I think I'm going with the #5 turnouts, if these turnouts' frogs can power the Spectrum 0-6-0 Saddle Tank steam switcher through the turnouts without stalling the loco at ~ 5 - 10 smph.  Input is appreciated.
  Thanks in advance.
  - John

Quote from: Hunt on May 16, 2007, 12:27:09 AM
John,
Where did you see an ad by Bachmann about a HO #4 turnout?

OK, where's the smiley showing my face turning totally red (and not from sunburn!)?  You're right.  Must've confused my teen years with the old HO Atlas snap-track and my 25-35 year-old years w/ N Atlas and Pico track.  This new stuff is alien to me.  Back then, we had to build even the electronics from scratch!  Just as reference, I was born in 1951....
John

Quote from: Hunt on May 14, 2007, 02:01:06 AM
Bachmann does not make a HO #4 turnout!

The HO E-Z Track Remote Turnout (Items No. 44561 and 44562) with the plastic frog has an 18” constant-radius divergent route.

Hunt, thanks, but I hope you won't hold it against me for calling the EZ-Track turnout a #4 -- after all, that's what Bachmann advertizes it as.

Since I'm interested in my locos not stalling on turnouts, I think I should go with the #5 turnout.

Any tips on energising the metal frog for DCC would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.  - John

I'm trying to build my first HO gauge railroad since 1971.  I aready purchased the EZ Track with #4 turnouts for sidings and #5 turnouts for crossovers.  The outside loop will be 18" radius and inside is 15" radius.  Because this is a holiday layout, I'll be using short locos (among them, a Spectrum 0-6-0 Saddle Tank steamer and several re-lettered 0-6-0's [the others are 0-6-0's w/ tenders).  This brings me to the crux of the question: The # 4 turnouts have plastic frogs and the #5 turnouts seem to have metal frogs.  The planned layout can use either #4 or # 5 turnouts for the inside sidings.  Which would provide greater engine running reliablity - the # 4 or the #5 turnouts?  The layout may or may not be DCC, depending on if I can get the track isolation needed for DC (DCC would sure simplify things, since I can always switch to DCC compatible steamers).

Quote from: Virginian on April 13, 2007, 08:44:55 AM
What is not working?  I am not real familiar with this product, but doesn't it have the contact strips in the plastic that contact the bottoms of the rails?  If so, plastic rail joiners aren't going to isolate anything.

The EZ Track designers seem to have forgotten that plastic rail joiners require either a cut-out or a slightly deeper groove through the first track tie so the thicker plastic joiners don't pull the track out of the molded railbed.  I've used Atlas HO sectional and Atlas and Rapido N sectional (I use sectional because it's easier for me, as a permanently disabled person to set up....).  Anyway, I should've bought one each of several manufacturer's sectional track to see which was best....  (sigh)  Live and learn, even at age 56....

John

Quote from: Paul M. on April 11, 2007, 06:57:16 PM
Make sure that the plastic rail joiners are Code 100... NOT Code 83, 70, 55 etc.

I'm using the recommended railjoiners and still nothing works.  Looks like straight DC is dead for me.  The Christmas Railroad Display is going DCC.  That'll simplify wiring, and a lot more....

Forgot to mention -- someone on the old forum wrote of leaving his model railroad on when the family went on vacation and a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 and a 4-6-0 running continuously for 8 days and nights over the Holidays and when he came back, both locos were happily running smoothly.  Wish he would repost that post, as it was a real eye-opener.
-- JM

Quote from: lanny on March 29, 2007, 07:50:17 PM
John (or anybeody),

Having found out that ICRR had some 4-6-0s in a more modern style than the 'Casey Jones', I have ordered a Spec 4-6-0 for an ICRR kit bash project.

Just curious ... your impression of how it runs. I have or have had all of the Spec steam from the 2-10-0 on up to the 4-8-2 Heavy and the 2-6-6-2 (except the 2-10-2) and they have all been smooth runners, though the 2-10-0 and the 2-8-0 don't have the pulling capability of the bigger Specs.

I'm curious what folks think of the 63" driver, high boiler (the undec Spec I ordered) as to running, tracking, pulling, etc.

Thanks!

lanny nicolet

I can only speak for it on a level, 15" radius, and standard DC track, as I'm still working on my first HO railroad since 1971, but mine pulled three 67' Model Power Harriman heavyweight coaches and a 72' (?) Rivarossi Baggage/RPO combine, but even on straight DC, she starts smoothly and seems happiest at ~ 45-~65 smph.  DCC would undoubtedly enhance performance.  Mine was NYC, w/crisp lettering on both loco and tender (Tender was a larger tender - somewhere between the Baldwin tender and the # 89731 USRA MEDIUM COAL TENDER [The USRA tender is a viable option to a tender upgrade, as could be the Spectrum Vandy Medium tender -- both available as seperate items and are DCC compatible]).  My only complaint is that on straight DC the LED headlight is blue until the loco reaches ~ 75 smph, then it turns blue-white.  My sense is that on DCC, the headlight should be flourescent white --- WHY on earth they used a blue-white LED instead of an amber or yellow color is beyond me.

Hope this helps.  - best, JM

4-6-0 w/63" drivers DOES negociate 15" radius curves, though the pilot coupler is parallel with outside rail, which makes double-heading is out. - JM

I have the 0-6-0T and it worked well on 15" radius curves.  On a flat curve, mine pulled 3 or 4 cars.  Works well on DC.  Had it converted to DCC by my hobby shop, but haven't converted test track to DCC.  Have never tried a 7% grade, and don't plan to.  Might have to double-head to push/pull one car....
JM

Thanks sincerely for help -- I finally got smart and called my local hobby shop - which I've dealt with since 1972 - and they may have plastic rail joiners which may work.  Keep you posted if you want.  I've also come up with another trackplan, so if one doesn't work, the other might.  At least with the new trackplan allows 2 trains to operate at the same time....
JM

I'm planning both passing sidings to be isolated, and each activated by 2 Atlas Snap Relays (one for the track blocks, one for four track signals - both the relays and both EZ track turnouts will be activated by one Atlas turnout switch).  Both siding tracks will be isolated.  All isolated track will be seperately powered as per standard DC wiring.
I know I need extra bracing, and am working on keeping it light yet strong;  and yes, 40"x6'6" is a bit small, but it IS a Christmas Layout which will be stored 9 months out of the year, and there is limited space both in the living room and the room where it will be stored.
I love steam, so all locos are versions of the inexpensive Bachmann USRA 0-6-0 -- one is the old Yuletide Special - with the Combine having seats and passengers inside, the other will be the Smokey Mountain Express relettered for the Christmas theme and pulling four 67' Harrimon cars, one converted to baggage/RPO, one a chair car, one a sleeper, and the tail-end car a diner/lounge -- all but the baggage/RPO have appropriate interiors and passengers....
I tried the Atlas Plastic Railjoiners and all they did was nearly pull the rails out of the EZ Track base....
I've been into model railroading on and off since age 13 (1964) [1952 if you count the Lionel Hudson my Dad put around the Christmas Tree at age one plus and "O" gauge 5'x9' layout he built to get me standing as therapy at age 9], so I'm no slouch at wiring, esp. since Dad and I built a pair of CDS's for N gauge turnout snap-motors, NJ Int'l snap-motor activated semaphores, and block detection circuits for a 24"x~60" reversing loop to reversing loop/oval 2 level "N" layout he and I built in the late 1970's-mid '80's (semaphores automatically showed main-line polarity in relation to reverse loops.  Unfortunately, dad's health started to deteriorate mid-'80's and I had to give up railroading 'til now.
Hope to hear ideas about plastic railjoiners and EZ Track, because it should be possible to add isolation blocks wherever needed.
JM

I'm trying to build a Christmas Layout and need advice w/Bachmann EZ Track/turnouts:
I'm planning a straight DC oval w/2 passing tracks on the curves, 18" radius curves, and a 2-track siding on a 40"x6 1/2' foam board.  Since it'll be DC and not DCC, and I have moderate to severe disability, I need to add plastic railjoiners - or something equally simple, since it takes time for me to cut plastic -- I can, but I don't want to wait 'till Christmas '08 to see it running.
Anybody got any good ideas?  The track is purchased, as is everything else.  Railjoiners are the only sticking problems, and I want railjoiners to keep track alligned.
John Murphy

Count me as both DC and DCC.  I'm currently trying to build a Christmas Layout in DC, but have had most locos converted to DCC for a full 9'x9' layout I plan for a hobby room -- although if I can't figure an easy way to put Plastic Rail Joiners on the Bachmann EZ Track to create simple blocks, I may be forced to go DCC on both layouts -- I have too much invested in track to do otherwise.      I really hate to give up those little 2-6-2 Prairies and 2-6-0 Moguls Bachmann has - even though they are just modified 0-6-0 Switchers....
   John Murphy

Sadly, Bob, those coaches, RPO's, baggage cars, and combines don't lend themselves to being taken apart, "re-interiored" and put back together.  I know, because I have about 12 of them when they were marketed by Walthers, and personally, I couldn't 'bash' them to the cars I wanted or needed.  They're great cars, but limited in 'kitbashing' for my ability.  Thanks for the tip, though.