If you haven't seen this yet:

http://www.youtube.com/bachmanntrains#p/a/f/0/KHYqno62ctU

Good job, Jack and crew.  OK to name them?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

If you modify John Zollo's horn-whistle/bell button design (Classic Toy Trains mag. - November 1998), you can get a simple, heavy duty bell-only button. (7 diodes and an SPDT momentary switch.)

1. Connect (solder) 7 Radio Shack 276-1661 diodes in a circle, stripe end to non-stripe end.  

2. Connect the Common terminal of a RS 275 -1549 switch to one end of a diode in the circle.  

3.  Connect the N.C. terminal of the switch to the other end of the same diode in the circle.  (The switch's N.O. terminal is not used.)

4. Run a red wire from the switch's common terminal out to the lock-on's center rail terminal.

5. Run a black wire from the switch's N.C. terminal out to one of the transformer's track terminals.

6. Run a wire from the the transformer's other track terminal to the lock-on's outside rail terminal.  

7. If the button blows the horn-whistle instead of activating the bell, reverse the red and black wires.

The above switch is rated at 3 amps.  An uglier 5 amp switch is the RS 275-016.  It would be nicer to have a 6 amp switch, though.  

I will research getting a better switch, perhaps from Digi-Key.  

An SPST momentary N.C. (normally closed) 6 amp or greater switch would also work.  

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik        

Dear Bach-Man,

Will you be at the NMRA National Train Show in Milwaukee, WI July 16 - 18, 2010 ?

How many in the crew?

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

Dear All,

I just stumbled across some nice pics of the Durango Silverton line in the photo gallery under "Soundtraxx Dealer Training".  Enjoy.

Dear Bach-Man,

Is there a photographer that we can give credit to?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Added credit Q.

Dear Bach-Man,

Recent (at least the last two times I checked) "Featured Products" photos and descriptions have not mentioned what scale the item is.

Thought I'd give you a heads up.   

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

Dear All,

The New #4 HO EZ-Track Turnout is.....

Actually a #4.  Within 1% error.  (Atlas' #4 is actually a #4.5)     

That is, if you can:

1.) Believe the photo in the on-line catalog is of the real product,

2.) Trust my measurements (ruler-on-monitor-screen) and calculations

3.) Trust that vertical and horizontal lengths shown on my screen are in the proper proportion (i.e., not distorted).

The small error was a surprise to me, as my measurements were pretty crude. 

The only real way to find out is to have the real turnout in hand and measure it, as Bachmann has never officially released even the lengths of the main routes of their turnouts to the public.  (Highly guarded corporate secrets?)

The main concern to the modeler, though, is which curve will bring the divergent route back to parallel with the main. 

#4 turnouts have a departure angle of 14.25 degrees. (Armstrong)

The closest curve is the 18"R half curve, which is 15 degrees. 

Armstrong's charts also list the "Radius of the Closure Rail" RCR as 15"R.  This means that the (slightly larger) 18"R curve would be a good match to the #4 turnout.  (The RCR tells us the tightest radius a loco or car will experience going along the divergent route.) 

Further screen measurements/calculations put the track center spacing between the main and the parallel siding near 2-1/3", which would work just fine.  (= 17 scale feet).

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik     

9th Annual Happy Grandparents Train Show in Menomonie, (West Central) WI. 

Saturday, 4/10/2010 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, 4/11/2010 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

http://www.trains.com/trc/community/events/event-info.asp?eventid=14449

Tons of operating layouts, Z thru G.  Good size show. 

I'll be there Saturday wearing a black baseball hat with the number 2719 on it.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Hunt inspired me to do some serious measuring and calculating on the HO EZ-Track #5 turnout, mostly to make sure I was getting it right and not spreading disinformation. 
   
Turns out my previous advice to others on the board wasn't as accurate as I had hoped for.     

Measurements/Calculations to center-line of track.

X-axis = along the main line.   

M = direct measurement
C = calculated from measurements

11.5"  mainline length (M)

1.646" y-offset of divergent route (C)

(1.646" x 2 = 3.292" crossover mainline spacing)(C)

11.318" x-offset of divergent route from points end (C)

0.182" x-offset of divergent route from main end (C)

12.41 degrees divergent departure angle and frog angle (C)

4-5/8 (4.625) turnout # and frog # (C)

52.9" substitution radius (C)

25.5" RCR (radius of the closure rail) (C)

Raw data and formulas on request.

Measurements within 1/32"

Calculations/conversions show more significant digits than +/- 1/32" would allow.

e.g. measure something as 1/16" and convert it to decimal 0.0625" (4 significant digits of accuracy (??) - not likely).

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Edit: Added "HO EZ-Track"

Dear All,

If you have not seen the home page lately,   

go back and look for the guy in the red mustache and cape.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Do any of you own, or have access to, any of the four crossings listed?

(Bachmann N 30, 45, 60 or 90 degree crossings.)

Please measure their length, vertical face of roabed to opposite face, to the nearest 1/16" or mm.

Measure the length of any included fitter straights, also. 

Let us know how packaged, e.g. display box, blister card, etc.

Thanks. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

Dear All,

I know this would be a hike (through some pretty nice fall colors) for most of you, but I'll post it anyway:

8th Annual Indianhead Model Railroad Club Train Show
Oct 10, 2009 .
Oct 11, 2009 .

Regis High School
2100 Fenwick Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701

Saturday - October 10, 2009 10a.m. to 5 p.m. &

Sunday - October 11, 2009 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Operating model trains layouts, seller tables, static displays, & concessions

Admission $5.00 13 and older, $1.00 off with a nonperishable food donation to Feed My People Food Bank

Not sure just yet when I'll be there, depends on the boss's schedule.

I'll be in the black baseball hat with the number 2719 on it. 

Sincerely

Joe Satnik

Please see "NMRA new product announcements" thread in General Discussion.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

This kiddie book contains some of the best page size (& double page size) color shots of the steam engines, passenger cars and mountain scenery I have ever seen for the Durango and Silverton railroad.

Includes a 2 page head-on wide angle photo of 6 (?) K- steam engines inside the roundhouse.     

isbn 0439655307 (paperback)



Maybe we're all kids when it comes to trains.

Check to see if your public library system has it.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Happy Grandparents (Menomonie, WI) Train Show 4/18-4/19/09

http://www.trains.com/trc/community/events/event-info.asp?eventid=13275

About 55 miles east of St. Paul, MN on I-94. 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=920+21st+Street+South+Menomonie,+WI+54751&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.222969,114.257812&ie=UTF8&ll=44.889992,-91.906986&spn=0.04518,0.11158&z=14

I'll be there Saturday, 4/18.

Watch for a black baseball hat with the number 2719 on it.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear Loco Bill,

Please read the end of the thread "Track Length".

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Interesting.

I've never seen one of these before.



Lionel Trainmaster 150 watt (AC) Type V.

Controls 4 trains.

Made a 0.7 watt N power pack leak all its electrolytes.

Joe Satnik   

Latest Classic Toy Trains Mag. 

Lou Palumbo's column.

CTT May 2009 pg. 33

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/950631.html

Dear Loco Bill,

Do you have a list of separate sale Annies over the years?

I'm specifically trying to find out which item #s, road names and years have which type of valve gears.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

It would be neat to model this.

I wonder if magnetraction would help:

Wild Ride