Hi John: you will need a sound decoder with speaker. The existing decoder in your engine is non-sound.

Dave

Hi John: put the magnet under the track where you want to uncouple your cars. Thats why they are called magnetic couplers. Check out Kadee.com for instructions.

Dave

The compressed styrofoam board does not cut well, it is composed of styrofoam beads and it crumbles. The Polystyrene cuts great.

Dave

Make sure you get the Extruded Polystyrene Rigid Insulation, its either pink or blue and not the compressed styrofoam board. Its not strong enough and does not cut well. To glue the polystyrene use PL 300 glue also found at Homedepot.

Dave

Hi Bigbee: the only company that offered the TH&B Inspection car No.1, called Sputnick was Sylvan Models (32229 Sylvan Road, RR # 2, Parkhill, Ontario, NOM 2KO). It was a very limited run about 4 years ago. It was arranged by Modellers Choice in Hamilton Ontario
(http://www.modellerschoice.com/) I dont think there are any left as they were pre ordered only. The original Inspection car is still in Beeton, Ontario
in excellent shape.

David F. RBG!

I have been building layouts for 30 years and I have always used Atlas Code-100 Terminal Joiners. Terminal joiners are rail joiners with wires attached. They are available at any model train shop and are cheap. Just pull off the old joiner, replace with the new one drill 2 small holes and feed the wires through, easy as cake.

Dave

Self adhesive wieghts found at any model railroad shop and they are put inside the tender preferably over the trucks. I have added wieght to every tender I have owned. You can stick them to the inside top of the Tender. One clever way to add wieght to your tender, which is what I do, is to add a real coal load. Nothing looks as good as real coal.

Dave

I have only used Aerocar lubricants ACT-6006 Track Cleaner & Conditioner on my layout for the last 6 years there web site  claims "Cleans your track and lays down a non-slippery conductive film that will improve current flow. Will enhance the operation of DCC and Sound Systems" I think its great and only have to put it on 2 times a year and never have dirty track. All the local Train clubs swear by it. There other Lubricants are good too.

Dave

The most efficient way to set up block control is to use Common rail wiring. This way you only have to isolate one rail. This method greatly reduces the amount of wiring and keeps a constant current from one block to the other. You only need single pole double throw switches to switch from block to block. You only need to isolate both rails and use DPDT switches for Wyes and reverse loops. Check out the National Model Railroad Association http://www.nmra.org/  for a excellent instructions on block and track wiring or get a Atlas book on track wiring.

Dave

I had a faulty Atlas 210 but once I had rubbed some 0000 steel wool on the brass contact points it improved the conductivity and cured the fault. Brass naturally builds up a surface corrosion. Make sure the connection is tight.

Dave

Most serious model railroaders use metal wheels. 1. They add weight to your rolling stock and lower the centre of gravity. 2. they keep you track cleaner, plastic wheels leave a residue on the track. 3. they look more prototypical and take paint better if you weather and paint them. 4. they sound better rolling on your layout and if you use sectional track you get that neat clickity clack sound. 5. they are less likely to pick your points at turnouts. 6. If you model earlier rolling stock iron ribbed back wheels are available. 7. There are a variety of sizes available for more accurate modelling. 8. You can re-guage them if neccessary 9. More accurate scale wheels are available in metal for those into Proto 87 modelling.

Dave

The top speed for geared logging locomotives like Shays, Climaxs and Hieslers was around 15 mph and at top speed they sound like a sewing machine about to explode. The Bachmann Shay runs at prototypical speeds.

Dave

The fixed DC terminals are usefull for hooking up to a Capacitor Discharge Unit for the switch motors. I use it that way on my layout with a Tech 3 9500. No more burnt out coils.

Dave

Use Terminal track clips and place them anywhere in the siding with a SPST
switch and you can turnoff the power. Available at all Model train shops for 2 bucks. All you need is one clip per siding and one insulated joiner.

Dave

If there are 2 holes in the drawbar use the one farthest from the Engine and enlarge the hole a little if its too tight. If there is too much wire hanging out of the tender push it back into the tender. This may help. I am a firm believer in adding weight to my tenders especially over the front truck.

Dave