Doneldon you have thrown me for a loop. "Just remember to turn the burner off when you aren't using it or it will burn out". Where the heck is the on/off switch for the burner? I have looked on both engine and coal car and don't see any switch? Perhaps this is an old model one that doesn't have it? All I see is the stack where I put the drops of oil in and what looks like a tiny coil in the stack that would heat up and create the smoke.
AND while I am on the the subject, how do I attach the engine to the coal car (or is it called a tender?). The car has a fix L shaped hook at one end and the typical C shaped hook with a tiny wire under that C shaped hook, the engine at the rear does not have any C shaped hook or hole for the fixed L shaped hook to attach to. There is a lip on the back of the engine that I assumed is how the two connect, use the fixed L shaped under the lio of the engine. Just seems odd there is no definitive way I see to connect the two. Also why is there a little wire on the bottom side of the C shaped hook? None of the cars I have have that little extra wire.

Soldering gun - it is a Voltage Pro 30 watt soldering iron. comes with a 5/32 fine point tip. It did come with a sponge to clean it but no flux. I was asked about what one I have. I did know to solder the outside rails but still working on getting nice clean solders.

My layout is tight. One reason why I am having problems getting the track to lay right. I wish I had gave myself a little more wiggle room on the layout but it is what it is or wish I had known more of track layout prior to all I have done so far. Given second chance I would use only flex track, but there is no second chance on this one so I will make it work. Soldering the joints will help a lot to keep it together.

Ballast - Once again Doneldon master mind of model railroading layout gave me some outstanding ideas for the ballast on my layout. I already went and tracked down my silver glitter to mix in with white sand (store bought kind) and I will finely crush up some blue or aqua glass beads I have and add it to the mix. white, sparkling, hints of blue/aqua/silver "ice" will look bitchin on that track bed, I can see it already. I don't mean to discount any information ANY of YOU that have given me advice, tips, opinions, Doneldon just hit the nail on the head for my particular layout. I have used sparkling nail polish on some of the edges of the homes and tree tips to give that extra little sparkle you get from that icy cold frozen snow.

I want to be sure I am getting mixtures right. Glue/water 50/50 mix. Alcohol/water/dish soap mix 25/75 with a drop of soap mix. There are plenty of how to vids out there to explain how they do it. I have seen guys do the inside track first, others do outside edges first or do both at the same time. I plan on doing the farthermost outside edge, that would be the inside of my oval track first then maybe the inside on ties then the outside edge which would be the outside edge of the oval track. Doing it this way in my head I am not reaching over something I already did and disturbing it. I will also work in small sections. It is a straight oval track, meaning I have no turn outs, tunnels, BRIDGES or cattle crossings, just a little hump to go over my stream. The tunnel I have I made and is removable for storage purposes.

I realize the glue goes between the track but I know I will get some of it by accident on the rails. So I wanted to know what to clean the tracks with if and when the glue gets on it. I do have brass and nickel silver tracks so good to know rust won't be a problem. Would Goo Be Gone work to clean the tracks? I have heard of Walhl clipper oil. To answer the questions about wattage of the soldering iron it is a 30 watt, good to know about the alligator or sponge trick. I knew the rails should not get hot or extremely hot as it were. I didn't melt any ties but those rails sure got hot. Didn't know about the flux paste well I do remember something about it but it didn't come into play in my mind at the time! I swear that solder gun has it in for me! You are correct about it will get better, come to think of it, I have left over track I can practice on, I think the tip is to dirty too. I just need to get back on line and watch some how to's on it. refresh my memory. I hadn't heard if other sources of ballast can be used or just the Woodland stuff. I am thinking sifted sand/gravel might work but then again I don't know so that is why I ask. Jward, you said "on ballast presoaked with alcohol applied with an eyedropper" not sure what you are staying, you use the eye dropper with alcohol and drop the alcohol on to the track bed first? the one youtube showed using alcohol in a spray bottle and spraying the heck out of it first, is that what you are saying? Sorry just trying to get all the info I can on the subject.

Just as I was going to post this a new reply came in from jbrock27, excellent I will go check it out. Thanks!
Didn't get to work on it as I hoped to tonight but tomorrows Friday and the weekend is soon upon me. Can't wait.

Hey guys! I had a three day weekend and sad to say I spent 75% of the time being frustrated with my layout. I was trying to add the Bachmann bridge to it. It comes with those little plastic bars in different heights to make the gradual climb for the bridge. Great concept of an idea and probably works for 99% of the people who use it but for me, back luck Martha, I just couldn't get it to work out. Either it kept falling apart or the track kept separating and then I tried to solder the track joints. Anyone who reads my post know soldering is not my cup of tea. I did more melting of the foam deck or burning my arms as I laid them on the scorching track (yeah hope I didn't warp any of them) and the solder well it just evaporates into thin air. I got one good solder and spent hours on  the others and gave up. I'm a stubborn ole gal and don't like to admit defeat but I did raised the white flag on the soldering and that stupid bridge well it's packed nicely back in its little box it came in. I can't find my extra rail joiners, heaven knows where I "stored" them. I then decided well I will just redo the little ramp system I had last year it worked okay. All I wanted is it to raise up a little to go over my stream to the lake. Don't know how to calculate the grade but the center highest point of this raised ramp/bridge is maybe an inch to inch and a half and it is a very gradual slope to it. I thought of wasting my money on those foam risers from woodlands scenics and then changed my mind. I will just do what I did last year, used foam board from the dollar store and glue to make it. Didn't get too far with that job, then I said well maybe I can find some material of some kind to make track bed. Seemed pretty spendie to buy it. another half day or more wasted on that idea. Another white flag defeat. Part way into my three day weekend my boss stopped by and gave me a nice little Labor Day cash bonus which I wasn't expecting so naturally I ran to Ebay and ordered that track bed.  I got the Woodland Scenics track bed in the 24ft roll and to my happy surprise Omni Models (where I bought it from) distribution center is in Reno, so I got it the next day. I did the happy dance. Oh come on you guys know, that little dance you do when no one is looking cause you are happy. Seems easy enough to install, I say that so easily ha ha my luck I will need a 4 day weekend to install it! Of course I doubt I will like the gray foam showing so I guess ballast is next. Does it ever end working on these? I am laughing as I type that last sentence. I know my layout/village will continuously change year after year as I really do like to get frustrated and annoyed and throw a lot of white flags around!
The frame work. I did get the MDF as I said however after dismantling the layout I found most of the 1 by stuff I had already was okay and I just added more structure to it with the MDF and basically only added a small amount of weight to it. It is much sturdier now and still manageable for me. that took up a big chuck of my weekend too as I had to cut, attach, then re-glue the foam to the framework, my cat seemed quite upset there was this big thing laying in the middle of her living room floor with a table flipped upside down on it for weight, a sewing machine and books also used to weigh the foam down to the framework. But as cats go, she was only awake for 5 or 10 minutes before she went back to sleep and later upon waking simply ignored it and me.
Ballast question. I've seen how to on youtube to ballast, some seem quite complicated. Others pretty straight forward. My question, the rubbing alcohol water mix should be used? One of them said it helps make the elmers glue adhere better and dry faster. another question, is Woodlands Scenics ballast the only ballast you can use? What about the fine sand they sell to do sand art? anyone try that or familiar with that? Can you sift regular sand/fine gravel and use it? I hadn't thought much about ballast however now that I have the gray foam track bed on a winter white snow scene I think it might stick out and I doubt you can paint the track bed?
I saw in another post on this forum the discussion on the steam trains pros and cons. seem cons win out. I did specifically buy my Prairie because it steams now I don't know what to do. I think in my situation I would like it to steam only when someone comes by to see my Village, which might be twice this winter so I guess it won't mess things up to much? It's not like I am going to put that oil in the stack every time. Or does using it once or twice going to mess up the tracks? Oh speaking of tracks. back to ballast. won't the glue or alcohol mess up the tracks? seems both will get on the tracks. will all I have to do is just clean them? will the glue be hard to get off the tracks? I don't plan on smearing the tracks with the glue but it sure seems some glue may end up on them. None of the how to's discussed that part. What about the alcohol/water mix, won't that rust my tracks?
One last thing, it took all I had over this last weekend in between the frustration not to buy another complete Bachmann train set, it had probably ten cars, engine, track, some landscape/people all in boxes for 69.99 at a 2nd hand store. I still see that cute little plastic wrapped up package sitting on the shelf in the toy department. No telling if it worked however when someone keeps the boxes for these trains and the track what I could see looked in good shape. I would bet it was in good running order. I just couldn't justify buying it.
Well time to go and work on that track bed or at the very least take it out of the box it came in. Thanks all for advice and comments.

Hmmm don't know what happen to my last reply, oh well. I bought MDF for the frame work, hope it will work. I don't mind predrilling matter of fact I even counter sink the screws. Questions, foam or cork track-bed? Tips on Ballast? Can any dirt/gravel work? I am always on the hunt for free or cheap deals and I spotted across the street a pile of nice clean looking gravel, the kind they use for landscaping, so it got me to thinking about adding ballast. Foam risers. How would I know the incline I would like to do? I see they sell 4% incline, is that typical? and suggestions to save on the risers? I see they are 20-30 bucks. Heck I think I could buy foam someplace cheaper but then again not sure if I should or not. Thanks for the tip on the electrical go to guy. He will be hearing from me once I get this platform done. Gez seems I just did that a year ago! I just get new ideas and to be honest "Prairie" is so darn cool and just zips around that track even goes up and over my small incline with no effort at all, I think it deserves a much nicer track and layout to travel on. Oh I do have one concern, this loco has the two tiny wheels in the front that run inside the track, I am guessing to keep it on the track, it seems they are very temperamental and easily run off the tracks. Is this due to the track alignment or lack of good alignment? Are these something people remove because they seem to cause derailments? Tips, opinions, suggests are all greatly appreciated and I look forward to any and all comments. Oh do you have any videos of your lay out I could watch, I would love to see what you all do with your model railroading.

Thanks for input on road bed. I will check it out. I need to "sandwich" my platform between the foam and a stiff something, right now using stiff cardboard just not big enough to cover the whole layout, so I need to investigate something else. Reason for "sandwich" is to hide all the wires I have. Remember I am the nut job who likes lights, the more the merrier. And I finally have all the lights wired for quick release connections. I wish I knew electronics and electric wiring. I know there has to be a better way to run all the wires to one power connector. Not to a power bar like you would for your computer, printer, etc that needs power. But a power strip? Heck I don't know what its called but I see at hobby lobby they have a power strip that you connect miniature house electrical to it. has several pin type plug ins and you can buy the wire with the pins attached. Guess there is a positive and negative side for each electrical thing you want to run power to. Half of my lighting has power adapters that I think reduce the power down so it doesn't burn out the tiny lights? see not even sure if that is correct. I don't know how to use an ohm meter and would that even help? See just too many questions on that subject. I will just keep the wiring they way I have it. At least it's hidden. Well off to Home Depot to get me some supplies!

I should had been more descriptive in the foam category. It is 1" extruded foam. The pink panther kind. It's really nice stuff. I used it for them platform and for ice mountain and the train tunnel and the big mountain things I built to go on the platform. It is foam and I didn't think about gluing it on. The wood frame work is 1 by, not for sure 1 by 1.5 or 1 by 1. basic soft wood cheapo wood. I did buy glue to use with this type of foam to glue down some things. Not all glues work well with foam and the last thing I wanted was "melting" foam. Seen it happen with my foam fishing bobbers any how. I will use the glue I have and I already know I need to buy more 1 by wood and this time I think I will spend the extra and get oak. That cheap crap that is bent,  buckled and as straight as Route 66 on the backside of Oatman, AZ. isn't' worth the few bucks it cost. Oak will give me better support, see I am trying to keep the weight to a minimal. I have to move this around, store it and drag it back out. I don't have the luxury of making this a permanent figure in my apartment. I also know I need to bring the support post out as this cantilevers out the front edge of my entertainment center. I doubt I just explained that very well. Caulking guns who the heck designed them? That is one "tool" I can't use. It's such a simple design but for the life of me. either the caulk is oozing out after I have stopped applying it (and released the handle) or it won't come out at all. I just buy the caulk/glue in tubes, cut the tip off and have at it. I still haven't gotten to the track yet. I need to drag out the stuff I have stored, extra track, rail joiners etc and see what I have or don't have. Now my mind is thinking I need rail bed for the track. Right now it was just glued down to the foam. Not sure why I think I need it but I am not sure if it will make a difference in the way the track lays on the platform. I know there is pro and cons on that subject and would love to hear your opinion on it. Can't think of any other questions or concerns at this time. Eventually I will have this all worked out. I just can't wait to get my "baby" up and running. Thanks again everyone for the help.

My "baby" arrived today! She's beautiful, well not sure if it's a he or she. But something that pretty must be the female gender. This steam loco compared to that old diesel is like night and day. I am so surprised how quiet it is. I am having track problems, but several things are probably to blame, been stored for months, track needs to be clean. joiners tightened or replaced. I tried the oil but since it derails more often than stayed on the track today, I just gave up on it. No sense trying when I know the track needs work. Sorry to say the whole layout frame work came apart and now I have two sections. Top and bottom to put back together. That's okay. There were things I wanted to redo anyhow so made it easy since it all fell apart. Doesn't speak well of my construction capabilities! I guess I have to figure out how to attach the stiff foam top part to the wood supporting it. I used dry wall screws but they just pulled thru. any suggestions?

Thanks for all the advice. Once I get my new "baby" home and the layout dragged out, cleaned up and try it out (mechanically) then I will try the oil. If I have to run it at high speed, I doubt I will be able to use it. Seems the diesel if run at sorta high speed derailed, flew off the layout on to the middle of my living room floor. after hours of messing with it to get it back to working order, I don't go too fast with it. I am pretty sure I have the radius's too tight. Any how, once it try this Steam loco out I will know whether or not I purchased the right loco. My gut feeling is I have. Sound. the MRC is creeping way up there and not feasible for me or my layout to pay that much. The small battery operated hand held makes 4 different steam loco sounds looks more like it. Then again. for the few times I will actually use sound. I could just record it on a tape recorder and play it when I want sound. My problem is control! I get these ideas in my head and run with them. The only person I am doing this for is ME. It's nice to have people oh and ahh over it but in reality it's for me. I don't need a fifty dollar sound system or a new Dcc or what ever they are now called controllers. I have the old fashion turn it this way forward and that way backwards. Now if I had a larger home and a room dedicated to this....... yeah I'd be addicted to it. This is what I'd be going for! LOL http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/exhibit/video/4-minutes-wunderland/ now this is some serious model railroading in my opinion.
I am going to do all the suggestions with the track. I did buy new railer's last year but not sure if I used them on all the track. I also think stuff had accumulated on the track as I kept adding more "stuff" to the village. I tried to clean it, but can't reach all the track where I finally had it set up. So I now know more than I did last year and can't wait to dive into it.
Doneldon I had to laugh your comment about talking more to me than wife. Dragon Boat races, never actually did them but did cheer on my co-workers at the time, in Laughlin, NV. I will take into advisement all your have said about the oil, no scented oil, I think it would be novel to see a whiff of smoke come out of it from time to time.
Will keep you all up to date as things progress at Jamestown. oh my "baby" has been shipped, in Wisconsin right now and should be here early part of next week!

Okay so I am extremely excited and hope to continue that excitement once my new "baby arrives. Its' a  Bachmann Rio Grande 2-6-2 Steam locomotive and tender car. I found one on ebay, new unused, unopened, still in the box. it has lights and smokes and comes with smoke oil. jez I won't sleep until it gets here! once I know it's shipped I will be dragging my layout out of storage to get ready for the new "baby". I hope it is all I hope it will be. I don't know what the 2-6-2 means so maybe someone can enlighten me. I paid under fifty dollars so I hope that was a good price. If it doesn't work well it doesn't work. I don't remember if all my rail joiners were replaced with the new ones I bought last year and thanks for reminding me to check that. that could very well be the problem. I also noticed last year I had to shimmy and tweek the lay out so the loco would keep going and not stop. Is there a reason I had to do that? I don't have a grade so to speak for it to climb. just has to go over a low "bridge" I put in. To be honest I think I was so disappointed I had bought a diesel loco to begin with and then tried to "fit it in" with a village that is not of the diesel age. Hey live and learn. I have a grand son who has been fascinated with trains since he was 2 so maybe he will get my extra unused stuff. He's five now maybe not quite the age yet to actually set up something instead of just pretending they are running on rails. I certainly have enough "stuff" boxed up I won't use. He lives 2700 miles.
Now any suggestions or tips for using the oil to make smoke? Does the oil go "bad" from sitting around? Can any oil be used. My mind is thinking the candle type oil, scented. Yes I am female and think the jasmine or honeysuckle oil just might be nice, or for Christmas the cinnamon or pine scented but I don't want to screw up the loco so?? Oh I saw someone on youtube demonstrating there Bachmann that smokes with the oil and she was saying you had to run the engine at full speed to get it to work? Even as a novice I couldn't understand why? I thought maybe the oil just has to heat up to work? So any tips on that part.

Now on to sound. I have found on line 3 different approaches (not sure if that is the right wordage) to get me some sound to this new layout. First one Modeltronics Sounds for Locomotive "stack talk" light unit. It's on ebay for 9.99 free shipping. Next. Steam train sound music module, its a small plastic device you can choose many variations to produce train sounds. It is 9.99 free shipping. Last is the big guns MRC sound station 312 model railroad sound. 9.99 plus 15.50 shipping. the last one seems to be a bit over kill for what I am doing. a few months out of the year creating train sounds. Any suggestions?

Since I have very few visitors at Christmas, family 2700 miles away. I basically do this for my enjoyment. I don't have a problem when I power up my train to switch on a little box to make sound. Heck I am considering recording steam locomotive sounds on youtube and just playing it back.

Okay went on long enough.  oh great just got a ebay notice the Bachmann Jupiter I was watching is only ten bucks and auction is ending soon. Okay no more Ebay looking for me!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks all to you for your advice and support. oh crap, thought I heard my mailman delivering my Bachmann Rio Grande! False alarm.

See this is why I come to the Bachmann forum site. Thoughtful, smart people who aren't condescending to someone who doesn't know much about trains, scales, layouts, terminology, etc etc. I am royally kicking myself in you know where since last December for not buying what appeared to be a steam locomotive with the coal car for 15 dollars at thrift store! When I say steam locomotive, I mean the old fashion looking ones, black with smoke stack, many wheels along the sides of it. I just wasn't sure if it was HO Scale. no one there had a clue and I just was short on funds and spending 15 dollars on something I couldn't use well...... I didn't buy it. So now I have great ideas from you all to look into. My scale of the layout to HO to people to anything is a mix match of stuff. When it is all done and set up it gives me pleasure to watch it, I am sure it would make a true model railroaders hair stand on end seeing it out of scale. And I mean that in the nicest sense of the word. I might be wrong on this next assumption, planning, building, setting up, tweaking this and that basically building your layout is the more enjoyable part than just turning on power and have a train and cars going around a track. The setting up, building, planning my village is what keeps me doing it. Yes cute to see the train going around but it will be cuter once I track down and buy Sound affects as suggested and maybe not worrying if there is steam (smoke, some form of vapor) coming out of the trains smoke stack. I am already daydreaming of what can I add to it this year. I am so limited on space to set this up. the only way I can go is up and I may just figure out how to make maybe a long winding road up to the top of a mountain or something like that not for the train to go up but maybe more houses and people.  This simple village of mine is so addicting when it's time to get it out and set it up, I am pretty sure by Oct 1 I will have pulled it out and started on setting it up this year. I can only imagine how addictive (in a good way) model railroading is. Oh boy there is so many things to do with it, really cool stuff and well its one of those things a few people can understand the intense interest it can create. As for the remark of a keepsake, I hope my grandchildren will get to see it one day. They live on the east coast, I'm on the west coast. They get to see videos of it now and love it. I know I will be back to the forum as last year I still had power issues but just lived with it. I will be asking how to bring direct power to each track section I believe that is what I need to do, it slows on some sections and then goes faster on others. It is old brass colored mixed in with some flex track that's silver color. Well I have taken up enough of your time. I will go look into all your great suggestions. I will be back with updates. OH one more question. Suggestions or recommendations for the most inexpensive table type scroll saw or band saw. I do many other crafts that I think I could use one. It would be for cutting thin wood or maybe plastics, really not for sure what all I would cut but I want to cut shapes not just chop wood off. Something that I can use different blades for cutting wood, tin, aluminum. etc. I have no work shop. my dining room table is it! and my office desk Mon-Fri. and where I eat occasionally if crafts or the office use hasn't taken over. So small table topper is what I need. Thanks again! Martha

So I am already thinking about my Christmas village I created last year and decided upon completion I didn't like the Diesel looking locomotive I had used. My question to you is ..... Do you know a brand name or model or what ever you may call it for a HO scale Steam locomotive that actually emits Steam (vapor) and whistles? and doesn't cost a fortune? Is there such a thing? If not is there one that just steams or just whistles? I don't need track or cars just a cute little steam engine putting around my village. This village is not up all year so the money spent for an engine needs to be low. As always the help I get from you all is exceptional so thanks in advance. Oh I don't need a brand new one of these, a used working one is fine. Anyone have one for sale or are we not to ask about selling stuff on this forum?

Ho Ho Ho.  I Finally have my Christmas Village up and running. I doubt I would have if I didn't find this forum, so good to my word.  Here is a link to my youtube post. If this link does not work, search youtube My Christmas Village Jamestown. http://youtu.be/oUJ_GeMuWbo be sure to use jamestown in the search.

Be Sure to watch to the end.

I know things I did wrong, I know things I will redo next year, I know I want a Steam chugging locomotive not the diesel I have now. Love that chug chug, steam release bell clanging critter. Yeah can you tell I am NOT a model railroader! I do thank all of you for the support. I wish you all A Merry Christmas or whatever you may celebrate at this time of year. and Peace on Earth so our troops can come home. Happy New Year. Thanks once again.

hello there, been busy with "Jamestown". I think I have most of the bugs worked out on the train layout. I do have a question for you. is there a "trick" to keeping the caboose on the track? Seems too light weight, is shorter than the other cars and they have those tiny plastic wheels and couplers and the slightest bump or on some curves it will derail. It doesn't do it each and every time but it does it more often than not. The box car and tanker cars seem to be heavier and stay on the track, they are also a longer wheel base. I could just eliminate it however to me a train going down that ole track isn't a train without that caboose at the end. So any suggestions would be appreciated. I am working on the lighting now for the town, oy, that is so tedious and I am trying to tie it all in to only a few quick disconnects, which is working out quite nicely (the quick disconnects). Taking it down after the holiday is going to make it so much easier and better to store. Will keep you updated on the progress, you seem interested and I like sharing the progress with people who understand the time and effort it takes to set things up like this.

Well I think I learned many things with these resent replies. One thing I know for sure and learned it after the fact is the tip of that soldering iron. I am sure that is why I am not having the sucesse I should be. I didn't know about cleaning the tip, wondered why there was a sponge included, now I know! the tip, well it ended up with this tiny long skinny metal like thing at the end. Hard as a nail and I eventually snipped it off with a wire cutter. So I think the tip is history and a second one came with it but of course can't seem to lay my hands on it so ..... I will need to get more tips and flux. I am sure that is probably another reason why I am having the difficult in a good solder. I know I didn't flip a house breaker with the control box, I just think they are old, I turn them on they sit for long periods and are quite warm to the touch on the bottom of them. and I'm not even running the train, so I need to stop doing that. doubt it's a good thing. Once it's all said and done. glued down, joiners crimped tighter, soldered, leads run if needed, I will be so happy. It's been a long venture one, I didn't expect to take so long but all in all its not been that bad. Once Jamestown is complete, up and running I will figure out a way to post it so those of you interested can view it, probably on YouTube. Tonight I finished detailing Jamestown Mountain. Has fire tower, deer, rocks, shrubs, snow, a miner and his three legged donkey (so I dropped it and it broke, can't find the leg!) its lighted, has twinkling lighted tree, its just cool and I am very pleased on how it turned out, it will be the third removable addition to the platform. thanks again for all the help. will keep you up to date on the progress.

Yippee I finally got the rail joiners in the mail. replaced all the old ones and what an improvement! I do notice they are much loser than the original ones and that may be so they work on both 100 and 83 track (just a guess know so little about MR) no big deal but now have a question. Theoretically if I glue down the track with tight connections, I won't need to solder the rail joiners? I am having a hard time soldering, not sure why. the solder doesn't seem to want to "melt". I am using the stuff that came with my soldering kit. and I have to admit I don't have flux. I watched a video that showed the guy was heating up the rail with the soldering iron and then placing the solder on the rail (he didn't use flux or they didn't show he did). it just melted right into that rail. then he used the iron to smooth out the solder along that joiner. what a nice looking result he had. Mine well looks like a first grader did it.  Actually it wasn't that bad but very little solder was actually on the rail. How much do I need on it to make it secure? I'm not trying to short cut the procedure, by not soldering I just don't know if it will be that necessary if the track is nice and secure.

Another question is IF after I glue it down, secure the joints and there is still power issues, can someone direct me to a video or explain how I go about running extra power to each rail or to rails that seem to lose power. Think I understand the process but sure don't want to screw anything up this far down the road. Oh issue I had yesterday. The power/control box just quit. Do they over heat? I have 2 so I just hooked up the other one and used it. In the past when I had my first power issues with the locomotive I had dropped and the wheels were on wrong, it tripped the built in circuit breaker, is that what might be happening now? These are the old style control box.

I do have to admit I was acting like a child yesterday when I actually was able to have the locomotive, a box car and the caboose go around the track several times before it derailed. (joints separated of course). I was clapping and doing a happy dance. Then I was even more happy when I won on ebay auction 7 sets of mini chasing lights to add to the village (they have been shipped not placed on the wagon train for delivery). Which is now know as Jamestown, named after my daddy who passed in 1995 and was my hero. So yesterday was a good day. Guess I will hang onto the other stuff as many of you have suggested who knows, I am looking to move any how! Thanks again for all your help!