RC India

Alright, i don't know if this has been posted earlier or not but was just surfing today and found this website http://www.pline.biz/ The website has a number of locomotives, coaches, tracks, etc for sale. Whats more, they even have chuck gliders for sale. Then i saw their contact us page and the address is of Howrah, which is just next to Kolkata. When i saw their youtube videos the i could here their conversations in Bengali. Wow!! Well i am no model rail expert or not even a novice for that matter so i can't go into the technical details. Just thought that this website may be helpful.

Here is a video of a diesel loco:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHn_lNM-lIA&feature=player_embedded

Interesting! However, it is not an electrified track and the wheels do not pick up power from them. The cab is electrified - note the wire trailing.

Yes VC Bhaiya.
Another thing to note is that they are represented in Australia, North America and UK and they have much more coming up in Apr 2011 according to their website.

Nice Brass models but is that a exact scale.
@Rohit can you please let me know the exact working of this.

16mm gauge was quite popular in Europe, once upon a time. It roughly translates to 1:19 Scale (at 16mm to a foot). Favoured mainly by garden layout enthusiasts due to the large size and live steam engines. An East German company Pico or Peco used to cater to this group, if I am not mistaken. Nice to see it making a comeback, that too in Kolkata,India!

Please look at their spare details. You can get an Idea.

Rohit have exam for next one week and later I want to go at their factory/workshop together. At least knowledge will surely be increased. The Aurora Engine maker (Sarkar Models ?) master craftsman(/s?) perhaps joined there. They have the idea of making 2nd best aero engine(Aurora) over the world earlier. The area is located nearby of their earlier address (Near Foreshore Road). Earlier one of my friend of howrah make Kolkata Metro Models and represented in Pragati Maidan Fair from area nearby. Sad to inform that he is no more (Subhasish Bhattacharjee, Good Tabla Artist and family member of Shri Pannalal Bhattacharjee, Singer). Otherwise he will surely join us. The models still kept in General Department Store of Metro Railway.

Thanks ROHIT for a good thread surely help to rebuild Kolkata Database.

I'm sorry but I don't see the connection between Tabla artiste and 16mm gauge.

"The models still kept in General Department Store of Metro Railway." What are you talking about? Please explain.

The first running model of Kolkata Metro railway displayed by Railway(BHEL model of prototype but not to scale ) shown in fair in 1991-95.

He was famous in some bengali (Specially Railway peoples of eastern zone) and that is why i mentioned him. He was a modeler popular in earlier days inside railways for working models and have attracted attention in earlier days of metro railways in various fair. In those days, we invest in making models, wasting time, browsing market after duty hour and no prize like today except self satisfaction.

That was a memory only. I have learned a lot practical working and approach from them specially patience and confidence.

Your 16mm guage is here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_mm_scale_model_trains
and
http://16mm.org.uk/

Thanks VC sir.

I am so sorry as i have no idea about model trains etc. No technical knowledge whatsoever. You have to read the technical information from their website. Here is the link for this particular model http://www.pline.biz/bobodiesel.php . The scale mentioned there is 13.5mm to the foot (Gauge 3).

The price seems very high to me. A PZDM1 16mm scale R/C ZDM1 Locomotive with Sound Unit Locomotive costs £640.00 per model. Well, ill visit them probably next to next week to gather more information about them. They also organise workshops  for train lovers and enthusiasts. And yeah for those interested, complete technical details for the R/C ZDM 1 is available on their website. Here is the link http://www.pline.biz/downloads.php . Just download the relevant pdf file.

Hello Enthusiats,
Just to clear all the confusion.
16mm scale is 1:19 as someone mentioned earlier. Its what the Brits use to represent 2ft narrowgauge on 32mm O scale track. It works out to be 16mm is to 1 ft. scale, also called SM32. Or they use 45mm gauge1 track to represent 2ft 6" gauge prototype also referred to as SM45.

There is a society in the UK for this http://www.16mm.org.uk/newsite/default.html
Generally 16mm NG works on battery, Live steam and these days live diesel, but never track powered(such priviledges are for O, G and Gauge1 trains also running on 32mm & 45mm gauges).

The youtube clip is of our G3 loco which is 64mm gauge representing british and continental mainline Standard gauge and scaled to 13.5mm to the foot.
And the wire you see dangling from the loco is connected to an external battery pack used in this case for testing, while the locomotive is controlled by a normal AM 2 Ch r/c.

All visitors are welcome to our workshop in Calcutta, ofcourse by prior appointment.

Visit us at www.pline.biz

Regards
Nilanjan Paul

I really feel humbled today to have been given the opportunity by Nilanjan Paul to visit his workshop. A wonderful wonderful person with a wondeful workshop. Wow, it looked like a 1:19 scale Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, with all the workers busy with the models, really beautifully carved of brass with wonderful details. He was very keen on showing us(me and kalyan da) all the models they had explaining everything so passionately. Even though, i have no knowledge of model railway, it was really mesmerizing to see work going on at the lathe machine, scale riveting(the rivets were also scaled down and placed exactly as it appears on the real ones) making the model an exact replica of the original one(real door latches, gearbox, sound system, lights, etc.) thereby, meeting the international standards. It was a group of passionate workers working minutely on the models making it exact to the scale and the drawings. The models are all controlled by a 2ch radio. They also have a lot of history behind them, they used to manufacture couplers for the real rajdhanis, and together with India Hobby Center, they used to manufacture RC airplane engines. If i am not mistaken, the company was founded in 1943. Mr. Nilanjan was also kind enough to allow me to video their workshop, ill also put up some parts of the video sometime later, after the editing is finished. The only sad part according to me was that there were no buyers in India and all their products are exported. He has also had some really bad experiences with some indian orders, as the recipients do not recognize the effort behind putting everything to scale and hence are not keen on paying them the deserving prices. He is also very keen on doing some model rail workshops if anyone is interested and has also given me the opportunity to see some working models on the model tracks which i am very excited about and would also video that and put it on the forum.


Rohit.

Thankyou for visiting our workshop today Kalyan & Rohit.
It was great meeting you people.
Also do let me know when you want us to do a demo run of Live Steam & R/C Electric Garden Railway Locomotives. It would me fun if we could have more enthusiasts at  the demo run, preferably on a Saturday!!
Regards
Nilanjan

Sure, ill try and see if i can bring my friends along with me. Even i would prefer it to be on Saturday, ill let you know soon.

I just salute the workers who can give challenge to the Laser finished product. They workings are really jewelery work and lot more than that for detailing as per drawing. So, they are like NOL & NIL of Ramayana (Son of Lord Viswakarma).

In this case, the Labour cost is much higher than  the materials cost and much more than their foreign competitor.

Though, outside detailing was so much scaled and perfect, the underframe work is not so much like other as no one will pay for that much of detailing like bolster spring, center pivot and side bearer.

Actually indian railway will not so much nostalgic like other country and will not pay  him as per his labour cost. So, he has to depend on the foreign orders. Nor we individuals can pay.

The plus point is that he has higher foreign demands than their manufacturing rate and good sign that it will continue another tens of years at least and as Mr. Paul (B.E. 94 Batch) is much younger and taking challange to continue the workshop leaving his software job, he can extend this much longer.

Thanks Mr. Paul.

Thanks Mr. Pradhan for the appreciation & the visit,
I will convey your message to the NILs & NOLs of my Company first thing in the morning tomorrow when I meet them.
Regards
Nilanjan

please update your site with products and prices
best of luck

Please note that these kinds of models are rarely appreciated by the vast majority of modellers/collectors in Asia (except Japan). They are highly priced in the USA and Europe as 'hand crafted models' and fetch premium prices. I'm sure Mr. Paul knows what he is doing, we are not his target segment, he is catering to a different niche altogether.

All the best P Line!!! {:)} Do us proud. I'm sure, in the near future, your range will compare with Lionel and Graham Farish or maybe even Brimalm, Tenshodo, Dingler and Kiss.

And plz tell us their reactions to the message conveyed. They are doing a tremendous job.  :salute: :salute: :salute: :bow: :bow: