Noel

Only a few years ago the term 'black friday' was not even in our vocabulary - how much more mid Atlantic culture will we slaveshly import? (in jest) PS: Some nice deals in themodelshop.ie

Thanks JB. That is fascinating treasure. Ps. If poss please figure out how to rotate your wonder images right way up (dizzy here turning my laptop upside down)

LOL - Classic. Mind you she is close-hauled given the direction the flag is flying on the tower in the background, but good wind against tide effect as she tries to get up on the plane.

Looking from which direction, inside the cab, or outside the cab looking straight at the loco head on? On ships the red 'Port' lights are always on the left side as a good wine is never 'left' behind EDIT: Sorry, just looked at the photo. Same side as ships assuming each cab is forward. Red/Right viewed from outside, Red/Port/Left from inside cab.

Thanks Dave. Precisely - Bachmann centre drive chassis seem to provide all the merits you mention (i.e. gearing, electrical continuity, etc). In addition they have four powered axils over two bogies.

My hornby class 52 chassis is jerky at low speed and often lurches to a start. See a few segments of the video clip below. It's not hediously jerky, sometimes runs smooth for a few inches and then hesitates or skips forward (ie like a stiff axel). 1st minute jerky at crawl speeds 02m15s compare jerky A v smooth MM 04m30s lurches to a start [video=youtube_share;bUt_QO-Jnu8] If the class 55 chassis improves this I might give it a try for another A, but still need to find a chassis for a C class. PS: This clip was with a lenz silver+ decoder, it was far worse with the hornby decoder which I had to replace.

Thanks Barl, that's exactly the sort of video evidence I was looking for that demonstrates slow operations. I have to say watching that I'm impressed with the hornby 55. Is that the 'St Paddy' chassis? I have a hornby class 52 chassis under my sole A class but it can't perform as well as your example. Hmmm food for thought.

Correct. However, personally I use 4 function Lenz decoders in my non-sound 071s because I don't like cab lights and the decoders cost €10 less per loco than the MM/ESU decoder. A 4 function decoder will work the directional running lights and head lamps independently on 071/201.

Yes Commodore Pet along with the TRS-80 and Apple II were the 3 classics of that time. My first electronic computer was a kit built UK 101 with 4k memory (used 6502 assembler) - same era as the Pet The 1st computer I got paid to work on was a Honeywell 1015 - I was just a kid but was in awe at the size and roar of that living machine - a mainframe in its day, probably less powerful than my wrist watch now.

You are welcome. You can setup CV3 and CV4 to give really nice acceleration and deceleration characteristics. Function 0 turns the directional lights on or off on 141/181 locos. FYI, the Lenz will also work with 071 and 201 models with the exception of the interior cab lighting, but does operate the directional running lights and head lights ok on these locos.

1st Unix system I worked on in 1982 a Fortune 32:16, after I had cut my teeth with UCSD Pascal on an Apple II Ah 5" floppy discs seemed so modern compared to 8" floppy discs and especially paper punch tape!

Hi John No, the MM0005 is overkill for 141/181. You only need a 3 or 4 function decoder for €25. The Lenz Silver+ 21 pin decoder (code 10321-01) is a 4 function decoder that sells for about €25 from German online retailers. Alternatively the Bachmann 36-557 21 pin decoder which sells for about £15 in UK (€21), or €25 from Marks Models. See links below. I've used both and they drive 141/181s quite well and do the lights, but the Lenz is just a bit smoother at ultra low speed running. Noel http://kieskemper-shop.de/Lenz-Digital-Decoder-HO--LENZ-Silver-Decoder-10321-01-PLUS-21-polig-NEU---OVP/a19941910_u1160_zc4998ebe-5e3b-4866-b9b5-7d279f7c5504/ http://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/Lenz/9-4-0-62723-003001-0-0-0-0-0-0-grp-gb-p-0/ein_produkt.html http://www.marksmodels.com/?pid=15083 http://www.ehattons.com/52534/Bachmann_Branchline_36_557_21_pin_E_Z_Command_4_function_1A_decoder_with_back_EMF/StockDetail.aspx

Found this video with some nice clips on this video of the Ballast Wagons in operation. (might be a boskonay vid) [video=youtube;ZebdUee3-0k]

Thanks Eoin, but the clips below are a examples of what I meant by slow running as opposed to low speeds. I am trying to find a chassis solution for A and C class that will get at least somewhere close to this level of smoothness during slow manoevering operations (e.g. shunting, coupling, runarounds, starting off, stopping at station platforms, etc). I know Hornby chassis just cannot achieve this, but the likes of Bachmann and Athearn, etc, can. Gearing ratios and flywheels as well as all wheel or near all wheel drive and pickups seem to help this (i.e. and avoid unrealistic scale start speeds of 15-20mph). Smooth low speed crawl with no hesitation nor jerking. MM/Bachmann chassis are incredibly smooth over insulfrog paintwork at crawl speeds. Smooth slow speed operation over paintwork, stop and start (I think this is one of Stephens clips) PS: I know the 181 in the 1st clip is going unrealistically slow, except if simulating starting off with a very heavy load, but the 071 is close to scale.

Like it or not, in truth model railways are sophisticated "toys" and some of us are lucky enough to have kept some aspects of our inner child alive despite the process of age. The hobby appeals to and satisfies the curiosity of many different parts of the brain, from engineering, construction, visualisation, animation, imagination, operations, artistic, electronics, nostalgia, playability, research, etc. Basically we are still kids at heart.

Confused - I thought these locos had since been cut up, are these locos still intact at Inchicore?

Love that 1st pic of the GM train on the viaduct

Thanks Eoin. If you find a clip of start, stop, crawling (ie ultra slow as opposed to low speed) sometime that would be interesting to see, but please don't go to any trouble, only if it's easily to hand. Thanks again. Noel

Found it thanks. Was that with the 'railroad' deltic chassis (i.e. same as St Paddy)? I have one of those and not madly impressed with it. Its not awful, but nowhere near as good as a bachmann chassis for ultra slow running. How do folk buy these chassis? eBay and through the body away, or can the chassis be bought on its own? I've wondered about using a Bachmann class 25 bo-bo chassis which seems a perfect fit for the SF body steel, but possibly use co-co bogies from a Bachmann class 37

Thanks IT, thats exactly what I was looking for. That thread is very helpful especially the video.

Thanks, sounds promising. Are there any videos of slow running, starting and stopping, and most importantly of all crawling over points?

Thanks. I will have a look at that. Did it have coverage of train starting off and stopping?

Looking really nice.

Sure. I've been using the new one too since its release and it is nice and modern looking, but as I found the old one today I just find it easier to read.