Mr. Bachmann,
                        Further to a post by IHC360 about the lack of C.N. rolling stock, I was wondering if your company had any plans to bring out a 4-8-4 in C.N. livery.
   You do the 4-8-2 Hvy. Mntn. of which C.N. only had 79 locomotives but have neglected the 4-8-4 of which they had 182.  Please consider this great loco for future production either in C.N. livery or painted/undecorated.  DCC equipped would be nice, with sound would be even better. 
      I really like your products now that your quality control has improved immensely.

Regards, Limey.

Being a person north of the U.S. Border I can empathize with IHC650. I too am modeling the C.N. and would like more rollingstock. However not to put to fine a point on it, I think you will find that C.N. is now owned by more U.S. shareholders than Canadian. The current CEO is an American. If you look at the history of C.N. you will find that it has acquired a number of U.S. railroads, ( DW & P,  WC, ICG, CV, ) just to name a few. Many of these U.S. railroads have their rolling stock running all over the C.N. trackage. So unless you are modelling the early steam era, it is quite O.K. to run any of these railroads equipment on C.N. tracks.
   I can't comment on C.P. but I would imagine they too have a lot of U.S. subs.
Last I checked C.N. was the 5th. largest railroad in North America. having trackage right as far south as Mexico and as far north as Churchill, Manitoba.
    The last railroad acquired by C.N. was another Canadian railroad, that being B.C. Rail, formerly Pacific Great Eastern.

Regards, Limey.

Thanks Jeff, thats good to know. Limey

I maybe reinventing the wheel here, but being a little older and stiffer in the joints I was having trouble getting under my train table to install the Tortoise switch machines. So not wanting to take the layout apart to turn the table on their sides I figured there had to be an easier way.Using the paper template supplied with the Tortoise, I made a couple of more sturdy templates from Lexan clear polycarbonate. I drilled a 1/4 " hole for the wire that goes from the Tortoise to the switch throw rod and 1/16th inch holes for the mounting screws My tables, roadbed and subroad bed come to about 1 1/8th. inches thick.With the switch in position on the road bed I marked outside the two ties above and below the throw rod. I then removed the switch and using the roadbed centre line I located the centre point between the tracks where the Tortoise activation wire comes through.  I then drilled a 1/4" hole right through all three layers of table, sub road bed and road bed.Using a 1/4" x 2" bolt thru the template and the three layers I secured it from under the table with a wing nut. ( Finger tight ) I was then able to centre the template over the road bed and drill the mounting holes. I located the mounting screw holes under the table and marked them with a felt marker. I then installed the mounting screws and then removed them again. Doing this makes it easier to mount the Toroise later.Before mounting the Tortoise I use a 6 volt lantern battery and centre the throw wire, doing this also allows you see that the machine is working properly before you install it and also which way round the wires need to be ( + or - ) for proper operation for the main and branch lines.This works for me as my layout is not to thick ( 1 1/8" ) for all three layers. If your lay out is thicker you may have trouble locating a 1/16th. inch drill bit long enough to go right through.I hope this helps some of you, it's certainly a lot easier on my old bones.Regards, Limey.

Thanks Doneldon,  I knew there had to be a better way.  I tried to salvage some of the cork roadbed but without too much success, it had become dry and brittle and broke apart.

Limey.

On my first layout I used cork roadbed glued down with yellow glue and nailed my track down to it.
This time I want to go with using caulking and I was wondering if any of you gents (and ladies ) had a preference as to type and make of caulking. I would think that a brown or grey colour would be the least visible and easiest to cover.

Thanks, Limey.

Thanks Rich, this looks like a good site for the tender conversion.

I will try and learn how to send you a pic. of the Mehano 4.6.2 Pacific. In the mean time in answer to your questions, there is very little information with the model but I am pretty sure is of recent origin but not DCC ready.
     I haven't done the current draw test yet.
     I do have a pencil soldering iron and have done several decoder installs on other makes with success.
      I am hoping to get back to my modeling in the next week or two having taken a break for the summer to help a friend build and wire his new house. I will keep you posted on my success ( or failure ) with the Mehano.  Thanks again for your assistance.

Limey.

Thanks Jim Banner,
                                I think that's just about the only way I can go, I have already got the wiring connections to go from tender to loco, I have to make up the axle pickups for the tender and change the wheels.  When I first posted this thread I was trying to avoid any pitfalls when opening up the loco, I realise the pickups are on the loco at this time but how do I isolate the motor when I change to tender pickups.  I think richg has done this before and he offered to pass on his knowledge, for which I am most grateful.  I see no purpose in trying to re-invent the wheel and at my advanced years I am still eager to learn from others with humility.

BTW.  Geared Steam I already can crochet, cook, fly an airplane, drive a semi and navigate a ship.  I just don't know how to properly install a decoder in a Mehano 4-6-2 but I am willing to learn from others and say thank you to them.

Limey.

Thanks guys,
                      No I was not trying to double head, I got the Seaboard at a very good price and everything works great but since my theme is C.N. I thought it would just be a matter of hooking the Seaboard tender with the sound decoder in it to the C.N. and then just change the top shell of the tenders from Seaboard to C.N. but alas not so.  It seems you are both correct the wiring connections btn. the locos and their tenders are set up differently.  I guess I will have to re-herald the Seaboard to C.N..

Cheers,  Limey.

Hi guys,
              Recently bought a Spectrum 2-10-2 ( Sealand ) with sound and thought I would hook it up to the same model of loco ( C.N. ) but for some reason it will not work.

Since the decoders are located in the tenders and the signals are sent to the loco
I thought that as long as you use the correct address it should work.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks Limey.

P.s.   to richg.  I have uncovered my E.mail  add. now, could you send me the instructions for installing decoders in a Mehano  4-6-2 Pacific.

Thanks again.

Hi Rich,
             I would uncover my E mail address if I only new how, I am not very computer literate unfortunately.
            I did notice that The Bachmann has said it was O.K. for you to put on the site your "How To " info. So could you please help an olden out and do so.

Thanks, Limey.

BTW. I just got Bachmann 2-10-2 Seaboard with sound,   Wow what a difference the 21st. century makes.

Hi friends,
                 I have been trying to find a web site that tells ( shows ) how to install a decoder in a Mehano 4-6-2 Pacific. Any one have any knowledge of such a site or any
suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks.  Limey