Noel

Yip or even g'clan

And then there is this Rail operators are famed for strange signage.

I used to be able to remember and pronounce this 40 years ago. The 'phonetic' underneath does not sound correct.

The mk4 interiors are looking a little tired ok, seats seem ready to be reupholstered, need new carpets and the return of curtains needed. There is cost cutting and then there is cutting off ones nose to spite ones face by aggravating some customers. But I find the mk4 sets the most comfortable on long trips, especially compared to the 'camber of torture' plastic seats on the 22k. I hope the mk4 sets are refurbished and not taken out of service on the Dublin-Cork route I regularly use. My bones wouldn't cope with a 22k all the way to the rebel city.

That front end design theme has certain similarities to the DVT on the De Dietrich set. Must have been the same design engineer. "Belt of a shovel" comes to mind! NIR were not famed for the beauty of their stock nor elegance of some of their liveries. The Hunslet must win the prize for the ugliest diesel loco ever to run on these islands.

I found DCC locos that had a ZERO value in CV3/4 (i.e. no acceleration nor braking delays) were easier to fine control with rotary/slider throttle knobs than buttons, but if CV3/4 had acceleration delay values programmed I found the +/- buttons worked really well. Its a bit like buying an enthusiast camera, you just don't know for sure how they ergonomically feel in hand until you get a chance to try a few out in a large camera store. Due to small market size here there are no model rail stores that can afford to carry demo stock of three or four brands of DCC controllers, and probably very few even in the UK. Possibly a good place to get a close up look at a few different DCC systems in operation is probably medium to large model railway exhibitions in the UK. Its difficult to asses ergonomics just from looking at brochures and web sites, but youtube can be helpful.

USA manufactures use a slightly lower track voltage than Europeans such as Lenz, ESU, etc, but it doesn't seem to effect the pulsed output voltage of decoders to motors.

Yes its impressive that's for sure, but really needs to be run on a minimum 16ft long layout with large radius curves to look right. The interior is spectacular.

Hi Old Blarney Yes the dual rotary knob is a nice feature of Digitrax cabs alright. NCE is particularly user friendly configuring consists and recalls of loco addresses. I found the function buttons on the Digitrax cab just a little on the small side, but that's just personal preference. I thought Guagemaster was a badged MRC product rather than NCE, but I could be wrong. Strange but true - Something I only learned after moving from DC to DCC, was what method of throttle control worked best for me (i.e. +/-buttons, verses rotary knobs and sliders). Before I changed to DCC I was quite sure I wanted rotary knobs or sliders because that's what I was used to with DC. However having made the transition I now prefer push buttons for '+' and '-' increment/decrements of throttle speed steps (0-28). In DC land rotary knobs gave very fine control especially shunting, but in DCC land especially DCC sound most of my locos have reasonable acceleration and braking delays setup in the decoders (CV3/4) and the lag doesn't seem to suit rotary knobs as well as +/- buttons which more accurately mimic notch settings. I find I tend to use the +4 and -4 buttons to control locos, even when shunting. Throttles set up for 0-28 speed steps emulate 8 notches if one uses the INC-4 and DEC-4 buttons which seems to suit ESU and Zimo diesel sound projects. Incidentally the NCE has a flush mounted rotary throttle knob as well the the speed step buttons but I don't use the knob anymore. As they say 'horses for courses', each of us has our own ways of doing things and there is no right nor wrong. Cheers Noel

Thanks for posting. The interior detailing looks impressive. Pity the video was done on a set track layout with such tight radius curves making the APT look a little out of place with such severe body over hangs on the curves. Back in the 70s the APT was ahead of its time in some ways, but an engineering failure in the end not to mention the passenger 'nausea' effect caused by the software controlling the tilting.

+1 Have used Digitrains for USA products and very happy with their service (e.g. NCE, digitrax). For european DCC products I have also used Kieskemper http://www.kieskemper-shop.de and happy (e.g. Lenz+ESU kit usually better priced than Euro-GBP-Euro double hop currency loss).

€40 more expensive than recent retail prices

Blu, just FYI many of the DCC controllers can use iPhones/iPad and Android devices as wireless touch screen cabs using JMRI on a Laptop/PC connected to DCC controller via USB or RS232. (e.g. WiThrottle lite app). I was a sceptic until I tried it. There are pros and cons of using smart phones. What I like is its a good way of getting low cost wireless cabs (i.e. use phone over WIFI), but I don't like touch screen for throttle control because there is no tactile feel of throttle inputs (i.e. no feedback by feel), only visual, which means you have to look at the cab instead of the locos (i.e. keep your finger on the correct area of the apps throttle control on the touch screen). This is awkward and inconvenient when shunting, running around a train formation, etc. iPhone throttle iPad twin throttle iPad quad throttle As Dave said, some smartphone apps can directly interface with some DCC systems negating the need for a PC in the loop. The ESU Mobile Control II wireless cab seems insanely expensive compared to a free smartphone, but it does have a physical throttle control knob which facilitates one handed blind operation unlike a purely touch screen app on a smartphone. JMRI is cheap and cheerful but its a good way of adding wireless touch screen cabs at close to zero cost, but only if you like using touch screen cab apps. One nice feature for sound locos is you can personalise the labels of sound function buttons for each loco. ESU Mobile Control II

The NCE Power Cab is a great starter set, and you can always add the 5amp booster later if on an 8'x10' layout you discover you needed more power. 1.5amp may prove enough for you. The NCE Power Pro is the same system as the Power Cab but it comes with a 5amp power supply. Its really down to how many locos you want to run at the same time (i.e. moving locos not stationary on the layout). Stationary loco decoders take almost no power, its is only when their motors are running they consume power. Both systems use the same cabs which are amongst the easiest DCC systems to programme. The main reason I choose NCE over Lenz and Guagemaster (both excellent btw) was my personal preference for the ergonomics of their dog-bone hand held cabs, the feel in hand, button feel, layout, etc. I was drooling over the ESU 50200 and very nearly went for it, tempted by the lovely colour screen UI, but its games console style twin controller didn't suit our layout as we needed hand held controllers rather than a fixed base station. On a smaller layout it may well suit, as might the Bachmann Dynamis Ultima. Its really down to personal preferences and the touch and feel of controls on the different systems. If you are interested in DCC sound, some cabs lend themselves better to quick access to sound functions than others. Some folks prefer push buttons for throttle, others prefer sliders or rotating pots/wheels. You just don't know for sure until you try the different cabs in hand and then you will know in an instant which ones best suits you. I spent three months a few years ago researching this and nearly got bogged down there seemed so many options.

John you eloquently and diplomatically expressed personal preferences that I would share. Must be the era I traveled on Irish trains most. 'Identiluases' - I love it. Hear hear. Well said. I would love to own a decent 800 model like yours one day, but would have to commission it because I don't have the skills to build a brass kit to a high enough standard. Yours is the most impressive I've seen.

Thanks Kieran. The grey 071 pulling the timber train in the 2nd video sounded bizarre. Has it been re-engined with some more modern power plant? It sounded more like a hair dryer than the familiar GM.

Wow Dave. That is an amazing collection. I salute your courage and practicality for making what must have been a difficult decision. It may have been the end of one particular era, but I am sure it will mark the beginning of a new era for you.

Lovely ok, but not Black'n'Tan, 075 was in Super Train livery. These baby GMs are in the even lovelier B&T livery Photo Ciaran Cooney

Great looking scene

Probably scenery files for railway simulator or game

EIE is almost half the price and offering quite a different experience. The BH is a much more luxurious offering, but quite different in that is like a cruise ship experience where the train is home for a few days (i.e. sleep onboard, unpack only once but visit many places). EIE involves the hassle of transfers every day to hotels with packing and unpacking. One of the reasons cruise ship holidays has become so popular is the convenience of "unpack once". BH is all about the train experience. Personally I'd prefer the EIE type of offering as you get to experience nice hotels. Not sure if the BH plan is to travel at night arriving at new destination by morning, but the distances are very short so can't see them needing more than 3hr for typical route legs unlike a cruise ship that usually take on 10hr passage legs overnight.

It is priced for a well established luxury market segment. Similar pricing to the top end Orient express services. £6,340.00pps for 5 night Orient Express v £5,714.28pps for 6 night Hibernian trip. It may be small but there is a market for such premium experiences.

Nice scene pic.

Yip It takes courage to sit on two chairs in front of a camera and make a video like that!