You should be able to swap them out with EZ-Mate Mk-II's, Kadee #5's, or #148 couplers.

If the couplers are mounted to a bracket that plugs into the metal chassis, it's easiest to removed the entire bracket before popping the coupler cover off and removing the horn-hook. If the coupler box is part of the chassis, there will either be a plastic pin or small screw holding the cover on. Remove it, remove the cover, swap out the coupler and replace the cover.

Simple.

Len

You're welcome. And if you think this hobby is costly, check out the price of a decent set of golf clubs and green fees!!

Len

If you're just using the trestle you can use a code 100 9in straight piece of sectional track for the bridge. The trestle is designed for the ties to slide under the tabs on the sides of the "walkways". If the rails don't line up with the EZ-Track, just shim the ends of the bridge a bit until they do.

The code number refers to the height of the rail, without the ties, in thousanths of an inch. "Cd" is often used as a shorthand way of writing code. So Cd83 track has rails that are 83/1000's (0.083) of an inch high. Cd100 rails are 100/1000 (0.100) inches high, and so on. It's a lot easier to ask for code 83 track instead of asking for the track with the 83/1000 inch high rails. It should be noted the code number is strictly a reference to the rail height, and has nothing to do with scales.

Adapative, or transistion, rail joiners are designed specifically for joining different code rails together. The most commonly seen is the Atlas #551 Transition Joiner for connecting Cd83 to Cd100 track. It has a slight bend in it to compensate for the 0.017in difference in rail size. That's one nice thing about Atlas Cd83 track, they add that 0.017in difference to the thickness of the ties, so the railhead lines up with their Cd100 track. Most other brands of Cd83 track have thinner ties and have to be shimmed to get the railheads aligned.

Len

The 931-802 Bridge & Trestle kit is the same, except for the color plastic used, as the old Tyco Bridge & Trestle kit. I suspect Walthers ended up with the old Tyco tooling for this, and a few other pieces.

It's designed to work, and looks best, with code 100 sectional track pieces installed. Since EZ-Track uses code 100 rail, code 100 sectional track from the trestle should line right up with ground level EZ-Track if you leave out the end ramp, and possibly the first trestle.

Be aware these trestles were designed to be fastened down to a table top, not used free standing.
.
Len

Bill,

It is possible to modify these crossovers for DC operation. Changes have to be made to the connections underneath the crossover. David Harrison has an explanation of what needs to be done on his web page at: http://web.me.com/msibnsf/Acela_Express,_The_Need_For_Speed/Modeling_Techniques.html The instructions are way down towards the bottom of the page. You may need to copy the pictures and blow them up a bit, as they're a bit hard to see on the web page.

Bach-Man,

When is someone at Bachmann going to figure out they'll sell a lot more of these crossovers if they redesign them with removable jumpers to isolate the sides for DC operation?? Or, at the least, include instructions for modifying them in the box?

I've always wondered why whoever at Bachmann thought only people using DCC on their layouts would be interested in these crossovers?? Especially when, even now, DCC users are still in the minority of HO & N modelers.

Len

Trix makes replacement wheelsets, with an insulated wheel on one side, that allows Marklin rolling stock to operate on two rail track. Kadee NEM 362 couplers (#17 - #20) can be used to convert Marklin pieces with NEM coupler pockets to knuckle couplers.

It's also possible to modify Marklin C-track so, by adding a toggle switch, it can be changed between 2-rail DC or 3-rail AC operation.

Len

It's possible to dye plaster cloth. I thin down 'raw umber' or 'burnt sienna' acrylic paints into a slurry. I then slowly add this slurry to a 1/2 gallon jug of warm water until it takes on a hue I'm happy with. Then I pour the "dirt water" it into a stainless steel dry wallers "mud" pan, until it's about 2/3 full. Dip 12" - 18" long strips of plaster cloth in the mud pan to wet it per the plaster cloth instructions. The plaster cloth gets stained enough by the colored water to hide the occasional chip.

Len

There are lots of books out there on how to do scenery. Personally, I find the Woodland Scenics scenery "how to" book to be a very good source of information. It's less expensive them most of the others, and spiral bound so it lays flat when open. Unlike some of the magazine style books. Even though it's by Woodland Scenics, the techniques apply no matter who's material your using.

Watching videos to see how other people do things is also good. But it's hard to make notes in the margins of a DVD or YouTube video.

Len

The product description pages don't specify how many functions the EZ decoders have. Are they all 2-function like the one in the link above??

Len

Did you add a new car to your rolling stock that's longer than the previously operated cars? If so, and the tunnel portal is on a curve, the over hang of the new car could be side swiping the tunnel portal.

That's one of the drawbacks to the Woodland Scenics "Layout in a Box" kits, they put single track tunnel portals on 18in radius curves. This really limits the length of the cars you can run unless you enlarge the portal opening, or replace them with double track portals.

Len

Quote from: timhar47 on April 21, 2011, 09:46:29 PM
I am finding that RR Track does not seem to be calibrated correctly, as the plan that is made in the PC doesnt seem to use the same track pieces IRL. Hence my misalligned curve.
Thanks - Tim

Check the "Join Error" setting under 'Options' on the 'Options' menu pull down. Sounds weird having 'Options' under 'Optioons', but it is. Any way, it needs to be set for something other than "0.0", unless you have perfectly manufactured and shaped track. I normally set it for "0.10" to allow a little fudge factor to track alignments and things generally work a bit better IRL.

Len

I have one of these acquired years ago. I replaced the tubing drive with universals out of the 'junk box', and added a TCS M1 decoder to it. I suspect you'll have to get some stiff wire and make your own handrails if they're missing. The bodies on these were reasonably close to scale, so the old AHM handrails (if you can find them) probably will not work.

Len

If your Bachmann cars use the medium center shank EZ-Mate coupler and you want metal couplers, you can use the Kadee #5 w/bronze centering sping, #148 "whisker" coupler, or #58 scale head "whisker" coupler. You may have to thin the coupler box lid a bit with sand paper if it's too tight a fit.

A fairly comprehensive list of recommendations for converting Bachmann locos and cars can be found at http://www.kadee.com/conv/hocc14.htm

Len

The shank on the #148, and other Kadee "whisker" couplers, is slightly thicker than the #5 to make up for the thickness of the missing bronze centering spring. I've trimmed down Kadee coupler box shims to fit the draft gear box to eliminate EZ-Mate droop due to the thinner coupler shank.

Len

Just an FYI regarding metal couplers. Kadee is phasing out the 40-series metal couplers that come with the bronze centering springs like the #5. They are being replaced with the 140-series metal "whisker' spring couplers, e.g., #46 is being replaced with the #146 whisker, #47 with #147 whisker, etc. The #148 is the "whisker" equivelent of the #5, but according to the Kadee website there are no plans to phase out the #5. It's too popular.

Len