Have been shortening Bach cars for use with small locos on a portable layout with 15"rad.curves.
     First to be tried was an unlettered Reefer.

       

    Parts displaced to the right are not used.  On body 8 planks are removed from one side of doors and 7 planks from other side. On the roof the walkway is separated working from one end until a razor saw can be used underneath. First cut on roof is immediately to the rear of the ice hatches at that end.  Portion of roof to remove can be measured using piece from underframe. Walkway can be trimmed and reglued after roof parts are rejoined

       

    Reassembled      Body length--5.25"

    A flat car is shortened by cutting underframe as above and cutting deck to suit.

    The standart tank will fit on a shorty flat with the ends of the hold-down straps glued into the stake pockets at each end of flat.

       


     Eric UK

   

   

      Joe,

      Your figuring is correct.  The 20VA--23VDC is probably for Large scale and not suitable. The 18Va will do fine.  By the way, if you get a new transfmr to run the trains,try your old one for the lighting,adjusted to give light level you like. Should work ok and save cost of yet another transfmr.

      Eric UK

    Over here in the UK we call them 'chocolate blocks' as the original version was made from brown bakelite-like substance, way before plastics.  I always have a pack in my tool box altho they are available in most DIY ,electrical and hardware stores.
     Have used 2 x 2way pieces to connect a removable staging board or a lift-out section. Get some brass rod of a size to fit and clamp a 5/8" piece halfway into one hole of each block--then plug them together and add your wires (a cheap polarised connector).

     Eric UK

  Wish someone would make a true electro-magnetic under track U/C for use on mainlines. The Kadee version is tricky to fit and not true under track -- the coil is under but the operating portion is between the rails and very conspicuous.
   Don't think Bachmann will make one as their U/C magnets are designed to fit up inside the base of EZ track.

  Joe(HHRR)

    Suggest you get a cheap wallwart to power your depot lights and have steady level of lighting.  To have the lights vary with the speed of the train and go out when the train stops at the depot seems rather strange arrangement.
    I have a wallwart  which is switchable between 3 and 12 volts DC--get one of these and try the 6 or 9 volt setting for your kerosene lamp effect.

    I prefer the Bachmann under-track which are far cheaper than the Kadee UT version and more reliable than the between rail jobs especially for delayed uncoupling -- and they are invisible. Think that the extra width of the magnet makes sure that the couplings deflect enough.
   The Bachmann U/C is big enough to be cut in half lengthwise to make two and still give reliable uncoupling. In fact I often do delayed uncoupling over a 1/2.
   
    Eric UK

  Jestor,

  I stand corrected----blame it on my DCC mindset. Of course the remote 'talks' to the receiver.  Now remember seeing a tip about mounting an IR recvr. on a bracket above the layout to give clear view; on a long shelf layout probably best to fit recvr.at one end 'looking' along the layout.
  Don't remember seeing a post on any of my groups from someone actually using the Dynamis unit.

   there are photos with numbers  in the photo gallery.

   'Modern' O/F on page 2 and older I/F on page 4 (can get a greatly enlarged pic of the I/F types).
    Looking at the larger pics of the I/F versions,I noticed that there are different trux on the tenders of the wooden and steel cabs.

   Eric UK

   If you want a 2-6-2T try this.

     

     Convert a Mogul !!!
     Top half of boiler removed under tank and old Soundtraxx decoder fitted with 1"spkr in top of Xeodon Stack. Headlight moved back  and original  domes shortened. Backup light added to bunker.
      One of the new mini decoders (Tsunami or Loksound) and spkr could be mounted in bunker.

     Eric UK

   Are these ex Hawaii locos?  As below.

   


   Eric UK

   Should be ----doesn't-----.

   Eric UK

   Mr Train,

   It is YOUR layout and if someone desn't like it you help them thru the Exit.

   Eric UK

   All,

   A good software for layout planning is AnyRail. It is as easy to use as that from Atlas but has track libraries of virtually every system made, from Zg. to G scale. You can also mix items from different systems e.g. Atlas turnouts with any make of curve and  Flexitrack.
   You can also design a Mini layout with Ng. curves and HO turnouts. Copy and paste:-
   
         www.anyrail.com/index_en.html

   The free version has a limit of 50 pieces of track per layout but if you use Flexitrack between turnouts and for sidings you can still draw a faily large layout.
   If you have the TrainPlayer/Layer soft, you can directly import an AnyRail file and run trains on your layout to see if it is suitable for your intended style of operation. Beware that you could end up running Virtual trains instead of building you actual "Empire".LOL

   Eric UK

   Yampa Bob

   I see that you are using the usual  "toy train " layout on the RH side of your layout as given in most basic layout books.
   Placing the Turnout to the passing track with the curve leg as last part of curve will virtually double the length of the passing track and(more importantly)eliminate the S curves.



   Eric UK 

   I use a windscreen washer pump on 6v in a Fire boat---enough power to give a 4 ft. jet on the fire monitor.  Old VWs had 6v. system if you can find one.
   Boat chandlers have small pumps to power the fresh water system.

   Eric UK