I have just received my Bachmann HO School Bus,and it is a very good runner for it,s size. My 10x5 layout has a Bachmann School adjacent to the railway yard,and the children can either come to school in the Con-Cor School Bus by road or now by rail  to the siding behind the school,with it,s small lineside shed.
However I am disappointed with the lack of detail on the Bachmann School Bus,in comparison with the Con-Cor Motor Bus  I bought some years ago.Is there a reason why there is no signage on the Rail Bus ?. I did not consider the Bachmann School Bus to be a cheap model. Does the manufacturer expect modelers to letter this vehicle with their own area lettering ?. If so where can I buy some decals to give this great little attention getter a birth certificate at least the words School Bus ?.  Thanks  Owen Robinson

I have just bought a 4-6-0 Illinois central Casey Jones Rivarossi Loco in good condition with original box ,and wish to know what a small daily freight consist would be please?.
I will need a caboose , a few small 40ft. freight cars,possibly a combine and coach . This is to just set the scene when I take it to the club for a run.
Cabooses on the net for I C look too modern. I assume one to roughly represent this era would be wood ?
Thanks for any help here,I am excited waiting for  this one to arrive.
Owen Robinson

Did the Santa Fe Railroad have any 2-6-0 Camel Back Steam Locomotives ?. Thanks for any help. Owen

Can the forum assist with some instructions to fit  a decoder to my Model Power 0-4-0 Tender Switcher please?. It is near new,and runs well.I have fitted pick-ups by using Kadee Centering Springs as per instructions previously,and it no longer stalls on points. Thanks Owen Robinson

I have been a happy owner of a couple of these fine  Bachmann Jupiter 4-4-0  models,and had painted some Overton 34ft.Coaches to resemble Central Pacific. All have run well for ages,and are noticed at my train club frequently. However I would like to know if it would look out of reality if I bought a couple of 47 ft.Coaches available now with Central Pacific paintwork and run them behind the Jupiter. I do not expect it to pull large consists,but would like to buy these 47ft.new cars if the forum thought they would not look out of place. I am not a rivet counter,but try to get a fair similarity to prototype where possible. I have the original Bachmann freight cars bought with a Jupiter,and I had in mind a small mixed train.What do you think about this ? thanks Owen

I have just bought a Spectrum 4-6-0 DCC and Sound,and it makes all the sounds,but does not go.The wheels do not turn.Every Bachman and Atlas DCC loco always went straight out of the box first.Programme later to your own setting. I only have a simple Lenz outfit,but all work well. I have put the Spectrum Users Guide into the computer,but a lot  is all over my head. What to do ?
P.S. 2 other brand new Athearn DCC /Sound locos do not work properly  either.
Meanwhile,all my regular DCC Locos are operating normally.All my 10x5 Layout tracks are saddled for better electric flow. Thanks for advice here, Owen Robinson

My old Gandy Dancer is running erratically,stops,starts,goes for a short burst and stops.
It is a a few years old,but has had little use. Gave it a bit of oil underneath,and a shot of RP7(WD40). I like to run it for the newcomers,and it gets a good audience,may grandchildren look forward  to it coming out now and then.The little workers move well,but no forward motion at times. Any suggestions ?

My Spectrum Saddle Tank 0-6-0 DCC Model,does not  clear the Kadee Uncoupler Ramps,as  all my other Locos do,even the Bachmann Gandy Dancer. I have checked these with the Kadee Tool,and taken a bit off the ties to lower them a little. I think the 0-6-0 is built too low? Any suggestions please ?

I am considering a Bachmann GP32-2 Santa Fe Diesel with DCC and a Sth.Pacific 70 ton Switcher DCC,for my small layout. Recently retired a couple of very old Athearn DC Diesels    .
Do these Bachmann Diesels  have die cast chassis,and flywheels ?. Very happy with me Bachmann American 4-4-0 DCC,and the Jupiter 4-4-0 DC only.
Descriptions from On Line Dealers,leave much to the imagination,and or knowledge.

I recently mislaid 2 sets of test leads,one black& red,the other yellow & Blue,about 2 ft. in length.
They usually hang on a hook on the right hand side of my 10x5 US Layout.
Did not need them immediately,but later could not find them in the garage(part of the house),and looked everywhere.Under the layout,car,desk,work table ?
My wife said she saw me with them. At 81, I am getting a little forgetful .
I gave up ,but started to have an attack of self hatred,thinking I really am losing it.
About a week later I took my dust coat off the old office chair where I operate the trains,and behold,there were  both leads hanging behind the  chair seat.
I told this to my friendly Pharmacist Lady,and she reassured me I was not losing it.
She said ,  The test would be if you forgot you mislaid  them.If you remember losing them then you are not "losing it" . Felt better , Good modeling,  Owen

I am hoping to  buy a Spectrum 4-6-0 DCC with sound when funds permit,but I would like to ask a question about it,s performance.
I bought a Roundhouse 2-6-0,and it is a fine model,but goes slow on DC operation.
My enquiry to Athearn told me that I needed more DC power above the normal 12 volt,as the loco,sound system uses a large amount of this power.
I notice some of my friends operating sound locos,diesel and steam on our club 12 volt DC layout,and they run the same as on their DCC at home I am told.
I have a Spectrum DCC 4-4-0 American,without sound,running the same on both systems.
Will the Spectrum  4-6-0 DCC With Sound run slowly when on DC Analogue,like the Roundhouse 2-6-0 ?

Can the forum advise a reliable supplier for Lenz Decoders please.Their small models fit nicely in space poor diesels.Mine are the older models and do not have the printed circuit board.If not Lenz,then any make you recommend would be appreciated.

I have a Model Power 0-4-0 Tender Loco,and it is a good performer.Since changing from Peco Insulfrog Points to Electrfrog,it switches through all these without a stop,even at creeping speed. But it all came to an end when I directed it across my Atlas 19% Crossover,full stop.
I need advice on obtaining suitable pick-ups for it,and how best to install these.   
Thanks Owen

My layout is 10x5 with a 4 track yard,about 6 industry spurs,loco shed sidings
the 2 longer sides are passing tracks.Do I need a power booster for the best performance of locos ,if so what does the forum advise ?
My DCC system is a Roco,unit,and has been in use since 2003,with no failures except human errors. It was a starter set,and the controllers do not have the scope of functions seen on larger sets.
Feeder wires come off from under the board heavy wire ,and some track joints have been saddled. Yesterday,a retired electrician friend told me he just burnt out a $100 booster unit.Put heavy voltage in the wrong way,he hates himself. I have recently gone into a sound loco,and it works fine,but it is not as forgiving as normal DCC loco if any dirt or bad joiners etc.are present. 

Drivers Check Your Engines - That is if it is a Roundhouse Mogul 2-6-0.
I was looking at a part of my layout trackwork this morning thinking what maintenance should be done,when I spotted a tiny black screw with washer lying between the sleepers/ties.
On inspection it was bright black shining,looked brand new.
My first response was to lift off my new MDC Mogul standing on an adjacent track,and there was the answer-  the screw came from the rear bogie/truck.
Happily no harm done since the screw must have come off from last night,s running,without the truck coming adrift.
I checked the tension of all screws underneath,and only one on the other tender truck needed a slight tighten.
Hope this "screw loose" post is helpful .

Could a decoder be fitted to a new Model Power 0-4-0 Tank Loco please ?

I have bought some Athearn new Modern Box Cars. My layout is roughly last of steam switchers era. These new 40ft.Athearn Box Cars have a different body profile and no walkway on the roof.Most of my stock is the older type in Bachmann,Tyco ,Athearn ,Roundhouse etc..Would these Modern type be out of place on my small country town interchange,where a steam switcher may be present,though mainly diesel on freights.

I have successfully put decals on plain black new steamers,but now wish to change the name on one with it,s original lettering on the tender.What is the best way to do this,to look original ?

I have just bought a Roundhouse 2-6-0 DCC/Sound Loco,and it runs very slow on DC. My other DCC Locos,are Spectrum 4-4-0,Proto 0-6-0,both run very well on both systems. Does the sound rob the loco of some voltage  when on DC,?  I have not changed the DCC programming from the factory default.

I have bought a couple of High Cube  40ft.Box cars,and would like to know what year or era they were introduced in theU.S. please .Were they around in the last days of steam ?. My 10x5 Layout with 18 inch curves,features 40ft.maximum cars and 4 wheel truck Diesels with some small 6 couple steam locos. Thanks for your input here.