The Turntable - June 2022

Newsletter of the

PORT ELIZABETH MODEL RAILROAD CLUB Every gauge welcome!

June 2022

Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 # 611 at Ronks, Pennsylvania, USA. Taken on 8 Oct 2019 at 1/8 of a second for the pan, the rods on the Queen of Steam become nothing more than a blur. Probably my slowest pan speed ever. © Sean Mathews

IN THIS ISSUE: PEMRC Calendar

Committee

UP Donation to RRHMA ATLAS Newsflash Tips

From the Chairman

Western Maryland #1309

The Joy of Model Railways Kathy Millatt: Jungle Waterfall

Gauteng & Chamdor Freemo Group + HOn3

Paper models

Wireless Headphone Sound

Class 91

MIWULA News GALLERY

Father's Day

PEMRC Layout Visit

PEMRC Meetings/Workshops

PEMLS Event

Father's Day

PEMRC CALENDAR Date 28

Time

May

Detail PEMRC layout visit at:

10-12

2022 Sun

June

5

2022

11

June

Graham Chapman 118 Adam rd, Charlo PEMLS Public running day

9 - 13

P E Model Locomotive Society Londt Park, Sunridge Park PEMRC visit at:

9:00

2022 18

June

Mike Parsons, 18 Mowbray St Newton Park PEMRC layout visit at:

tba

2022 25

June

tba 9:00

Workshop at Mike van Zyl

2022 Sun

July

3

2022

9

July

13 Lionel Rd, Walmer Downs PEMLS Public running day

9 - 13

P E Model Locomotive Society Londt Park, Sunridge Park PEMRC visit at:

9:00

2022 23

July

Mike Parsons, 18 Mowbray St Newton Park

2022 30

July

PEMRC layout visit at:

tba

Mike Smout, 5 Cheshire Village, Gomery Ave. Summerstrand 9:00

2022

Workshop at Mike van Zyl 13 Lionel Rd, Walmer Downs

COMMITTEE 2022: Chairman: Mike Smout

ma.smout@mweb.co.za

082 801 1347

Treasurer: Attie Terblanche

terblalc@telkomsa.net

082 532 3670

Clubhouse: JP Kruger

juanpierrekruger@gmail.com

082 321 2233

Editor:

pemrailroadclub@gmail.com

082 739 7679

Workshop’ & Shop: Mike van Zyl

carpencab@gmail.com

073 374 3280

Layout visits: Graham Chapman

chapman22@telkomsa.net

072 103 4625

Library:

Roel van Oudheusden

Pierre van Loggerenberg pierrevanloggerenberg3@gmail.com

084 802 3831

Subscriptions for 2022 are R500 p.a. for full membership and R100 p.a. for Country members.

EFT is preferred, but the Treasurer may accept cash.

Bank account: FNB Walmer Park, branch code 211417, Account no. 62386122057

From the Chairman You are probably aware that a second set of plans for a new Clubhouse have been approved by the Committee and submitted to the Metro. We are hopeful of a positive response within a few weeks and when we receive it we will move as quickly as possible to make a start. Once the foundations are in and a concrete slab has been poured, it should put a smile on member’s faces.

I am more than a little concerned at present about the criticism of the Club that is expressed on the WhatsApp site. Firstly, the site is not run by the Club. It is just a loose group of guys most of whom have an interest in model rail. When I read that ‘nothing is happening’ the comments usually come from people who are not members and who, therefore don’t get the newsletter. Let me say that a lot of time and petrol has been spent over the past few years in looking for possible sites for a clubhouse and in the drawing up of plans and the related discussions with building professionals and Metro authorities. All of it at no cost to the Club. Please would all members take every opportunity to talk positively about the Club’s prospects and if you meet up with our critics inform them about what is going on and persuade them to come ‘onside’.

I have asked Roel to publish a list of paid up members so that you can check the accuracy of the list. One of these days these persons will become Associate members of the Loco Society.

LIST OF PAID UP MEMBERS FOR 2022 as at 19.5.2022 Allen, Christopher

Brown, Albert

Chapman, Graham

Du Plessis, Charl

Kruger, Juan-Pierre

Parson, Michael

Smith, Michael

Smout, Michael

Terblanche, Attie

Van Oudheusden, Roel

Van Zyl, Michael

Van Rooyen, Amie

Wentzel, Antonie If you have paid your annual subscription for 2022 and your name is not on this list, please contact Attie Terblanche or Mike Smout.

Mike Smout

THE JOY OF MODEL RAILWAYS Posted on 21/01/2012 by JA

http://allatsea.co.za/musings/the-joy-of-model-railways/

When I was young, model trains was one of the hobbies you wanted to pursue. And, like today, they were overpriced and out of reach of the casual buyer. The dominant player in the South African entry level market was the Italian manufacturer Lima.

Somebody in their organisation was astute enough to realise that there was a smallish demand for SAR/SAS items to be sold inside the country. Lima had a number of sets on the shelves; there was Lima Crick, which was a wind up entry level toy.

Then there were the “Junior” sets which were battery driven from a battery box and which had indifferent quality coaches masquerading as the real thing.

I had a “Blue Train” which I seem to recall cost R19 at the time. The locomotives bore no resemblance to anything on the SAR at the time, but then as children we were not as sensitive to accuracy as serious modellers were/are.

And finally there were the “proper” HO gauge trains which ideally one would use as a basis to build up a full size collection from. Lima also produced “N” gauge but I never saw any of these in South Africa up till recently. Acquiring a catalogue was always worth the effort as you could pore over it for

hours,

wishing

that you had one of the many sets displayed inside it.

However, these train sets were expensive, and of course we were in school so none of us had any money! Once I started working I started to collect, first on my list was the Trans Karoo with its lovely 5E-919 and steel bodied 1st and 2nd class saloons, dining saloon and baggage van. The models themselves were primitive, and the traction motor in the 5E was/is a dismal performer.

The set above is typical of what was available. This particular set is more of an entry level passenger train as it excludes the 2nd class saloon which you would have gotten with a slightly bigger (and more expensive) set.

Interestingly enough, I found an old Christmas shopping guide for 1976, and this particular set cost the princely sum of R37-95! Unfortunately I could not find out what the average salary was in 1976.

You were able to buy a dummy 5E as well as additional coaches, track sets and buildings off the shelf. A Blue Train was also available, but its coaches were not based on actual Blue Train coaches, although the 5E was blue. There was also a nice suburban train in the original colours of the SAR/SAS

As well as a “Metroblitz” knockoff, which in reality was just a repaint of the 5E and other coaches.

Today these sets are very much desired by collectors, the Metroblitz is especially rare and quite a number of suburban sets have been repainted in the new Metrorail colours. Goods trains were also available, and they usually had a class 34 diesel and a very nice rake of goods wagons. If anything the goods wagons were much easier to fake than a steel bodied saloon.

Particularly coveted was the model of the “V8” Guards Van. This particular wagon was slightly out of scale with the real thing, but it was one of those wagons every collector wanted. Sadly, the real V8’s have all but become extinct from the real South African railway network.

The big problem with HO gauge is that it takes up space, and my set was mounted on a large piece of chipboard that lived behind my desk. Each time I wanted to play with it I had to do major shuffling around of furniture which became a nuisance and my interest level fell. What I was really after was something smaller, like an “N” gauge set. So, like an idiot I disposed of my collection. Little knowing how desirable it would become so many years later.

N vs. HO. N gauge in front, HO behind Lima 5E in HO Gauge, and 6E in N Gauge Wind forward 25 years. Lima is no longer available in South Africa, and hasn’t been for years. The second hand market in South African Railway Lima items has grown, and the prices are unrealistic. However, many enterprising modellers have entered the market, creating very detailed SAR/SAS items, although these are not aimed at the casual hobbyist, but rather the serious collector.

The current owner of the Lima brand is Hornby, and they do not export SAR items to South Africa. All that is available in the toy shops are Hornby OO gauge, and Bachmann sets based on American rolling stock.

Specialist model train hobby shops (and there are a few), have a nice selection of German equipment, and there is always BidorBuy, eBay, or directly importing yourself.

Oddly enough American rolling stock and track work does have a large following in South Africa and you have to admit, there are some amazing diesels and steam locos in the line-up of American railway equipment. I sold off my original small N Gauge set many years ago, having been unable to get any new rolling stock for it. My current N gauge ended up in storage as I downscaled due to retrenchment. I was fortunate enough to find the basics of this set very cheaply, and was able to add to it mainly through the second hand market. At one point I even tried to convert it to a digital layout, but fitting the decoders in those small locos was a major problem.

However, I will hang onto the loose odds of Lima SAR stuff I have picked up. I have always liked those 1st and 2nd class coaches in spite of their many faults. And 5E-919 is about as close as I will get to having a 6E1. It’s really all about the nostalgia aspect of it as opposed to finding rolling stock for an existing layout.

Living in a flat does not make for easy model railroading.

I too am fortunate that I can still find real vintage coaches to look at, and I have photographs of many of them. There is no doubt that the railways that I knew exists no longer, the wood and leather clerestory coaches are a memory. The steam engines are an endangered species, and even the much loved 6E1 is seeing the end of its long reign. Model trains may be one of the few places left where you can look back on the past and participate in it.

Unfortunately, the old Transport Museum in Heidelberg shut up shop years ago, although the rolling stock is still there. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to look around the coaches and dining salons and it was heck of a nostalgia trip for me.

RAILROADING HERITAGE OF MIDWEST AMERICA and UNION PACIFIC agree to donation of CHALLENGER and other locomotives, cars Union

Pacific

Railroading

Railroad

Heritage

of

and

the

non-profit

Midwest

America

UP 3985 4-6-6-4 © Scott Turner June 2004

announced on 28 April an agreement that will see Challenger 4-6-6-4 #3985, 2-10-2 #5511, DDA40X #6936, and other equipment from UP’s Heritage Fleet donated to RRHMA, which plans to restore both steam locomotives to operating condition.

UP 5511 2-10-2 on 4.6.2008 at

UP Centennial EMD DDA40X #6936 at Sacramento

Cheyenne Roundhouse © Rossini

California on 6.5.1991 © Roger Lalonde

Also being donated are an unrestored former E9B locomotive, four coaches, a diner-lounge car, ex-Western Pacific business car Selma, former Southern Pacific business car Stanford, a baggage car, and a caboose.

The equipment will be moved by UP to RRHMA’s recently acquired shop complex in Silvis, Ill. later this year.

RRHMA plans to return the steam locomotives to service in a multi-year, multi-million-dollar restoration project at Silvis, which has the space for the work and the large overhead cranes needed to lift the locomotive boilers off their frames for restoration. No. 3985 will be restored first to UP’s specifications, similar to how the company rebuilt Big Boy steam locomotive No. 4014.

No. 5511, which last ran in the mid-1950s, will be restored after 3985 is complete. With Iowa Interstate’s two Chinese-built QJ 2-10-2s now out of service, No. 5511 will be the only the only operating 2-10-2 in the United States when completed. Union Pacific determined the equipment was surplus, but sought a way to preserve it as part of the railroad’s history. UP emphasized in a press release that is not ending heritage steam operations and will continue to operate Big Boy No. 4014 and 4-8-4 No. 844. With RRHMA’s long experience as owners and operators of Milwaukee Road steam locomotive No. 261 and a fleet of historic passenger cars, transferring them to the non-profit is a win-win for UP and RRHMA. “UP was seeking the best way possible to preserve this equipment so it could still be enjoyed by the public, and find a way to return No. 3985 to operation. Working with RRHMA allows us to restore and preserve these locomotives, have them available for the public, and recognize the long history of Union Pacific,” Steve Sandberg, RRHMA president and chief operating officer, told Trains News Wire.

Union Pacific Challenger 4-6-6-4 #3985 pulls a photo run by at MP 555.7, about a mile and a half west of Colores, Wyoming. 26.5.1985 © Doug Lily

UP #6936 DDA40X © Paul de Luca 24.4.1994

#5511; the 2-10-2 Santa Fe type locomotive at Green River, Wyoming © Dave England 20.10.2017

WESTERN MARYLAND 1309 - THE BEAST IS BACK After a hard-fought seven years in restoration, it finally happened — Mallet-type steam locomotive no. 1309 was back in action on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

View the video here on YouTube to follow this one-of-a-kind locomotive on her very first photo freight special, filmed on February 25, 26 and 27, 2022.

Organised by Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and Trains Magazine

MODEL A REALISTIC JUNGLE WATERFALL USING UV RESIN AND SNOW by Kathy Millatt Kathy shows you how to model a realistic jungle waterfall with UV resin, polyfibre and snow! No waterfall would be complete without Lara Croft, the Tomb Raider, hanging from a branch, waiting to plunge to her doom below...

ATLAS MODEL RAILROAD COMPANY E-NEWS FLASH

Limited Edition Car Announcement - The Ukraine Peace Cars HO & N TRAINMAN® 50’ 6" BOX CAR Atlas will donate all profits from the sale of these cars to Ukrainian refugee relief organizations.

The deadline for placing your order/reservation online here is Wednesday, June 8th, 2022. https://shop.atlasrr.com/

GAUTENG

FREEMO

GROUP

(GFG)

and

CFG

CHAMDOR FREEMO GROUP (CFG) are Railroad Modellers in HO scale. The two groups are based in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

HISTORY

Text: Dave Flockhart

Images: Theuns Wessels

The Gauteng Freemo Group (GFG) was formed in 2011 after an initiative from Johnny Mitchell to form an American modular group. Mike Richardson and Herman Steyn had both independently been researching American and German Freemo set-ups, respectively, and along with John, devised the initial standards and called for like-minded modellers to join the group. The group initially set up in school halls when these could be procured for school vacations (typically two weeks at Easter and four weeks in July). This required transporting of modules to these halls, setting up of the layout and breaking down at the end of the period, with storage of the modules off-site by the members when not in use so operation, so operation was limited to these vacation periods.

As the group grew to 20 members and the number of modules increased to in excess of 100, GFG outgrew the available school halls.

GFG had a fairly strict regime with the focus on operations based on a western USA class one railroad during the steam/diesel transition era and subsequent two decades. Operating sessions included Train Timetable/Train Orders (TT/TO) operations with a despatcher on a number of occasions.

In 2016 the Chamdor Freemo Group (CFG) was started by a couple of breakaway GFG members, Dave Flockhart and Wolf Loob, who decided that a more permanent layout setup and ongoing operations were more desirable, and thus a fixed location was sought. Permanent space was rented at a factory in Chamdor on the western side of Johannesburg. The floor space made available is 1400 m 2 (4600 square feet) of which the current set-up of modules utilises 1200 m2 (3936 square feet) of space.

Over time, other members of GFG decided to rather setup and operate at Chamdor than setup only during school vacations, contributing their modules to the Chamdor layout, resulting in the current size of the set-up.

Subsequently the two groups have informally joined forces but to a less strict regime that initially undertaken

by GFG as per the standards designated below.

THE LAYOUT The modules currently incorporated into the layout include the following: 

5 staging yards, of which 4 are approximately 7m

(23 ft.) in length each and Bailey Yard that is 12m in length. Bailey Yard has and East and West yard with 4 staging lines for shunting, a Turntable and Diesel yard, and three main lines, with 16 lines of track in total. Bailey Yard can store 250 Goods and Passenger wagons. 4 of the other staging yards are located at the end of four branch lines and the 5th is in line allowing a split four ways to new branch lines in development. On occasions, one is utilised as a Division Point; 

one return loop 4m (12 ft.) in diameter, located at the end of another branch line. This loop also

contains two sidings with industries and three passing/storage loops; 

18 largely industrial yards, averaging 7m (23 ft.) in length;



an 1890 Fort Bragg (with some poetic licence);



various junctions, crossings, straight and curved modules, including three modules with trestle

bridges; 

nine straight planks with limited scenery to create extra running distance (approximately 28m or 90

ft. in total); slowly being replaced with standard modules; 

four modules with turntables located at the end of branches.



A new rolling split level countryside line being built on the Window ledge that will be a bypass to run

long unit or passenger trains. Estimated length 300 m of winding track.

The layout currently comprises close to 267 modules with an approximate running length of 390m (1279 ft.). The design is based on a typical single track, class one railroad with nine branch lines running in different directions.

The operating design and track plan are based on end-to-end running (not continuous), with yards or specifically designed junction modules to facilitate switching of trains from one branch line to another.

There are in excess of 420 freight cars on the layout, as well as 45 passenger cars.

Each freight car on the layout has a Car Card plus a pocket for incorporating a four-position Waybill listing routes and set-outs.

OPERATIONS Operating sessions are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month.

Before any operation commences, each crew, comprising an engineer and a conductor, are required to familiarise themselves with the overall arrangement of yards and stations, making a sequence list, if necessary. They should also note the lengths of the passing sidings in relation to the length of their train. If sufficient members are available, crews could be assigned trains from any station operating as a turn/wayfreight. They should make up their train based on the cars and the waybills in the yard, and block as appropriate before departure.

Once a train arrives at a yard the crew must examine the "Pick-ups" and "Empties" car-cards of the cars in the yard to see if they can add any to their train after making their "Set-outs", bearing in mind the length of their train and the length of subsequent passing loops. The maximum train length that can be accommodated is ten cars excluding the caboose.

Once a car has been set out, the crew must turn the waybill over to display the next sequential movement. Any set-outs at yards without passing loops should only be done for trailing turnouts/sidings. This will result in leaving part of the train on the main line while

switching the yard. All pick-ups on the trailing turnouts/sidings should then be removed (if one has sufficient space in one’s train) including those going in the opposite direction. They should be dropped off at the next yard and their car-card turned over to display the next sequential movement.

On departure from a yard the crew must ensure that no cars are left on the main or passing siding, and that all car-cards are in the correct box.

Operating sessions are sometimes scheduled by assigning all crews with an approximate departure time in an attempt to eliminate crowding or congestion of yards and stations. All trains operate as "Extras" with no classification initially. Priority trains, such as the few passenger trains, operate to a time table, and the "Extras" will have to observe classification rules.

Before leaving any yard or station, the train crew of an "Extra" must get clearance from the despatcher. On arrival at a yard or station the crew must advise the dispatcher of their arrival time. At this stage no written train orders are made, only verbal orders. All communication is limited to the minimum. All trains should have a trailing caboose when moving between yards or stations.

In a single operating session, it is impossible for a single crew to operate more than two of the branch lines.

The layout size allows for 8 crews to operate comfortably without impacting each other or creating undue delays.

All waybills have been setup to ensure adequate flow of cars to and from industries and yards without creating storage problems in yards.

All industries have a “to” and “from” so that empties are always being returned to a manufacturer or mine etc., and do not accumulate at the industry.

Standard whistles or horns are used when required, including a ringing bell when approaching a grade crossing or a passenger depot or when reversing.

The following speed limits are to be observed at all times on the layout: In yards

15mph (approx. 12 secs/metre)

Outside yards

25mph (approx. 8 secs/metre)

Cars may not be coupled at a speed in excess of 4mph (walking speed).

STANDARDS Both groups of modellers have published standards of which most are similar barring a couple of minor deviances: The remainder of the standards are the same with no compatibility issues between modules, as both groups use a standard end-plate design.

The Digitrax DCC system is used as the standard control system with sufficient connection points in modules for UT4, DT100/200 throttles allowing smooth operating.

Gauteng Freemo Group

Chamdor Freemo Group

Area

West of Mississippi (Mid-west) USA and Canada

Period

1950 -1979

Any era

Track

Peco code 83

Peco, Atlas, Roco etc. code 83 or 100

GFG website: https://gfgsa.wordpress.com/

A very useful if not essential piece of furniture to have, an angled body support on wheels:

SAR 12mm CAPE GAUGE MODULES HOn3.5 South African Railways "Cape Gauge" Modelling to 1:87 Scale running on the correct gauge of 12mm.

Three of the Chamdor Group members are also keen SAR modellers and have created an end to end 12mm Cape Gauge layout spanning +/-21m. This consists of Station (Zonderwater) and Yard section with a turning Wye on one end.

Left - The scratch-built grain silo facility with modified Lima covered

Above – GMAM Garratt taking on water

hopper grain wagons and CMD Kit built FZL and FZJ grain wagons.

The line meanders through some farmlands and across a dry riverbed through triple girder bridges and then snakes through a section based on Toorwater Poort.

The final section is a slightly

compressed version of Warden Station in the Free State complete with a turning Wye and a large Grain Silo facility. This module section is still under construction with all the track work laid and wired to enable a full run through. It is hoped that this will be completed before the end of 2022 For more on HOn3, see also:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SAR.H0m.Modellers/

TIPS A

section

through

an

L-girder

baseboard, illustrating the total flexibility of this method in allowing for any desired scenic feature. Scenery formers are shown nailed to the ends of the cross members, the formers for scenery inside the baseboard area are added after the final positions of the track bases are determined.

Complex track formations are best constructed in modular form, including point motors and all wiring, before adding to the layout. Wiring can be attached to a tag board which is then connected to the remainder of the layout wiring.

When planning multiple track curves, additional spacing of the track centres is required to provide adequate clearance for the overhangs of bogie vehicles on adjacent tracks. The sharper the radius used, the more clearance has to be allowed

MIWULA NEWS Volunteers required for evacuation exercises! An opportunity for those who are in Hamburg on 18 May to get free entry to Miwula provided you had booked for the evacuation drill. You will still be able to spend a number of hours admiring the exhibits but be subject to annoying public address announcements leading up to one or more evacuations!

New from HERPA: The Wunderland Buildings Bridge

Building a bridge across the canal behind the Wunderland to develop a new storage facility was more than just a milestone for us. We are all the more pleased that Herpa will release an exclusive special model of our bridge being transported to Hamburg. This is a limited production of 250 units and are available only by direct online order from Miwula available with or without the signature of Frederik and Gerrit at no extra cost!

Wunderland special edition rolling stock 2022 has arrived For model railroaders and collectors, the annual limited special models from Märklin/Trix have long been a "must have". The container wagon has a beautiful motif from our new Rio section and of course there is also a tank wagon of the year with a Wunderland motif.

Dear visitor, here are some self-designed paper models.

Feel free to download and print for private use.

Please: no direct links to the models, no copies on other web pages! If you actually built one of my kits, why not sending me a photo as feedback? I'd love to see your results... if it's ok with you, I could add a "User gallery" to this page. To keep the file size small, the models were rendered at 150-300dpi and saved at medium JPG compression or as PNG

http://www.gumhold.com/paper_free/index3.html

Examples:

Business house:

Goods shed:

Transformer Substation:

WIRELESS HEADPHONE SOUND Locomotive sound is a major, major element of the rail side experience. There is nothing more visceral than being twenty feet from the right of way as a locomotive slowly accelerates through the notches with chest thumping bass. Because sound is such a major player, modelling it as effectively

as

possible

deserves

considerable attention.

As entrenched as we are in the current system of on-board sound (decoders and speakers placed in the locomotive), it is extremely limited in terms of the quality that it can produce. The combination of very cheap speakers, the location of the speakers in a plastic shell, and the pathway from locomotive to ear produce a sandy, staticy sound harkening back to the days of old AM radios. To be blunt, the audio quality of on-board sound is very poor and, by its very design, there is very little that can be done to improve it.

Particularly for smaller layouts, there is an alternate approach that largely removes the obstacles of on-board sound and produces a sound quality far superior to that produced by speakers located in the locomotive shell. That alternative is off board sound pumped into wireless headphones. The concept is simple. A sound decoder is located under the layout, tapped into the main layout power bus, and programmed to the same address as the locomotive on your train. This under table decoder then simply transmits sound to very high quality wireless headphones. By switching to headphones a) you now have sound going into speakers of extremely high audio quality designed for the music market and b) the headphone ear cups now give the sound a very controlled path to the ear.

Shown right is the mounting platform of the off board sound decoder mounted under the layout. On the left you’ll see an audio jack that the wireless head phones plug in to. In the middle is an audio output transformer.

This inexpensive device is critical to include as it matches impedances between the headphones and speakers. On the right is the decoder itself.

Pictured left is a close up showing how the audio jack is wired. It is very important to note that the blue wire on the right connects BOTH tabs so that sound goes to both of your headphone speakers. On the output side, the wires tap into the audio output transformer.

If you go the off board sound route, you should go “all in”. By all in I mean investing in high quality wireless headphones marketed to the music enthusiasts. I use Sennheiser RS170’s.

Once you have the few basic components wired together, program the under table sound decoder to the same locomotive address as the locomotive on your train, plug your wireless headphones into the audio jack, and savour the experience!

A few programming notes: CV 128 is the master volume. It is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that this be set to a low number or you’ll blow your ears off. Do this as a first step. On my layout it is set to 20.

CV131 is the diesel exhaust volume. I’ve gotten some nice effects by really jacking this number up to 250.

CV 116 allows you to adjust the rate at which you locomotive goes through the notches CV153 is the equalizer adjustment. You have seven options and again, I gained additional sound quality by experimenting with these numbers and in my case settled on equalizer pre-set “5” All of this tuning is much, much easier if you do it via Decoder Pro with the Sprog II (Available from DCC Train in Ohio) If AV technology is what you’re into, you will want to look at investing in a Crestron Audio Visual system for the ultimate in music immersion as part of your home entertainment

Schematic view of the wireless headphone system https://lancemindheim.com/about-us/wireless-headphone-sound/

CLASS 91

.In the early 1970s 20 of these little GE locomotives took over from the Class NGG16 Garratt steam locomotives, and worked alongside the NG15 Steam locomotives until the late 1980s. Here, NG15 No NG119, operated by the Apple Express Society passes 91-008 that had just brought in a rake of empty timber waggons from Port Elizabeth. The gauge of the line is 2 ft. © David Benn The South African Railways Class 91 is the largest 2 ft. (610mm) narrow gauge diesel-electric locomotive in the world with a weight of106,000 lbs (48 MT). These locomotives were designed and built for the SAR

by General Electric (GE) in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.

By December 1973, the SAR had placed 20 Class 91 General Electric type UM6B diesel-electric locomotives in service on the PE-Avontuur narrow gauge railway, numbered 91-001 to 91-020. They were to replace the ageing Class NGG13 and NGG16 Garratts which had been working the Langkloof narrow gauge line until then. By 1986, the line was completely dieselized. Some of them also worked on the Alfred County Railway out of Port Shepstone in Kwazulu-Natal between 1992 and 2003. Units which were transferred to and from Natal usually travelled all the way from Port Elizabeth under their own power on what became known as Bigfoot bogies, which were actually 3 ft. 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Class 36-000 GE type SG10B bogies.

These Bigfoot bogies were also used under the Class 91-000 locomotives whenever they had to be exchanged for maintenance purposes, sometimes running under their own power, sometimes hauled dead From these twenty locomotives, at least one has been converted to 3'6" gauge and was shunting in Port Elizabeth.

Over the years since the Class 91-000 was commissioned, the demand for rail services declined steadily on both the ACR and the Langkloof lines. Still, even though road transport had triumphed over rail transport

in respect of fruit traffic in the Langkloof by the 1980s, the eastern part of the line remained busy for some years hauling limestone from Loerie. When the quarry that fed Loerie station by cableway was closed, however, the fate of the narrow-gauge line was virtually sealed.

Despite this, in the Avontuur Railway's centenary year in 2003, Spoornet still stated its commitment to keep the line in service by undertaking to invest in infrastructure and technology. As late as September 2005 there was even talk of extending the 107-kilometre long (66-mile) branch line from Loerie further into the Gamtoos valley to assist farmers who had difficulty moving their produce.

The 91-001 which powered the Centenary train in 2003 and the only one of its class in Spoornet blue livery, is being preserved at the Outeniqua Transport Museum in George. © Bob Adams

Of the 20 built, 18 were still operational in 2009, two having been withdrawn after accident damage. However, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) had decided that narrow-gauge railway operations were no longer in its "core line of business" and began putting some of the locomotives up for auction.

The Apple Express Society has procured a Class 91 locomotive as their back-up locomotive and restored it to its original colours.

STOP PRESS: The Transnet tender for the line has been submitted. The details or when it will be decided are not known.

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As a result of the severe clearance problems presented by the two-foot gauge, it was not possible to follow the usual practice of axle-hung traction motors. Special bogies had to be designed with both traction motors mounted between the axles and with one traction motor on each side of each bogie.

The locomotives are air as well as dynamically braked. A lag control was incorporated into the train's brake pipes to prevent bunching of the wagons upon braking and snatching upon restarting. This, combined with the cabling required for multiunit control, resulted in altogether seven cable connections between consisted units. The Class 91-000 also introduced the new Willison or SA3 coupler which replaced the old Bell-andhook type coupler on new Avontuur Railway rolling stock acquired for limestone traffic in the 1970s.

View of the first diesel Apple Express to Loerie performing the traditional photographic run-past at the bridge with brand-new 91-001 and 91-002 © Leith Paxton

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These 2 class 20Es dual voltage locos have specifically been painted in the Blue Train colour are seen here on their first trip out of Cape Town back to Pretoria in March 2015 © Fanie Kleynhans Same consist just north of Wellington © Joyce van der Vyver 2015

© Georg Trüb 13.4.2019

express train locomotive 01 # 137 (not operational) of the DB Museum Nürnberg, on long term loan to IG Bw Dresden-Altstadt.

Interessengemeinschaft Traditionslok 58 3047 e.V. at Glauchau from 1959. 2-6-0 91 # 134 of Leipziger Dampf-KulTour from 1898. 4-6-2

Eisenbahnmuseum Chemnitz (SEM) from 1941. 2-10-0 556 # 0506 of the Czech State Railway from 1958. 2-6-2 35 # 1097 of the

gathering Dresden. From left to right: 2-10-0 50 # 3610 of WFL - Wedler & Franz GbR from 1941. 2-10-0 50 # 3648 of Sächsisches

In the "blue hour" at the turntable of Bahnbetriebswerk Dresden Altstadt during a photo night on the occasion of the 11th steam locomotive

Hoekfontein. Meanwhile a vintage tractor tries to keep pace with the mighty two foot articulated green machine! © James Attwell Sandstone 16.4.2022

On a cold and rainy Easter Saturday, driver Mark Ruddy guides Sandstone Estate's class NGG 16 - No.88 - and its train towards Grootdraai, from