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@Digger_61 ah good, so applying the thinner had some effect. Next time make sure you stir the varnish 2-3 times longer than you think you should 🙂 I usually thin down varnish when applying by brush, just by dipping the brush into a decanted pot of thinner as I work. Naturally it always needs thinning if airbrushed.

Not sure how many of the European MOROP standards cross over to British TT:120? Loading gauges and clearance probably don't. I've seen that same track bed diagram referenced in it's N gauge form as part of the NCI modular standards I follow

Things like coach overhang, platform height etc. are going to depend on factors such as the track system you use (and how you lay it), the curve radii, choice of stock you run etc. I'd argue "standards" for that sort of thing are of little use and just go with what works and looks right.

What type of fencing? Post and rail, security, panel? There are so many offerings out there in various sizes I'm sure you'll find something from an N gauge range that'll do the job for general fencing. Things like fence panels are specific sizes so unless someone's already producing them for TT you may need to make your own for that type of thing.

Confused me for a moment: R6010 is a wagon 🙂 HM6010 is the accessory decoder you're referring to I think I have a feeling the decoder is intended for solenoid motors rather than motor-driven slow-action types such as the MP1? Maybe try the decoder in "signal lighting" mode which applies continuous power to one output or the other? According to the manual the MP1 has automatic power shut-off at end of travel, and is safe to apply continuous power. I've seen elsewhere that this allows you to use a standard SPDT switch rather than a momentary type and therefore you can have indicator LEDs also on the same switch.

If you want to start with something close to the original, why not take a piece of platform with you to your local model shop / art shop / gaming shop / DIY store and see what they have which is a good match? I agree that platforms rarely remain uniform colours for long as materials weather and wear, undergo repairs etc.

@Darren-373700 Ah yes, I went back and looked at the MTB diagram above and yes you are correct they wire it as common positive to the motor. Same idea, just the opposite convention to the way I've always wired point motors with the switches on the positive side of the circuit. I guess their way better mimics the polarity of DCC Accessory decoder outputs which tend to be common positive. So... yes you can "daisy-chain" or "star-wire" the common power feeds to the motors, whichever is easiest under your baseboard. Keep in mind that if a connection in the chain fails you loose power to all points beyond the failure. I usually end up chaining runs of motors which are physically close together, but running separate chains from a central distribution block to various parts of the baseboard.

@Darren-373700 so you're assuming you'll only ever fire the daisy-chained motors all together in a single action on a single switch? Doesn't sound like the best way to wire them up to be honest. Run a common return certainly, but keep the positive side separate. A diode matrix is the commonly used method of using a single switch to fire multiple point motors for routing such as in a fiddleyard. The diodes then allow different route to fire different combinations of motors left or right as required, without affecting other motors. [edit] unless maybe I'm misunderstanding the question? The way I think of point motor wiring, the panel switches are wired together with a daisy-chained common positive connection, thus when you throw the switch this connects through to the appropriate left or right "throw" terminal. There is then a daisy-chained common return from the point motors back to the supply. Can you draw a schematic of what you mean?

I agree with @Ratch it probably needed much more stirring, and apply more thinly. The ambient temperature and humidity can really affect the drying too. To be honest not sure how to correct the problem. I suppose if it's not fully dried/cured yet you could try brushing whatever thinner is recommend for the varnish and see if that softens and removes any of it?

Hardly. The Railroad 66 is probably ex Lima tooling, still with a single power bogie. The TT:120 66 will be in a different league.

Ah but this is your experience with a specific example of a model - much like Sam's experience with his Black 5. Can't really tar the entire product range with the same brush, it's a shame you've been put off. I've many Roco N models going back to the 70s. Older loco chassis designs were lesser quality engineering than contemporary Fleischmann and Minitrix but still perfectly usable, and by the 90s their mechanisms were as good as anyone elses. Some of the Roco HOe locos my son has are beautifully made and smooth running models. I cannot speak for their customer service as I've never needed to contact them.

Given the holes in the strips I'd assume some sort of sensor track, maybe for lane changing? Sorry I don't actually run Scalextric but that's what a google image search suggests I think.

I use Peco NR-91 bearing cups for N gauge 3D printed models. They're tiny little things 🙂 I'm sure they would do the job with just a tiny amount of drilling out of the existing bearing. Here are some fitted to a "Loco Buggy" I've also got some old Romford bearing cups but they're more like carbon brush sized things.

I remember the UK Lima N catalogue of similar period included advertising for a Western, a King and a J50 tank loco. All obviously doctored OO model photos and none ever appeared. I got quite excited about the prospect of a Western (this was before the Farish model came out). Yeah the 31 was a little over-scale even for UK 1:148 (though not as bad as the Deltic), not helped by the pickup bogie springing making that end sit higher than the other end and looked odd against the coaches which were more like 1:160.

I wonder if this is due to the bogies swivelling too far or maybe a yoke / pocket has moved on the shaft, creating too wide a gap so the shaft drops out of a pocket? I've seen the latter happen on rare occasions with N gauge bogie locos, cured by easing one of the pockets a little closer (1mm or less) after refitting the shaft.

I have noticed the tendency to quote entire long posts has crept back, maybe people don't realise they can edit the quoted text in the grey section? If a topic seems to be particularly active and there's a risk of another reply jumping in while I'm typing then I may chose to quote the post immediately above to ensure my reply is directed, otherwise I don't feel it's necessary.

With traditional DCC you expect to need a decoder in the dummy end set to the same address as the power car, otherwise with the DCC in the track any DC wired directional lights you'd simply get both white and red showing at the same time. If using DC track supply then you'd only get either red or white depending on the polarity in the track. I don't have a HST set (DC or DCC) so cannot comment on what is fitted to the dummy. I'd hope it also has a decoder fitted. I do know that with some other brands of Next18 decoders the lights for front and rear are on separate function keys (to be more prototypical) so I wonder if that's the case with these HST decoders?

I wouldn't expect them to be vibrant, being colour 3D prints. I suppose you could always add a little gloss or satin varnish to the hi-vis jacket, that might bring it up a little. Leave the rest matt though.

Post a photo, might help with identification?

That sort of behaviour is seen sometimes when a traditional DCC decoder is being overloaded (too much current drawn by the motor): it cuts power and then resets/restarts after a short period. I'm not sure whether HM7000 decoders behave in this way, or whether this might be a problem with the bluetooth connection?

I agree. I use Vallejo acrylic white primer for most things nowadays.

Being primarily a DC user rather than DCC I usually have many more separate circuits under the layout and back to the control panel, hence I use equipment wire rather than mains wire as the former is available in a whole range of colours and thus much easier to trace when fault finding. Main bus wiring is use 24/.02 equipment wire (for my modular layouts I run track and accessory bus right through in case they're needed by other modules either side). General AC and DC circuits use 16/.02 equipment wire Low power lighting feed circuits use 7/.02 wire Here you can see the main loom with the bus wiring and circuits being installed under a modular system board. Still requiring final tidying up, plus those 3 brown tag boards will be wired to 37 way D-Sub sockets ready for 36 core flying leads back to the control panel. It's all documented in spreadsheets in my layout "bible" 🙂 As Bee says, plan your wiring, create a schematic or at least a connection list, and work from that. Here's just a part of the connection list for one of my boards (the one in the photo above). I'm detailing the track circuits, AC accessory power, points left and right, and signal aspects all going between the control panel and the board. Of course if you decide to go fully DCC with accessory decoders for points and signals etc. as well as a track bus then the wiring between panel and board reduces significantly and you end up with a whole load more bits of electronics under the board. I actually enjoy wiring up so I don't mind the traditional approach 🙂

@96RAF only need to copy ebay urls as far as the end of the item number (ignore the rest from the first question mark onward) 🙂 Fortunately on here those long links don't destroy the page formatting (as they do on at least one other forum I frequent).

I must admit I loathe musicals in all their forms, but I did buy this Minitrix model in N gauge last week - purely because it's a livery/decoration of the class 101 which I didn't have. The model dates from around 1998/9.

The one I saw yesterday on ebay is still there, currently at £8 + post. It's an older Triang version. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166699461969