Am I right in assuming, that on the videos of the old steam trains, that when the exhaust smoke changes from white to black, is when the fireman is stoking the firebox with fresh coal?

I noticed there is $300 difference in the price of Broadway's Cab Forward if you get a DCC with sound, instead of the Blue Line, that you would have to put a decoder in, if you go DCC. A decoder is not that much! Are they the same train? If not, what is the difference?

Does anyone know if there is such a monster as a HO scale Narrow Gauge train on the market any where? I prefer the high end DCC model, but will do the conversion myself, if I can just locate one. I know there is a bunch of ON30s out there, but I have all the HO old timey passenger cars to build a custom Tweetsie train, so using an ON30 loco is out of the question. Thanks for any help anyone can give me, chuffnpuff.

Does anyone know a web site where I can see the complete prototypical Tweetsie train? I know it was a narrow gauge train, but I keep finding conflicting images of how many cars it has and their color scheme. Some show 1 car, some show 2, it seems they all vary. What seems to be the most complete was the loco, then red car, then yellow car, then green car, then yellow car, then finally a green car with yellow section above the windows. They all had black roofs with a black section above windows and gray section below the windows, with exception of the last car, which was green all the way down, below the windows and a yellow section between the windows and black roof. I am starting a project to build the Tweetsie in HO scale and want to keep it prototypical as possible. But then I might have a problem finding a narrow gauge in HO scale. It seems these are all manufactured in ON30 scale. All feedback will be greatly appreciated, especially with leads to images on the web.

Does anyone know if there has ever been a Southern Railway Z scale, table top or briefcase set up, available anywhere? I have been researching this item for a long time and have never found anything on the subject.

ERTL makes great diecast vehicles, but I was wondering why they do not have the most popular scale, HO! When I emailed them with that question, they replyed stating they could not accept any suggestions, by email, on any new product ideas! Most all their small small items are in 1:64 or S scale. I guess they are against making money!

Has anyone ever heard tell of a Class J Southern Cresent, like the Class J Norfolk and Western? I just saw a print of one and thought I had saw every thing. I am a long time Southern Railway fan and have never even heard of one. It is just like the Class J N&W with the same wheel pattern, but in the classic Southern green paint scheme. If there is such a jewel out there in HO scale, I would sure like to get my hands on one! If anyone knows any thing, give me a holler!

Anybody out there got a Spectrum DD40AX shell they would like to sell? Undecorated preferred, but not required.

Bach Man,
I love Bachmann's new site format, but have a couple of questions. What do I have to do to see the home page videos? I've lowered my settings for accepting Java, but it just still keeps locked in search mode without opening video. Also I wasn't aware Bachmann had been around 175 years! I would like to see some phots or clips of their beginning days!

Does anyone know a site I can go to purchase the thin brass or copper material to make the leaf for picking up power from the track for lighting of the car? Is there a pre-fabbed piece for this and what is it called, so I can search for it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am working on an Athearn DD40 and am in need of a hand rail set. Is anybody out there that can lead me to a set, or at least some that could be retro fitted?

I just found out the hard way that MTH's HO Triplex has dummy axels on the tender. I was lead to believe it had 12 live drive axels. MTH's owners manual calls them drive axels, when in fact they are just for looks. The old saying "what you don't know won't hurt you" doesn't apply hear. If I had known that, I would have not spent that much money on one! I just thought prospective buyers might want to know this!

I received, in an email from a Digitrax tech, that they were working on a 28 function controller to keep up with the market. This was several months ago. Has anyone heard any more on this? I am getting so tired of MRC's bugs in their system. Instead of calling them recalls, they call them upgrades! That way they can charge to fix their screw ups!

Does anyone know what Woodland Scenic snow is made of? I was trying to make my own with styrofoam, using a food processor, and it is just to light to grind up. It makes great HO scale snow balls, however!

I need some suggestions from someone with electronic savvy. I have several flashing 5mm red LEDs in tops of water towers and coal tipples. I needed to replace one that quit and install some Fred lights on some caboose. Now I can't even find a flashing LED online or at hobby shop that will flash. I've tried all ranges of resistors. I have been trying the clear LEDs, as I can't find the diffused. Would that make the difference? It shouldn't, if I use the right resistor. I use the formula, supplied power - bulb voltage / .02 and start out 200 ohms above that. I  also have some bridge rectifiers I was going to use on the DCC rail power for Fred lights, but I can't get past the 12vdc scenery units. Can anybody help me?

Does anyone make an HO scale Climax? It seems they only come in ON30 scale.

Is there a problem with the production on this model as I have been watching it closely and all the bugs that had to be worked out.  Since it's release on Jan 8, there have been very limited units on the market. Some Ebay guys have had one once in a while, but people are paying retail plus for them. Trainz had 280 available on a pre-order, relisted them twice on 30 day auctions and still only sold 3! It seems like they are slow sellers, or either the public is keeping the supply down so the demand will stay up, along with the price! I  read some threads where some don't like it because of the smoke. It has an on/off switch, so what is the problem? If you don't like the smoke, turn it off! But anyhow, I would like to hear from all you guys that have bought one. Are they a deal or a dud?

I give up, hope someone has some answers! I have a consist of E6 passengers. The lead unit has the factory sound. The others are straight DCC decoders (no sound) and the problem is the Mar's lights on them. The factory one has the correct slow alternating pattern, but the other add on decoders' flash rates are so fast they just have a fast flicker. I've tried all kinds of values in CV62 and nothing helps to slow them down. The Mar's lights are 3 wire incandescent, not LEDs. The wires are red, white and blue and attached on the R,W and B post on the board. I was informed by an "expert" that you had to run them off the decoder and not the loco's board. These are Digitrax DH123 decoders with FX3 feature, but state you don't use the green and brown wires. I thought the brown wire was the Mar's light wire! On both of these E6s I had to move the yellow wire from post #2 to post #3 on the NRMA plug to get the Mar's light to even work. Can anyone help me to slow the flashing rate down on these to a believable prototypical rate?

Hey Bachmann,
I just bought a pack of your #44914 decoders to work on a couple of consist I have. I just found out there is no Mars light function control on them. I checked the rest of your decoders out and they all seem to be like that. Do I have to go with another brand? I guess I am just stuck with these or will trade them off.

Has anyone heard any news on the release of the MTH HO Triplex? Has other problems developed? The release date was supposed to have been on Jan 8, but no dealers I have contacted has heard anything. I have heard of the derailing problem, and it's fix, and also of the gear stripping on the rear drive wheels. Now I have heard that the pre-orders can't be honored! At least the real Triplex made it to the rails before it was declared a dud!