jimk4490
I had asked this a few months ago I provided the link below

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,10405.0.html

I liked the Microsoft train simulator and it worked well on XP. Additionally it runs well on slower computers that I have.
I like my Trainz as well but am not sure that it would run on XP well.  I have this on one of my newer computers and it runs well and I run it on an older one (3 yr old laptop with 1 gig of RAM) which runs very very slowly.

I have been able to find free and pay "extras" for both.

And for the controller ABC posted, I want that!

Finally I loved playing Railroad tycoon III and I have run that on XP as well.  Though it is not a Train Simulator game, it was still fun!

Robert

After reading several posts on people asking about adding sound to their Diesel engines I asked myself what sound decoders and speakers do most people mostly use in their installs?
What sound decoders do people use?
I have only used MRC and Tsunami to this point.
For steam I love the Tsunami by Sound Traxx.  It has a great and full sound! I have one in my Pennsylvania K4 4-6-2 Pacific and I just love the sound!
For Diesel Tsunami it still great. They have more choices of sound for your engine. 
But I must admit I do like the cost effectiveness of a MRC they are about half the price of the Tsunamis and your get a nice but bulky speaker. (Yes I know you get what you pay for) I have done several install with the MRC sound that required me to hard wire the sound decoder to a DCC equipped engine. The MRC 1662 and the MRC 1666 are the ones I have used so far.
How do they compare to engines that already have sound installed?
First off if you can afford it or desire to go this route it is a quick and easy way to go. There are so many choices out there.
Having just acquired an Athearn Genesis F7-A and a BLI SD40-2 for Christmas. I had the opportunity to compare between the three.  Yes I think the BLI and the Genesis were better and at that price they should be.  But only paying 30 for a FT-A B&O Diesel and then $30 for sound for only $60 and my time I have a great little engine with sound.
Then getting in the BLI Paragons and MTH that a whole other league. An associate of mine has several of these and wow!
What type of speaker do people use in tight spaces? Any advice?
I ask this question to help me and other that recently seem interested in adding sound to their Bachmann engines (Hint Hint Bachmann. Please add some diesels with sound).
Little or no space in the Bachmann Diesels So what to do?
The engines that seem to come up in the message boards are to me all interior space wise about the same?  A GP38-2 or a SD40-2 or an EMD or even a Morse after I have taken off the shell all have the same problem. No room. So you need to make room. I have chosen to mill the metal frame and make room that way. But I did get for my birthday a Dremmel and have had fun milling the frame for space.
Now the FT-A by Bachmann has a little room for that bigger 1" speaker but it took a lot of milling of the metal frame to do it.  And now I am experienced in the fact that I should have removed the gears of the engine as if you all remember on one of my other questions "why was my not running smoothly anymore.
Finally
I am not an expert but there are many here on this message board. But this subject if a favorite of mine and I wanted to learn and maybe even help out on this subject.  I wish we could make this a sticky note subject and people could reference a particular area for this info. Yes I and other could go to other message boards and I do sometimes from time to time.  But I have grown to trust a lot of you and Thanks to Bachmann for allowing us to talk about all thing model railroading here!
Links
Soundtrax
http://www.soundtraxx.com/index.php?p=home.php
MRC
http://www.modelrectifier.com/index.asp
Thank you for reading this and adding to it!
I was a little hesitant to write this as for criticism on trying to be a know it all, but here it is.

UPDATE:
I took to my local Hobby shop and they exchanged it.
Robert

Thank you all for your help!

UPDATE:
I took to my local Hobby shop and they exchanged it.
Robert

Thank you all for your help!

This topic has inspired me to try the Rapido "Easy Peasy" Battery operated lights!
But I must wait till we go to and get back from Disney.

Robert

PS At EPCOT the have a nice outdoor "G" Scale railroad.  It look beautiful.  But they never really run more than one engine at a time.  But we do go in the winter time.  January to be exact.

I too had the "Cold Heat" soldering iron, I was not impressed. 

And the message post are back to normal for me too.

Robert

Bob

I think it may be all of the inserted links? Some are lenghty. I noticed it too the other day.  I thought it was my browser. I thought it was on another post but after looking at a other posts I think this is the only one.

Robert

Thanks Lex

Well I will try both
I see radio shack has silver bearing with rosin core and with out. The 1.5 oz rosin core was about $6 and the 1 oz with out the rosin core was about the same price.

I put the link in just in case anyone else is following this.

http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=silver%20bearing%20solder&origkw=silver%20bearing%20solder&sr=1

Robert

Jim
If you mean the Bachmann 85' Amtrak Passenger Cars like #13106.  The Yes they do run just fine.  However they do look a little odd when the run on that radius.  The car tends to over hang a little bit.  When they are moving they look fine but when they are standing still they look a little silly. 

Right now mine are put away till I get my railroad built.  I think I can find then easy enough and take a picture of them if you like.

What passenger cars are you interested in? What road name. What era?  I love passenger cars.  I have the Bachmann Heavy Weight Cars which are lighted. Unfortunately they are no longer in production.  But you can find them on eBay.

I think its the Walther's  brand can have a simple light kit installed.

Rapido trains has light kits that are really cool. They are battery powered and turn off and on easily.  Why I like the battery option is that is my Amtrak & Heavyweight lights flicker occasionally when running always on my switches.  There are way to fix this I will let someone else explain that as I am not an expert on that but it has to do with part of the switch (the frog is what I think is what is called) not being powered.  I provided a link for you below.

http://www.rapidotrains.com/light_ho.html

Good luck

Robert




Robert

Thanks Jeff and GJ for the info
I cannot wait for Amazon to ship my Soldering Iron!

I just need to get the solder.

GJ - Where can I get the Silver bearing solder?

Robert

I just ordered the following;

"Easy Model Railroad Wiring, Second Edition (Model Railroader)"
"Weller WLC100 Soldering Station for Hobbyist and Do-It-Yourselfer"

Thank you for the advice. 

I am going to order a few tips from another web site as Amazon was a bit confusing on that part.

AS for the old I think I am getting the 60/40 Non acid solder for electric.

Is the rosin core good? 

What size.

Sorry for all of the extra quesitons but this is definitely not my specialty.

Robert

PS Lex Thanks for all the help!

Lex

That is a great book. I need to get that too!
Below I post some of the Weller Tips  which ones are good for my application?  I heard needle but I am guessing that is ST7 or ST6



I am going to order the Soldering iron today and maybee a few tips on eBay! too!
I need to figure out the with of the solder as well.

Thank you everyone in taking an interest in this!

Robert

Lex
Thanks I like that brush. Now there are 2 things I want from that store.

ebtbob & Tim

I found it on Amazon for $50 to where I have a gift card.  I also saw the WES51 for $90  I may need to do some research on the brand to learn more.

BTW what solder do you recommend for my work in wiring?

Robert

Good Morning everyone.

I would love to get advice on a good soldering Iron and what accessories I would need.
I have a basic one from home Depot it was about $20. But I know there are better ones out there.

What I am using it for.
Primarily it will be used for soldering wires together for Sound boards and DCC install on engines.

I will eventually need it for soldering track wires and so forth.

What type of solder is the best? Where to get it? Radio shack?
What accessories?  Like holders for the solder it self.  or wire holder to help me when I need and extra hand.

Thanks for the help!

Robert