Allan: sorry, but I really couldn't find the right words without maybe saying something that would make Barry embarrassed or angry with me. If you feel that I should then I will.
I bought the new PS3 tin-plate 'O' Baby Blue Comet set. Took track and my DCS system to York to be able to test it at the hotel. When I tested it on the track I could not add the engine to the remote. Tried for an hour - all kinds of things.
Friday, right away, went to use the test track in the orange hall that has DCS hooked up and couldn't add it there either. I was ready to return it to Side-Track hobbies as bad. But I thought if I could bump into Barry and/or Dave first then maybe they could help me out, even if meant proving there was a problem with the engine.
It was 9:30 AM and Barry was setting up. Asked him for help and to cut it short, he took the time to have me set up my system with track and everything right there on the spot and try to add the engine. Couldn't do it for a while. He asked Dave H. if this engine had a DCS/DCC or 2-rail/3-rail switch on it (I had the bottom still covered with those foam pieces that they pack it with so the bottom wasn't visible). Dave said he thought so. So we took the foam off and Barry flicked the switch from DCC to DCS (apparently MTH thinks DCC should be the default???).
Too 3 or 4 more tries to get the engine added.
OK, now what there would make him mad at me??? Nothing, except I improperly gave someone else credit for an OGR forum thread and Barry mentioned it was him and once again he didn't get the credit. He said it not meanly and for anyone that knows Barry he isn't a credit-hog, so he was just semi joking with me. More importantly, Barry and I have had a long-standing DCS mentor/student relationship going back to 2002 when he first helped me. It's kind of a standing joke now between him and me about all of my travails and him coming to rescue. I don't feel comfortable saying the above because I didn't want anyone to think that Barry got offended by me not giving him proper credit - he didn't in any way.
So I thought a nice PUBLIC Thank You would say to Barry "see, I do appreciate and acknowledge your help".
Swanko: couldn't find much at York in terms of tin-plate. Side-track hobbies was the only place that had command sets, and not much at that in 'O'. Wanted an electric but also liked the colorful NEW Christmas set. Al called his store and they said they would have it in house in 2 or 3 weeks. So I ordered it from them after Al PROMISED I would have it by Thanksgiving at the very latest.
= walt
