Yes, it will be a DC "layout".  Thanks for this, I'm sure he'll have a GREAT time!  (And more importantly, I'll be awarded "Most Favored Grandpa" status!!!  )

Harvey

Guys,

The Bachman website states that their HO Thomas The Tank Locomotive will negotiate 15" radius curves.  I know that broader curves are preferred but will it ACTUALLY handle 15" without problems?

The Annie and Clarabel coaches don't state a minimum radius so does anybody have any experience with these coaches on a 15" curve?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm planning a very compact layout for my grandson and, by necessity, it'll have some 15"R sections (Atlas Snap-Track.)  Unfortunately, enlarging the radius is not an option for this particular layout.

Thanks,

Harvey

Quote from: Jerrys HO on November 23, 2013, 08:31:41 AMWish Harvey would send me his address.

PM sent.

Look guys, the conversation that the two of you got into on "my" thread was some kind of weird "polite fistfight" that gave me the impression that there was an on-going feud between the two of you.  If it had been any other time it wouldn't have been so bad but it was in my first post in the Bachmann forum and I considered it a lousy way to start out.  However, both of you have since apologized so I can forgive and forget like anybody else.

I hope you, and all of the Bachmann forum members have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Harvey 

Quote from: jbrock27 on November 22, 2013, 02:15:28 PM
I do not have any steel track w/roadbed to donate but if you don't find any donors, a suggestion I have is search EBay.  That track is there all the time and you can do some comparison shopping.  You just need to be registered there in order to purchase items.

JBrock,

I'm familiar with eBay and I've made a few purchases over the years.  Unfortunately, eBay isn't the place to get a good bargain anymore.  It seems that lately, it's become a place for guys trying to get cash for their trash.  I've been burned a couple of times now.

Harvey

Quote from: Jerrys HO on November 22, 2013, 05:24:37 PM
Harvey,

Send me your address and I will ship exactly what you need. This is the least I can do...

Jerry,

You don't owe me anything.  (The other two guys don't either.)  I'll be more than happy to pay for the track sections and postage.

Harvey

I received many PMs telling me that rude behavior is not typical of the Bachmann forum and that it's not tolerated.  I appreciate the efforts to bring me back.  That was very nice of y'all.

While I was gone, Joe Satnik and I passed a few e-mails back and forth and he was very helpful and encouraging of my plans for my grandson's figure 8.  Many, MANY thanks to Joe for his help!  Besides Joe, I would also like to thank others who e-mailed and PM'd me as well as those who posted hints and ideas to "my" thread in the hopes that I was still monitoring it.  Thanks!

I filled Joe (and a few others who I had e-mail conversations with) in on some additional details about my plans to introduce my 4 year old grandson to Model Railroading, which shouldn't be too difficult because he's already head-over-heals about Thomas and Friends on PBS!

First off, I should have stated in my initial post that I'm hardly a newbee to model railroading.  I've been an armchair modeler for many years, patiently collecting HO stuff for when that perfect layout space eventually becomes available.  However, I AM new to Bachmann's EZ Track which is what I'll be giving my grandson for Christmas.  Hence, the reason for my joining the Bachmann forum.

My grandson's first layout will be a "carpet layout" in that it will not be attached to plywood but will be assembled, operated (and probably stepped on) on the floor.  I'm doing this for several reasons:

1. It will give him hours of fun assembling and disassembling the track sections.  I think this will go a long way towards teaching him about assembly, disassembly, and the variations of such.

2. It will teach him to be gentle because if he steps on his trains, he'll break them.

3. The "layout" can be disassembled in a few minutes and put away.

4. He will be able to sit on the floor to play with his train.  (And who amongst us doesn't wish we could still do that???)

5. And finally, it will be an appetizer for his next (better) layout in March when he turns five.

As I mentioned in my first post, the Bachmann "Challenger" train set that I'll be giving my grandson includes twelve 18"R sections of black-roadbed (steel rail) EZ Track to make a 36"D circle.   (Yeah, I know, steel track.  Ugh!)  A simple circle won't likely hold a 4 year old's interest for very long so I decided to get the extra track needed to enlarge it to a figure 8.  My plans for his second layout in March will be of "conventional" construction (i.e. mounted to a plywood table). 

So, because of the figure 8 layout's temporary nature, I'm resisting the urge to upgrade the set's track to NS.  Therefore, in order to avoid a mixture of black and grey roadbed sections, the additional track sections will also be steel.  Since steel "train set" track is hardly a collector's item, I'm wondering if anybody has some laying around that they might be willing to sell cheap (I'll pay the postage, of course) for my grandson's figure 8 layout?  I need eight more full 18"R curved sections, and four 9" straight sections (one preferably a terminal rerailer).

Thanks for the help and advice,

Harvey

Excellent!

Thanks Joe.

Harvey

Howdy All,

I'm giving my 5 year old grandson his first train set for Christmas, a Bachman HO "Challenger" .  The set comes with twelve 18"R EZ Track sections (one of which is a terminal track) to make a simple 36" circle.  What additional track sections would I need to turn it into a figure 8?  To keep the layout compact, I figure on using a 45 or 60 deg crossing.  The track will not be permanently mounted at this time so an up-and-over is not really practical.

Thanks!

Harvey