If you have Cable TV and BBC America, there is a show on that channel at 4pm(Eastern Whatever Saving or Not Time) about a chap who is trying to connect two real towns with a Model Railroad. The towns are 10 miles apart! This I gotta see!
Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays
Lou
That would be James May’s “Top Toys”. They tried this on two attempts. Once on an earlier show called “Toy Stories”. This is a fun episode to watch. The rest of the series is also really good. They try to set a land speed record with slot cars, build a bridge out of Mechanno, build a1:1plastic model Spitfire, and a full size house out of Legos.
I just finished watching the episode, while it was neat to watch, I dont understand two things.
Why did they choose to use such a small scale when the stuff we run could handle the abuse easily ( I guess the price of 10 miles of track would blow the budget for the next 2 seasons ) 
With on-board battery technology at its current state why not use on board batteries and have “refueling” points along the line to replace dead batteries as they drain out as opposed to relying on battery powered track.
I would like to see the show try again but w/ G Gauge Equipment and on-board battery / RC Control
That was a great attempt and a good watch
Shawn,
there are two versions of the James May train adventure. The first attempt was a dismal failure. The second he actually got a train, albeit with a lot of 'coaxing, ’ to make the distance. To understand the ‘small’ scale chosen, then one must understand the British psyche. ‘OO’ scale is their beloved choice of scale and represents in model form all their favourite trains that they have seen for decades. ‘OO’ scale was the ONLY choice. No large scale manufacturer was going to supply ten miles of rail. In fact with the track used, Peco actually did a special run and prefitted the rail joiners to the flex rail lengths. The time taken to post fit the railjoiners would have doomed the venture to failure.
Also, the British psyche for train running is power through the rails so onboard batteries were NOT the answer. The whole venture was an excuse to have James May run his beloved mint thirty year old locomotive over the distance. In the first episode the locomotive did not even clear the station throat. It failed within a few feet of the start. The loco had no preparation and was basically taken from a glass display cabinet (the typical method chosen by many British modellers) and run on the rails. No wonder it failed. The second attempt saw the loco get a 'makeover' before it ran somewhat successfully.Tim Brien said:
Shawn, there are two versions of the James May train adventure. The first attempt was a dismal failure. The second he actually got a train, albeit with a lot of 'coaxing, ' to make the distance. To understand the 'small' scale chosen, then one must understand the British psyche. 'OO' scale is their beloved choice of scale and represents in model form all their favourite trains that they have seen for decades. 'OO' scale was the ONLY choice. No large scale manufacturer was going to supply ten miles of rail. In fact with the track used, Peco actually did a special run and prefitted the rail joiners to the flex rail lengths. The time taken to post fit the railjoiners would have doomed the venture to failure.Also, the British psyche for train running is power through the rails so onboard batteries were NOT the answer. The whole venture was an excuse to have James May run his beloved mint thirty year old locomotive over the distance. In the first episode the locomotive did not even clear the station throat. It failed within a few feet of the start. The loco had no preparation and was basically taken from a glass display cabinet (the typical method chosen by many British modellers) and run on the rails. No wonder it failed. The second attempt saw the loco get a 'makeover' before it ran somewhat successfully.</blockquote>Ahhhhhhhhhhh the British psyche, together with the “stiff upper lip” it explains many a puzzling thing. :lol: :lol: As to the “beloved choice” now that is a bit easier to understand; it goes very well together with “no central heat”, cars perfect for the “tinkering classes” and a few other items which can’t be mentioned on a family friendly forum.
:lol:
Thanks for the link. That was a fun way to kill an hour.
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:. . . Wonder why Joerg-Mueller keeps knocking the British?.... but then,.never mind....we managed the invention of the jet engine, hovercraft, TV, steam railways, Penicillin......and we have houses that stand up in the high winds..and electricity that keeps going in all sorts of bad weather... and let us not forget we have high speed trains UK direct via THE Tunnel to Spain, France, and other continental countries............oh...and we designed/built Concorde with the French AND flew it for 20 years odd ..... Gosh...we are a backward lot......:) ....... and then there's the question why so many Canadians and Americans and Australians and New Zealanders live in the UK.......not to mention dozens of other nationalities who prefer the UK to their own country.....including quite a few Swiss and German and Japanese ;) ;) We must have something that pleases them.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh the British psyche, together with the "stiff upper lip" it explains many a puzzling thing. :lol: :lol: As to the "beloved choice" now that is a bit easier to understand; it goes very well together with "no central heat", cars perfect for the "tinkering classes" and a few other items which can't be mentioned on a family friendly forum. ;) :lol:
Maybe it’s because we ARE British.
Let’s us not also overlook that if the British had not won back in 1759 that Herr Mueller and his ilk would either now be enjoying this forum [if indeed it existed] in French, or that he would still be milking those odd-coloured cows in an Alpine pasture in a Switzerland where nobody would have wanted to go to ‘New France’.
tac
Vic, pass the popcorn…
Remind me which wheel arrangement was named the “England” or “Britain” class engines?
Shay, Heisler, Climax, berkshire, northern, Allegheny, Class A, BigBoy, Union Pacific Class, and the 8500-series GTELs. Though, in all fairness, I’ll give you the garratt
This was the first bit May did on model trains, its still by far my favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ8IjZ3tUas
James May’s Top Toys