Bachmann e-mail shot:-

Bachmann Europe today (28 March 2007) announced that a new website for the Dynamis DCC system has been launched. The new site can be found at http://www.dynamisdcc.com and contains information on the soon to be released system, answers frequently asked questions and provides details of Dynamis stockists. It also explains the different products more fully.

David Haarhaus, Sales & Marketing Manager for Bachmann Europe said today “Dynamis has generated so much interest that we have designed a new stand alone website for this specific product to reflect its international standing within the hobby. We recognise the power of the internet in being able to accurately communicate the many advantages of this wireless system which will provide a giant technological leap forward for Digital Command Control systems”.

Obviously the Big Boys were built for running long straight sections.

What lengths of straight running do we have in the US.

For the world record, it will probably be claimed by Western Australia.

The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) operated between Bath and Bournemouth in the West of England from about 1862 to the 1960's. There were spurs to Bridgwater and Burnham on the Bristol Channel Coast with the major engineering and repair works at Highbridge. There was a separate wagon and coach works for the railway.


© Colin Maggs 1984

Throughout the life of the railway locomotives were bought-out from major builders in the UK, and other railways locomotive works. No25A is of particular interest because it is one of only 3 locos undertaken as a complete build by the Highbridge Works. It was built in 1885, rebuilt in 1897 with modifications to the cab and the saddle tanks. The "Dazzler", as it was known, saw service on the railway until 1930, making up coal trains and shunting empties to and from coal mines in the Radstock area. It  completed 421,712 miles doing these meanial tasks.

I think small is beautiful, and this engine represents a real workhorse that has style and an attraction about it; with a long history too.

Drawing Office records of major locomotive & carriage works are a valuable reference source for historians and scratch builders.

In the UK there are many preservation projects for this purpose, NRM York(National Railway Museum), HMRS(Historical Model Railway Society) and GWS(Great Western Society) to name a few. Most interest groups serve researching and retaining original DO records, as the SDT(Somerset and Dorset Trust) and others.

UK scratch builders are spoilt for the amount of  records just waiting to be explored.

Many scratch  builders in the UK would love to have access to such wealth of information on American prototypes.

Are there repositories in the US for similar resource of drawings and information?

These are few pictures of the rail-laying currently on the route near 3rd Ave and Cameback.

(1)

The whole forms a concrete slap down the center of the streets with either a metal curb, as shown, or a concrete curb elsewhere

(2)

The rail is supported on feet holding the gauge at regular intervals, while a rebar matrix is built.

(3)

The rail is laminated with rubber sections of about ¾" thickness, held in place with duct-tape before the concrete is poured.

(4)

The rails are strung out while the rebaring moves forward.

(5)

The matrix of rebars is prepared before the concrete is poured. The length prepared in picture 4 is a "Batch" quatity for the concrete and will be completed before more rebar work. Photo show expansion joints being fitted made of tar fiber board.

The Sheds have been built and Trolley-sets are being delivered. Test runs are between midnight & 4am between the sheds and over Tempe Town Lake to Tempe.

The line is 20 miles and is expected to be complete with the opening service currently December planned for 2008. The next 20 miles is currently under planning development.

Tailpiece

Behind the collection of palm trees(temporary nursery) in picture 1 stands a house whose resident refuses to move - the last property holding out along the 20 mile streach fo the route! They have sofar refuse $46,000. It came to light last week that the building is owned by Phoenix City, and the residents are renting!

This is a report of the incident last night.

Try the fontpage too for other links.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6391743.stm

There are several claims to the record speed for a Steam Train; from 124 to about 130 mph.

LNER A4 Pacific "Mallard" in 1938 is generally quoted at 126mph because it had a dynomometer car in the rake to officiate, although it was on a slight decline of 1/200. The engine was just 3 month's into service and an inside main bearing was damaged in the attempt. It had to be towed back to Doncaster for repairs. The driver has remained nameless - pity the fireman !

What is the authority for the other claims?

Regards

Length of Cricket Pitch = 22 yards = 1 Chain.

                                     20 chains = 440 yards. = quarter mile.

                            4 x quarter mile = 1760 yards. 

Given volume V of water generates (1760 x V) at normal atmospheric pressure.

Why Chains; because the measurement is used in track radii.

ESU are touted as the makers of the new Bachmann Dynamis being offered by Bachmann Europe.

ESU is a German maker, also of a neat looking Windows based set-up to re-program their sound decoders. They confirm in an email to me that the set-up will also program other manufacturers decoder's CV's.

The current cost is about $100 and seems to me a good complement for those who bought too early into Bachmann's E-Z Command Controller.

http://www.loksound.de/en/index.php?showId=64

Let's get it together!