Dave2744 and I started to accidentally side-track the the 44-Tonner split-axle thread into a discussion about drag brakes and how they could improve the coupling action of Kadee couplers. So we decided that we would start a new thread here to not completely derail the original discussion.

Dave...I have been using the Kadee whisker couplers for a couple of years now, especially the " scale" ones, #s 156 and 158 in particuler. And yes at times they do seem to not want to couple, usually from not being centred. I sometimes think that the whisker springs just aren't strong enough, at other times it seems like the original coupler box just isnt big enough for the Kadee coupler. So I usually end up filing both the coupler box lid,the coupler shank and adding some graphite lube to try and get things moving...sometimes it works and sometimes it only works up to a point...can be frustrating.

Plus...any chance of a pic of one of your drag brake installs on a car??

Cheers
Gene

Just got the EZ-app controlled GP. Everything seems straight-forward...learning-curve took 30-seconds. Loco seems to respond well, was able to give the loco its own cab-number. Two issues....the loco has a wickedly bad high-pitched hum that icreases as you throttle up. It almost overpowers the sounds...and its not the usual Bachmann hum one comes across on some locos....its much higher-pitched. Just as an aside I have numerous Bachmann locos, mostly the DCC factory-sound equipped ones but a few Dc ones that I have added decoders to...so I am very familiar with Bachmann products.

So any other EZ-app users run across this loud high-pitched hum issue before.

I just received my B&O Sound Value S2 today and am a bit disappointed. So far I've had very good luck with my Bachmann locos including my 9 Sound Value ones,both steam and diesel. I'd say the worst problem I've had so far is over lubrication(grease) by the factory.

Anyways my Sound Value S2 arrived direct from Bachmann today and I have to say I am disappointed. The sound files are pretty anemic compared to my steamers and RS3s. And of course the trucks are overloaded with grease as usual. But the biggest disappointments are the noisy gear/motor noise and the buzzing. The loco runs pretty well and quiet in reverse but in forward the motor/gear noise actually overpowers the sound files. That and the background buzzing. Even when the sound is muted and the loco is at a standstill the motor buzz is very loud and noticeable.  So far I have cleaned the excess grease out of the trucks and gears and I am breaking the loco in at half-speed on my rolling road with the sound off...hopefully that will help but I doubt it.

Sending it back to the factory is not an option...between shipping costs and the hit from Canada Customs shipping it back to the US isn't happening....so I have to sort it...hopefully with help from you guys here

       
           

They were taken at the Montreal Railway Museum
http://bmrcm.org/layout-photos-from-exporail-2012

Well, we just finished exhibiting our club layout, Allingham, at Exporail: http://www.exporail.org/en/welcome-to-exporail/ A satisfying, if tiring, weekend of playing trains and entertaining the public.

For those forum members in the Montreal area, we are always looking for members, so if you have an interest in British trains, we welcome you. No experience is necessary; we have members at all levels of the spectrum and with a broad range of interest.

A few more photos and some words about the layout by John Kendall

We replaced our old layout "Rosedale" after it had done some 20 years of service and was really showing its age. This was an opportunity to stretch our legs so we chose an asymmetric design with a double track circuit and provision for a branchline. The large radius curve at the station meant that we had to make some points by hand, again pushing our skill level ever upward. Track is Peco code 100. Control had to be DCC and an NCE system was selected. Points on the circuit are actuated by SEEP motors and some are on stationary decoders.

Readers will recognise Metcalfe buildings and, again, pushing our skill level, Scalescenes buildings. The backscene is Townscenes with individual buildings mounted on foamboard and 3D elements added.

We also resolved to have working signals and these were developed by one of our members using a solenoid actuator system. The technology behind these is beyond me but they do work nicely.

Allingham is tentatively set in 1962 in the London Midland Region, in what used to be Cheshire Lines Committee country.

Now, for the branchline, we resolved that this would be finescale. Therefore the track is code 75 C&L with all points handbuilt on PCB. Point motors are Cobalt/Tortoise and all use stationary decoders.

Buildings are scratchbuilt in the main with a couple of kits, like the signalbox (Ratio) and station (kitbashed C&L).

The branch has two destinations: Stonefield Halt with a passing loop and Patchwick Station. This is set in the Western Region.

At the time we were naming the layout, the last three British WW1 vets (Henry Allingham, Harry Patch and Bill Stone) had passed away so we named our three stations after these men.

If you are interested in joining us please PM me and we can start the process.

I took some pictures at the exhibition:


Fowler 7F at the head of a mineral train


Station pilot Class 03 with it's runner



Black 5 with a parcels/mail train



Pickup goods pauses at the halt passing loop before proceeding down the branch



Class 108 DMU with passenger service to Patchwick



Pickup goods shunting


The small goods and coal depot at Patchwick.

I spent an enjoyable afternoon with the Jinty, making up trains at Allingham Goods and tootling down the branch to Patchwick. I was also delighted to let some children have a play. After a bit of instruction they actually operated the train quite well - I suppose its the video game training.

This weekend we will take our club layout to Exporail, Canada's Railway Museum:  http://www.exporail.org/en/  We will be part of the annual "Small Trains, Great Passions" event.  For those members in the Montreal area, we hope you will visit the museum and say hello.  At the same time, we are always looking for members, so if you have an interest in British trains, we welcome you.  No experience is necessary, we have members at all levels of the spectrum and with a broad range of interest.

To whet your appetite, here are a few pictures of our layout



Patchwick Engine Shed and Signal Box




Patchwick Goods Depot and Cattle Dock



Overbridge and canal adjacent to Camping Coach site



Stonefield Halt near the quarry

Above pictures are copyright Nigel Phillips







The two pictures above were taken at Great British Train Show in Brampton ON.  They show the sweep of the main line.

A few words about the layout:

We replaced our old layout "Rosedale" after it had done some 20 years of service and was really showing its age.  This was an opportunity to stretch our legs so we chose an asymmetric design with a double track circuit and provision for a branchline.  The large radius curve at the station meant that we had to make some points by hand, again pushing our skill level ever upward.  Track is Peco code 100.  Control had to be DCC and an NCE system was selected.  Points on the circuit are actuated by SEEP motors and some are on stationary decoders.


Readers will recognise Metcalfe buildings and, again, pushing our skill level, Scalescenes buildings.  The backscene is Townscenes with individual buildings mounted on foamboard and 3D elements added.

We also resolved to have working signals and these were developed by one of our members using a solenoid actuator system.  The technology behind these is beyond me but they do work nicely.

Allingham is tentatively set in 1962 in the London Midland Region, in what used to be Cheshire Lines Committee country.

Now, for the branchline, we resolved that this would be finescale.  Therefore the track is code 75 C&L with all points handbuilt.  Point motors are Cobalt/Tortoise and all use stationary decoders.

Buildings are scratchbuilt in the main with a couple of kits, like the signalbox (Ratio) and station (kitbashed C&L).

The branch has two destinations:  Stonefield Halt with a passing loop and Patchwick Station.  This is set in the Western Region.

At the time we were naming the layout, the last three British WW1 vets (Henry Allingham, Harry Patch and Bill Stone) had passed away so we named our three stations after these men.

If you are interested in joining us please PM me and we can start the process.

You can see videos and more details at the links below.

Gene

http://bmrcm.org/
http://britishmodelrailwayclubofmontreal.blogspot.com/




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Just received a new DCC diesel loco. Not happy...the thing is so over-greased that there are actual gobbets of grease on the trucks and the bottoms of the trucks and wheels look like somebody dunked them in an oil-bath..its a mess! And needless to say the pick-ups aren't doing too good a job. I would have liked to just quietly written to Bachmann but their contacts aren't set-up for that type of communication...so I'm posting here...I don't think its the type of quality one should have to accept for over $200.

For reasons unknown the  excellent weathering site, Modeltrainsweathered.com has closed down. Unfortunately all the great information,weathering tips and photos that were on the site are now almost impossible to access. This is a great loss to the model rr community.