Hornby HST battle! Which is better? Railroad Vs super detailed & TTS vs ESU Loksound decoders!

[@MarchWestJunctionTMD]

Thanks for shearing Eric, an absolute fantastic insight into the to models manufactured by the same company.

[@UndergroundEric]

Cheers mate!! Hopefully it helps someone decide!

[@SimonLivertonCentral]

Hi Eric, very nice comparison. I have several HST's with Legomanbiffo sounds, I installed EM2 speakers in them. The sound output is awesome, almost like the real thing. I did a video of one install showing how good the sound output is...Simon

[@UndergroundEric]

Simon -Liverton Central hi thankyou! Yeah an EM2 is probably the way to go - im probably going to change them over as it happens!

[@StPetersLayout]

Great review Eric! The new NMT powercars from Hornby look great I saw 43013 and 43014 yesterday morning Hornby have missed the top marker light which for the money isn’t exactly great 🧐

[@UndergroundEric]

St Peters Layout cheers, yeah i wouldnt mind adding the marker tbh!

[@StormmyStormmy]

Hi Eric, this is a great informative video, i was thinking of putting EM1 speakers in my HST set, i'm glad i've seen this video, what stay alive's are you using with your Loksound decoders? Thanks for sharing.

[@phil36310]

Hi Eric, very insightful video. Great info. My loco roster is mainly Steam. I have some Esu sound decoders - and a Zimo. The rest is TTS and I'm very happy with these decoders even with a wrong chuff rate. Why ? First: 1/3 in price; second: when you have several locos running it doesn't affect the overall feel of sound on the RR. Third: comparing 'a' 'sound file' from YouChoose for a S15 on a Zimo I prefer by far the TTS S15 sound. (It was a generic file I guess ) Not to mention the complicated & time consuming CV settings to get it running smoothly. A better speaker improves the TTS sound. All by all what I use 'most only' on sound locos is: chuff and whistle. Other sounds very occasional. So the TTS gives me a good deal for the money. I would like to find a 'democratic priced' sound decoder just with adjustable chuff possibility, a nice crisp whistle with some reverb, the brakes stopping the loco and blow off. Fire box flicker, coal shoveling, water , blower etc...I never really use. I like running trains and some shunting. That's it. You can see my "AnneliesVille RR & Navigation Co" here: model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/36273 Thanks for sharing & success ! Greetings, Filip

[@brianfearn4246]

Good informative Eric. I think if hornby painted in extra colours on details it would probably be more time consuming on the production line consequently adding to the cost.

[@philclarke313]

Very nice video i hate to be a pain but the railroad one you have looks like the original hornby hst from the 70s/80s the hornby railroad hst uses the old Lima hst with the exhaust cover and better molding than the hornby one that said its still a great review and the hst has been very modified very well its a nice comparison with the decoders and your layout looks awsome Keep safe

[@ewoodrailway]

Great review, I guess it pays to pay more for the better product. My layouts analogue so obviously no sound, I used a video of a class 68 in the background whilst filming mine...it was ok ..just ok lol

[@UndergroundEric]

Thanks! Yeah 100%, depends what you want out of it i suppose. Im trying to go the extra mile with most of my stock mind. Some sound decoders will operate on analogue - although very basic just engine sound usually

[@GalgormHall]

Excellent in depth review there Eric. Paul

[@UndergroundEric]

Thanks Paul hopefully it will help people to decide!

[@Dan-jf3pc]

The railroad is clearly based of the Lima based tooling but without the ringfield motor, thanks for video definitely gives me a better idea of the super detailed version of the class 43.

[@UndergroundEric]

Yeah exactly that mate the bodyshell is the same moulding/tooling as lima by the look of it! The motor is a touch better but still not amazing.

[@Dan-jf3pc]

@@UndergroundEric I think the super detail is the way forward, definitely worth it for the better fidelity and finish

[@WardleRestorations]

Top work mate

[@UndergroundEric]

Wardle Road 😀

[@chrisjubb-hearnborough]

Great review. I've got the valenta tts sound in my GWR HSTS and they start separately also so cant understand why yours don't? Maybe who you got them off didnt accommodate for it

[@UndergroundEric]

Thanks, Oh do they? Thats odd im sure my friend who has the valenta pack has them start at the same time

[@chrisjubb-hearnborough]

@@UndergroundEric its separate but very very close together. If you've got them next to each other in a programming track then you won't be able to tell

[@UndergroundEric]

Interesting, will have to have a closer look into that!

[@westwonic]

The detailed version has one headlight not working. Is that by design or is it faulty?

[@UndergroundEric]

Nick Westwood thats the night time headlight, only one works at a time

[@westwonic]

Thanks Eric. I asked Hornby the same question by email, but they didn't reply yet (3 days so far).

[@UndergroundEric]

Nick Westwood unfortunately as hornby still use a prehistoric 8 pin decoder socket they dont give you the night time headlamp as an option unlike the recent Bachmann models ect. They are very behind the times

[@model_trains_]

All it needs now is some coaches, I’m waiting for hornby to release them;)

[@UndergroundEric]

Deffo! I will buy them one day!

[@brianfearn4246]

I'm nipping into maghull later and I'll ask Frank hornby when he's releasing them 😷😁

[@tianapower1242]

Nice review!

[@UndergroundEric]

Thanks

[@brianfearn4246]

At least it don't need traction tyers on the railroad version 😷😁

[@mikebuick2332]

The body side grills on the railroad version are actually the correct dimensions Eric, unlike the super detail ones which are completely wrong

[@UndergroundEric]

Mike Buick do you think? Il have to have another look! Shame they arent hollow though, ruins it a bit hey

[@mikebuick2332]

Eric French It’s one of the annoying things about the super detailed version. There’s about 5 bars missing. The other thing that winds me up is the MTU sound file still doesn’t sound right - you can’t here the turbos spool up.

[@UndergroundEric]

Mike Buick yeah i do agree its a little off. It sounds good on idle but its a little lacking otherwise. Has its good and bad points!

[@model_trains_]

Is your layout end to end?

[@UndergroundEric]

East Midlands Junction yes unfortunately!

[@model_trains_]

Eric French oh well, that doesn’t mean it is a bad layout!

[@UndergroundEric]

Kings Cross Parkway no its just frustrating not being able to run trains on a loop haha

[@model_trains_]

Eric French yeah, that must be annoying!