Noel

Thanks for that explanation. That's classic.

Thanks. The more I learn about DCC the more I learn how much I still have to learn.

Thanks Dhu Varren. One thing I was wondering about for my old non DCC stock; might I be better installing decoder by using plug harness types and then plug them into a bare wires harness that is soldered onto the loco (or 21/8 pin direct decoder plugged into a bare wires harness). That way I could remove or replace decoders by just unplugging them rather than desoldering or cutting wires. Appreciate there won't be enough space to do this with tank engines, but there should be enough space in diesels and steam tender engines.

Uggh! Another 1960s/1970s mad architects 'concept' in concrete.

So does that mean I can call around with my die-cast metal Hornby-Dublo GWR 'Castle' class - where's the turn table?

Agree the curved points off the main line on that could have been constant radius curves placed slightly future south rather than reversing angle for higher speed ops. The whole track plan with all the reversing and shunting to get on and off the waterford platform seems crazy, not to mention the scissors instead of a down mainline platform on the other side. I wonder why the Limerick-Waterford line was not laid to converge parallel to the mainline and then diverge again rather than an almost right angle cross over. The time saving on operations would have been so much easier and with a less expensive track layout. This was the practice at most UK junctions where two counrty lines were crossing at right angles to each other.

Thanks guys. Its expensive but seems worth it. Q - What solvent to you normally use? i.e to avoid damage to plastics, especially peco flexitrack. (white spirits, acetone, etc). Acentone is not plastic friendly.

Thanks guys. It looked a nice product, but good to get a positive recommendation from folks who have actually used it.

In the end I decided to go with NCE for the DCC conversion. I like their HH cabs and price for what you get. The only feature the NCE lacked that might have been nice was to have a database of locos with alphanumeric names for recall by number or from name lists. The Ecos 50200 had that, but wasn't taken by their HH cabs. In the future NCE may probably end up with a more modern base controller which supports iOS or Android tablet apps for configuration and setup rather than rather dated two line mono LCD screens. I believe the existing NCE setup can be used with cab/throttle apps on smartphones, but only indirectly via a separate PC running JMRI. Hopefully future controllers will have a more elegant direct WIFI or BlueTooth interface for direct use with smartphone DCC apps (i.e. not needing a PC in the mix), or perhaps I have missed something. Q1 - Any recommendations for 'wires only' DCC loco decoders for about 40 of my old non-DCC steam locos (Bachmann/Hornby) none of which have any lights. (To be fitted gradually over the years) Q2 - Do 'keep alive' versions work or is it better to stay away from that option? Thanks again for the advice received so far.

Hi Folks Has anybody used the 00/H0 CMX track cleaning car? Is it any good on Peco 100? Thanks Noel

Juntionmad (LJM) is a good pal of mine and yes he is 'Limerick Junction Mad' We met up last Sat for a play with a new MM 071 class, and we were both stunned at its fine running and scale detail. Think it wet his appetite to get back into the hobby as has MMs Irish stock revitalised my interest in the hobby. LJM, I can see now from the track layout on the old OS map why you are so interested in Limerick Junction. EM gauge would be very tasty but that might mean the superb MM Bachmann bogies won't be an option. Noel

Excellent As a newbie here I will look forward to reading about its development and learning some tips along the way from such master modellers. A great idea.

Yes agree its awkward to buy a Win7 license. It can only be done on Microsofts website and you have to download the media image, but they still sell Win7 license because the corporate sector seemed to largely reject Win8 for desktop use (i.e. keyboard and mouse). Just about to try RailModeller on Mac OS this evening before trying AnyRail under VMware.

Hi. Just found this thread. Not sure if Killucan2 and David are one or two folk who offer lighting, but if either, please could one of you PM me with pricing for installing lights in Cravens. Question if these lighting sets don't need decoders how does one turn them on or off (ie off for daylight running or when stored in sidings). Thanks.

Hi. If you install VMware Fusion (or Parrallels) on your mac you can run Windows apps (ie under Win7 or Win8). You will need a windows licence as well as VMware fusion both a cost but it runs superbly on Mac. Four finger swipe switches from MacOS desktop to Windows 7 desktop, and visa versa. It runs concurrently so none of this dual boot nonsense needed. I have to run some specialist map authoring software which only runs on Win32 so when I moved away from PC some years ago I found this worked really well. Its flawless. Two minor setup options for keyboard mapping and you have 100% Windows capability on a Mac. I recommend Win7 as even latest Win8 is still a pain as a desktop OS. I'm will be installing AnyRail later this week on the MacBook, will let you know how it goes. Virtualisation has a cost but its a tiny fraction of having a 2nd laptop.

Sadly the new motorways seem to have had an adverse effect on railway passenger numbers. Unless one lives right beside Heuston, it is now significantly quicker to drive to Cork than go by train, albeit not as relaxing. By coincidence I had only been looking at the old 1906 map a few weeks ago. We had virtually no roads back then, so much of the traffic was agricultural and freight. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Map_Rail_Ireland_Viceregal_Commission_1906.jpg

Very nice.

Thanks josefstadt. They could have been 8 seaters, and now that I think of it probably were. So were the ones I described travelling on laminates, or metal bodies? I wonder if this was the type: http://www.studio-scale-models.com/Bredincomp.shtml

Thanks Ben. Do you know if they were a CIE design or a modified LMS/BR coach? They look very like LMS cars. I wonder if any of our LMS cars might lend themselves to basic conversion and repainting in early 60s CIE black and tan. I presume they were hauled in the 1960s by 001, 121, 141 and 181 loco's. Would either of these LMS coaches lend themselves to conversion to CIE Laminate coaches? LMS coronation style corridor coach - Stanier? LMS corridor coach

A few more photo's. Murphy Models have helped me realise my dream to run proper scale Irish stock on this layout. A pal came around today (an engineer by trade) to have a play and advise me on DCC and signalling. MM 071 passing on the express loop Hopefully in time the goods shed will be replaced by a lime stone block building in the GS&WR style. Terminus as 4-6-0 prepares to move wagons to the shunting spur. MM 182 on up line of mid level through station (L1). Most of this level is out of view under the upper level (L2). The righthand most platform serves the single track branch line to the lowest level (L0). LMS on the down line. I know the stock is a bit of a mix up, but I like both Irish trains and British outline.

Yes I'm fairly sure that was when I was 12 +/- a year. Drawing was my thing as a child aside from trains, meccano, and lego. I probably spend 1 hour every night in the school study hall just drawing mechanical stuff, planes, trains but never automobiles for some reason I was a bit of a frustrated pretend junior architect, loved building things - and dismantling them to see how and why they worked! Model trains had it all. Thanks to my dad who ran Hornby-Dublo models under my cot at bed time when I was an infant, and got me a small lego set when I was 4, then giving me a small meccano set for my 6th birthday. This afternoon I quickly bodged some adjustments to the earlier plan using tippex to make it more like the actual real layout plan. Forgive poor quality, it was a photocopy of a photocopy, tippex'd and hand corrected. See below. Old New Layout - Track Plan The middle level twin track continuous loop runs under the upper twin track level for about 70% of its length and the hidden section is not visible on the plan above only the visible section (ie. thru station at bottom of page). The attached image is not 100% accurate, there are a few minor extra sidings in the terminus. PS: I can't draw like that anymore because my hand co-ordination has deteriorated in recent years.

Here is another layout design I did when I was about 12. Despite the station names it had a LOT of poetic license as regards track plans having any semblance to reality. Basically it had a twin continuos loop at base level, a terminus, and a transition gradient to an upper branch continuous loop with two branch stations. I spend many hours during school study time doodling designs for either RC model aircraft, model railway layouts, or the odd suspension bridge. (Example below drawn on back of my Geography copy book) One of many earlier alternative concepts

As a child I remember travelling on CIE coaches with six seater compartments (circa 1964-73), mainly the Galway line, but I think also on the Killarney/Tralee line. Q - What type of coaches might these have been? Where they Laminates pre Park Royal, Park Royal, or Cravens? My Memory is a bit vague, but I don't think they were Cravens because I remember the sides and ends met at sharp right angles unlike the slightly rounded cravens. The doors were at each end of the carriage, rather than into each compartment which had internal sliding doors to the corridor on one side of the coach.

Wow - As a 'newbie' on here, every few days I discover more and more amazing threads on stunning models and layout projects. Hats off sir. PS: I started school in Waterford about 1964. As a child I was taken by the railway station with the rock faced escarpment and huge signal boxes, and the rumbling GMs heading for Wexford by the river past the former Bell container port.

Well when (and IF) I get it finished - I will gladly come to some sort of club meet or exhibition meet and buy a few pints Your wish is my command! I just found the original track plans, but I can't find the slightly revised ones that I actually used. Will explain below. I will try and find the final revision drawings. Original Mk2 Track Plan - Revision Circa 1980 (Slight change to upper level and transition gradient between L1 and L2) Block Section Switch Diagram - Middle Level L1 (All soon to be redundant with DCC ) Block Section Switch Diagram - Upper Level L2 Engine Shed Design (drawn cira 1986) - Actual building 70% complete (see layout pics on earlier thread pages) The Changes The original plan was always to get L1 and L2 fully functional and landscaped before completing L0 (single branch line with reversing loop). Back 20 years ago I had planned to build the branch line with Peco fine scale track. The main difference between the plan shown above and what I built, is the transition gradient from L1 to L2 is much more gentle and the upper section on that side is now straight without the twin points to a downhill gradient back to L1 (bottom of page). Also the corner (bottom LHS of page) does not expose L1 track, rather a goods yard and turn table at the L2 station. Block Switch Panels I built 18 years ago - soon to be redundant with DCC Inertia Controller I built circa 1978 from a hobby electronics magazine circuit diagram. Back in the 70s "Inertia/Braking" simulation was regarded as something of a novelty. I do like the tactile feel of a rotary knob with stops and visual speed indication. I hope I don't find the transition to HH DCC Cab controllers a disappointment in terms of precision running control.