Noel

Cork

Well when I was a child the definition of a train was an "engine" pulling "carriages" or "wagons" with a brake van at the end like a full stop completing a sentence. No engine, no train! ICRs, DMUs, Darts and Luas are just bland boring bendy buses stuck on rails.

Yes thats interesting, I also found myself leaning more towards black CIE era 141/181s than others. I never travelled behind IR/IE livery 141/181s, only super train and CIE black/tan, yet I ignored the 'supertrain' livery models just because I preferred the look of the later IR/IE tippex liveries - strange but true. The CIE black (&tan with white band) livery 141/181s look great hauling loose coupled goods wagons that I collected to run behind GWR/LMS steam locos before MM era.

Well it's a looooong time since I was at school, but I vaguely remember you can't create one wavelength of light from another (i.e. different colours using filters from a single wavelength on the spectrum). But I could be wrong. That's why so many low energy LED lighting system emit cold colours and cannot be corrected to warmer light colours using filters. Their colour tone has improved a lot in the past five years but you can't beat a few non-LED light bulbs for nice mood lighting at home. The first lot of LED spots we put in at home years ago had such a blue tint I replaced them after only three months. I noticed some model locos have nice warm colour spot lights whereas others are like blue lasers and don't look prototypical. This may help explain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_spectrum

You could reduce the brightness, but its not possible to change the colour (i.e. light wavelength) coming from an LED, unlike incandescent light bulbs which emit nearly the whole colour spectrum, hence filters work.

Agree the cab lighting is a bit like a bordello. However there are CVs on the MM rebadged ESU chips that can turn the brightness right down. It's still a cold blue light, would be better with more yellow in the mix. I've been using €25 four function Lenz Silver+ decoders on my 071s and don't miss the cab lights one bit.

Ah now its not all doom and gloom. Before MM, many of us were quite happy running models of UK steam outline that ran 50 or more years before many of us were even born! Trains we never saw running except in the movies and on TV!!! So we need a few good thriller and drama movies set in Ireland during the 60s, 70s, and 80s with trains as part of the story line. The craggy island express, etc.

IR only have half their loco fleet in service. The 201s are not even at half life, yet many lay rotting in sidings. Locos not needed for PAX traffic anymore, only the small bit of freight and permanent way maintenance. The 201 capital programme was an extraordinary waste of tax payers money given they were put out to pasture prematurely. I vaguely remember reading somewhere the 201s are over weight for many parts of the network and were hard on the track work. There is a good economic logic to railcars, savings in reduced manpower, turnaround time, reduced fleet maintenance costs, and less track work to be maintained, etc. But I think they might have been better phased in later when the Mk3s and 201s were near end of life in 15 years time. You don't see sophisticated economies retiring stock early until its earned every penny possible from capital investment. Another way of look at it is perhaps IE should have introduced ICRs back in 1996 and skipped the 201s before the Mk3 fleet got too big.

Good post, Agree. Operationally what we witnessed as youngsters on railways was a lot more interesting then todays rail car traffic operating like a boring pendulum swinging mindlessly back and forth.

Sure Dave, but I guess my point was really that most of us probably got 'hooked' back at a time when we were youngsters and toy trains were part of the scene, and nostalgia hooked us in. I wonder how 'new' blood will get attracted into the hobby in the future?

Yes that's interesting. My theory is before Murphy Models most of our demographic age group interested in model trains, probably grew up experiencing steam trains from UK TV & films, yet traveled on CIE/IR trains, so pre-MM we played with steam models 'as seen' on TV mini-series from manufacturers such as Hornby and Bachmann. When we were children most toy trains were steam. MM comes along and we could then run familiar CIE/IR trains that we actually travelled on and saw in the flesh! I'd guess most of us started in railway modelling with UK steam outline. One wonders where the hobby might be in 20 years time. Will it be stronger or weaker? LCD screens prevent many youngsters from 'doing stuff' with physical interaction, hence less airfix, lego, mecanno, woodwork, sports, music, playing soldiers, drawing, painting, etc. Loss of outlets for creativity and imagination. I wonder about the next generation of engineers we will have in 20 years time - may never so much as even build an egg-box fort or tunnel, yet may be expert players on X-box consoles! Smartphone model train app simulators focused on crashing and disasters!!! Many children do not know how to solder, change a plug (don't need to), fix a leaky car radiator with egg white to get home, use nylons to get a car home if the fan belt goes, but they know where the cars USB port is!!!

Hi Eoin I'm new to loco lighting so please forgive what is probably a daft question. How are fibre optics used in model locos? Do folks not just fit tiny LEDs through holes drilled in loco bodies? Noel

Hi Fran You can use this link to view the results and see the 'responses/comments' to 'other' categories in questions 1, 2, and 4 by clicking 'responses' or 'comments' as appropriate: https://www.surveymonkey.net/results/SM-B5VBHKF7 Thanks guys for kind comments. It was done for 'fun' and I hope some of it may have been of interest despite the scientifically small sample, and limited scope (i.e. GSR/CIE/IR/IE). However I was surprised it got so many responses in such a short time. Perhaps in the future a more extensive survey could be done, perhaps in conjunction with the next MRSI show to get a really decent sample size (e.g. 1000 responses). My sincere thanks again to all of you who took the few mins to complete this survey. Most of the results were probably as expected, but there were a few small surprises for me. The notable results that stuck out for me were the high percentage who most enjoyed running model trains, the numbers interested in scratch building was higher than I'd expected, and I didn't foresee chassis running quality rating slightly higher than fine scale detail in model loco specs. I was also struck by the level of interest in RTR Laminate coaches and AEC 2600 railcars. One interesting little observation was that older liveries seemed more popular than folks interest in the eras in which they ran. I probably should have had an era listed for each decade rather than 20 year spans. Thanks again folks Noel

I think in VB the 'remember me' module can be configured to use IP+Cookies or just Cookies. The later makes more sense for mobile internet. Other catches are subdomain names and the cookie store (e.g. mobile.domain.com v http://www.domain.com v domain.com all different cookies)

WOW what a fantastic price to achieve - I never thought of selling my one because I thought it wasn't worth much due to its age!

Browsing ebay today spotted this MM 181 loco for €112 (£80) 'buy-now' mode. Seems a good price for a weathered CIE livery 181 class. http://www.ebay.ie/itm/LB362-Bachmann-MM0190-class-181-CIE-black-orange-MIB-/361241985658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item541bb3427a These baby GM models knock the socks of the 201s and even the 071s.

Only on my iPhone when it's using the mobile template. There is a problem with cookie retention. It never remembers I've logged in, but fine on Mac or iPad.

Hi Folks. Results below of the mini survey which was presented for fun and information. Thanks to all who took the time to respond. There were 150 responses. As stated it was a simple mini survey limited to only 10 questions hence some areas omitted due to space limitations. Perhaps in the future a more comprehensive survey covering a greater aspects of the hobby could be taken. Good night all. Noel Q1. What aspect of the hobby do you most enjoy? Q2. Which RTR Manufacturers products do you currently own? Q3. Please tick all eras that you like to model Q4. Your modeling interests Q5. Rate importance of model loco features Q6. How many of these model locos would you purchase in the next 5 years if they were available from MM/Bachmann? Q7. 121 class livery choices - pick one or more Q8. A or C class livery choices - pick one or more Q9. Are you likely to buy any of these existing MM/Bachmann coaching stock in the next 3 years Q10. Which future RTR models would you buy if quality as good MM/Bachmann? Tick all that apply. END

Glad you like it. The NCE cab is the reason I went with them rather than ESU eCos (i.e. handheld v games console ergonomics). All DCC system controllers basically do what they say on the tin, but it is the cab infrastructure that makes the difference to suit individual preferences and tastes.

Ditto. The MM 141s are the best runners I've ever seen. Our sole 201 will remain single example as it is not on the same page as the 141s as a runner. It's also a very long scale model for many layouts curves and especially curved platforms. I've wondered if there is a Heljan model that might make a donor chassis for a SF A class kit. The under frame just needs to be co-co and the right length front axel to front axel, don't care as much about the scale accuracy of the bogie side frames, fuel tank, etc.

That looks fabulous. Superb paint job. If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to get the lines so crisp and sharp as well as the numbers and flying snail if you didn't use transfers? Another top class paint job on the forum this week.

You've really captured the essence of Waterford station in its heyday. Brings back fond childhood memories.

Waterford City station now seems relegated to the size of a small suburban town station. We are witnessing live the end of the railways. Hello M9, goodbye intercity rail.

Wow - it's been hack cannibalised almost out of existence. One wonders if there will be any intercity rail transport left in ten years time! Nice pics btw

I use parcel motel all the time. However the likes of Howes will NOT post paints to NI, IOM, or even the Isle of Wight, only the island of GB unless a courier is used! They refused to post enamel paints to NI even though it's in the UK.