Haskell Co. have pictures of the L‑Class in production in multiple liveries on their Facebook page — and even have the boxes ready. Shipping looks to be just around the corner! Here are a sample of some of the photos — visit their Facebook page for lots more.
Recent painted L class samples from Haskell’s Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/HaskellCoTaiwan
Western Australian Government Railways L Class Diesel Locomotive
In preparation for the completion of the Eastern Goldfields Railway gauge conversion from narrow to standard gauge in 1968, The Western Australian Government Railways started taking delivery of 23 L Class Diesel locomotives in 1967. The first 23 L Class were built by Clyde Engineering in Granville, NSW and based on the United States manufactured SD40 by Electro Motive Division (EMD). Reduced in height from the SD40 to meet Australian loading gauge requirement; the L class was the largest and heaviest locomotive operated by the Government Railways at the time.
Unlike Eastern States modellers who have been well catered for with ready to run locomotives and rolling stock from their government railways, The WA modeller has not been well served in HO scale having to rely on kits or repainted US outline locomotives and rolling stock. In particular the L class was produced as a resin kit by the Victorian Hobby Centre, and Northern Models.
Enter 2014/2015 and two HO scale model railway manufacturers have announced their intention to produce the L class locomotive. Southern Rail were first to announce their L class in May 2014 followed by Haskell in 2015. WA modellers attending the 40th Anniversary of the AMRA Model Railway Exhibition held at the Claremont Showgrounds Exhibition Centre over the June 2015 long weekend, were privy to see and handle Haskell’s first production samples of their HO scale L class locomotives.
WAMRC Life Member Tony Gray in maroon jacket showing great interest in Haskell’s production sample L class locomotive
Photos courtesy of Haskell’s Facebook page.
Haskell intend on releasing the L class in a variety of liveries.
WAGR original livery of blue and white Engine numbers: L254, L255, and L263
WAGR second livery blue and blue, Engine numbers: L258, L262, and L265
Westrail orange with blue stripe and white lining. Engine numbers: L252, L253, L259, and L261. Likely to be popular with WA modellers will be the Westrail blue, orange, and white experimental livery Engine number: L268
L class pre-production samples
More information can be obtained from Haskell Co. Taiwan: http://www.haskellco.net/Lclass.html
Southern Rail Models: http://www.southernrailmodels.com.au/article/15th-may-2014-new-model-announcement
All of the image galleries from the club’s old website have now been migrated across to this new website. This was the final outstanding bit of the old website to be migrated — so the new website is now complete and the old one can be retired permanently.
To see the image galleries, click on “Galleries” in the menu bar at the top — or follow this link: Galleries
RAIL HERITAGE WA presents
Where? The Railway Museum, 136 Railway Parade, Bassendean
When? Sunday 11 October 2015, 10 am to 5 pm
Swap meet — many stalls — new & pre-owned — Model trains, books, railwayana
All these extras, plus our normal displays — and only the standard prices — adults $9, concessions $7, children $4 (under 4 yrs free)
The Railway Museum
136 Railway Parade
Bassendean WA 6054
The WAMRC is set to feature in an upcoming episode of WA Weekender — WA’s own locally produced lifestyle show. Filming at the Rail Heritage museum and WAMRC was completed several weeks ago and the segment is due to go to air this coming Sunday, 1st March from 5:30 — 6:00pm on Channel 7. Looking forward to seeing which bits of the 4 hours they spent at the museum will be used in what will probably be a 5 minute long segment!
Photograph courtesy of © Gordon Stuart
Gingin Railway Station is set to come alive on the 19th April (10am — 4pm) as part of the National Trust Heritage Festival. Presented by the Lions Club of Gingin/Chittering, this year’s theme is Heroes and Pioneers.
The DCC circuit breakers (PowerShield X’s)on the main HO Gunyidi layout have now had the optional short-circuit buzzers fitted (the round black things in the photo above), so they now make a noise when there is a problem. If you are operating on the HO layout and your train stops — listen out for the buzzer. If you hear it you have a short circuit and lost power — if you don’t hear it, it is probably just dirty wheels and/or track!
The next step will be to install LED indicators up on the end wall so you can tell at a glance which finger of the layout it is that has the problem.
Happy New Year everyone!
The next general meeting for the club is on the 21st January at 8pm in the clubrooms. The minutes from the last general meeting are available in the Members’ Area.
A big hats off to the NCE service department. We had an NCE PB105 booster fail and after much dithering decided the best course of action was to return it all the way back to NCE in the US for repair. It cost A$29 to post back on the 13th November last year together with a note explaining the problem and a request to let us know what the cost of repair & return would be.
Didn’t hear anything for a month, then just a brief email stating that a package had been shipped to us from NCE together with tracking information. It arrived a few days before Christmas — our booster repaired and posted back at no charge, complete with complimentary upgrade chips for both our PowerHouse Pro (main layout) and PowerCab (workshop) DCC systems! [I had mentioned in the note that we’d like to buy the upgrade chips if possible to be included when the booster was returned.]
The repaired booster is working great and both upgrade chips are installed and working. The PowerHouse Pro system software version is now 2007C (we were using a beta version somewhere between 2007 and 2007B) and the PowerCab system software version is now V1.65 (was V1.28d — a non-released beta version). [Note that the picture above is old.]
For details of NCE software revisions have a look at Mark Gurries’ excellent site:
RailFest 2014 is less than a week away and the seven day forecast is looking like it will be great weather! Check out all the great attractions this year.
RAIL HERITAGE WA presents Railfest 2014
Where? The Railway Museum, 136 Railway Parade, Bassendean
When? Sunday 12 October 2014, 10am to 5pm
Swap meet – many stalls — models, books, railwayana; new & used
Model railway club – with behind-the-scenes visits
Guided tours – in and behind the museum
Kids’ activities spot!
Afternoon tea in the buffet car.
Sausage sizzle
Model trains – from ride-on live steam, to smallest scales
Special displays Midland Railway Company, and Working on the railway
Live music – The Stevedores Limited Edition jazz band from 2 pm
Avoid parking hassles – travel with Transperth to Bassendean train station then catch our free shuttle bus
Or park on Ashfield reserve then free shuttle bus to Railfest
All these extras, plus our normal displays — and only the standard prices – adults $9, concessions $7, children $4 (under 4 yrs free)
The Railway Museum, 136 Railway Parade, Bassendean WA 6054
www.railheritagewa.org.au
www.facebook.com/railmuseumwa
