Track Radius

[Nscaler1]

Hi, new member here. I recently ran across a Bachmann Budd Metroliner train set ((#4360-2995 Penn Central) that was complete except for the track. Can anyone tell me the radius and number of tracks needed to replace what what was missing,including the type of terminal track. Thanks in advance

[brokemoto]

Considering how far back B-mann offered that set, I would guess that it contained a type of track the Bachpersonn no longer offers.  Bachmann used to sell sectional track that was similar to the SNAP-TRACK that Atlas currently offers, and did offer back then.  At the time, Atlas manufactured its track in the USA; I seem to recall that B-mann's was made in Hong Kong.  The only type of N scale sectional track that appears in B-mann's 2014 print catalogue is the E-ZTRAK.  This is the only type of track that I have seen in B-mann train sets issued in the last number of years.  Unless B-mann has some in their back parts inventory, I would suspect that this track is not available from them.  In addition, B-mann has been issuing their train sets with a different power pack.  Still, all is not lost.

Shows would be the best place to look for this track and power pack.  Junk piles are the place to start.  The old B-mann train set power pack is easy to indentify; it is usually brown with a throttle control that folds.  The sectional track was probably nine and three quarter curves.  There would have been, likely, two or four straight pieces, one of which would have had a re-railer/grade crossing, the other a terminal, although there may have been a terminal/re-railer plus one, or three, plain straight sections.  I forget if it is eight, twelve or sixteen curved pieces that are required for a full circle.

Failing shows, some dealers may have some of this somewhere as NOS.  You could also try posting a "WANTED" advert on Fee Pay or N Scale Yard Sale (a ya-HOO! group),

B-mann has no nine and three quarter curves in its current E-ZTRAK line; the sharpest curve redius is eleven and one quarter inches (or is it eleven and one half?).  The E-ZTRAK is track-with-roadbed.  Funny thing, Kato has line called UNITRAK, which is also track-with-roadbed.  That line has nine and three quarter curves, as well as sharper curves.  The two are not compatible unless you do some minor surgery to both pieces or you use  a piece of flex/sectional-without-roadbed as a transition (you must, however, put a piece of cork underneath the transition piece).  I have never tried the former, but my current pike has the lattter in several places.

B-mann train sets now have a different power pack, as well.  It is similar to Kato's (although I suspect that B-mann's pre-dates Kato's) in that the transformer is in the plug.  There is a control box, that may contain a rectifier, as well (either that or the recitifier is in the plug).  What you find is something similar to a wall charger and a box with a dial, directional switch and terminals for the track wires.  GF and I both have sets that has this power pack, but neither of us have ever tried to use it.  I know a B-mann dealer who says that it is a pretty good power pack, especially when you consider that it is a trainset power pack, and he is trustworthy.  I did try his power pack on his long piece of straight test track.  It appeared to work well, but that was test track only.  The real telling would be in using on a pike and trying to operate with it.

[James in FL]

If you would please broke, look on that wall wart and post the rating.
Mine came in a set as well.
I think it may be good for two lokies.
More than that would be a pleasant surprise.
I've got one somewhere, it would take some digging.
Like yours, unused.

[James in FL]

I don't know what track may have been included in that set, maybe you can find information on a google (or what have you) search.
Several vendors on eBay part out ez track from sets regularly.
I don't see a cost advantage to buy Bachmann pre-roadbed track against ez-track.
If you're trying to sell it, after putting it back to original parts, by the time you buy new track, I'm not sure any profit could be realized.

It's an old set.

Good luck

[brokemoto]

If you would please broke, look on that wall wart and post the rating.

The ratings/data on the control box, itself state "Input 16 V AC/1000 mA" There is an indication of "16 V AC" over two spring loaded terminals.  On the thing that looks like  a charger, which I suspect also to be a transformer, here is what it says:

Model:  AC1601000
Input:  AC120V 60Hz 24W
Output:  AC 16V 1000Ma 16VA  I find no DC ratings on the thing, anywhere.  Funny thing, this one appears to have vents on it, unlike Kato's.

There is no DC rating on the wall plug transformer, the control box or the instruction sheets.  The instruction sheets are printed in English, French and Spanish, all of which I can read.  There is nothing in any language that indicates DC output.

There is a recessed male plug on the control box that takes what appears to be a male plug on the end of the wall plug transformer, but it is really female.  There is a female receptacle on the control box for the track DC.  The track DC wire has a male plug that goes into the control box and a double female receptacle on the other end that plugs into a double male plug on the terminal track.  There are two spring loaded terminals on the control box for fixed AC.  There appears to be no provision for fixed DC.

Perhaps Mr. Bach-Man knows, or he knows how to learn the answer to the DC rating question.

[GRASHLEY]

You can often find the transformer on E Bay.  I bought two of them a year ago, and I have seen several listed since.  They are cheap - $10 to $20 and in decent shape.   Good luck on original track.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

As far as I can remember, HO and N (and now On30) power pack DC outputs are normally limited to +/- 12 V.

My notes on the Bachmann #44212 two piece power pack (wall-wart adapter/transformer AC1601000 + controller head 46605A)

show 0.7Amps (= 700mA) @ 12Volts (?), but followed by a question mark. 

I probably could not find any published or marked ratings, so I actually hooked up power resistors to try and measure the ratings. 

The resistors were not an ideal match to the power pack,

so the 700mA may have been my best guess, based on the resistors I had on hand.   

A good portion of the controller head circuitry is just for limiting the DC output current. 

Output is smooth analog.  (No curcuitry for "pulsed" output.)

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

   

[brokemoto]

To be sure, most of the D.C. power packs are between twelve and fourteen volts DC and one to one and one half amperes.

As James in Fl. did ask, I did post that there was no data on the D.C. output.  I do assume that it is within tolerances, as I have not heard of any N scale locomotives' burning out on it.  I suppose that there might be one, or two, that have, but as I have not been made aware of any, I would assume that this is not a frequent problem.

[kmcsjr]

Nscaler hasnt commented, since his original post. I'm wondering, does he want to "complete" this set, or use his new train. Any n scale dc power supply will do, then it's just a matter of minimum radii, right?

[Nscaler1]

Hi, sorry I haven`t posted in a while. My job keeps me out of town most of the time. I`m not looking to run the train, just trying to find some track to complete the set. I have a lot of B-mann track, still in the original packs ((before E-Z track) and none of what I have is the original radius or length. Guess I`ll have to try junk boxes at the next local train show. Thanks for all of your replies.

[skipgear]

If you just want something to run it on, it really doesn't matter what radius or type of track you have. Those were designed to run on 9 3/4 and that is considered small by today's standards so you are pretty much safe with anything you can get to run it on it. Bigger radius is always better if you have the room.