Showing posts with label DCC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DCC. Show all posts

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

Back Issue: AMRM October 2016

The October 2016 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications. Back issues of the digital version of AMRM are available from Zinio:



The October 2016 cover.



The contents of the October issue


The October issue's feature layout is traditionally illustrated by John Dennis and this year is no exception. John has provided another collection of superb photos to illustrate the HO scale VR exhibition layout, Fogarty's Gap, supporting the text provided by the layout's builder, Bob Gartside.


Fans of the Victorian Railways should enjoy this issue, as not only is the feature layout a model of Victorian prototype, but we are also starting a major, three-part article on modelling VR timber bridges in this issue.
The first part of David Foulkes three-part series covers the prototype aspects of the longitudinal deck timber bridges, including two pages of superb Lindsay Bennett drawings.

The second part of the article, covering the bridges with transverse decks, is currently scheduled to appear in the December AMRM.


We haven't forgotten the modellers of NSW prototype, particularly those poor, neglected souls who model the 1980s, as Nathan Cox has written a basic 'how-to' on how he has modelled most of the PTC/SRA fleet of Supplementary Interurban Cars, converted from redundant 72'6" wooden cars in the late 1970s/early 1980s to cater for the growing demand for commuter carriages on the services to the west, north, south and Illawarra lines.


Now that more and more modellers are progressing to building layouts, rather than just rolling stock, there are lots of little details that need to be added to a layout for which information is not always easily available. Craig Mackie shows us how to model typical lineside fencing, in this case, supported by drawings of standard NSWGR lineside fences from the AMRM collection.


While many are happy to pull the current crop of excellent r-t-r locomotives out of the box and 'plonk' them on the layout, couple up to a train and drive off, there is still room to modify them, particularly when fitting DCC. Ben O'Malley not only takes us through the steps of fitting DCC to a modern r-t-r locomotive (in this case, a Trainorama 48 class) he also shows how to modify the circuit boards to achieve independent control of the marker lights.


There has been a lot of discussion over the years on how one gets 'new blood' into the hobby. Rather than just talk about it, the Canberra Model Railway Club has done something about it and their efforts are described in this issue by Ron Geeves.


Well, you have built your layout and now you are wondering how it looks from the point of view of a 'scale' person riding on it. Jonathan Majer has utilised a GoPro camera to find out! The article also contains a link to the video on Youtube of the result and you can follow it here: https://youtu.be/tLzha8ceBqY



This issue's In the Loop with Trevor Hodges features a light-hearted look at what can happen when a club exhibits a layout at a country festival and Phil Jeffery takes AMRM's Detail Hound for a walk around Bendigo in 1976, sniffing out some details that would look very good incorporated into a model scene. 

Trevor's In the Loop series is generating some debate and feedback, including Doug O'Loughlin's reply, in the form of an 'Under Construction' article, to Trevor's claim in AMRM Issue 318 (June 2016) that one can have too much space in which to build a layout. Doug thinks not...



Sadly, we have lost a few 'names' from the hobby recently and this issue's Gallery looks back on another lost 'giant' of the hobby, the late Kev Loughhead and his ground-breaking Moping Branch Railway.


In the Reviews section we look at the r-t-r HO scale SAR 'Centenary' cars from Orient Express Reproductions and NSWGR SHG/BHG goods brakevans from SDS. Those that still like to make things themselves may find the review of the HO scale kit for a VR upper quadrant signal released by San Mateo Line to be of interest, while the book, Servo Great Australian Service Stations, will be useful for those wanting to detail a service station scene appropriately and for those looking for something a little 'different', the cardboard cut-out kit for Transport Heritage NSW's 3642 may appeal!

The commercial scene continues to be buoyant with lots of recent releases and news of upcoming models needing to be illustrated/described in the eight or so pages of the Recent Releases and News sections.

As most are now aware, we also have available an online version of AMRM to compliment our traditional paper version. You can purchase the paper version from newsagents, hobby shops and specialist bookshops (or direct from AMRM if none of the above are convenient), while the online version can be purchased either through us or direct from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM, either by sending us the form below, or via our website, to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.



Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue in either paper or digital form
Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website


You can also purchase a digital back issue from the Zinio site:




James McInerney
Production Manager






Friday, 15 November 2013

Back Issue: December 2013 AMRM

The December 2013 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from the AMRM office.


The December issue cover features a shot of the Indian Pacific crossing the flooded creek on the ACT Model Railway Society's HO scale exhibition layout, Yendys.




The contents of the December issue.



This issue's feature layout is a small (with a very 'buildable' idea for a 'minimum space' layout) slice of mid-20th century Geelong, featuring the long gone tramways of that rural Victorian city.
Even more impressive is that the layout resides in Canada!



Our occasional Lineside section features some images of three exhibition layouts set in or near Sydney.

It's been a long journey, but we have finally got to the end of Ian Black's comprehensive series on building the NSWGR & VR's 'glamour' train of the 1960s/'70s, the incomparable Southern Aurora. This last installment covers construction of the PHN power cars.


For those who want a nice, simple scratchbuilding project, Maikha Ly shows us how easy it is to build a typical suburban house.


All layouts need something to support them, so David Mitchell presents another way of building baseboards which will be particularly useful to those living in small spaces and/or rented accommodation.


The 'traditional' materials for scratchbuilding are often overlooked these days, given the amazingly versatile materials that are available now, but Barry Lloyd shows that good results can be obtained by 'looking back'...



Our theme for 2013, our 50th Anniversary year, has certainly been 'looking back' and we conclude with part three of our Gallery feature highlighting significant commercial models of the last half century, this time covering the years 1987 to 2012, using photos of the display organised by the AMRA (NSW) branch at the 2012 Liverpool exhibition.


Reviewed in this issue are the SDS Models NSWGR BCW/NSCF bogie cattle wagons and NSWPTC FMW/NRWF F.J.Walker refrigerated wagons, On Track Models NSWGR BOB set passenger cars, Trainorama NSWGR MRC refrigerated cars, Ozrail Models VR L sheep vans and a Chevrolet 'Blitz' truck kit from Times Gone By (all HO scale), plus ready-to-place SAR and VR colour light signals in N scale from San Mateo Line and a power amplifier for the ESU Loksound DCC chip from DCC Solutions.

With six pages of reviews, plus the article content and eight pages of new product news, this issue of AMRM should give our readers some enjoyable holiday reading over Christmas (if you can wait that long!) 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers!





Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue.

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website



James McInerney
Production Manager






Friday, 12 July 2013

Back Issues: August 2013

The August 2013 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue.


The contents of the August issue.

This issue we feature Matt Sawtell's interpretation of NSW's iconic Wolgan Valley Railway, complete with Shays, towering sandstone cliffs and the Newnes pub!

Bob Gallagher's three-part history of AMRM concludes with the story 'to date', including a section by yours truly on how today's AMRM is put together!

This time we have managed to put together a bit of a 'modeller's issue', with some very interesting articles that will, hopefully, inspire some busy workbenches!

The art of cutting up Lima cars is not dead, as Dennis Clarke ably illustrates. This article includes a full page drawing of the prototype from David Bennett.

'The Master', Frank Kelly, shows how to scratchbuild a steam locomotive in brass. The article is accompanied by superb O (¼") scale drawings from AMRM's newest volunteer draftsmen, Lindsay Bennett. Btw, there is no truth to the rumour that AMRM has a policy of only recruiting draftsmen with the last name 'Bennett'!

For those looking for tips on improving the running of proprietary models, Barry Lloyd's experiences with his 'Redhen' railcars may prove illuminating.

Our 'honorary Aussie', Dennis Murphy has provided another easy to follow article on building and 'naturalising' a simple US kit.

We have even managed to include scenery building in this issue, with this simple guide to growing trees from David Bartle.

It is not just the latest models that can benefit from sound and the sophisticated control circuitry of modern DCC chips. Mike Walters shows how easy it can be to fit sound to older models.


Continuing our '50 years of modelling' theme for 2013, this issue's Gallery features the first part, covering the years 1946 to 1979, of the display, organised by the AMRA (NSW) branch, seen at the 2012 Liverpool exhibition.

All this, plus smaller, though no less useful, articles should make this issue another one to remember!

Then, of course, we have twelve pages of reviews and new product news should keep you up to date with developments in the commercial side of the hobby. We review the Haskell/Wuiske QR HOn3½ QLX louvred van and KQJX cattle wagon, Ezi Kits HO scale NSWGR D class locomotive kit, some of the recent NSWGR  11'6" wheelbase vans from Austrains, the 'elephant wagon' variant of the NSWGR CW cattle wagon from IDR Railway castings, DCC Sound's customised Loksound DCC chip for the Auscision 422 class, the latest issue of Byways of Steam and Nick Anchen's latest book Engineman of the Victorian Railways Volume II.




Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue.

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website



James McInerney
Production Manager