irishthump

You can get that effect by either using the brake or Drive Hold feature.

My ears are burning...... It sounds like something in the PCB has gone kaput. The fact that you can't get the decoder to make contact with your controller would support that. If it was the motor you would still be able to communicate with the decoder be able to turn the lights on and off. You can doublecheck the motor is ok by removing the shell and applying current directly to the motor contacts, if you can get at them. Long time since I took the shell off a 121 so I can't really remember the layout. Yeah I'd strongly advise to not use the "DC option" that some DCC controllers have. It works by "stretching" the AC waveform of the DCC signal so it is not true DCC. It can fry motors very, very quickly. Older motors like the Lima and Hornby pancake and ringfield motors can go bang in the blink of an eye. Some modern motors can also be susceptible to damgage.

Yeah I use XPS all the time now. It's insulation foam, either the blue or pink kind, NOT the yellow kind from builder's merchants. It's easy to carve and not as messy as clay or plaster. Here's one of the last things I built on the layout.... https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/71-grahams-workbench/?do=findComment&comment=163727

Did you buy the culvert or make it yourself? Just scrolled up and Just saw you made them from clay. Have you tried using XPS foam instead?

Very sorry for your loss. RIP.

I built a Silver Fox A Class kit a few years ago and I used the chassis from an Athearn F7. However I had to replace the bogies with ones from an Atlas U36C which required A LOT of fiddling about.

Some bargains there! Also shipped without any Brexit bullshit!

Just preordered! Only need a couple of coaches for my small layout but always happy to support IRM's excellent products. Would also happily purchase a the BR and Dutch vans if they were produced.

Oh yes I think the budget will stretch to a couple of these beauties!

Hi Sean, sorry this is such a late reply. I find Modellbahn Lippe the best source for blank ESU decoders. No Brexit and free shipping on orders over €100. https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Digital+_sp_+Digital+boxes/Digital/gb/liste.html?spur=H0&hersteller=ESU&grup=Decoder+with+sound Unfortunately I don't think the can program them for you.

You're right about the IRM A Class decoders. The file for these included a bespoke recording of a real A Class and they really are excellent so I didn't mind paying a little more and you can't get that prime mover sound anywhere else. Although I did use my Lokprogrammer to rearrange the function buttons on the decoders. The 567 and 645 MM decoders on the other hand contain sound files from ESU's library of US soundfiles, all of which are free to download. But these are still very high quality and are the correct prime movers in each case.

On MM V5 Loksounds only, which means the 121 decoders. Same for the IRM A class decoders. With older V4 decoders you need to load a new soundfile which is relatively easy to do.

Oh was absolutely being disparaging to the ESU techs and the files. The point to remember is that ESU produce primarily for the European HO market and they have different preferences to Irish,UK and US modelers. They use a lot of automation and other programming features that we don't bother with so prototypical driving of locos is not something they care about. However when ESU went after the US market they had to change and set up a US based team. That's then they really improved and now have a substantial chunk of the US market. ESU decoders work fine out of the box. To really get the full advantage of ESU decoders you really need a Lokprogrammer. Then you can create your own soundfiles using the superior US sounds which are free to download from ESU's website. You can also unlock and tinker with the prototypical driving and braking features.

No they're not. Please learn to take Noel with a pinch of salt, he has a talent for..... hyperbole shall we say.

The thing I would most like to see is the addition of a stay alive. I was disappointed that the 121's didn't come with that capability. I'd have happily given up the see-through grills in favour of the stay alive. Pre fitted speaker would also be nice, even though the older 141 wasn't too badly served in that respect as it had the speaker cradle included. All in all there was very little to criticize with original Baby GM's. They still hold up very well IMHO.

Looks great! Can't wait to see more....

Great result! Hats off to you with this, it sure as hell looked like a goner....

RIP

If you're talking weathering, every post should bring more excrement!

Excellent! Same techniques as on the Ferts and container flats?

Like the subtle variations. Very nice work.

The concrete hardstanding looks excellent.

I've a huge backlog of stuff to be weathered, but I think a couple of these will be bumped to the top of the queue!

Oh and I almost forgot! It was a VERY merry Christmas.......

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.