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Tornado A1 Pacific Steam Engine: BBC Absolutely Chuffed - The Men Who Built a Train
Posted On 2010-12-15 , 2:44 PM
Tornado A1 Pacific Steam Engine: BBC Absolutely Chuffed
The Men Who Built a Train
In 1990 a group of dedicated people came together with a vision of what seemed at the time an unachievable task. They were united by an extraordinary ambition to construct a brand new steam engine and to bring back to life the Peppercorn class A1 Pacific steam engine.
After 18 years of incredible effort and teamwork, their dream became a reality when locomotive No. 60163 Tornado, moved under its own power for the first time. This BBC programme tells the story of the construction of a steam engine called Tornado, an amazing tale of cooperation, skill and sheer hard graft by men who defied the critics, who had said it could never be done.
Such an achievement did not go unnoticed and Tornado soon became a celebrity in its own right, taking Britain completely by storm. Wherever it has ventured, it has attracted crowds of people. Thousands turn out to wave and cheer. Children are hoisted aloft. Men hang from bridges and stand on car roofs. Enthusiasts wait hours in muddy fields for a fleeting view. At King's Cross, throngs blocked the platforms and when it blew a cloud of steam over the Duchess of Cornwall in York, the Prince of Wales burst out laughing. Indeed, in its short life, Tornado, the first mainline steam engine built in Britain for almost 50 years, has been a film star, splashed across newspaper pages and filmed in action by the thousands who contributed to her £3 million cost and waited almost 20 years to see a Peppercorn class A1 Pacific running on Britain's main lines again. It was the star of an episode of 'Top Gear', taking part in a classic challenge race from London to Edinburgh with Jeremy Clarkson on the shovel.
This beautifully shot DVD takes the story on, with new extra footage never before seen on TV. A delight, not only for fans of steam trains, but for anyone who admires a skill and determination that is steeped in the great British tradition. DVD Extras: Speech from Prince Charles at the Royal naming ceremony. Robert Hall BBC News Interview. The first run to London. Extended interview with the team. A donation will be made to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for every DVD sold.
click here to order Tornado A1 Pacific Steam Engine: BBC Absolutely Chuffed - The Men Who Built a Train
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How Model Train Classification Yards Work
Posted On 2010-12-01 , 3:38 PM
Most model railroaders have far more cars (rolling stock) and locomotives than they can possibly operate at once. One option is to simply store excess rolling stock and locomotives in boxes or on display shelves or cabinets. It is possible, however, to store all of your extra equipment and trains on tracks in a yard that may or may not be part of the visible operating portion of your model train layout.
However, design mistakes are a common feature of model railroad yard layouts. Yards don't always work out as well as they should. A major cause is the lack of available information on how to design a good model railroad yard layout. Without the resources, model railroaders are forced into a lot of guesswork.
Model Train Yard Layout Compression
Apart from the lack of available information on model railroad yards, another cause for less than satisfactory model railroad yard designs, is the need to compress a model railroad layout into the space available. 'Compression' is the model railroaders enemy, but in most cases, necessary.
Let's start by looking at the make up of real classification yards. Generally, they are huge. They often consist of many smaller special-purpose rail yards, that collectively, add up to a complex array of train track.
It is commonplace for there to be three separate double-ended rail yards strung one after the other. These are designed to move train traffic efficiently and usually comprise: an arrival yard, a classification yard, and a departure yard.
The Arrival Yard On Model Train Layouts
The arrival yard is where arriving trains drop off the cars of their train. The cars are then moved to the classification yard, being switched back and forth as necessary to get the right cars onto the right trains. The trains are then built out and moved to the departure yard. After getting a new caboose and locomotive, they then proceed to their next destination.
For more information on yard designs read the best-selling Model Train Help ebook by Robert Anderson (Highly Recommended).
Click here for more information
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Early Christmas Deals
Posted On 2010-11-27 , 2:24 AM
Beat the rush - get your Christmas presents online and in stock today
But hurry - some of these offers are limited stock!
The ultimate in train sets. A LNER B/12 class locomotive, 3 Pullman coaches, a J52 locomotive plus wagons, add in the Hornby Digital Select Control and you have more than a set, you have the makings of a really impressive model railway layout!
The track configuration will allow the operator, using the Select digital unit the ability to have the Pullman train running around the looped circuit while the 0-6-0 J52 locomotive can be busy shunting in the sidings. Of course there can also be the interaction between the two trains with the locomotives double heading and pulling the Pullman cars and wagons in one long train.
Contents:
LNER B12 class locomotive
Two Pullman 1st Class Parlour cars
One Pullman Parlour Brake Car
LNER 0-6-0 Class J52 locomotive
Tanker wagon
7 plank wagon
LNER 12 ton vent wagon.
Track: Starter oval plus track extension packs A&B.
R8217 Trakmat 1800x1200mm
Hornby Select Digital Control
RRP £274. Christmas price £249.99!
Click here to order
A complete fairground in a box!
New from Faller this Fairground kit includes the following items in a great value package:
Ferris Wheel 215x199x326mm
Test your strength sideshow 58x58x56mm
Bouncy Castle 84x76x63mm
Portaloos
Food Hall - Sausages 118x85x72mm
The set contains 713 plastic parks in 10 colours, clear window glazing and detailed illustrated instructions.
Comes complete with 12-16v DC/AC motor for operating the ferris wheel.
RRP £92 Christmas price just £74.99!
Click here to order
A Toy Story train set! Bring the movie action to life with the new Hornby Toy Story 3 train set.
This Toy Story 3 train set sees Woody and Buzz riding on top of the train in this adventure filled set.
The set includes a Western style locomotive, 3 carriages and a desert scene track mat measuring approximately 1150 mm x 820mm.
Set also includes a controller and wall mounted transformer.
RRP £89.99 Christmas price £52.99!
Click here to order
With a great circle of eight and crossover you can use these cars to race and slide around the circuit chasing each other.
The high impact cars are durable and are perfect for kids and this type of racing.
Scalextric Drift Kings Set contains Red and Silver Nissan GT-R cars with 360¡ guide blades, track with crossover, controllers and transformer. Track Length 392 cm (12' 9'').
RRP £99.99 Christmas price £59.99!
Click here to order
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The Secret To Creating Perspective In Your Model Railways Scenery
Posted On 2010-11-11 , 4:40 PM
by Tim McCarthy
When trying to create realistic looking scenery for your model railway trains, one technique that can be put to great effect is that of forced perspective. This is a method that involves making objects in your model railways scenery seem as if they are further away than they really are. In this article, I will discuss some of the different techniques that model railroaders use to achieve this look.
I want to start by looking at your model railways backdrop first of all, as this is one of the easiest places to use this method of creating a sense of extra depth to your model railroads scenery. As you are designing you model railroad backdrop, if you draw objects that you want to appear as if they are further in the distance smaller than those in the foreground, this will create a natural effect to deceive the eyes. Naturally, when you look into the distance, objects get smaller in size.
They also get more out of focus, so objects in the foreground should be well defined images and those in the distance should appear blurred to get the most realistic effect possible. Forgetting to do this when trying to create the illusion of forced perspective will make it look unnatural and will in fact have the opposite effect to what you are actually trying to achieve, as the eyes will focus more on it.
Another neat little trick here is to dull the brightness of the colours used and also use less detail in the background images as these are how things naturally appear to the human eye as things disappear into the distance.
Forced perspective is a technique that can be applied within you model railway itself too and is not just relevant to your backdrop. I have seen great examples of the forced perspective of a valley disappearing into the distance, complete with a river at the bottom.
This was done by shrinking the size the river as it got further away from the view point. It also included using a couple of bridges over this river, which again, got smaller as they got further away, giving the illusion of a greater distance between them. Another great way to achieve this look in you model railways scenery is by using different size and scale trees as you get further back in your layout. Micro machines mini cars used on roads winding of into the distance are also a nice little trick I have seen used.
The final technique I want to mention that can work particularly well is to use railway track of a smaller gauge than the one your model trains are running on, which you use in the distance to create an effect that the track is again further away than it really is.
Whichever method you decide upon, the main points to remember are the same. As objects get further away, to the natural eye they will appear small, become less in focus, contain less detail and appear duller in colour. Hopefully this will have given you some great ideas for your own model railways scenery. For more information on how to create realistic model train scenery, visit my website by clicking the link below.
Tim McCarthy is a model railway enthusiast with many years experience in the field of model trains. For further information on model railroads, including more on model railways scenery please feel free to head over to http://www.modelrailwaytrainstips.com/model-train-scenery
Model Railroading Enthusiast Robert Anderson Reveals Quick & Easy Ways To Design, Build, Maintain & Repair Your Very Own Realistic Model Railroad...Without Making Costly Mistakes! Ideal for beginners & experienced model railroaders in Ho, Oo, N, O, Z etc
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Controllers For Model Trains
Posted On 2010-11-06 , 4:40 PM
By John Vanse
Over the past 100 years several methods of controlling electric model trains have developed.
The first and simplest method was the use a simple variable transformer as introduced by Lionel in 1906 to lower the Alternating Current [AC] voltage from the wall to a lower, safer
value and allow the user to control the speed of a model electric train by changing the amount of AC power applied to the track. In the 1920's, Lionel included remote control reversing switches to allow the user to control the direction of the model train.
When Direct Current [DC] powered trains with permanent magnet motors were introduced, a different standard was developed for most two rail train tracks where the direction of trains were controlled by the polarity of the DC track power applied to the track.
In the late 1940's Lionel added a new concept of applying DC on top of the AC track voltage to turn on and off an on-board whistle by remote control. This concept of high frequency
transmission was introduced in the Lionel Electronic Train Control. This system supplied ten different signals that would control ten different remote control effects. The different high
frequency signals were superimposed on the standard AC power when selected buttons were pressed at the control center. Each remote engine or rail car was equipped with a receiver unit that was tuned to the individual frequencies. When the correct high frequency signal was transmitted, the corresponding receiver would toggle or turn-on some remote effect.
These high frequency signals increase the ability to remotely control various effects but they had other problems. Transmission losses were usually high and it was critically important to keep the track, the track joints and the wheels of the receiving car or locomotive extremely clean. However extra feeder wires to different parts of the track were used to prevent signal losses and placing capacitors across the track joints and adding inductors at the power supply and on each accessory being used assisted in reducing signal loss and in ensuring that all components of the model train layout operated properly. All this additional equipment however added to the cost, the complexity, and the maintenance for the model train
operator.
Model train manufacturers have, over the years, introduced different methods of applying high frequency signals to the model train track to increase the remote control capabilities
including independent train control which means that the operator can control the speed, direction and features of a number of different engines all on the same powered track
section. With most DC and AC systems however, the biggest problem is that there are only a limited number of remote control signals possible and their application is slow by modern
digital standards.
The application of digital technology uses remote control signals to carry digital signals to decoders in the engine for digital command control of locomotives and other accessories.
Digital Command Control (DCC) is a method of controlling individual engines, rail cars and accessories by transmitting digital remote control signals down the track to on-board digital receivers and decoders in the locomotives, wagons and other rolling stock and accessories.
DCC has been around since the 1970's but had not received wide acceptance because of the limited technology at the time and the difficulty and expense of installing receivers in each engine. With developments in digital technology these problems have diminished and over the last ten to fifteen years major model train manufacturers have produced several different versions of DCC. So many that unfortunately customers have been confused about which system is best.
Fortunately, in recent times, the National Model Railroad Association [NMRA] has established a preferred method of transmitting and receiving digital transmissions on model train layouts, based on the Lenz system developed in Germany and this is recognized as the accepted standard for DCC.
About the Author: Author: John Vanse John Vanse has several websites for model train enthusiasts. They can all be accessed through the key site at: http://www.themodeltrainguide.com For more specific information about DCC visit:
http://www.digitalcommandcontrol.info
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=268659&ca=Recreation
click here for more details on model railway controllers
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