Finescale track

AutoCad is a johhny come lately programme.

CAD is Computer Aided Design, from the days of CAD/CAM (computer aided manufacturing) and CAE (computer aided engineering) somewhere I have a stack of cad/cam magazine, gawd knows where though.

Hi Paul,

Indeed, and providing an alternative to a demo version was one of my main reasons for developing this format, and obtaining the software. But it all takes tiiiiiiiiiime.

In many ways I think some screen-capture video is a better way of evaluating Templot than a crippled demo version would be. As you know, the first look at Templot can be a little daunting! Seeing it in use beforehand would ease many fears.

The problem until now has been download time, but now that most folks are on broadband that's no longer such a concern.

For those wondering what we are talking about, here is a bit of experimental video showing Templot in use. Click this and when your browser asks what to do with it, select "Open". (Windows only). You can safely ignore any warnings:

This is 3.8 MB, so if you are on slow dial-up allow about

15 minutes to download.

p.s. everyone - please don't start a discussion about the format, "it ought to be in Flash", firewalls, exe-paranoia etc. We have been through all that on the Templot group and I'm aware of all the options. Either download and watch it or don't - your choice.

regards,

Martin.

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I go back to early 1975. Remember [bl**dy CAD/CAM] before it became really usable. Yuk! These young weeny boppers obviously don't know what its all about :0)

Only too true. A walk down memory lane. Anyone remember Early Prestel and [lord help us] Micronet?

Cheers.

I am inpressed. I am very impressed with what the software can do. I had read your FAQ's, and I understood intellectually what its purpose was, but seeing the video has really helped me understand it. Its a little too late for my current layout, but my next project will certainly benefit from it.

Combwich is definitely one of those layouts which show off OO to its best. The work is so good that you have difficulty telling what gauge it is.

"Martin Wynne" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

...

Nice, thanks for that, *would* have been useful last year when I was planning my layout, that and perhaps a few similar videos may well have pursauded me to buy. To late now but maybe next time.

If you'll forgive me for saying so not perhaps the best business plan. I appreciate that the link you've provided is a "demo" and not yet generally released (or at last that's the imprssion I've got) so may I suggest that when it (and any others like it) are made more generally avaible you say on your site, not just that it's a video and it's safe you go in to a bit more detail and say what software has been used to produce it and so forth. I'm lucky in that I can run small exes in a "sandbox" and so I'm happy to take an occassional chance, many folks aren't. Just a thought.

Indeed! Combwich was one of the first layouts I discovered on the web when I started 'researching' things before Christmas. Similar in many ways to what I'm after - same sort of layout dimensions, similar setting, era, atmosphere, etc. to what I have in mind. The one drawback for me - if I'm taking it as inspiration - is the soldered pointwork.

My thoughts are developing currently towards using C&L track (hand-building the pointwork) because I find the appearance close-up so much more convincing from the few photos I've seen.

Still debating the EM/OO question though - I'm hearing two different things at the moment regarding the ease of conversion. However, having briefly examined the underside of my Bachmann 45xx there is clearly ample room within the existing valve gear spacing to expand the wheel gauge - in fact, the coupling rods actually taper in quite noticeably from the valve gear towards the wheels, almost as though the valve gear is built to EM gauge but the wheels to OO! Unless I'm reading it all wrong - quite possible given my lack of in-depth knowledge!

Matt

Hi Chris,

Do you not think this is getting a bit paranoid?

You originally asked for a demo version of Templot. How were you planning to install that if you don't trust an executable from me? If you think running my software is "taking a chance" I would prefer that you don't run it at all.

Many hundreds of Templot users have installed my software, and all lived to tell the tale.

regards,

Martin.

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Matt Ots said the following on 25/01/2006 00:39:

The valve gear is almost certainly made to the correct position for

4mm/ft scale. To make it work with OO narrow gauge, it has to be bent inwards, as you have seen. This refers back to my earlier comment that modern RTR looks almost as if it is made for correct gauge, but has to be released in narrow gauge to suit the mass market! I have certainly converted a couple by simply dropping in EM gauge wheelsets and adjusting the pickups outwards a bit.

Just another thing that I have never actually got to the bottom of ('cos it ain't really that important!) - is it OO or 00?

Paul, it is 00. It fits into the sequence of being smaller than 0, which is smaller than 1, which is smaller than 2, etc. Similar to paint brushes. And of course 9 mm gauge trains started off being called 000.

thought.

Well, aren't you getting paranoid about people miss using a demo version of your software, after all just as you could sown up load a executable nasty so could someone download your software and crack your registration process - if you want use to trust your motives then should you not trust those of your potential customers?

Oh no it isn't ;-)

It is definately OO as in letters. The OO Society has its website address with a double letter O as in

you won't get far typing 2 zero's in google.

Kevin Martin

Well, I have never built track or pointwork before last night. I just recieved some of SMP's plastic based point kits to match the SMP flexitrack I already had. It did take a couple of hours, but like anything practice makes perfect. I am sure I will get quicker.

The point went together easier than I thought, although having to cut all the rails to the right length was a bit of a chore - I thought the kit might have all the rails pre-cut! Not sure of the running qualities at the moment, but a wagon goes through it with no problems, and if I have to make a replacement, it will a) only be 3.50, and b) be made better because I have more practice.

Regardless of how easy it is to convert - you still need to do something to alter the loco, and you end up with something which you can't take round to your mates layout, or down to the club layout and show it off in action. Despite what EM advocates will tell you, the only benefit to going EM is the appearance. Running qualities on a well built OO layout can be every bit as good as on an EM system nowadays. I bought some SMP flexitrack and sat it down next to some peco "finescale" to compare. I had to get the ruler out to check I hadn't been sent some EM track by mistake! It looked that good. It was then that I determined that I wanted to make my next OO layout look as good as possible. My modelling skills may or may not be up to the level of Combwich, but it wont be my trackwork which shows me up.

Oh yes it is :-)

I wouldn't take an internet URL as a definitive source. If you read the history of 00 gauge on the DOGA web site, you will see that the gauge is referred to with two zeros, including quotes from Messrs B-Lowke and Greenly who started the whole thing off.

Jim.

"Jim Guthrie" wrote

Whatever the correct terminology is, I've rarely heard of 'double oh' being referred to as 'double zero', so common sense dictates that it should be referred to as 'OO' and not '00'.

Same with 7mm scale which is generally referred to as 'oh gauge' although 'nought gauge' is not unknown.

John.

Perhaps in the 1930's it was originally referred to as 00 (double zero), but now it is referred to as OO (double oh).

Hi Jim,

I have a modelling friend in his eighties who always refers to "naught gauge" and "naught-naught gauge". I remember when I first joined a model railway club 40 years ago that most of the older members used this way of referring to the gauges.

If you think persuading UK modellers correctly to use zeros for

0 and 00 gauges is hard work, try getting US modellers to use H0 !

I think the battle is lost. There are more important things to worry about. It's a shame though to see the hobby losing its history.

regards,

Martin.

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"Jim Guthrie" wrote

Well my phones all have big '0's on them so confusion is not a problem, but my computer keyboard has both 'O's and '0's and whilst it may not appear to be a real problem, think what would you list your items under on eBay? You'd be restricting your chances by listing under '00'. A quick check suggests that twice as many people list under 'OO' rather than listing under

00 - marketing sense therefore says that 'OO' is compelling.

John.

I didn't intend to start a OO/00 war, honest!!!!!

I think I'll settle for the 00 (zeros) pronounced as double-oh as probably being more correct, but like I said when I posed the question, it isn't really important! As far as eBay is concerned, OO got 2451 hits in "our" section, and 00 got 1890. I think the answer there is not to put the scale at all :-)