corey9212, I know exactly what you are going through and it can be a real headache. I also went to EZ track, but it didn't matter whether it was screws or nails, it was a warped up mess and a derail nightmare. I finally ripped out everything and started over. But this time I used a hot glue gun to secure my EZ track roadbeds and I have had no more problems, except with crossovers, and that was another nightmare. I finally done away with all crossovers, as all "opinions" I tried just didn't work. There seems to be not enough depth in the frog for a smooth transfer. Plus you are asking for a short out nightmare with blown decoders, if you are running DCC. Also soldering joints can create problems with continuity, as expansion will break soldered connections. I developed a horse shoe shaped bronze wire connection I soldered at each joint. It allows the joint to expand and keep it's continuity. I just soldered the legs straddled the joint. You just have to experiment what works for you. I also used a continuous 18 gauge jumper wire around track, but it was a soldered mess at each connection. I finally cut it all loose and went with the horse shoe wires. They are about the gauge of a human hair, easy to solder and practically invisible. The main thing is don't get aggravated. Quit, calm down, go back and try again. Happy railroading!

There are a few DD40 Athearns on ebay, but no Spectrum DD40AX. That shell is 1.5" longer than the Athearn! I got a messed up shell I need to replace on one of my units.

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!

What would be the difference between GP40 and GP40-2, as far as for the handrails?

Omaha
I have been checking out GP40 handrails and they would appear to work. The only problem is Smokey Valley wants as much for their handrails as I can get the entire engines for! Maybe I can find some junk GP40s with good handrails.

Thanks a lot guys! I checked the site out and got everyhting I need and will get started.

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.

That was some good info. I found out a long time ago that goo gone left too much residue. I use a product by Aerocar that is a track cleaner and conditioner for DCC trains and it does a great job and claims to help on better continuity with DCC. I have had several people recommend Wahl clipper oil for lubricant, but had an old tech tell me today that he has used Johnson and Johnson baby oil for lubricant on rails in curves for a long time and it worked great and was plastic friendly. As long as I don't have to start burping my trains, I guess it will work!

Yampa Bob
Appreciate the info. I checked the site out and there is no DD40 rails listed. Someone told me about a year ago that there was another model that its rails would work on an Athearn DD40. I can't remember which one. Do you know which one he was talking about? I got a Spectrum DD40AX with the handrails and I compared it and seen those type wouldn't fit. Of coarse the Spectrum AX is about an inch and a half longer than the straight DD40.

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?

mdtell
Do you have any problem with continuity on your Triplex with those traction tires? Every unit I have ever tried them on I had a problem with continuity with the rails. But again, the Triplex has 7 other axels to pick up the power. I might try that. I might have to go with a different lubricant for my rails. I have found out that a light film of 3-in-1 oil keeps continuity up and some binding in curves down with my long articulate units. I have 33" radiuses but still have some binding in curves at creeping speeds, when I have dry rails. I  found out, by trial and error method, that clean dry rails causes derailment problems. I use all metal wheels on all my cars and a Centerline wide body track cleaner. The longer I ran the track cleaner, the louder the wheel noise got until derailment started in curves. I put some drops of 3-in-1 oil on the roller cloth, the noise and derailments immediately started decreasing and by the 3rd lap, was completely quite with no derailments. I also was informed by a tech that 3-in-1 oil would cut down on wheel pitting. But that 3-in-1 oil would do a number on those traction tires! So I would have to go with something like that Labelle 107 oil, which has no petroleum base, but that darn stuff is so expensive! I wonder how a something like a cooking oil would work? Anybody got any suggestions?

r.cprmier
I agree with you 100%. Like I said I have one of the MTH Triplex and that is how i figured out it only had 8 live drive axels. I hooked it drawbar to draw bar with my Marklin Big Boy and the Big Boy took off with it like it wasn't there. It was simply due to the Big Boy's weight. I was expecting 12 live drive axels on the Triplex and got my specs broke! If you are wondering what I am doing running a Big Boy and Triplex on the same railroad, I don't. I have 3 seperate set ups and all with their prototypical sceneries. But anyway, the Triplex is a smooth runner and has more bells and whistles than I will ever use, but it just didn't meet my expectation on pulling power. It will pull 20 coal hoppers without spinning its wheels, will spin some, but go with 21, but can't get 22 started for lose of traction.

Pertaining to the original subject, about the dummy drive wheels, the following is the answer I just received from MTH:
Hi.  I am so glad to hear everything is working well with the engine
and your DCC system now.  We certainly did not intentionally mislead
customers regarding the drive wheels on the tender of the HO Triplex.
These wheels are referred to as drive wheels to differentiate from
the pilot track and trailing truck; it seems in retrospect it would
have been more clear if we had indicated which drive wheels were
powered and which un-powered.  Again, we did not intend to hide the
fact that these wheels were not powered or to mislead customers
regarding the number of powered wheels; I personally answered a
number of emails from customers on this issue letting them know that
these wheels were not powered.  I can see your point, and the fact
that we did receive a number of emails asking this, does lend itself
to the notion that we need to clarify this for future engines; I will
pass your email and comments on to our marketing department for
reference.  The HO line is a new venture for MTH and we do want to
make sure that we learn from any mistakes we make along the way.
Thank you,

Kirstin

I think prototype is not even in MTH’s vocabulary. I don’t even think they have a prototype screw in their O gauge line! But then again I have never seen a magnetic coupler on any real train! I think they even have air hoses to couple up too! So is there any model train on the market that is a true prototype?