Quote from: jettrainfan on April 24, 2010, 09:53:18 PM

Quote from: StanierJack on April 24, 2010, 04:50:27 PM
At the end of the day, they are toys guys. Stop getting so stressy about them.

Last time i checked they were models!

Hi
Models or Toys not important.
Are they fun to play with very important.
But in using our own rights we must be carefull not to infringe other's rights.
I guess I am lucky, I can get both ranges to suit both ideas and not be tied to licencing agreements that tie up the UK and US markets.
regards John

Quote from: Sparks on April 24, 2010, 04:25:14 PM

Quote from: buzz on April 24, 2010, 10:18:41 AM
I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.

What?

We have rights to what we think. Scale is hardly a factor anyway. I was just saying that "OO" being there means they could appeal to a UK market.

I doubt anyone really cares the "scale" of a Thomas model, as long as its not too noticeable, doesn't ram into station platforms or can't fit into tunnels. (I say this because the Tomix range gets HUGE praise, despite the fact they're oversized  )


But if Hornby weren't so lazy, I'd like them to at least try custom molds. They did it during their first years, but then just decided to "recolor" engines. Bachmann could of easily done the same thing.

yes you have rights and one of them is to obey forum rules,
and it is against the forum rules to bad mouth other manufactures
Who are not here to defend them selves.
Feel free to give Hornby the hundreds of thousands of pounds it would cost to make dedicated molds for a very limited market.
I like Hornby Thomas just the way it is it fits in well with my UK models
I also Like Bachmann Thomas Just the way It is as it fills the cartoon train market long may it stay so.
If you want to compare Hornby And Bachmann at least have the good manners, to write a revue that will be published in an open public domain
where if both the companies don't like it.
They can both respond.
regards John

Hi
Having seen a rather nice Cat log loader in HO scale.
I wondered what else would be needed for a modern log loading siding.
And if a modern fit for mainline railroad as opposed to log line
log cars are manufactureed by any one.
This struck me as a simple easy to add business for a model railroad.
A siding, a pile of logs and the loader.
Or is there more to it than I think, unless the delivery point is
off world so to speak.
regards John

I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.
Hornby put OO/HO on the boxes because thats precisely what it is and I hate to say this so is Bachmann Thomas
Bachmann Branch lines is the UK outline Bachmann
What the marking on the box means is OO scale 4mm = 1' HO 16.5mm gauge.
What you have to remember is Bachmann make the TV trains
Hornby make the proper scale Thomas trains both have there markets
The Hornby Thomas trains cannot help but be scale models,
when you have Stepney being a very real Brighton "Terrier" which Hornby Have produced and the real one is preserved on the Bluebell railway.
You then have the Thomas Stepney which is based on you guessed it
a Brighton Terrier if you where Hornby would you not use the same mold.
Hornby also have to match it with there pre existing range a thing Bachmann did not have to do.
There is a reason all English trains are OO scale and it goes back to clock work train days being able to fit the smallest motor in a HO scale US locomotive.
But because the English trains are smaller than the US ones that smallest clock work motor would not fit in an English loco at HO scale.
regards John

Hi uncbob
Me I like to have the options of roundy roundy type running and the possibility of some sort of playing trains OOP'S I mean operating
trains 
Somebody asked analogue or DCC layout well all of my loco's are various
states of old technology so its straight DC with the odd set up of a 1960's
transformer controller and modern electronic controller set up for easy change over.
Have the interesting situation where some trains will only run reliably on the 1960's controller don't know why
regards John

Hi
I shall say this once and only once.
All the way with Nickle silver rail.
Steel  rail is a pain to keep clean you can't solder to it, once the sheridising is gone if its sheridised rail and rust sets in forget it.
If buying and using Bachmann track just remember this get the one with the grey base thats got nickle silver rail NOT the black thats steel.
regards John

Hi uncbob
See all my my stock at the same time ERR NO most of it is unsuitable for the current project so packed away until I can do the big one.

Its just so I can have enough stock on the layout to run a simple operating session.
We are talking a short 3 car freighter, a short mixed and a rail motor of some sort.
With possibly one or two spare freight cars for variety and thats it
There is not going to be  enough room on the scenic side even for that small amount of stock.
regards John

Hi Stanier Jack
like the name has a nice crimson lake ring to it just the right color for a loco.
Thanks just what I wanted to know.
Got plenty of 4wh coaches painted in CR colors from a previous project.
Looking for something different looks like I found the coach or coaches for my train
Was thinking cattle truck, coach, toad brake van for the train.
with Henrieta, or one of Emilie's coaches for the coach.
I have the cattle truck and toad made by Bachmann branchlines just need to find the coach or coaches to go in the middle for a light railway train.
regards John

Hi Scuba
Your switch  (points) will have three wires one is a common return the other two are your switching wires.
two wires come from your transformer one goes straight to the switch (point) motor common return.
The second wire goes to a momentary contact operating switch common feed.
From the operating switch you have two switching wires that go one to each side of the switch (point) motor.
Unfortunately I don't know what color code the manufacturer is using
so cannot be more specific.
make sure the operating switch you are using is designed for changing switches (Points).
I hope you can make sense out of this.
regards John

Quote from: Joe323 on April 14, 2010, 01:33:09 PM
I Agree with Old Timer I used the Atlas Software to plan my layout which is a Mixture of Life-Like Power Loc and Bachmann EZ track.  When I got to laying the track it wasn't eaxct (In fact I had slightly more room then I expected) but it was close enough.  This software is not totally intutative but after a few tries I picked up the hang of it.  So Plan the layout first on the software then lay it out loose on the board and adjust as needed

Good Luck & have Fun

Joe 

Hi Joe
I have resorted to ordering Hornby's 1/4 scale track planning aid.
as the good quality British geometry track is more readily available,
Than the good quality American Geometry where I am.
But I won't be using the 14,5/8" first radius curves even the small UK
rolling stock looks like carp on them, and I am not sure even the small
30 to 40' US stock would get round that.
Who would have though building a tiny layout in a larger space would get so interesting.
regards John
After thought I have an 0-6-0 steamer that will make it round the curves
any thoughts for a diesel

Hi Mr Bachmann
The pictures of Emilie's coaches and
Henrieta in the product section are not as big as I would like them.
Could you please tell me if they have faces on the end.
As these are just about the only very short coaches on the market
in OO/ HO scale they will have to do.
I can live with them being toy coaches on the layout but not if they have faces.
regards John

Hi ray46
I have actually taken a HO plan for an even smaller space and am building it in a larger space than it was designed for.
That leaves me with 1' X 4'6" for a hidden staging yard of some sort
The problem I have is coming up with a workable idea for a staging yard
that small.
It was noted in one of my earlier posts that I have never built a staging yard of any sort never mind a tiny one
But its only got to hold a couple train set sized trains and may be a couple of spare cars
So surely that could be fitted in the 1 foot width at the back.
larger space is not an option.
regards John

Hi jbsmith
The visible part of the layout is taken care of
As per plan sp1 from The Railway Modeler Book Of 60 Plans for Small locations by CJ Freezer.
I have added a run round so that the small loco can change ends of the train,and added an extra 1' at the back of the layout in which I hope to have some staging tracks (UK fiddle yard) so trains and excess stock can be stored.
With the rest of the world represented for operational purposes.
naturally I want to get the best possible result in the space available.
Without a staging yard, the layout is just train set with little to no operational potential.
Never needed staging before, as I have had enough space to work with so I could manage without it.
But not this time, and trains are also a lot shorter than I am used to
no 2-8-4's this time.
regards John

Hi
Does any one have any ideas for maximizing staging in a small space.
I am building a very small layout and without some hidden staging at the
back it just will not work.
The whole layout is only 4'6" square and I would like to try and get 4 staging tracks plus the mainline at the back, without taking to much valuable scenic space from the front.
regards John

AH now this can be quite a maze.
As I havs seen some cheap good stuff and some very expensive  junk
The price generally seems to depend on the type and level of detail
involved.
The main thing from my perspective is to make sure you have good
well aligned trucks and wheels and compatible couplings.
These will ensure good running other issues for the most part can be dealt with over time as knowledge and skills improve.
I have found nothing puts a dampener on things like a loco or car that just will not run properly and keeps falling off the track.
regards John