Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i Australian Model Railway Magazine

For all you budding authors out there, we reckon it’s time to share some important guidelines for publishing your articles in AMRM. Feature Layout Articles Outline your inspiration (for example, why you chose to build this location, prototype etc.). Explain your construction and scenery methods, including any unique design features and why you incorporated them. Describe the control system (DC, DCC or other) used, rolling stock used, the era in which you chose to model, operational information etc. Tell us what you would change if you did this process again. Share how you overcame any obstacles. Provide a ‘close as possible’ scale drawing; an electronic version is preferred. The drawing can be hand-drawn provided it is neat. Either way, our layout plan illustrator can make your layout look great! ‘How…

N Scale Broadway Limited Imports A future release is an EMD SD70Ace in BHP Billiton livery. This model will be fitted with a Paragon3 sound and operation system featuring Rolling Thunder™ with authentic sounds and prototypical operation in both DC and DCC. HO Scale Auscision Models The Victorian Railways B class shipment is due to arrive around the month of publication. Unannounced models due in early 2021 are the NDCH/NDMX spoil wagons, NDXF sleeper wagon, NQJX container wagon and NQJX container wagon with spoil bins. The SAR/ANR/AN 600 class diesel locomotives are due in the first quarter of 2021. Due to popular demand, Auscision Models is doing a re-run of Commonwealth bogies spare parts. Eureka Models Eureka Models advises that factories in China have almost fully returned to pre-virus levels…

Originally the sidings used by Ettamogah Rail Hub (or Regional Connect as they are now called) were constructed to allow the paper mill to load its paper directly onto rail wagons for transporting around the country. When this traffic was moved to road the tracks lay idle for a period of time until Colin Rees decided to build his Rail Hub there. They commenced operations in July 2009. Early in 2019 work commenced on building a passing loop. This loop will eliminate the need for Ettamogah trains to shunt using the mainline. At the time this article was written, the entry points have been fitted and earthworks are in progress. Background The Ettamogah Rail Hub opened in 2009 and I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a visit…

In 1974, Victorian Railways changed its name to VicRail, incorporating a new logo. In the early 1980s, the rail icon was interesting to say the least. In 1981, a bright orange and silver paint scheme was introduced which became known as the ‘Teacup’ livery for the logo resembling a stylised teacup and saucer. However, as far as equipment was concerned, things were not as rosy as they seemed and giving nearly 30-year-old locomotives a new colour scheme didn’t really quite ‘cut it’. The last new dedicated freight locomotive, C510, was delivered in 1978. Aside from the C class, the state was reliant on the B, S and X classes, and they were tired. Power-short and desperate, VicRail once again turned to the Commonwealth and hired three GM class locomotives from…

Background Australia (and South Australia in particular) was very late in embracing bulk grain handling. The concept was first mooted in 1908 when a Royal Commission was instigated to look into the system but, in typical fashion, nothing came of this inquiry. It took until 1955 before bulk handling started in South Australia. Until then all grain was bagged and was very labour-intensive in its transport to market or into the holds of export ships. Wheat Stacks Prior to the South Australian Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd (SACBH), grain traffic was what we would now call ‘deregulated’. Most sidings would have a number of grain agents (photo 2) who would purchase grain from farmers on behalf of the major companies. Each company would have its own stacking blocks; little corrugated iron…

Cement hoppers are forgiving wagons to try one’s hand at weathering, as the nature of their cargo gets into everything on the wagon, dries in different and varied patterns, and can look convincing in either light, medium or heavy applications. For my late 1970s era layout, I chose a Casula Hobbies’ PCC/ NPCX cement hopper to experiment with. I use a method demonstrated by Aaron Denning at one of the Epping Model Railway Club’s Thornleigh exhibitions a few years ago. Briefly, it involves applying a base layer of colour or Dullcote to the model for the later layers to grip to, then applying finely-crushed artist’s crayons (Conte Crayon — crushed in a cheap coffee bean grinder bought for the purpose). Apply in layers with soft brushes, sealing with 100% isopropyl…

Painting and Weathering The process of painting or weathering the bridge allows the age or level of maintenance of the bridge to be changed and provides more flexibility over the final look. The methods used below can be used on virtually any timber structure or detail item on your layout and can help make your scenery look much more realistic. I trialled several methods of weathering the timber on spare dowels and lumber. This included thinned paints and varnishes. While polishing my black work shoes, it occurred to me that a leather-dye might work. After a few more trials I settled on the following formula. [Editor’s note: for Materials and Tools see Issue 345, December 2020.] 1. To create the ‘black wash’, pour 40 mL of isopropyl alcohol into a…

Open Doors and Windows on Victorian Railways PL Coaches Who remembers those >35 °C (>95 °F) days before air conditioning? Travelling in those country coaches with sliding doors, we would open the windows, slide the doors back and even stand in the open doorways (there was no workplace health and safety in those days), but we still sweltered! Such was the case with the Victorian Railways (VR) country PL excursion coaches where many had sliding doors. These were also the last PLs in service when withdrawn in the early 1980s! VR HO scale coaches, whether RTR or kits, have always been manufactured with closed windows and they have also been swing-door coaches. However, the recent release of the excellent SDS (Austrains NEO) retooled PL 59 ft 9-inch country coaches have…

When I started looking at the operations for my layout, one of the criteria I set was to have industries that were large enough to handle multiple car types to sustain production for that industry. To reach this goal I started off with an Excel spreadsheet noting all the industries that I would like to have on my layout. I ended up with more industries than the layout could ever handle, but it helped to break it down to what was possible and what was not. From this process was born the Nabisco plant. I then created a separate spreadsheet just for this industry, showing incoming and outgoing freight and the car types required. I wanted to have inbound loaded cars that could be reloaded as outgoing cars; this is…

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