stevenh Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 It's all currently a logistical nightmare. The owner initially allowed until the end of January to retrieve it and has nearly dismantled it. I have 3 quotes on the way, but all are a little... shocking. I may end up hiring a van to do the job, wont be cheap. Either way, I expect to have received the layout by mid January. Not as quick as I'd like, but currently the only perceivable option. Stay tuned. Link to comment
stevenh Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 The layout was finally reconstructed tonight. All went very well regarding nuts and bolts and everything fitting together but then I realised the transformers weren't dual power (115v only). All good, hooked up my old trusty CDA throttle and powerpack.... Hikari RailStar budged... stopped... budged... stopped.... No matter the amount of cleaning I could not get it to do a full lap. I believe it's wheels need a good scrub and so does the track. I love it that my C56+4pax cars could do laps at full speed though (beating the shinkansen)... So far the RailStar is disturbing me, but I'll sort it all out (with pictures) on saturday. Link to comment
Bernard Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Great news! I look forward to photos. Are you going to convert it to DCC? Link to comment
alpineaustralia Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Steven My Series 300 and Dr Yellow do the same thing. The reason it budges and stops is that it is a Tomix shinkansen! Link to comment
stevenh Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 The reason it budges and stops is that it is a Tomix shinkansen! Heh, I didn't want to agree with this, but I must admit that my Micro Ace Series 0 Dr Yellow ran a lot better (although it was brand new... the smell of the plastic was insane). This came in the most recent shipment from Japan :D As for DCC, We'll see... it's a simple Shinkansen loop and I can't really see the point... the local line (to be added) may well receive it though. Link to comment
stevenh Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Headline reads: "World rejoices, Kato transformers make a world of difference." I can't believe how much better everything ran with a proper power supply. See the photo gallery here And the blog post here Link to comment
Bernard Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Yeah, you got it! I was watching the video Bill posted about "For Beginners: Kato" and never realized that the switch controls plug right into the power packs, great idea by Kato. I know you have some DCC trains and this is a DC layout, are you going to convert the DCCs back to DC? Link to comment
stevenh Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have 6 brand new decoders to install... somewhere... and that's enough to get a good fleet of DCC up and running. But, DC it just so much easier for a layout like this.... but... I'd love a true DCC setup. I now have my booster defined... and a GP32 handheld to control the action (wired), so I might just get the local line layout done (in flexi-track) as I want the ... well ... flexibility and permanency and then worry about how to control the things... My current plan is to have the track set into blocks, as there is no issue with just having all blocks powered when in DCC mode. Anyone want to suggest a good local track plan? I was hoping to fit a small yard into the front left of the shinkansen station and then a local line on the rural side. Link to comment
Bernard Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Steve, How about starting a new thread with you layout and could you make a diagram of what the current track plan looks like so members can see where you might be able to add a yard and a local line. Also explain what you want to have added to your layout. You've got a fun project there, mate! (Hey, I used "mate", I think the Aussies at the forum are having an effect on me. I can't wait to see the expression on the NYC bus driver face when he asks for my fare. "Here it is, mate." Oh, am I in trouble. ;)) Link to comment
alpineaustralia Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 To all the Aussies - Happy Australia Day! Here's to a great countrywith great people, great weather.......... but a not so good train system and a not so crash hot exchange rate. Cheers fellas. Alpine[glow=red,2,300]AUSTRALIA[/glow] Link to comment
Bernard Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 When I was in Sydney covering the Olympics, and I had a blast! The people were friendly with tons of personality. I thought the TV commentators, Roy & H.G. were a riot! It was the only games where I stayed a week after the Olympics and had a fantastic time. I would love to go back and visit again! (I even got to hold a koala name Sally.) Link to comment
alpineaustralia Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Matey - I noticed that you have dumped the 500 series as your avatar. What happened? Whats with the new mod look? What is that train? Link to comment
railzilla Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thats a Swiss Federal Railway RABDe 500 train. They provide ICN service witin Switzerland ICN stands for Intercity Neigezug which means Intercity tilting train. The tilting machanism is working better than the tilting in other trains especially trains made in Italy ;D. However the door entrances are quite narrow and high so they need longer stops at stations. So some of the faster trip between stations is offset by having longer station stops. This is most evident at Zürich airport whre it take very long until everybody and its luggage is on board. So far there are no N-Gauge models of it. Link to comment
Bernard Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Railzilla - thanks for the information about the train, I knew it was a Swiss hi-speed train but that's all I knew. Alpine - as for the change in my Avatar, since I've had to shovel our driveway 7 times in the last 2 weeks, I wanted a train in a snow scene. (I'm beginning to identify with snow ::)) Link to comment
Guest ___ Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Since I've had to shovel our driveway 7 times in the last 2 weeks, I wanted a train in a snow scene. (I'm beginning to identify with snow ::)) Stupid snow. We just got ice here. Link to comment
alpineaustralia Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Be carfeul what you wish for guys - we have had a heatwave in excess of 40 degrees centigrade (thats 112 degrees fahrenheit)...... "Heatwave causes havoc at Australian Open Reuters - January 28, 2009, 8:16 pm MELBOURNE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A once in a century heatwave caused havoc at the Australian Open on Wednesday, forcing tournament organisers to cancel matches and invoke their new Extreme Heat Policy for the first time. The tournament match referee Wayne McKewen ordered the roof on the Rod Laver centre court be shut and all matches were suspended on the outside courts as the temperature soared past a stifling 43 degrees Celsius. The players were left soaked in sweat and gasping for air in the sweltering heat while spectators abandoned the stands to watch matches on television sets in shaded bars at Melbourne Park. The brutal conditions proved too much for the swarms of bogong moths that flutter around the stadium's bright lights, with dozens dropping dead on to the main court. The Australian Open has always been played in severe conditions but organisers are on high alert this year after the Bureau of Meteorology forecast six consecutive days of 40 degrees temperatures in Melbourne. Suburban train tracks reportedly began to buckle, race meetings were cancelled and ambulance crews were run off their feet treating people suffering heat stress." Link to comment
serenityFan Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 It is indeed very hot in Melbourne, I didn't know this could happen to rail tracks: http://www.theage.com.au/national/tracks-buckle-and-so-does-rail-system-20090128-7s0h.html Link to comment
alpineaustralia Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Apparently it relates more to the sleepers according to the following article http://www.theage.com.au/national/concrete-move-no-sweat-20090128-7s0x.html Link to comment
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