Hey...!!! When does Chinese New Year end??

I only ask because the 48s and 830s were slated to arrive after Chinese New Year.

Then again, I suppose technically speaking, that could mean Christmas (because Christmas is AFTER Chinese New Year).

Roachie

Hey...!!! When does Chinese New Year end??

I only ask because the 48s and 830s were slated to arrive after Chinese New Year.

Then again, I suppose technically speaking, that could mean Christmas (because Christmas is AFTER Chinese New Year).

Roachie

Depends on what part of Lunar (Chinese) New Year you are talking about, Little Year (Preparation for the New Year) went from 8th-15th of February 2018, Lunar (Chinese) New Year (Spring Festival) went from 16th-26th of February 2018, then the Lantern Festival was held on 2nd of March 2018, but Preparations began on the 27th of February until the 2nd of March 2018.

I hope this helps

By the way, I heard that by the end of April is when they will be here.

Jack

Has anyone heard any whispers about Auscision producing SCT ARBY vans? Tooling for the bogies, floor, roof and refrigeration unit already exist so it may be a viable product.

Hey...!!! When does Chinese New Year end??

I only ask because the 48s and 830s were slated to arrive after Chinese New Year.

Then again, I suppose technically speaking, that could mean Christmas (because Christmas is AFTER Chinese New Year).

Roachie

Depends on what part of Lunar (Chinese) New Year you are talking about, Little Year (Preparation for the New Year) went from 8th-15th of February 2018, Lunar (Chinese) New Year (Spring Festival) went from 16th-26th of February 2018, then the Lantern Festival was held on 2nd of March 2018, but Preparations began on the 27th of February until the 2nd of March 2018.

I hope this helps

By the way, I heard that by the end of April is when they will be here.

Jack

To add to that, most of China especially the areas that produce our models, are based in the Southern part of China, from Guan Zhou near the coast and in Nanjing further inland.

In the early or so called preparation stage most of the factories are in wind down mode and only finishing items that can be shipped usually within 7 days of the Lunar new year.  From that point of time the "migrant workers" that is the thousands of workers who come from inland and far flung rural areas, and mainly villages with no jobs except looking after the family and/or working on family lots get up to 4 weeks off in order to go back to their homes to visit families.  

2 weeks a year and those who return can take another week or more to get train tickets to travel.  Many don't return and it means the factories have to scout out many new arrivals to take the positions of those who did not return, that means they have to be trained in the assembling of our toys, along with a lot of other items.

Factories used to offer the better workers, bonuses if they returned which included a bit extra pay or accommodation along with the train travel both ways, cheaper for them in the long run, but often they never knew how many would return.

Factories used to offer the better workers, bonuses if they returned which included a bit extra pay or accommodation along with the train travel both ways, cheaper for them in the long run, but often they never knew how many would return.

Tough way to run a business!!

Roachie

Has anyone heard any whispers about Auscision producing SCT ARBY vans? Tooling for the bogies, floor, roof and refrigeration unit already exist so it may be a viable product.

I haven't heard anything...

However, it is hard enough to recognise an ARBY from an ABSY in real life.
I know, I often try to photograph them if I'm in a spot that makes that convenient.

Quite some time ago now I put an article into AMRM covering the ARBY and ARFY wagons.

At that time there were only two ARBYs and they looked nothing like they do now because the insulation was fitted outside the van body. This was too hard, so they rebuilt them with internal insulation, which meant that, except for the door and the refrigeration unit on one end, they looked like an ABFX/ABSY.

Auscision do try to cover such variants of course, so it is possible....

But in HO, picking a refrigerator from a box van would be pretty hard.

Would enough customers know the difference and want to buy a couple?

Most casual visitors looking at a model SCT train would need to be told if there were any refrigerator vans among the box vans....

Peter

Has anyone heard any whispers about Auscision producing SCT ARBY vans? [...]

I haven't heard anything...

I'll wait just a little longer before I begin my own conversions. Murphy's law, and all that.

Random question, has anyone heard whether Aurizon coal wagons will be considered for use with the “heavy” aurizon locos? I know they are quite boutique but no different to the batwings. TIA

Initially my 280HP Walker Rail Motor ran well but it got worse and worse until the point that I no longer use it, I reckon it's current collection, with some difficulty I got the wheels clean but it's no better.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?  Has anyone fixed this problem?

Mark

While I don't have an answer, I do have a question - was it purchased in an exhibition 'as is' bin?

While I don't have an answer, I do have a question - was it purchased in an exhibition 'as is' bin?

Nup, full price by mail.

That's disappointing, I have seen these rail motors being flogged off rather cheaply in said 'bins' over the years. I hope that you find a simple solution sometime soon

Initially my 280HP Walker Rail Motor ran well but it got worse and worse until the point that I no longer use it, I reckon it's current collection, with some difficulty I got the wheels clean but it's no better.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?  Has anyone fixed this problem?

Mark

Some models that I have purchased have had similar problems they worked fine straight out of the box when new but over time got worse. I had a Traino 930 do this and eventually it just stopped altogether and would not go at all, this was on DC by the way. I opened it up and checked all wire connections and found two that were suspect so re-soldered them but still it did not move though. So then I started to check for other things, nothing caught in the mech, all wheels clean etc. Then I undid the motor leads from the circuit board and also the pickups as well and simply wired them together and away it went, no lights etc but it ran. So in the end I wired it straight from the pick up wires to the motor and removed the circuit board completely it still runs like this.

It could be a component has gone or is going on the circuit board causing your problems.

There is one other thing that could cause what you describe and that is oil in the metal blocks that the axles run in, not only are they bearings but also the pick ups so oil in them could do what you have described. You have to strip the bearings out and clean the up and replace them and instead of using standard fine oil on them use Wahl oil or a lubricant that will not block the flow of electrons, like WD40 or similar put on with a tooth pick and used sparingly.

If that is not the case then the only  other thing it could be is a dodgy motor in it.
Plenty to look for and it will take time to find the problem but eliminate things one by one even if it takes weeks. Write down a list of probable things that could go wrong and as you check them cross them off the list and move on to something else on the list.

@ Mark

Did you clean the pick ups that run on top of the wheels ? Mine started running poorly and was fine after a good clean.

Steve.

..........
There is one other thing that could cause what you describe and that is oil in the metal blocks that the axles run in, not only are they bearings but also the pick ups so oil in them could do what you have described. You have to strip the bearings out and clean the up and replace them and instead of using standard fine oil on them use Wahl oil or a lubricant that will not block the flow of electrons, like WD40 or similar put on with a tooth pick and used sparingly.
....

David,

I suspect you have never looked under a Walker, that's not the nature of the current collection used on the two in-powered bogies.

Mark

..........
There is one other thing that could cause what you describe and that is oil in the metal blocks that the axles run in, not only are they bearings but also the pick ups so oil in them could do what you have described. You have to strip the bearings out and clean the up and replace them and instead of using standard fine oil on them use Wahl oil or a lubricant that will not block the flow of electrons, like WD40 or similar put on with a tooth pick and used sparingly.
....

David,

I suspect you have never looked under a Walker, that's not the nature of the current collection used on the two in-powered bogies.

Mark

I don't have a Walker (Horrible looking thing ), but was just going by current day models that all seem to now have this style of pick up, but it could still be oil or dirt etc on the actual pick ups though whether they are strips or whatever. I would say that maybe a thorough check of anything likely between the track and the motor be done it could simply be a loose wire or even a bad soldering joint or something. I have had brand new models straight out of the box after buying them that would not run and most had dry or cold solder joints the solder stuck well to the wire but not to what was used for the pick up. A quick fire up of the soldering iron and the dry joints were eliminated and the loco then ran.

Quality control on solder joints in Chinese made things is almost non existent these days as the they have to be assembled quickly and dispatched. But check anything that looks that it might be suspect in the way of bad joints or joins in wires and if you can get the components on the circuit board checked by someone if you cannot do it yourself, it only takes a component to semi fail and and it will do all kinds of things bar what it is designed for.

Like I said eliminate by a series of checking different things.

Oh one thing I had in a Brass locomotive from a reputable manufacturer and distributor was a motor that slowly failed and the running got slowly worse, till eventually it did not run at all. The motor did not burn out though but just gave up the ghost as did a friends model of the same type. That is another problem the actual can motor. You get a faulty one every so often.

It could be anything though so the only advice I think that anyone could give you is check, clean and check again until you locate the problem. But do not expect to do it in one night , do a bit each night or twice a week or something, it saves getting tired and overlooking something. But happy hunting and I hope you locate the problem and are able to fix it!

It's been a few months since I raised the issue of the 48/830 and the 442 projects.

Former was due around CNY and 442 shortly after that.

Does anybody (Poath Junction??) have any inside info.

I'm not gunna live forever!!!

Roachie

Hi

Update on production in May when they return from China.

I'm not gunna live forever!!!

Roachie

Narp, but according to a former Treasurer, you'll live to at least 150y.o. ;o)

It's been a few months since I raised the issue of the 48/830 and the 442 projects.

Former was due around CNY and 442 shortly after that.

Does anybody (Poath Junction??) have any inside info.

I'm not gunna live forever!!!

Roachie

(via https://www.facebook.com/auscisionmodels)
Quick update before we head off to China on Friday to inspect the final assembly of our long and over due HO Scale 48/830 Class locomotives.
We are expecting our factory to complete the 48/830 Class towards the end of May with shipment arriving early in June. Its been a mighty project and one of the most difficult we have ever had to produce. We originally anticipated the 48/830 to be available around January of this year but that got pushed back due to many workers at the factory going home early for CNY holidays. It didn’t get any better after the holidays as many factories in China have been struggling to find new workers and still to this date have production capacity cut in half due to the labour shortage. Three of the factories we currently use are suffering this problem which has pushed all model productions back further. We will have a full update on these issues and more when we return from China.
During this production slowdown we have been very busy working on new projects getting them through to tooling stages so that we can be closer to a production slot when announced. This will prevent long delays like seen with the Tangara & 48/830 Class models. New model announcements will come after we receive the 48/830 Class production models.
I have included some images below of recently received 85 Class, 86 Class Tri-Bogie & Paybus painted samples along with our Indian pacific, The Ghan & Southern Spirit Passenger Car tooling samples.
The Australian Modeller store in Seven Hills has also been renovated and we have nearly doubled the store in size. For those that visited the store last Saturday you would have seen that we are almost finished with the renovation and our new full service DCC counter has been installed.
Will report back soon.
Pete.

Video showing 48 class with sound can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/auscisionmodels/videos/1885184204848842/

That's disappointing, I have seen these rail motors being flogged off rather cheaply in said 'bins' over the years. I hope that you find a simple solution sometime soon

That's disappointing, I have seen these rail motors being flogged off rather cheaply in said 'bins' over the years. I hope that you find a simple solution sometime soon

Have three of them and one was mark down special, All work pretty well. Only problem is the wiring in too stiff between bodies. I am sure they would be perfect with soft light wire as used on decoders. Cheers