[SRman]

Another new indulgence has arrived today. As is often the case, this set is for nostalgic purposes as it reminds me of the first year I spent in Australia, after my family moved here to Melbourne, from England. These old Tait sets were still the mainstay of Melbourne's suburban network, together with the post-war Harris sets, although most of the time I saw them they ran as 7-car sets with three driving motors and four trailers. I wasn't going to buy one, tempting as the new Auscision release was, but the Black Friday sales meant Auscision were selling everything in stock at 20% off, which is quite a significant saving.

I opted for a 4-car set (they do have 7-car sets on offer, but I didn't want to spend quite that much, even with the sale), choosing one in the condition I saw them in 1966, with spoked wheels and smoking and non-smoking sections marked.

The running qualities are good, although I had to tweak a few of the finer bits that interfered with the bogie swings on the motored end. I have fitted two 21-pin decoders - one Lenz Silver in the motored car, and a cheap Hatton's one in the unpowered driving car.

The models capture the look of these trains very well, with my only criticism being that they are too neat in appearance. The real trains always had mixes of clerestory and non-clerestory roofed coaches. The original stock dates from the 1919 electrification, although some trailers came from even earlier, converted from steam-hauled stock.

 

[reddo]

Another new indulgence has arrived today. As is often the case, this set is for nostalgic purposes as it reminds me of the first year I spent in Australia, after my family moved here to Melbourne, from England. These old Tait sets were still the mainstay of Melbourne's suburban network, together with the post-war Harris sets, although most of the time I saw them they ran as 7-car sets with three driving motors and four trailers. I wasn't going to buy one, tempting as the new Auscision release was, but the Black Friday sales meant Auscision were selling everything in stock at 20% off, which is quite a significant saving.

I opted for a 4-car set (they do have 7-car sets on offer, but I didn't want to spend quite that much, even with the sale), choosing one in the condition I saw them in 1966, with spoked wheels and smoking and non-smoking sections marked.

The running qualities are good, although I had to tweak a few of the finer bits that interfered with the bogie swings on the motored end. I have fitted two 21-pin decoders - one Lenz Silver in the motored car, and a cheap Hatton's one in the unpowered driving car.

The models capture the look of these trains very well, with my only criticism being that they are too neat in appearance. The real trains always had mixes of clerestory and non-clerestory roofed coaches. The original stock dates from the 1919 electrification, although some trailers came from even earlier, converted from steam-hauled stock.

Very nice and uniquely Australian in design. Is that an old Holden also parked up?

 

[SRman]

Very nice and uniquely Australian in design. Is that an old Holden also parked up?

Not a Holden, but fairly closely related: it's a Vauxhall FD Victor 2000 of 1966 to the mid-1970s, so appropriate to the timescale of the train as I remembered it, but not a common car in Australia. I had a science teacher in Rockhampton (Queensland) who had brought his Victor 2000 Estate from Britain with him, and I saw another in roughly the colour I painted the model, for sale in Brisbane.

 

[SRman]

And now with some destination transfers and disc headcodes ("head signals") added, plus the outer end Kadee couplings removed and the dummy screw couplings glued in.

I also swapped the decoder in the dummy driving motor car for a TCS EU621 which allows me more control over the marker lights. I need to replace both the Lenz and the TCS decoders with something with even more functions available for full lighting control, but this will do for the present. ESU LokPilot 5 are the suggested decoders, but I might try some slightly cheaper but also fully functional Zimo decoders.

 

[SRman]

Further to my posts on the VR Tait set, I have been fiddling with the DCC setup.

Initially, I fitted a Lenz Silver 21+ in the motored coach, and a TCS EU621 in the dummy car. Neither could operate all of the lighting functions.

I have now installed ESU LokPilot 5 DCC decoder in the powered car, and a similar LokPilot 5 Fx DCC decoder in the dummy car. Both are programmed to the one address and proved able to work all of the lights independently - I saw the red tail lights for the first time with these decoders! - but I wanted to avoid operating the marker lights at both ends with the same given function key.

I used JMRI Decoder Pro on the computer to program each carriage separately: the headlights are directional on F0, destination screens non-directional on F1. I haven't worked out what F2 does, but left the dummy motor coach with F3, F4 and F5 working the marker lights (right, middle and left when looking at the front of the coach), and F6 working the tail lights. These were set directionally - forward only for F3 - F5, and reverse only for F6.

I then reprogrammed the powered coach's decoder so that the marker lights were on F7, F8, and F9, with F10 working the tail lights, again set directionally. I disabled the functions allocated to F3 and F4 by default, which disabled the inertia/momentum settings and activated "shunting mode". I didn't want those functions anyway (I have never used them), and didn't want them accidentally activated when selecting the marker lights at the dummy end.

Finally, I set the forward direction tail lights to F11 for both cars, allowing them to be displayed at both ends simultaneously for stabling.

What all this means is that I can set the head code lights differently at each end to suit the different destinations I chose, and change directions with everything already set up.

 

[alanoes]

Hi al
This arrived today, Trix 25958 Baureihe 724 Maintenance / Messwagon

I already have the 22657 in yellow livery, and thought this would be a nice addition.

It has interior lighting and figures plus running sounds and sound effects.

At the end of a long shift, its good to have a wash and brush up.

Also got this rake of Piko DR coaches (2 sets of 3)

Regards
Alan

 

[Alex Hempel]

Love those PIKO coaches, nice acquisition Alan.

 

[reddo]

Very nice indeed, with the lighting and passengers, it really brings the railcar to life. And Piko are doing a good job of making coaches affordable; every new release they improve the detail more and more. Cheers

 

[Adrian]

So, after 4 years of restraint, I had some recent deliveries, to fill in some gaps.
Can't do original photos, sorry.

Gap1: breaking the no duplicate prototype rule
What better way than with the grand old lady?

Gap2: Not enough Prussian locos
Also fills the "no 55 class loco" gap

Gap3: Not enough CIWL baggage and dining cars
Japanese fansite. Wonderful details revealed by the other photos here.

Gap4: Not enough CIWL sleepers with cream trim
This mix takes my CIWL count to about 17 Teak cars.

Barring the odd surprise here and there, I can't see me buying any more stuff. I have way too much now.

Anyway, Savoury Solstice! Smash the Santa Claus Conspiracy! Bah humbug! etc.

 

[Babz]

Good Afternoon Everyone. I thought I had posted this the other day. Another for my G Scale Rhb collection which was bought secondhand from someone in the Gscale Society. Hope you like it special edition a few years ago. Babs Picture supplied by (Andrew Moorhouse)

 

[SimonBoulton]

The Piko Y wagen are very good, I’m hoping they will produce more versions next year. The only thing I’d question is why they did the Mitropa sleeper with a silver roof

 

[reddo]

An eclectic haul Adrian. You cant see you buying any more items for now...? I give it a month 😋😁. That Gourmino in blue looks great Baz

 

[reddo]

Similar here on those Y wayons Simon, I dug into my database and realised I can compile rake 1 from my stock so have pre-ordered rake/set 2 from MSL. Wondering whether to do a DIY job on the interior lighting (the pickups are pre-wired) or pay through the nose for the lighting kit...🤔

 

[reddo]

This is en route after seeing it on MSL as a byproduct of looking for Minitrix locos. I have no IC livery locos so this is a one off; fortunately I have a rake of coaches to go with it. Agree its not cheap but its a one off and has the elongated cabs and full DCC Sound Trix 25050 - German Electric Locomotive Class 103.1 of the DB AG (DCC SOund Decoder)

 

[Adrian]

An eclectic haul Adrian. You cant see you buying any more items for now...? I give it a month 😋😁. That Gourmino in blue looks great Baz

lol.
Fiscal reality is biting. Food and shelter are somewhat necessary.
However... before they're all gone

I doubt that I can stretch the budget to the accompanying BR01, but I have a few black and reds that could step in.
My orphaned BR05 might be a totally incorrect substitute, but down here, on-one will know and even less will care.

An eclectic haul Adrian. You cant see you buying any more items for now...? I give it a month 😋😁. That Gourmino in blue looks great Baz

Hmmm. Did you catch me looking at the Brawa Rheingold set? I won't be able to stretch it to the BR01 to go with it, though.

 

[Pantograf]

. Agree its not cheap but its a one off and has the elongated cabs and full DCC Sound Trix 25050 - German Electric Locomotive Class 103.1 of the DB AG (DCC SOund Decoder)

One of my top 5 electric locos of all time, it's too bad they didn't run long enough to actually wear this paint scheme but the 103 sure looks good in it. For that price it should have the DCC controlled pantos as well but that function is not on the list.

I'm looking for the Rivarossi BR103 with a single row of louvers. I found a used one and it ran like a tractor, I'm not sure if they're all like that.

 

[reddo]

Adrian - I am with you on the budget and just to make sure fiscal penury (?) Is guaranteed now, I used up a few loyalty discount euros with a French supplier incl free shipping and ordered this Trix 23030 - German Cab Control Car of the DB AG It should look finish off the IC train nicely esp with the illumination.

Pantograph - I agree the pantos should have been included at that price but I guess being a Ltd Edition and the popularity of the 103, they know their market. One thing I do know is that price is long forgotten after some years of buying the models, and whilst I do keep a database, seeing what I have paid in the past and what prices are now being asked, I am happy I came into the continental hobby when I did.

 

[Adrian]

Brawa 45917 AC non-digital Rheingold set.
Well. Tonight I tried to order the damn thing through Seyfried's, after much to-ing and fro-ing.
The pre-tax price worked out at 85.00AUD for each car.

The 75 euros for freight, plus 12 or 15 euros for something else, not-freight were difficult pills to swallow.

I finally vomitted the whole thing up when Paypal wanted 4% on top of all that. These other charges added 35.00AUD to each car; or a total of $175 fright.
After all this, there will be the surprise 'cross-border' fee for some other f#$%^$# skimmer to claim. I don't even know who that is; or why they are entitled to this.

No, no and no.

Yes, I did all that justification before the decision. I have saved plenty over the years. The price was close to retail and I was OK with the 75 freight charge, after some meditation and horse tranquilisers. Then everyone else stuck their hand out as I went past. I don't play that game. If Seyfried's (or anyone else) wants to use Paypal and add 4% to their customer orders, then their customers won't include me. Order cancelled, I wrote to them and asked to close my account there. I didn't want them that badly.

Too bad, it's a really nice set. Good thing I spotted something else...

 

[reddo]

Tough charges to absorb Adrian but I am a great believer in fate and it's likely a better deal is just around the corner. When I used to live in Sydney, I once went into a model rail shop and fairly grimaced at the price of standard Hornby locos.

Meanwhile, this arrived yesterday, very nice artwork. As more and more locos seem to be turning to Plux decoders, I am building up a list for a bulk purchase

https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Roco/71942.aspx

 

[Pantograf]

Meanwhile, this arrived yesterday, very nice artwork. As more and more locos seem to be turning to Plux decoders, I am building up a list for a bulk purchase

https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Roco/71942.aspx

That's very nice and I would have probably bought it by now as well if I didn't already have the "Connecting Europe" MRCE Vectron - Roco 73987 MRCE BR193 875 2 Siemens Mobility Vectron Electric Locomotive (carsandtrains.com) . I might still get it though...