Quote from: Papyrus on May 29, 2026, 09:35:27 AMInteresting looking loco! But did the cab really have no forward-facing window in real life? How did the crew watch for signals?

No, they had roughly rectangular front windows about the height of the cab side windows.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Hudson

I suspect there is no human intervention so surveys are unlikely to feature, the e-mails are more likely a completely random mail drop sent to all subscribers and rather like the supermarket aisles they are looking for people to buy that "bargain" that they don't need and would never proactively look for.

I get the Rails e-mails but delete most without even opening them, most of the time the "bargains" are the same slow selling models as previously promoted, I guess I should really unsubscribe   

I've been a customer of Rails ever since The Signal Box at Rochester finished, so some 15-20 years (guess). If they could be arsed to check they'll see I've only ever bought N gauge. As Gareth says, a simple questionnaire could alleviate this over communication problem

Great finds, Graham. Hopefully we'll see them running in the not too distant future

I have now fired off an email to Rails re their newsletters. Since last Saturday I have received 14, 90% of which have no scale relevance to me. Definitely time to unsubscribe unless they update their algorithms.

Quote from: grumbeast on May 29, 2026, 06:36:14 AMI think they all qualify as SPAM and I look forward to bringing them fully back to life!.

Great stuff, Graham.

On your behalf, I checked with Bertie Poppingham, Chairman of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Models (SPAM). Here is his response:-

"Absolutely, Old Thing. That streamlined Hudson is SuperSmashing, the LMS class '5XP' 4-6-0 is SuperSpiffing and the Kato 'F3' 'covered wagon' units are SuperSplendid.

All qualify as SPAM. I am delighted beyond words that SPAM spans the globe and wish all my fellow SPAMERS every success with their absolutely fabulous projects.

With the very best of good wishes.

Tickety-tonk

Bertie

PS Is it Opening Time yet where you are? They're closed here and I rather fancy a snifter."

Well, Graham, that looks like a definitive answer to your query and all I can add is to reiterate Bertie's good wishes for your projects.

With all best wishes.

Toodle-oo

John

Quote from: grumbeast on May 29, 2026, 06:36:14 AMa Dreyfus styled J3a for only $125CDN, but wait, upon testing part of the valve gear detached, so it needs work, so the chap said 'Its yours for $25!!).  So I have a little work to do with this one.  I'm unsure if its one of the pre-1987 or post ones (I suspect its 90s)

What a beauty!

Interesting looking loco! But did the cab really have no forward-facing window in real life? How did the crew watch for signals?

Cheers,

Chris

My own Peco Jubilee started life as maroon LMS loco. Bahamas but was repainted by a late friend as Renown complete with yellow warning stripe. It also developed running problems, but was fettled by @Ozymandias of this parish.

Kings, like several other large steam locomotives, could only be used on a very small number of main line routes.(3 in the case of the kings). As a result any modeller of authentic 'lesser' routes naturally looks to buying smaller, less grand locos.

Bargains, mate.