DiveController

Good luck with the club! Sounds great:-bd

Most decoders are one amp decoders so the maximum current draw that you will have per locomotive would be 1Amp. More than this and your decoder will fry. When the locomotive is stalled, you will have a high current draw, which will increase with a longer train and increase more I you have a gradient to climb. No matter what lighting etc., the maximum will be one amp per decorder or you'll fry the decoder. So maybe you need one amp per simultaneously running locomotive plus anything else you need to run. If you introduce carriage lighting or lighting on the layout, turnouts that you want to control by DCC, etc. you will want to account for that also. Consider what you want to do with the layout in the future and if any additional power needs will be required. Lots of people with a lot of experience with DCC on here. Just my 2 cents.

Great thread, Jb but you have just given me some more homework to do since I'm only familiar with 60% of theses wagons or liveries or both! Was the C352 NCC352 or Courtaulds (and that wagon is part of my homework)? Look like a poorly stenciled UT followed eventually by NIR's stamp. I like these wagons because of they unusual shape. A purpose built older ballast would have been a 2 or three plank wagon, I presume, and I presume the cutting was to allow it to be unloaded by hand or mechanical digger? The wagon behind is in NIR grey?

Ah Jayzus, John! ………..and me here with Rails through the West in me hand with B145 on the cover pulling a train with Bell Containers

Did you pick these up as a set or just the driving coach? which manufacturer? Looks good on the video

Hi Tommy, You asked me to report back on the Frateschi chassis when I got one, it finally arrived in the post during the week. It's a G12 chassis which I thought was the same as the G8 (and it may or may not be) having failed to get any definite answer from Frateschi in Brazil or the US distributor, so pretty much 'zero' for customer service. That said, it's definitely too long for the inside of the MIR kit and in all probability the bogies will foul in the inside of the chassis especially on curves. Haven't had time to get to it but will likely need a will a cut and shut to remedy this. So much for it being HO! Fortunately I did not invest a huge sum in it as it was purchased used in NZ livery on eBay, still significantly cheaper than acquiring on in the US or from Brazil (due to the postage cost) The bogies look prototypical versus the Athearn SW1500 chassis which Gerry is using but I'd bet the Athearn's running characteristics are better. The Frateschi is noisier then my lone Atlas switcher and way noisier than a MM 141. Max speed like the 141 is not that fast, slow speed is not that slow but it pulls very well. The catch is that he weights are mounted fore and aft snugly inside the BODY. It's likely they might not fit easily somewhere on the chassis under the MIR body without running a drive shaft through the weights, in which case there should be plenty of room between the flywheels and gear towers.

Interesting roof, looks like corrugated sheeting:confused: JB, you have us well trained now! I go to the kitchen for 7 minutes and three of us have turned the photo!!

That being the case, I wonder why locomotive-powered passenger trains persisted at that time versus dumping of nearly every locomotive in the 2000s in favor or railcars. Steam locos like the 800 were replaced by a fleet of diesel locos.

Probably the thin end of the wedge, JB. It's still strange that the romanticized 800 train is illustrated but the new 'ugly duckling' (no offense to lovers of railcars intended) is not, mere the efficiency of the new diesels alluded to. Were the new railcars well received by the traveling public then (by comparison with previous opinions on the fora that diesels locomotives were initially perceived as dirty, oily polluting beasts)?

Kind of odd that it illustrates a steamer (with it's sleek line of coaches as previously stated), then advertises "travel by Diesel Train and try the new Buffet Service. FREE CAR PARK AT THESE STATIONS. I suppose you'd be pressed to find any of these on the passenger network now.

Many thanks, both of you. Leslie. I'll look on your site again. I forgot about that. Yes, would be interested in the CIE version if you did it

Oh, C**p! I never get enough time to throw out the obsolete stuff. I'll PM you when space. Very sorry. EDIT: ok, space created

I knew that based on your posts. I ordered them and they wrote to me the following day to say it had gone. I'm glad a site member has purchased and I know they'll get good use with you! Anyway another will pop up at some time. I'd like to peruse them for some thoughts I had in mind

Had been wondering about your collection, Dave. Glad the deal worked out! BIG collection. Congrats.

I was wondering if you managed to get slide transfers and complete your tank wagons? Love the GSWR and MGWR wagons:-bd

Is there a good reference book for these older stock? Pender & Richards (1967) refer succinctly to 138 16T covered wagons on steel under frames built between 1954-1956 by GNR(I) for cement traffic. Are these the wagons being referred to? The H van series were CIE Covered Wagons numbered 18862-19753, 19269 in JB's photo. 892 were built between 1958-1962! Amazing that such a prolific wagon has not been produced as an rtr! As an aside, someone posted a late 1970s? 266XX? TANK wagon for MOLASSES in the last week, and I have been going crazy trying to locate it. If anybody remembers what I'm talking about would you please PM me so I can delete this request. Thank you!

Thanks, Jim. That one had been sold so still looking if anyone has a copy. Honestly, I don't know why someone hasn't reprinted these. PM me please if you have one. Many thanks

=))=))

I second that. This thread is a fantastic resource. Keep them coming if there is more! Incidentally, if it's possible to flatten the photos somehow, that will help with the distortion

QED, Jim. Little wonder the Bredins were burned

Just to clarify what I'm looking at here, JB, the trim color above the lower windows, uprights et all CIE grey. Is this the same CIE grey that was on the seats with signage? The background color to the CIE grey on the cabin is white? Is this the same as the walls on the station? What is the third color on the cabin brickwork similar o the Hillman Hunter/Ford or whatever that vehicle is?

Need usually provides opportunity. I'm pretty sure that space would be found somewhere for a historic preservation. People only preserve what they love or respect and the resourceful enthusiast or benefactor seem turns up when one's back is to the wall ……………………… which is where the arsonists' backs should be, in fact Do the children still get a three week sabbatical from school to collect all those pallets on which to place the tricolor? I suppose education would be a subordinate need for these savants

Does the CIE roundel on E434 have an orange surround or is that an 'off-white'? E427 seem to be all white

What time frame does this cover?