Nice video, Jonathon! Great job!

Hi Earl,

Try The Favorite Spot. Great service at some of the lowest prices on the net.

http://www.thefavoritespot.com/m-1-bachmann.aspx?section=-2106-

Hi Pixie,

What is your budget?

There is this:

http://www.thefavoritespot.com/p-3925-bachmann-ho-scale-train-f7-a-diesel-locomotive-dcc-ready-b-o-63709.aspx

and this:

http://www.thefavoritespot.com/p-3930-bachmann-ho-scale-train-f7-b-diesel-locomotive-dcc-ready-b-o-63809.aspx

The second one goes with the first. You can get the first without the second, but not the second without the first.  

The F7 diesels were added to the B & O motive roster around 1949.

Favorite Spot also has a website outside of eBay. As Rich said, they are a very reputable company.

2-8-4 Berkshire on a 110 ft. turntable:



(Photo courtesy of Bill's Pennsy Photos)

Hi Starmeister,

I have personally used Anyrail on several occasions. I have even used it in planning a rather larger Christmas village layout using Bachmann HO E-Z track. While the layout was not "too" complicated, it was much more than just a couple of round circles. In this case, the software worked well and the resulting list of required track pieces needed was spot on. I didn't have to fudge anything and the track went together precisely as expected.

I have also used Anyrail for Peco (On30 flex and On30 switches) and Atlas (HO & N sectional) track and found it to work well. The one issue I had was with Marklin Z track. These did not go together as well as Anyrail would have had me believe. I did get it to work, but it took some finesse.

Have also used it with LGB G scale track (yes, I have trains in a lot of different sizes), although I have never had enough of that LGB stuff (or the room) to build one of those larger layouts so while I cannot speak to the accuracy of the program with LGB track, the software did work well.

These are just my experiences and opinions. I have tried some other software applications for this, but I keep coming back to Anyrail. It's just a personal preference on my part as I (for whatever reason) find it easy to use. Others on here have other preferences for track planning software and will offer up their advice as well, I'm sure. Good luck! 

Larry - One suggestion I might add is that if you are going for a small layout, try to size it slightly on the larger side. That is to say, don't size it to just barely fit your track size. By making it larger, you can angle the track as it sits on the layout so that none of the straights run parallel to the straight sides of the layout base. By doing this, along with some well placed scenery, you can give the impression that the layout is a little larger than it really is. This method is mentioned in a number of well known layout books but it sometimes gets overlooked by some modelers. I find that it works pretty good on all layouts, not just smaller ones. Good luck!

Couple of options DA.

1. You could get the Bachmann set and then copy the wiring for the track pieces from the supplied track to your On30 track. You will of course, still use the electronics supplied with the set. Also, there is one piece that goes on the end furthest away and it is wired differently, so watch what you're doing there. It IS marked and directional. (even though the bumper goes beyond it, there is nothing special about the bumpers.)

2. Get a kit from Circuitron. The AR-1 and AR-2 will work with standard track. The chief difference between them is the AR-2 has a programmable delay. I have used their stuff before and while pretty reliable, it does take more work to install.

There are even other options out there. Again, it depends on your layout, level of expertise, and the time (and perhaps aggravation) you have to devote to the project. If you are in a hurry and want it to be easy, the Bachmann kit will fill that bill quite nicely. Good luck and have fun!

Bachmann Item 44547 will do what you want as long as the Bachmann gray road bed track fits into your scheme. While the gray roadbed track sections look the same visually, they ARE different from normal track in functionality so don't try to connect the two types together.

The speed is variable and the stop time is advertised @ 5 - 7 seconds. This set allows you to have reversing capability without the trolley barn. Search the Bachmann site for 44547 and you will find it. I see it is available on Amazon for ~$113. You find lower prices elsewhere but at least you know what to look for.

There are other manufacturers of reversing systems but probably not as easy to set up and install for the novice.

Thanks Sid! I've looked at all of the suggested sites now, including the latest. The best prices seem to be at eHattons and The Signal Box. Model Railway Imports is a close third on prices by being within $10 of the model numbers I compared. Models11 was considerably more, even after factoring in likely lower shipping charges. That said, each vendor had some model numbers in stock that the others did not.

Here is an example of price comparisons:

Model 31-727,  GWR 3700 Class 4-4-0 "City of London"

Ehattons: $161.78
The Signal Box: $161.85
Model Railway: $169.00
Models11: $191.00

I'll be ordering some very soon. Nice to have at least 4 choices in sourcing these new. I have also tried some of these on the UK eBay site, but many have the caveat that they cannot ship to the US. Of the ones I have bid on (and lost), the auction end times favor the UK time zone so I have not been able to watch them near the end like I do with others based in the US. I will keep trying though. I can't explain it but I became hooked on this series of locos after seeing them in person. I just find them fascinating. 

Thank you all! I will take a look at the places mentioned and warm up the credit card. 

Anybody know of a US retailer for the UK design, OO gauge locos from Bachmann's Branchline series? Saw a bunch while in England recently and I think I would like to start a collection of these. EBay has some occasionally but shipping and exchange rates are not very favorable from England.

Class A and/or Class B Dunkirk

Pops, thanks for the link to "The General"! Had not seen that movie before. That YouTube user has a lot of other movies part of public domain as well.

Also looking forward to seeing what progress you make on that "permanent" layout.

I pulled the batteries out of my Dynamis controller and did not use it for about 4 months. I hooked it back up a few weeks ago and it still had the parameters I put in for a limited roster before I put it away. Not sure where the info is stored (although I assume some type of EEPROM), but it does seem to store the info for at least 4 months with no batteries in the handset and no power to the receiver.

Not a movie, but my favorite TV show with a train in it....The Wild, Wild West.