've mailed Jim about a copy to Germany. Thanks for the heads up!

Are you running RocRail on a Raspberry Sean? I thought you were running the RocRail server on your PC.

H0 accessories can be used to good effect on a 00 scale layout to add fake depth to a scene. You can place the vehicle behind a short wall to improve the deception.

I really like the dirt wiped from the datum plate effect. How are you achieving that? I've read that enamels are more forgiving for this sort of job than acrylics as you have time to wipe the area with a bit of turps whereas acrylics dry almost instantly.

In the Lokprogrammer there's an option to alter the frequency of the prime mover on a given decoder using the same sound file. I read somewhere that it's for cases like this where running in consists produces weird sounds unless you do that.

Ah ok, interesting.

Interesting but I experienced what I thought was phasing when running two 121s in consist with the same sound file. The sound almost vanished completely at times. It was very odd. They probably did start at exactly the same time as they were set up as a consist however.

I think Loughrea had an electric storage heater, plugged in at night at the Terminus to charge it up.

I also asked on Facebook but I'll ask here too... What is the silver coloured plug/socket arrangement on the buffer beam?

See, I told you I was ignorant When did the C's get those Maybach engines? Presumably post-end of scheduled steam on CIE?

Maybe this is common knowledge and I'm just ignorant but B233 and B234 apparently ran in multiple with baby GMs. These are the Maybach engined A's. Could be interesting for anyone modelling that era. A kind soul posted a pic of this up on Facebook. I'd never heard of it before. Looks very cool to me.