Questions for the peanut galley

I've been asked to take some photos for an upcoming journal article on NZ120. Several will be of the bush tram locos and wagons (which is easy). The other request is for some photos of progress on Paekakariki. Now, here is where I would like an opinion from the peanut galley (ie you lot).
What angles do everyone think show 'progress'? And what am I showing progress from?

Here is a selection for discussion.

'An early shot showing the naked base boards. Impossible to get at a high enough resolution for the journal.'

'Looking north showing some of the track making up close'

'Maybe not the best choice'

'An actual area of detail'

Or something along the lines of the following.

To compare with the historical photos

I'll leave it to you, I'm really not sure.

(Oh and as another question, Do the Priesler seated figures have workmen in sitting poses other than 'on the way to work on the bus'?)

A question

Pondering time today. There has been a rush of work on the 3D CAD printing lately, with quite a few models produced. The quality of the print is not easy to make out at the moment, but for those of us wanting a 'close enough' model, the future does look bright. I must admit to being unconvinced but far be it from me to stop anyone making models, as long as they are in the right scale. It even has me wondering if I really need to put wires on the insides of my J sheep wagons (they are a pain in the ass to do and there are quite a few of them to finish). The inner finescaler seems to be rather quiet on this one as I'm keeping him occupied with dreams of 6 and 8 coupled loco mechs. I'll have to find a coin to toss.

This also raises the question about the state of S scale at the moment. Is there anyone actively modeling in the scale? Is there any progress? Is there a forum that we don't know about or has the scale fragmented into small groups isolated from each other? Likewise for the 'other' 9mm scale.
Enquiring minds do wonder....

56' passenger cars

A plea here tonight. Can any kindly soul out there pleaase send in some pictures of the Trackgang 56' cars either assembled or unassembled. I'm just wondering whether or not to build my own or buy the kits (and as between Darryl and myself would want about 10, the kits might become quite expensive)

Superdetailing the superdetailed: DC parts?

Few who have seen an eTch ceTera DA or DC, even an unassembled one, would argue that it’s a nicely detailed kit that is hard to improve upon.

Yet an ad from Attic Products (Massey, Auckland) in the Dec 2003 Journal offers a set of detail parts for the NZ120 DC: sills, detail piping, fuel tanks, speedo, tablet exchangers, aerial, exhaust stacks, tail lamps, horns, dynamic brakes and handbrake. All for $20.

Intriguing. Has anyone got or seen a set of these parts? I’d be interested in any pictures or comments if you've seen these or know if Attic Products are still around.

Into Print (part III)

First off tonight, a note on the article for the local rag. I've been asked how I'm off for pictures. To this end I'd like you, the viewing public in the penny dreadfuls out there to send me in your favorite NZ120 picture. I'd also love to see any of John Rappard's layouts, the old Dunedin layout or anything else that you might have. Depending on how many I get we can then have some sort of run off for the ones that get forwarded.

A request

I was going to write a post about painting figures (I've done a wee bit of it over the years). However I had been going to use Railmaster S scale figures to illustrate various techniques I use. I had forgotten just how crap the sculpting of the figures is. Admittedly they are over 40 years old, but some of its still pretty horrible. Some of the faces bring to mind the 'face on Mars', and there's a lack of detail on anything. So, what I'm wondering is if there is anyone out there with 5-10 Preiser TT scale figures that would like them painted to a better than commercial standard?
(Darryl, don't worry, I've almost finished them)

UPDATE; I now have an offer for some figures, so I don't need any more.

Into print (part II)

Darryl has kindly donated the space t host the history of the scale PDF here. I'm reasonably happy with the first part, but the later stages are a bit more of a mystery, as I was doing other things when Trackside started and the last 10 years needs beefing up.
Bny more info that anyone thinks should be added/altered/incorrect please E-mail me, rather than using the comments section. I'll then re-draft the article.

Into print

I've been asked a while back by the guild to write an article on the orgins of the scale. Now I've knocked up 1300 words on my own, but I would like to post the article here to see if anyone else can add to it where they feel its important. What does everyone else think about this. its going to take up a huge amount of space on the blog and will not really be written in the same form (the local rag is a bit different t our pub conversations)

It had to happen

I see there's been yet another enquiry about a De model in the comments on Darryl's DFT build. For those of you not on the yahoo group this has been cropping up since 2005, when someone was busy collecting drawings and was just doing the masters. Now personally I can't see the fascination with the loco; the photo's in the Railfan articles showed a loco that was not overly pretty from some angles and only really worked as a shunter. I'll admit it did look nice in the fruit salad scheme.

The main problem with building a model of a De is that there is no powered bogie I'm aware of that is remotely close. If anyone knows of anything usable ( The Minitrix H12-44 and the Farish class 20 are wrong sorry) the following criteria need to be met; bogie wheelbase of 20mm, and a bogie pivot spacing of 41mm (this one is negotiable).

Finally (again) we have the normal question; So whats everyone else doing. send us some pictures and we'll publish them, if only to give Darryl a break from slaving away at the modeling bench so he can enjoy the Long Island summer.

UPDATE; doing a bit of searching last night, and it seems to my Mk1 eyeball that the Dapol Hymek might have the right bogie wheelbase for donation. I'd like some confirmation though about either the models bogie wheelbase or the real things bogie wheelbase.

In all the dark places

I've just been on to Etch cetera today about a 3rd Da kit to build a phase 3 Da, and it sort of got the thinking cells going. Just how many people have actually assembled an etched Da kit. I'm sure there's been a few sold over the years, but has their destination been to the bottom of the dead kits draw? I quick mental tally up gives about 6 that I can remember seeing (my 2, David Weedons 2, Rod and Darryl). Any more examples out there, and if you do have a kit in teh draw, whats holding you back from putting it together?

It's time again

Discussions around the e-mail table this weekend have prompted me to ask tonight "we have not seen anyone else's photo's lately". There have been some very nice ones posted to the group (as well as a stack of 3/16th container wagon pics that should be tossed) that I would love to put up. Others must be doing something, even if its just musing on a project (as we all do).

So put finger to keyboard and send me some stuff.

Question for the peanut gallery

Can anyone out in the penny dreadfuls there tell me the driving wheel diameter of the Bachmann J class 4-8-4? I've heard others comment its a good match for a Ka, but the pictures I have seen (plus the fact that the version I have has wheels that are too small) makes me wonder....

Important Notice

I'm in the process (ie about to start, Honest!) of writing an article on the history of the scale as an update on Reubans article in the 2001 journal. So, all you readers out there, here's your chance to suggest which of your favorite photo's of the scale you would like to see as illustrations in the Journal. Just reply with which one that appear anywhere that you would like to see, and then I'll try to compile them into a list to see what everyone thinks.

For some other information I'd like to know when the first of the trackside range was released, and also if anyone knows when the Da and Dc etched kits were released?

More on colours (and others)

Luke has pointed out that maybe all bush is a vibrant green if the sun is out. Quite possibly it is, and I would love to see some pictures to prove this one way or the other. It also has me wondering what colours other locations would have if the weather was better, like Yorkshire maybe ('Does the sun ever shine here lad? I don't know sir, I'm only 9').

I'm also completely underwhelmed by everyone else's plans for the year. lets be having then then. any tall story accepted ( well, maybe not from ECMT...).
And what of my readers from overseas? Any thoughts from there?

Dear Aunty Dandruff

Leading further on from the previous post. Are there any other big questions that you out there in blogland would like to ask the brain trust regarding our years of experience in the scale screwing things up?

On couplers

Michael Harrison has asked the following question.
'I was wondering if you use kadee couplers fixed to the chassis instead of the standard type? What about bogie wagons? Do you use kadee couplers fixed to the bogie or wagon body or the standard type fixed to the bogies?'

The answer is' yes, I've used both couplers in both positions'.
On block trains that run together I've used rapido couplers in a fixed position with the corners cut on a diagonal to negotiate corners. This is a godsend for long days at an exhibition where you can just let the trains run without having to worry about the inevitable 'uncoupling in a spot that you don't see until the wagons are piling up on the floor'. On each end of these sets we would have Microtrains couplers, as well as on the loco's. However while this works well for mainline trains which never stop, if you should be predisposed to a bit of shunting, then Microtrains couplers on every wagon would be a good idea.

Couplers on long bogie wagons is another matter entirely. The general leaning amongst the brains trust is that bogie mounted couplers are a much better bet in terms of 'runability' vs the body mounted couplers. Just to confirm this ( to myself as much as you dear readers), I've just checked this out tonight.
First up is an Nc coupled to a 50' Z wagon on a 15" curve. I was surprised how little
offset there was, and theres probably not that much difference between the 2 options.


Surprised by this, and being a good scientist, I then checked the coupling geometry with 2 50' Z wagons. While the center of the curve is OK the entry point to the curve is a different matter entirely. The offset is quite large and frankly just asking for trouble.


so, you can be prototypical, or you can run trains.
To those who say, why can't we do both, the answer is either A)simple physics, or B) we could but we want a life as well thanks very much. Oh and a layout with more than 3 wagons on it.