irishthump

The coupling bars work great on the Tara's. I use the bars to link wagons in pairs as I like to split rakes up sometimes and I have no problems pushing wagons around curves and through points.

Humbrol mae a varnish called Clear which does the same job. It's a very thin, self-levelling gloss varnish. It works great for restoring clear class parts on kits and models such as airplane canopies.

Really? See below. Snide remark towards both Silverfox and the modellers who were "desperate" enough to buy their products. A statement of fact would be something like -"Silverfox who produced a models and kits of Irish stock which, while not being prototypically correct, were welcomed by many modellers in the absence of a RTR models from major manufacturers."

Because there was simply nothing else available. People really do have short memories, Silverfox were'nt the most accurate models but don't forget Paddy Murphy started out selling repainted RTR and his early Lima 201 was'nt lauded for it's accuracy either. Apologies to the mods for going a little off topic but the constant bashing is getting old...

When you open the Lokprogrammer software it's on the "Decoder" sidebar under "Sound Slot Settings". You adjust the maximum and minimum speed for each sound slot using the sliders. It's best to decrease the minimum speed and increase the maximum speed by a couple of percent on one of the locos you are double-heading. You ccan also alter the pitch of horn sounds to make them sound more "Irish" if you like. Yes I've experienced phasing when running consists, the most noticeable being in a Bachmann A/B F-Unit set with both units having the same Soundtraxx decoders and speaker set ups. Like you noticed it's not a constant thing but comes and goes depending on the pitch of the sound and the distance you're listening from. I've also noticed it in consists of 141/121 locos when using the same sound file. It can be more pronounced when the speakers are close together which can happen considering how they are positioned towards the end of the loco. I have done this with some US locos. I turned the B Unit in a A/B set of F3's into a dummy unit by removing the motor and drive train. I also wired a second speaker into the B Unit to run of the same decoder. What many don't realize is you can actually fit 2 prime mover sounds on one decoder. It doesnt sound as good as having 2 separate decoders but it's a cheaper alternative.

I just decided to go with the "freight grey"!

Something a little different…. A 20+ year old Star Wars TIE Interceptor kit that has been kicking around in my attic since I bought it. Its one of those dreadful “snap” kits but I was bored so decided to throw it together. The fit and finish was pretty bad as it just snapped together, so I didn’t bother with filling and sanding any gaps but it’s passable and I’m happy with the paint job.

I don't contribute on RMWeb, as most have you have probably noticed my own modelling is sporadic. I have so many different interests connected to modelling and painting that I tend to hop from one to another regularly. But I check in here almost daily, even though I might not post. RMWeb is a fantastic resource and I would'nt like to see it go. I'll be honest I don't find the pop up ads all that much of a hassle. Of course I'd rather not have them but a single click gets rid of them, and as has been said it's a necessary evil on a large platform like RMWeb.

Oh I'm sorry! I saw a thread here a while ago where somebody rewired the loco, I assumed it was you....

I don't think it's a matter of remapping with the 141/181's. The markers and headlights can be rigged to work independently but it requires some rewiring. I believe @murphaphmay have performed the necessary surgery before....

Have you tried Studio Scale Models?

Unfortunately not. The switches will just turn the lights on or off. Another member of the forum posted a step by step for how they got the lights to be mapped seperately. It requires a bit of work.

Wonderful work. That's a really nice scene.

The NMRA specifies 1 ounce plus 1/2 ounce for every inch of length of the wagon/coach If you prefer metric then here is a handy calculator. Just use HO when selecting the scale. https://showmyhobby.com/index.php/henrys-nmra-rolling-stock-car-scale-weight-calculator/

What's the deal with RMWeb being down? Did I miss something?

Haha! Even Farage is not that stupid. Putin has shown just how vulnerable Europe is without NATO.

To be honest I did'nt find increasing the weight of the wagons made any difference regarding the magnetic axle problem, it the fact they rolled freely that caused the issue. But I fully agree increasing the weight leads to superior running in general.

I don't use neodymium magnets for the same reason but I've also had issues with the Kadee undertrack magnets attracting metal axles. There's a couple of things you can do to prevent this: 1) Try sourcing non-magnetic wheelsets. Pretty near impossible for OO gauge stock. 2) Causing some "drag" on the axles by attaching a brass strip to the underside of the wagon/coach to apply a tiny amount of friction to the axle. This works but doing this with every piece of rolling stock just isn't practical. But it might be an option for a small shunting layout. My solution was to switch to the between-the-rails magnets. They work fine and the visual impact is minimal.

I think that's a possibility. The UK have really put up a united front with the rest of Europe over the Ukraine situation (yes, I know NATO obligations play a big part in this too). If/when it blows over the EU might look more favorably on the UK's situation and come to a better deal.

This video shows the installation...

Kadees are not designed to work on curves. Having said that, if the couplers are mounted on the bogies of both pieces of rolling stock they may work, but it will be hit and miss.

Pretenders? I suppose that's why diesel supplanted steam......

Sorry but I have absolutely no interest in steam locos, and could never see the attraction of them, except perhaps for those who grew up watching them.

This is a good video that clearly explains the basics of speaker enclosure design in the context of model railway applications. It's a bit dated, but still relevant.

Personally I don't think we will see more 141/181's anytime soon, new or old. But in regards to features... 1) Yes, that would be good, but the access hatch on the 121 works fine too. 2) Not a hope! Where would it go? Remember, there's pretty much the same amount of space inside the 121 as there is in the 141/181. 3) Pretty much expected, and easy to accomplish. 4) To me the see through grills in the 121 were unnecessary. It gave up precious space inside the loco that could have been used for a better speaker setup. 5) Again. No room. 6) Seriously?