the only daft thing about the old stuff is if you pay the prices some rip off artists ask.

It's maybe true to say more modern stock is more detailed but with very little effort/outlay older stuff can be improved. Sometimes a simple rewheeling can hugely improve old pizza cutter wheeled stock, for example

Definitely a case of "Rule 1" it is your trainset, and it is entirely your choice, in terms of British stuff, there are sure to be plenty of Farish locos going right back to the 80s with plenty of life left in them and as long as you run Code 80 track, pretty much any stock even with "pizza cutter" wheels should be fine.

The Peco Jubilee (made by Rivarossi) in the picture above is a case in point, with it's origin in the late 60s, it was for a long time by common consensus the best RTR British steam loco out there, and it wasn't until the latest generation Farish models started arriving (Ironically the first being a Jubilee) that it began to look more dated.

The most important thing is that the models you buy give you enjoyment, but as others have said, exercise a little caution purchasing from eBay, scrutinise pictures carefully, ask for more if needed, if unsure walk away - there will usually be more.

Regards

Roy

Quote from: Malc on December 02, 2023, 12:59:09 PMStill listening to this band, 50 years ago I bought Argus.

Yep, I had that album. Great cover!

Dunno what happened to it, though 

Answering the original question, it's not daft at all. Running on my layout, maroon mk1 coach, circa 1990.

Loco: repainted Peco Jubilee, 1986.

Giving a first listen to Peter Gabriel's latest album "i/o", released a couple of days ago.

Not really sure what I think yet. It's beautifully produced as you would expect, and musically it's quite restrained and almost moody. It doesn't rock as hard as his early solo work but I think it will grow on me. Some of it reminds me of later songs by Tiger Lou (one of my favourite alt-rock artists).

It is not the age, but the standard of build and realism, that matters. I have a few items that date from the 1960s but I rarely run them because they do not look nearly as realistic as their modern equivalents. However, I also regularly run several items of stock that date from as early as 1971 because they are accurate models.

There was a layout at Warley the other weekend where I noticed the owner was running 'shorty' under scale length German coaches - these are models that date from the 1960s. I personally would not run them on my own layout as I am not happy with incorrect scale length, but that is just a personal preference - and all railway modelling is down to personal preference.

Moderators wasn't sure where to post, so if in wrong place please feel free to move.

Greeting all,

I need some help from the Kato masters and Electrical gurus on the forum.

I've been helping a friend solve some problems on his layout, sticking points, extra feeds and wiring problems etc.

His layout uses Kato track and he is running a Dcc system.

Things have been going well apart from one problem which I'm struggling to solve.

Which is that the layout has two circles of track, an inner and outer which he has connected using 2 x #6 turnouts as in the picture.
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=137639

I can get two trains running separately on the circles, but when the points are thrown to allow crossover from one to the other a short occurs.

I've tried all different combinations of isolating joiners on the heads of the points but cannot find the right one to stop the short.

If I isolate all the tracks the loco shorts in this position on the points.
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=137640

I'd be grateful for any advice on how to cure this short with either placement of the isolating joiners, or as it's DCC do we need to deploy something like a DCC autofrog?

It's been driving me crazy as my electrical skills are poor to put it mildly.

Thanks in advance
Simon.T

Like others I have kit bought in the 80's all the way to now. it's your railway/train set, do what you like.

Age alone should not be the guiding factor in whether something is worth buying, providing it is at the right price!
Some stock of that age will be to current standards but others may have been superseded by a newer version of the same, so need to be careful not to pay the 'newer' price for the 'older' model...
If in doubt, for on-line sales, post a photo or link here and I'm sure many would be happy to advise.