Česky Západ - HO Czech Layout

[TT-Pete]

8 hours ago, Neils WRX said:

 I did find one, but he wouldn’t ship to the U.K.

 

I have experienced this from several mainland european manufacturers/retailers of late. 😢

[JBr]

20 hours ago, Neils WRX said:

If you can recommend the correct signals I’d be grateful.

 

https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-2-Es-HO-navestidla

 

Your station is quite complex, so for placing the signals, you need to decide which tracks are the running ones (where train can arrive and can depart from) and which are just sidings. Do you have a trackplan of your station anywhere that I could draw the signals into?

 

Regarding the signals, I think you will need at least one of those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/3916-29416-1-Navestidlo-odjezdove-z-c-b-stavebnice and then multiple of those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/4141-29419-1-Navestidlo-z-c-b-z-odjezdove-stavebnice (this one is available as kit only it seems) for the running tracks. If you also want to have some dedicated shunting signals, then either those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/3720-29415-1-Navestidlo-serazovaci-b-m-stavebnice or those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/5251-29423-Trpaslici-navestidlo-b-m-serazovaci-stavebnice (again, both kits).

Edited April 3 by JBr

[Neils WRX]

2 hours ago, JBr said:

 

Your station is quite complex, so for placing the signals, you need to decide which tracks are the running ones (where train can arrive and can depart from) and which are just sidings. Do you have a trackplan of your station anywhere that I could draw the signals into?

 

Regarding the signals, I think you will need at least one of those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/3916-29416-1-Navestidlo-odjezdove-z-c-b-stavebnice and then multiple of those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/4141-29419-1-Navestidlo-z-c-b-z-odjezdove-stavebnice (this one is available as kit only it seems) for the running tracks. If you also want to have some dedicated shunting signals, then either those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/3720-29415-1-Navestidlo-serazovaci-b-m-stavebnice or those https://1185589887.s1.eshop-rychle.cz/es-pecky/eshop/1-1-Es-Pecky/5-1-Es-HO-navestidla/5/5251-29423-Trpaslici-navestidlo-b-m-serazovaci-stavebnice (again, both kits).

Thanks very much.

 

I actually ordered 4 of 29419.1 I’ll have a look what I actually got sent when I get home from holiday. They might have sent a he wrong ones…. I hadn’t even noticed this was a 29420.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

 

[Neils WRX]

On 03/04/2024 at 22:39, Neils WRX said:

Thanks very much.

 

I actually ordered 4 of 29419.1 I’ll have a look what I actually got sent when I get home from holiday. They might have sent a he wrong ones…. I hadn’t even noticed this was a 29420.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

 

Transpires I got sent 2 of each…. So will be sending an email to get the correct replacements!!

[Neils WRX]

No progress on the signals, still wondering about trying to obtain some ready built ones. Not quite back to the drawing board.

 

I’ve managed a tiny bit of modelling, when Roco produced 749257 they missed part of the suspension but included the the sand pipes which need to be removed. Menzels sent the missing bits so I just needed to fix the bits.

 

 

 

Next just a few random photos.

 

CD Cargo 751176

 

Roco 810

MTB 842

This one is on the list to get sound in the due course.

 

Last 751004 departs!!

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[roundhouse]

I do like the 842, spent many hours riding in them.

 

How does it compare with other MTB models?

[Neils WRX]

7 hours ago, roundhouse said:

I do like the 842, spent many hours riding in them.

 

How does it compare with other MTB models?

I have a 842, 852 and 854 all by MTB, I quite like them. My only moan is no thought has been given to how you add sound to them.

 

It wouldn’t have taken much to leave a space for a speaker as they have done on other models.

 

Apart from that they run well and can quite happily tow my DMU trailer coaches.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[Stefan88]

I picked up an MTB 852 003 a few years ago when an Austrian retailer had one on offer at a price that put it just under the £135 limit, seems like a pretty decent model. Unfortunately its just sat in its box since I got it so not had a look in to its innards, but the website for Jacek shows a sound install ~ https://www.jacek-modely.cz/m-296-1-od-mtb-svetla-zvuk/#more-6871

 

Personally I'd look at replacing the 2 large battery boxes with a pair of sugar cubes, keeping the external side facades.

 

A shallow sugar cube would probably slot in there, but I'd rather eek out the extra 1-2mm by removing the bottom of the battery boxes.

 

Alternatively is there much meat to the ballast block over the motor, or any space inside it?

[Neils WRX]

On 08/05/2024 at 21:54, Stefan88 said:

I picked up an MTB 852 003 a few years ago when an Austrian retailer had one on offer at a price that put it just under the £135 limit, seems like a pretty decent model. Unfortunately its just sat in its box since I got it so not had a look in to its innards, but the website for Jacek shows a sound install ~ https://www.jacek-modely.cz/m-296-1-od-mtb-svetla-zvuk/#more-6871

 

Personally I'd look at replacing the 2 large battery boxes with a pair of sugar cubes, keeping the external side facades.

 

A shallow sugar cube would probably slot in there, but I'd rather eek out the extra 1-2mm by removing the bottom of the battery boxes.

 

Alternatively is there much meat to the ballast block over the motor, or any space inside it?

Interesting article especially the comments about the chip not fitting properly!!!

 

Agree about putting the speaker in the battery boxes, must be honest hadn’t considered that. I was going to go with on the roof somewhere.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[SRman]

I love this layout, especially as it represents something a bit different from the norm.

I also have a fascination for the "Goggle" locomotives, but even at sale prices they are too dear for what (for me) is a small side interest away from British modelling.

My wife and I did get to ride a couple of Czech trains between Hamburg and Berlin on a day trip we did in 2022. They were both hauled by Vectron electrics. Food and drink prices on the Czech train were very reasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bradley.mcmullan]

On 03/05/2024 at 14:20, Neils WRX said:

I have a 842, 852 and 854 all by MTB, I quite like them. My only moan is no thought has been given to how you add sound to them.

 

It wouldn’t have taken much to leave a space for a speaker as they have done on other models.

 

Apart from that they run well and can quite happily tow my DMU trailer coaches.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

Hello Neil, greetings from a fellow British Czech enthusiast! I wondered if you had managed to proceed with your sound project on the 854 "Hydra" railcar by MTB? I have recently added sound to mine and if you are interested I could show you what I have done? Cheers for now - Bradley, Leeds.

[bradley.mcmullan]

On 17/05/2022 at 21:55, Neils WRX said:

Here’s a comparison between different sound files for 749/751’s

 

Apologies if you have already detailed this elsewhere Neil, but could you tell me which chip/speaker/sound is fitted to your 749s/751s please? 004 in particular as it sounds absolutely epic on the video you posted!

[Neils WRX]

22 hours ago, bradley.mcmullan said:

Hello Neil, greetings from a fellow British Czech enthusiast! I wondered if you had managed to proceed with your sound project on the 854 "Hydra" railcar by MTB? I have recently added sound to mine and if you are interested I could show you what I have done? Cheers for now - Bradley, Leeds.

Hello Bradley,
I’ve not done anything with any of my railcars yet they are on the list to do…. Out of interest which decoder and sound file did you use? 
 

With regard to 751004 I’m not sure whose sound it is it came fitted when I got it. In fairness I do like a bit of notch 8 action!!!

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

[bradley.mcmullan]

1 hour ago, Neils WRX said:

Out of interest which decoder and sound file did you use?

Hiya Neil, thanks for the reply - I have 854027-0 in Najbrt livery... the railcar was sourced from itvlaky.cz - I don't know if you have dealt with this shop but they are brilliant, the staff are really nice and the prices very fair. They won't post to the UK but the shop in Holesov is easy to get to by train. I also sourced the sound decoder and sound file via itvlaky, it is a ZIMO chip with the Jacek sound file loaded onto it. The shop loaded the sound on for me for a small fee. I called in to see Richard at Roads and Rails in Leeds, we had a look at various shapes of speakers to fit and decided to add a flat panel speaker from a laptop which provides a decent quality sound yet fits out of sight (tightly) in the roofspace of the railcar. I have wired through the pre-cut holes in the PCB to the solder points named "REPRO" and am really pleased with the resulting tidy installation :-) I am just about to add some passengers to the saloon so will try get some decent pics of the sound setup and post them for you... Cheers!

[Neils WRX]

On 21/05/2024 at 19:10, bradley.mcmullan said:

Apologies if you have already detailed this elsewhere Neil, but could you tell me which chip/speaker/sound is fitted to your 749s/751s please? 004 in particular as it sounds absolutely epic on the video you posted!

Sorry I should have read your question properly, the older 751’s have Zimo chips with ARTOL sound, I run 219 as “silent” everything else noisy!!! More recently I have been using ESU chips with their 751 sounds, but I add drive hold to them.

The ESU chips have a sugar cube speakers the Zimo ones have flat speakers in them.

I have a slight preference for ESU chips as I have a Lokprogrammer, where as the Zimo files are uploaded by the Roco Z21.

I’m going to fit Stayalive’s to a couple of the ESU chips to make them completely built proof in time the layouts exhibition in December.

Thanks,

Neil

[D1023]

On 21/05/2024 at 20:10, bradley.mcmullan said:

Apologies if you have already detailed this elsewhere Neil, but could you tell me which chip/speaker/sound is fitted to your 749s/751s please? 004 in particular as it sounds absolutely epic on the video you posted!

I think that particular sound file is by Artol https://sounds.artol.sk/bardotka/

[Neils WRX]

Not much actual modelling has taken place recently…..

I have redone the pavement around the flats.

 

 

Still trying to get hold of the signals having a long winded debate over Google translate. Hopefully I will achieve in the end otherwise I’m back to trying to build the kits and make them operational.

 

Anyway here is the 498 passing through the station (the stopping before running out of baseboard).

 

 

Thanks,

 

 Neil 

[Neils WRX]

Having completed the exhibition at Elderslie with Belgian MPD (see other thread if you are interested) the next outing for one of my  layouts is this one at Paisley in December.

 

Since the last update I have actually undertaken a bit of scenic work on the layout. The timber loading siding now has a load of stuff on the floor. 

 

This is something you see in reality but I don’t recall seeing it modelled very often.

I started with putting some bits of cork on the ground which was then topped with some bits of bark from the garden. All stuck down with my current favourite glue (Ballast Bond).

 

I’m quite pleased with the overall effect.

 

Cork first:

 

Now bark bits

 

 

 

The saga of the Czech signals will hopefully be getting a happy ending. I eventually persuaded the  Czech manufacturer to let me pay by bank transfer, and for him to send them to a friend in Poland. (As he won’t ship to the U.K. anymore). You wouldn’t believe the amount of messages to and fro to get this to happen. The signals have now arrived safely in Poland.

 

My Polish friend has a friend who is coming to the U.K. later in the month and he will post them to Scotland. I just hope they are worth it after all this hassle!!!!

 

The key thing for me is to have working signals that I can wire into the DCC system.

 

As the construction/ finishing is coming to an end on this layout (although I can always improve stuff) I’m wondering what next. I have a half an idea to build a fiddle yard at the rear to operate the layout as an oval. This fiddle yard would also be available for Belgian MPD and any future projects. The only issue is I have nowhere at home to assemble the layout in this form and one think I like doing is running the odd train after work. 

 

The ideal of the oval would really be for exhibition use only, although I’m not even sure where to store the boards at home as the garage has a MG in it. The MG only comes out on dry days so leaving it outside in the Scottish weather isn’t really an option.

 

Another possibility is build the Danish Ferry Terminal, although I have learnt from last time that a 5x2 board is too long/heavy. So it will be 4x2 and reuse my fiddle yard board of the same length. Will need to work out how to build a dockside and add water effects.

 

 

Just a random picture to finish off with!!

 

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[Neils WRX]

Signals!!

 

At last the signals have arrived :-)

 

 

 

Just need to make them work now. The plug straight into the DCC bus just need to work out how to change the address!!! 

Have Google translated the instructions will have a play when I get some spare time.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[JBr]

23 hours ago, Neils WRX said:

Have Google translated the instructions will have a play when I get some spare time.

 

I can help with the translation too, if needed.

[Neils WRX]

A picture can say a 1000 words!!

 

 

 

 

 

Base to be painted and still to be ballasted but it works!!

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[roundhouse]

good to see them working. Mine are still not working. even after 9 years since I installed them.

[Neils WRX]

17 hours ago, roundhouse said:

good to see them working. Mine are still not working. even after 9 years since I installed them.

 

For me having working signals is all part of it. In fairness spotting colour light signals is sometimes difficult in an exhibition setting.

Once I’d got my head around how they worked they were quite straight forward. Although the second one was a bit trial and error.

 

 

They are set to either red/green or to show shunt aspects.

Another two to do now.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[Stefan88]

Now you just need a little OHLE, maybe just on the main through line and adjacent passing loops on either side 😉 

[Neils WRX]

7 hours ago, Stefan88 said:

Now you just need a little OHLE, maybe just on the main through line and adjacent passing loops on either side 😉 

That would mean I would need to buy a load of Czech electric locos and I have so far resisted the temptation !!!!

 

I do however have enough Sommerfeldt tower masts to do that from the layouts “Balkan Days”…..

 

Thanks,

 

Neil