Junctionmad

What always surprises me is that so few Irish modellers consider EM gauge. At 18.2mm this is at least close to 4'8.5" and with code 75 rail will certainly look better than 00/code 100. I get the impression that folk are put off by doing 21mm gauge as they think it needs P4 standards [ie very fine, replacement wheels]. In fact Irish EM works on 20.2mm gauge,

I think its because if you are going to rewheel everything, you might as well get the gauge right , Why would 5'3" end up at 20.2 by the way, the check gauge ( i.e. flange gauge ) is not a function of track gauge per se, i.e. you can have 21mm with 1mm flangways ( Templot will do this quite nicely )

and in my experience nothing is " drop in " going to 21mm EM or P4, often the backs of W irons have to be modified, bogies modded, etc , longer pinpoints ordered ( which are getting harder to source ) , rewheeling bachman, split chassis stills requires skills etc . its all a reasonable effort and if you own a lot of 00 stock , its a big undertaking

My own view on 00 is that the height of the track contributes to the incorrect visual effect , then you add the flat bottom track effect , where the rail is sitting on the ballast, .Code 75 bullhead is now available from four supplies including PECO, and that when ballasted looks far better then what was available in the past, the bullhead rail, sitting above the ballast also gives a " lightness" to the track.

I have tried C&L, SMP and the new DCC Concepts code 75 bullhead, the new PECO look a real winner and Ive some on order. Points of course remain a problem.

This brings us back to Noels pic of Adavoyle, in my view low profile 00 bullhead, properly ballasted and blended in , can actually look very convincing

dave

I love the under frame detail , this must be a class leader for RTR , well done you guys, you must be driving the factory and the tooling people insane

Sad to see this institution going

Fascinating stuff

Ah jaysus lads , open the wrapping

Best of luck with the direct relationship. Obviously the training wheels are no longer needed !

is this the railcar that laid delerict in the old engine shed at LJ in the late 70s or early 80s. I rember seeing something like it there on a visit , but sadly took little notice or is my mind playing tricks

Interesting model. I don't know much about the prototype , were they offshoots of the 2600 aec gnr(I) ðesign tree ?

This is the "Dutch" layout, that is actually Belgian. Worth a look too.

 

Now that layout ( along with Grantham ) impressed me. It was operationally near flawless, even if I can't really identify with the prototype. It was an outstanding example of running reliability. I watched it for about 30 minutes , it was totally operated by computer and just a husband and wife team, he chatted away to us visitors. Full working signalling. A real triumph of model engineering , and all using standard peco and tillig track

Grantham was a layout I went to Warley to see. Complex ( required 6 operators ) and they were running a timetable which is brave for an exhibition , great layout, mind you it was nowhere near as reliable as the previous one.

I must say that all the layouts were to a very high stndatd , sone I liked and some I didn't but all were to a very high standard , scenery in particular has come a long way .

Hmm bleach green don't blow my skirts , so quite surprised it won , horses for courses

I think the most impressive setup was the Dutch layout. One guy ran the whole thing from his computer with no derailments or fingers of god, the layout featured both layout sound and dcc loco sound and was so big ( the train station was to scale length ) you felt like you were one one of the platforms scanning into the distance to see the trains

Full working signals , awesome slow speed running and a joy to watch

Well I'm done. That's warley done for me. Got to meet Steve Hewitt of the make your own signals thread on rmweb

The full size GWR grange in the middle was very interesting

Strangely all the girls seem to be going in to the motorcycle show ! Hmmmm

Wait , I see one girl in the queue , oh she's selling programmes ! Doh

Brace yourself!

 

And pace yourself.

 

It's a bit of an ordeal....

 

..but well worth it, if you survive.

Thanks

I'm there tomorrow , my first visit to Warley

Nothing like a good rumour. No truth in it what so ever.

social meeeeedia..... where else

rumor is that the rosslare service will now be stripped of ICRs to divert to this new service , OMG

All very true, Broithe.....however...... difficult, expensive or not, Dublin will absolutely have to have more public transport. There's no room above ground. The soon they start the better and the longer they leave it the more difficult it will get.

 

Time for the traditional Dublin whinging to be silenced; we need this nationally, as a plan, so the normal standards of "me, self and I" and "compensation compensation compensation" will eventually have to be overtaken by national necessity...

 

And I agree that the tunnel is a start.

Won't happen until we stop " one fur all in the audience " capital funding approach. Wrc being a classic case

I plan to make it along - been dying to see inside the place since I moved down here 5 years ago!

Take loads of photos please

I know I know, Damm wedding , suggested I skip it to SWMBO , my shin will be better in a few days

Awesome , great shots of Claremorris , especially the goods yard , in the supertrain era. Yummy yummy

Loved the beet video , in the early seventies I can remember seeing all those long long beet empties running across the river from my school.

Interesting the platform starter at Tuam was replaced to danger rather quickly as the rule was the guard was supposed to verify a signal. ( or else it was a SPAD !!! )

http://www.athlone.ie/visit/open-day-at-midland-great-western-railway-station/

 

 

The Midland Great Western Railway station, Grace Road, Athlone, will open 2.30-5pm on Saturday, November 19th to launch a new radio series about the railway in Athlone called The Railway Children. The station has been closed to the public since 1985 and holds fond memories for locals.

The event will include a guided tour which will allow access to the old platform, railway memorabilia, tea and snacks, and radio presenter Noel Henry will be taking song requests for his Through The Years programme.

Damm, have wedding to attend

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/minister-ross-has-no-intention-of-closing-any-railways-764403.html

That's the spirt play mr franks. at his own game

Looking at the three kits , the DC kits one is growing n me , but since I've ordered the WW , oh well !

We read in the papers recently that IE are pitching for a lot more money "or lines might close".

 

The wage claims we have (1) will use money up. Brexit (2) and Trump (3) will do no economic favours for Ireland.

 

(1: I state this as practicality, not a cue for political discussion. 2: I state this in the wake of the certainty of more difficult exporting by Irish exporters to the UK, not a cue for political discussion, and 3: again, not a cue, but the reality that a lot of the American firms employing thousands of well paid people in Ireland will come under pressure to ship out.)

 

So, where will any money come from to fund our railways, and will the same amount as previously necessary be available? If not, what gives?

On a simple financial and passagner basis , there is no justification for any intercity rail network in Ireland , and a clear need in the GDA for mass transit rail systems

In my view we will come to a crunch , when the rising costs of the intercity network mean priorities will have to be decided. A possible privatisation of the network might help , but I think it's too small to work

The question will be an underfunded countrywide rail system or a reasonably funded commuter system.

As for Brexit or trump , I dont personally beleive they will have any huge impacts on Ireland and in most cases at present we cannot tell the makeup and effect of those impacts

iR is now back in the cycle of " make and mend " railway operation , but with an entirely less flexible fleet then that time, what's clear is that simply keeping cie away from deaths door is not sufficient. Shane Ross professed preference for intercity bus does not argur well for IE