In addition to the issue of 30" gauge coupler height, the prototype 3 foot gauge rilroads also used different heights and size xcouplers in real life. Some of this prevented equipment from being sold off to other railroads easily. Teh Colorado Rilroads used the height and couplers used by the DRG&W first as they had to interchange with them.

Some smaller prototypes used a lower mounting point to direct thrust to keep the cars stable.  The idea of one coupler height for narrow gauge is not a real world scenario.

It doesn't take much horsepower for a consit of empties. The GIs in WWII use Duece and a half's for the same tack. Much less horsepower There are pictures of them doing that in Europe and Alaska Might make a nice model.

Electrical contact cleaner or Radio Shack tuner cleaner will work fine. I would not clean the contact area unless there was evidence of carbon build up.

While lubrication of the two beaings in an open frame motor is a big help, just a little goes a long way. Do not use WD-40 for that task. Very light machine oil sold at the hobby shop will do the job nicely. Sewing machine oil works as well

Terry,

That was a nice set of photos. That set shows exactly how the layout looks with EZ-track. The last photos of the WGH-based layout is very good. The major magazines leave out this part and it's very important for a newcomer to see how it really fits together. Max in the UK should study this. His layout is nice but a little more work with the same outline could be outstanding in a small place.

What might be a better option for an On30 prarie would be Eureka-Nevada #7 which is an inside frame Prarie.  It has a nice set of walsheart's valve gear, 36 inch drivers in a short wheelbase and is really a stock Baldwin unit.

Not a Maine proto but the bissells would be able to swing wide enough for an 18" radius. It cpould utilize the drive unit from the existing Mogul.

While I like the mogul origianlly illustrated on this thread, it would have some problems with radii under 24 inches due to the wheelbase.

On the other hand, a nice Hawaiian 0-6-2 plantation locomotive would be nice.

Okay all of you. We forget that Bachmann has the technology to put standard R/C into their locomotives. I have a number of Bachmann locomotives that run with the original R/C unitsfrom the early ten-wheelers. This is much better tha nyou think as my locomotives are wired to run on either track or battery power.  The recievers are modified to run on 18 volts.  This has been cheap and reliable over 17 years of use and allows me to run my stuff on other railroads that don't have track power.

The real problem with the industry isn't whether the unit will run on crappy track or whatever, the best method odd control is via radio. Less interference and all. The major proble  thus far is that there are only two frequenceies with the method I use. Since I don't run more than two locomotives at a time, this isn't a problem.

What we really need to do is talk to Bachmann about a R/C board with battery or track powered provisions that have multiple address capability.

I have found that having a battery powered locomotive on my track powered layout is very useful, especiall when cleanign the raisl first.

The battery ca[pacity problem is solved by havign a nice boxcar witha a pair of lead-acid gel batteries inside. They will run damn near all day on a single charge. 

DCC for outside is not the way to go because of the additional issues of track contact and power drop. Simple track power with R?C is the best and battery with R/C is the next best overall.

The original Bachmann R/C is very sophisticated for the application. Some simple mods and address programming would make it an OEM breakthrough again. This is what we should be bugging the Bach-mann about.

The closest the Bachmann consolidation comes to a DRG&W engine is the class C-21. The Bachmann engine is much more modern than the actual C-21.

One version is lettered for the Silverton, Gladstone and Northern and it is much closer. All DRG&W locomotives and the SG&N had longer smokeboxes as they burned coal.  The C&S fans should be interested in one outside fram consoladation that was leased from the Balck Hills line and run over most of the C&S  narrow gauge. The cab was much different.  All Colorado Consolidations had Stephenson valve gear

Dcc is only transmitted along the rail to the locomotive. The rail provides power and signal to the decoder.

Edgar Beren  stated that Charlie was one of his family. Candice Bergen complained that everyone thought Charlie was her brother. Neither run on DCC or Dc for that matter.

The Athearn Challenger would be ready to program and operate if you bought one.  Remember that it operates on 24" radius or larger.

This has been more like Convincing Falstaff of something improtant rather than MacBeth.

The  Rivarossi Cab-forward is an AC-12. The latest run has vastly improved drive and workmanship over the ones made 30+ years ago. Drivers are smallish but they pull well. especially with extra weight added.