I recently bought a Bachmann spectrum 2-10-0 in the Erie scheme , it is the earlier black box version without sound. Aside from being EXTREMELY finicky on dirty track it runs like a dream but there is one issue, the wire from the tender to locomotive is uncomfortably low, it is almost dragging on the ties, is there any way to make it higher?

I plan on getting a GS-4 to add to my collection (which is now comprised of a UP 4-8-4, 2-8-4, 2-8-0, 2-10-0, 0-6-0, 2-6-0, 4-4-0, 0-6-0t, and and F9 and SW1500) But i noticed something strange, in a lot of of the pictures i have seen the ho scale 4449 seems to be a lot glossier than the 4446. Yet on the Bachmann site they look EXACTLY the same, is there really a difference in paint between the two road numbers?

I am going to get a 2-10-2 at some point and there is an abundance of them on ebay. But that makes me wonder why so many people are getting rid of them in the first place...... Are they prone to issues like the 2-10-0 or are they reliable and hardy?

I noticed that the reversing gear on the left side of my Decapod moves up and down whenever i run it despite the fact that the rod is meant to be static, this is not happening on the right reverser which stays in place like it's supposed to. Both rods are between a pair of brackets that i think are meant to hold them in place but something is causing the left rod to move independently. Other than that i have no problems with the locomotive, can somebody give me some advice?

I have come up with an awesome way for people with smaller layouts with no staging or engine facilities to put locomotives on their layout with a minimum of actual handling. if you store them near the floor on a shelf, simply have some track running beside where the locos are stored, then if the layout doesn't take up the whole wall use the remaining space and build a wooden frame with a movable turntable at the bottom that can be moved up and down. have the track go to this turntable on the floor. then put a loco on the track and run it to the turntable. raise the turntable to track level on your layout and turn the turntable so the loco faces the layout, then turn on the power and move your loco from the turntable onto the layout, voila! then instead of picking up a locomotive and carrying it at a dangerous height you just pick it up and move it 2 feet, and the risk of dropping it is almost nonexistent

the benchwork is nearly complete. http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo210/i10dtowinthebrantfordrailfan/SAM_3151_zpscaa2q4ba.jpg  i have also modified the trackplan a bit. it now has a mainline at the bottom that connects to the yard. this allows for a proper arrival and departure track and allows trains of up to 8 cars.  it can handle 16 cars in total. it will also have operating wig wags with sound. i have replaced the grain elevator with a coal yard. i can't show a picture of it because of techical issues but you probably get the idea

I just got a new DCC baldwin 2-8-0 yesterday, i love it! but can i run it with my alco 2-6-0 which is plain DC? i use a DC power pack. also what about doubleheading 2 DCC locomotives on DC track? will they get damaged?

I tried anyrail and scarm and they are not helping me at all, whoever polished up my ms paint track plan can you please list the pieces of track needed? it's not that i'm lazy or stupid, i am really struggling to use these programs, they are not user friendly to me!

I decided to update my 2 x 8 trackplan, i want to add a mainline at the bottom where trains can enter or leave the layout, the problem is that i can't figure out what pieces of track i'd need, the mainline needs to stretch from the beginning to the end of the layout, but nothing i come up with works, i can't figure out the track arrangement needed to have the turnout where i want AND at the same time have the mainline going all the way from start to end. here it is http://i1382.photobucket.com/albums/ah278/picklemonkey1234567890/LAYOUT%20UPDATE_zpsooipxahx.png . also can someone list all the specific pieces of atlas track i need to build this layout? i changed a few industries too, some building designs haven't been figured out yet so they are just represented with the name of the industry

here is the final design: http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo210/i10dtowinthebrantfordrailfan/blahbladgrhr_zpspkbhqtwb.png,     the building in the left hand corner is a team track and loading dock, and the building in the upper right hand corner is a flour mill.

i decided i like the old design better, i will use it instead. i am still not sure about the name, the current one is just a suggestion someone gave me. i might rename it

i have come up with a new track plan i think is a bit better: http://s376.photobucket.com/user/i10dtowinthebrantfordrailfan/media/Track%20plan%20rrrryw_zpszjqnepjq.png.html?sort=3&o=0,   the industry with an "f" is a flour mill, the white building opposite is a paper mill, the long red one is a winery, and the one with an "l" is a lumberyard,  the track just below the paper mill is a team track, the other buildings are shops, i don't know if i should use this one or the older one, which one do you think is the best? can you give me some feedback on the newer track plan?

i think i'll get rid of the slaughterhouse, so far the industries i know i want are the Lumberyard, flour mill, and natural gas plant, i need to think of another one but i'm stuck! i don't know what to do!

I have decided to make some improvements to the layout, i will take the top track and move it down much further so i have room for a flour mill, i will move the lumber yard down to the first track to make room for it, i will get rid of the plastics plant, i will put the slaughterhouse to where the feed and seed was, and i will relocate the turnout that leads to the natural gas plant to the middle of the track so i have room for bigger engines, i might try to add a few trees, i will be modelling fall so the leaves will be orange, red, and other colors

sorry about the late reply, i have been busy with school and other things. i already found about about the 4-6-0 coming back and i almost jumped out of my skin! i can't wait to have one! one engine i really want is a dm&ir 2-10-2, i hope the 2-10-2 comes back. here is my list of engines i want: usra 2-8-2, 4-6-0, 2-10-0, 2-10-2, 0-6-0 porter, SP GS4 4-8-4, GP7, and RS3, that's gonna take a lot of saving...... i already have a pretty nice collection, i have an alco 2-6-0, modern 4-4-0, usra 0-6-0, 2-8-4, UP 4-8-4, an F9 and an SW1500