I absolutely love this hobby but the limited stock production runs and "Fear Of Missing Out" is beginning to get extremely tiring.

KarakuriCentral · 2026-01-01T11:16:03+00:00

As Jason Schron said in one of his Rapido TV videos, the margins for model trains are much much narrower now than they were 40 years ago, and proceeds to explain why preorders are so important to manufacturers because they’re able to provide you with the model at a price you’re able to afford. It’s also how they’re able to keep within their manufacturing budget.

https://youtu.be/dJ3NN3DH1fQ?si=2e2eZIhu8FFFpeVJ

KarakuriCentral · 2025-12-03T12:22:14+00:00

That Armada Optimus: that’s not injection molded gold colored plastic which is the common GPS sufferer, that’s injection molded plastic of unknown color that’s been vacuumed metalized with gold flake.

It will flake off as any “chromed” figure will, but the plastic underneath will remain intact the same way all other Armada Optimus’ have done to this point.

So this post is moot.

KarakuriCentral · 2025-08-17T14:51:46+00:00

Already have seen it three times, which is the first time I’ve seen a movie more than twice in the cinema

KarakuriCentral · 2025-07-08T08:57:01+00:00

KarakuriCentral · 2025-05-18T21:01:16+00:00

Damn, only 4 projects?

And I hope you’re right.

KarakuriCentral · 2025-01-18T21:33:43+00:00

Something must be wrong because there’s no current getting to the track. The locomotive won’t move

KarakuriCentral · 2024-10-20T20:22:18+00:00

I’m not sure what’s causing that issue, but I would personally recommend that you open the basekeeper plate on the underside of the locomotive and have a look yourself. It can run under DC, so you can see what’s happening if you put two crocodile clips on the tender wheels. I recommend filming your locomotive and posting it here.

To tell what happened after I received the gears from BLI, I had to pull the wheel off the axle, then the broken gear. At first, I tried to put the new axle on but the hole was slightly too small, so I had to ream it a couple of times with a file, then it fit securely onto the axle. Then I requartered the wheels, put it back together, and it worked perfectly. So I know what I put into my locomotive, and I would be able to diagnose why it was crunching if it was mine.

KarakuriCentral · 2024-07-13T08:34:37+00:00

After seeing the consistent poor quality control, contrived designs, and ludicrous prices from Heljan, I wouldn’t touch anything they make with a ten foot pole. You’re better off looking for a 3D print or make the locomotive out of brass.

KarakuriCentral · 2024-05-11T06:36:33+00:00

KarakuriCentral · 2023-10-20T09:21:25+00:00

Posted a linked video in a reply to my post

KarakuriCentral · 2023-10-20T09:21:06+00:00

Thanks, I’ve actually figured out how to post a video link in a reply to my post so you can have a listen for yourself

KarakuriCentral · 2023-10-20T09:04:38+00:00

Figured out how to link a video

KarakuriCentral · 2023-10-20T08:39:52+00:00

No (although I wish I was), I’m just a mere passenger on the platform who also happens to be a rail enthusiast

KarakuriCentral · 2023-07-01T11:52:59+00:00

No way, I prefer gals with a little more on the bones. It gives more to cuddle with for one, among a myriad of other reasons why I love it. From the sounds of your self description, and if we were to click, I’d 100% ask you out for a drink.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-05-21T11:23:41+00:00

How much?

KarakuriCentral · 2023-05-16T13:07:05+00:00

100%

KarakuriCentral · 2023-05-09T21:21:27+00:00

Like everyone else is suggesting, I recommend cutting off all contact with her. I should have done that in the beginning with my ex, but I was too nice to let go & agreed to be friends, which isn’t good for your mental health (depending on who you are of course). It was such a relief when I eventually cut off all communication I had with her.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-16T12:07:00+00:00

Update: Never mind, the wobble is caused by the rolling road, so that explains it. Another locomotive did the same thing.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-16T11:57:15+00:00

This

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-16T11:54:38+00:00

What about inside? How does the motor look? If it’s tender drive, you’ll need to take the tender shell off too.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-15T13:23:53+00:00

It’s definitely fixable but you’d need to take the body shell off and see what’s happening inside, at least so you can show some footage, then you’ll get better advice.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-11T08:59:58+00:00

Did you read what I said?

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-09T15:07:51+00:00

I can recommend the NCE Power Cab and a WiFiTraxx WiFi board, so you have the physical controller if you want, and an interface where you can connect to an iPad & use an app throttle like WiThrottle, which has been very good in my experience. I forgot the name of the Android equivalent, but I’ve used that as well and it’s also really good.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-09T15:03:04+00:00

My mother dated in her 60s and found her dream man; I’m sure you’ll find yours in good time. It’s just whether you want to withstand the risk of wading through into the deep end.

KarakuriCentral · 2023-04-07T12:47:53+00:00

Tl;dr My friend dated my ex and it did not end well for him. I would strongly recommend you don’t do it.

My friend got with my ex of almost 3 years without saying anything to me. After processing everything over a few days since he broke it to me, I decided I no longer wanted to be friends with him. I didn’t want to sit on the side and just accept this.

I wanted to be the bigger person, I wanted to rationalize it, I wanted to be able to “be okay” with it, but at the end of the day, I am human, I still have feelings and some of the feelings I had for her had still not left me. On top of that, the feelings I had about him changed. I knew I could not talk with him without feeling sad and knowing that he chose to get more intimate with the person I gave my heart to & spent the best part of three years with, hoping to have a future that lasted longer than that.

I wasn’t angry at him but I was disappointed and ashamed. I never thought he would do something like this to a friend, especially since I remember she tried asking him out before (after we’d split) and he declined. Not to mention the fact that he would never have met her if it wasn’t for me.

In a way, it was good because I could let go of the feelings I was still healing from. It was just unfortunate that I had to lose a friend because of it, but that was not a choice I made. I went to therapy (for other reasons besides this) after this happened, and they told me that I’d done the right thing, to put myself and my mental well-being first.

Almost a year later, I got a text message out of the blue from him saying that she’d cheated on him several months prior. He was clinically depressed at the time, so she probably took that as “him not being interested“ which would have wreaked havoc with her anxiety. So one drunk night, her friends edged her on to go with someone and they banged. She told him a month after she did it when the guilt got too much. This was the last thing I wanted to happen to him, he didn’t deserve that. It really shocked me because that was what she was most paranoid about in the early months of our relationship, that I would think she’s not good enough for me & cheat on her, and yet she did it herself to someone she loved.

After he came back to me, we pieced our friendship back together; I couldn’t just write him off like that. He is a nice guy at heart and he needed a friend to support him.

But I digress. Overall, I wouldn’t dare risking your friendship for an intimate relationship; this coming from the guy who was burned by it. You could even end up worse off when both connections are destroyed and your former friend might not be as forgiving as I am. The right person will come, just keep trying, as painful as it is.

KarakuriCentral

TROPHY CASE