[/quote]You have to clean yours that often? I cleaned mine with Blue Magic metal polish back in '05 and haven't had to clean it again since, just a quick wipe down with a clean cloth once in a while.
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Well I really don't know how long I can run them without cleaning, I clean the track with the polish about every 6 months, I believe in maintaining my layout to avoid problems. Besides being retired I have the time and it's all part of routine. I also put a little grease/oil in the gear boxes on the loco's.  every once in awhile.

I find that using MAAS or FLITZ metal polish is the best for me. I use a dowel with a soft cloth such as an old worn out tee shirt wrapped aroun the end and apply a small amount then wipe clean. Years ago we evend used Colgate toothpaste. I have a lot of mountains with tunnels and reach in to get most of the track, some mountains I have removeable panels. Any abrasive is "bad" because it puts micro scratches in the metal and you have to constantly clean it, I've heard some modelers have to clean track every time they run trains. I clean mine once every 6 months or so with the polish. Another thing is to make sure you clean the wheels on all loco's and cars, else you put the "crud" right back on the track.

By the way I have all track metals on my layout, Nickle Silver, Brass and even steel. If you use Backmann easy track (black roadbed) it's steel. I clean the steel with the polish and put an extremely light coat of WD 40 on the rails if you see sparks under the loco wheels.

Since I'm retired, I run my trains at least 3 times a week, the more you run them the less cleaning you have to do!

I've used EZ command for 4 years. I bought it to try it and learn how DCC functions. I thought if  I liked it I would move on to one of the more expensive DCC units. EZ Command is cheap by comparison, but very basic and simple. The regular basic unit that has the controller and DCC Loco is where I started. I can run only 2 DCC loco's plus one analog, so 3 trains total. I bought the 5 amp booster and for about half the price it is today about 3 years ago when they hit the market. I got it on Ebay. With the booster I can run 9 DCC loco's and 1 analog. Very simple to use and easy to follow instructions both written and on a cd. You have to assign each loco to one of the 1-9 numbers on your hand held controller. #10 is for analog. #3 is the default #. In other words if you take the Bachmann loco out  of the box and run it with factory settings, it's setting is defaulted to #3. You can change that by following the instructions that come with it. I run Atlas, Bachmann both blue box and spectrum, Stewert and Athern all DCC with no problem except one blue box decoder went bad out of the 26 DCC loco's I own. Keep in mind the other popular brands you can run up to or log 99 locos. I run 6 trains at one time and it can get quite confusing at times. I normally run no more than 3 trains, that's enough for me to take care of. With Bachmann you still get all the chuffs, brake squeal, bells, whistle and lights. You cannot however change the tone's with EZ command, with the other models you can. The only real adjustment on EZ Command is the running lights on your loco's and of course the speed control for each loco and direction while on the same track or line.

I'm sure there are many others who have the "better" more expensive models. I haven't had any trouble with mine and run trains at least 3 times a week. I'm retired and on a fixed income now and at this time can't see any reason to buy a more expensive unit. I haven't had any serious problems with my EZ Command unit or the booster and haven't read on any forums that suggest that they are troublesome to  those that own and use them, it's just you can't do with these as you could do with the more expensive units.

The sounds of the bells, whistles, brake squeal, etc. are if you have loco's that have the sound decoder card. Not all DCC loco's have sound cards!

Corey....visit a Local Hobby Shop and purchase a basic "how to" magazine for beginners on model railroading.

Hello Corey, the track is the most important part of trouble free model railroading so take your time and then you only have to do it once. I don't know what you have your layout on, plywood, styrofoam, homasote, etc. I used homasote roadbed glued on plywood and I merely pushed the spikes through with a pair of pliars. If your using styrofoam I would think a water base adheasive or some use latex caulking compound for the track and roadbed. On plywood with cork roadbed I would use contact adheasive to glue the cork to the plywood and then use the track nails with the nail set as the above poster stated. All track sections should be soldered on the outside of the rail. Depending on the size of your pike you may have to install a buss line to carry the current to the further reaches of your track. Also temperature and humidy must be taken into consideration especially in areas of hot to cold climates. You must allow a gap where the rails join each other to allow for expansion and contraction, cause they will move.

Geez..I forgot the topic. I am switching to kaydee a little at a time. Right now I have 24" & 22" radius curves and use McHenry talgo couplers on the long passenger cars, it just makes it easier to go around the tight curves. I believe kaydee is the only way to go in most cases!

Quote from: Woody Elmore on August 23, 2008, 03:41:34 PM
Really? I thought the reason for banning lead shot is that it polluted the environment.  It gets into the water supply.

Lead shot in migratory birds! I really think the lead shot is ingested by waterfoul as another poster stated. If you make giblet gravey from the foul or eat the gizzard such as some do I suppose there is a risk you could swallow lead shot.  As far as poluting the envirionment, lead does not migrate. I went to a program invloving lead envirionmental cleanup, it was part of the program involving rifle ranges. The biggest concerns were the old lead paint and lead contain soldered copper plumbing joints. Until about the early 60's all paint contained lead and toddlers would chew on it. Most new plumbing these days are plastic.

I have worked with lead for most of my life from hand casting lead bullerts for competitve shooting since my teens to working in the field of maufactuing explosives, which are all lead base powders, such as lead styyphnate, red lead boron, lead azide, 50/50 lead salt. These powders for the explosive industry are still maufactured from lead base. Though working with lead we had a medical staff on the plant and it was policy that blood tests for lead every 6 months. It does expel from the body through excretion. I have never been found to be above my base line. I'm 64 and still cast bullets from lead. I have never had a problem with lead poisoning. I follow RULES using lead. I never melt lead in enclosed areas. I never stand over the pot with my face over the molten material and always wear leather welders gloves. Wash my hands before eating anything even a piece of chewing gum. I have always kept it away from my children and grandchildren.

I found that using the old lead shower basin's or the lead bins from torn out plumbing works great. It's about 1/16 inch thick and cuts easily with a pair of tin snips and that is what I weigh my cars with.

I'm looking for the same thing! Jim

Hi and welcome, I startred back in the hobby not as a collector but am now retired and been working on my layout for 2 years and enjoy every minute of it. I learned a lot by asking questions on this and other train forums, and saved a lot of money following directions given by others in the hobby. Lurk and read all you can. Here's my other favorite site http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/. Also try out yahoo searches, tons of info on the web. Jim

First of all, that is one beautiful piece and I can't begin to think about the amount of time you must have spent building it. You may get lucky and someone will bid on it. As far as you bidding on your own item, no! And if you get caught with doing "shill bidding" that will most definitely end your eBay membership. Please read or reread sellers responsibility and liability on their website. Visit the site map. Also I might add, be patient. Most serious bidders will either bid very early, but most bidders will bid or snipe in the last minutes and seconds of your listing. I love snipers!
Second, I am a seller on eBay with over 1100 feedback and have acquired Power Seller status with all positive, no neutral, no negative or mutual feedback, one of the lucky ones or it is because I am honest with my description and I do ship within 24 hrs of payment and I do answer all questions asked. I also sell on 2 other web sites and am just a buyer and small seller for now. I started out as a buyer on eBay about 6 years ago and had around 350 feedback before I started selling. eBayers are skeptical about buying from anyone for any item with a zero feedback. Acquire some feedback by bidding on inexpensive items, a good start with about 100 feedback positive, no negatives if you want to pursue selling. And do read all feedback on your buyers and your sellers before bidding or selling, it you see negatives, read the responses, some buyers and sellers get themselves in quibbles over $1.00 items and leave neg feedback. And some are retalitory negs and neutrals. I must say I have not had a problem with over 200 sales on eBay with model trains category, the buyers are some of the best. Do go to the seller forums and buyer forums and lurk for awhile, as well as Pay Pal forums. This way you get a good idea of what works and what don't. Good Luck and Be Prepared for the "good and bad" of Internet selling. Most people are honest that sell and buy, do not do international shipping at least until you get your feet wet. Good Luck again, Jim

We all have to bend or cut and I wonder why the maufacturer's don't bend them at the right height!

I had a lot of track that was stored for 35 years, brass, steel, nickle silver and a lot of it was not nice at all. Anybody else would have thrown it out, switches included. I used WD40 and a scotch brite pad and they look and work as good as new. Even the nickle silver was terrible cruddy. I run my trains alot , 4 days a week, I'm retired, the more you run them the less maintenance on the track. I had to wipe the ties with alcohol when I balasted. And I do clean it with either Flitz polish or Maas if I do scenic work. So I am one of those guys who admits using steel, brass and nickle silver. And it's powered DCC. But I also run analog, especially if the grand young'ns are here. Jim

Use cheap latex cauking to fasten track to foam. You can temporailly put nails or weight it down with a heavy flat object until caulk dries. But be warned, your train may run quiet on the foam, but it gets very noisey when and if you balllast it. I'm an old timer and used homasote and plywood. In my humble opinion it's still the best. Jim

Hey Bo, I guess I just got lucky and only had one bad failure. I still run my sub's through with no problem. I did have to do some filing on the points when I first installed, but experience taught me to check it out before installing. I can't put manual throws on because they're under the bench out of operating reach. Unless I install some kind of cable to operate manually. If they fail I'll put in Peco or Atlas. I had to dig out an old, very old Lionel transformer from probably from 1917-1930, it looks like a telegraph key, to power up the Peco's. This thing puts out 20 volts AC. Those suckers snap now when you hit the buttons. I'm selling stuff on eBay, cleaning out my train room from old stuff, Lionel, got $700.00 this week for old stuff, now I can buy new stuff to replace the old stuff. Anybody seen George Carlin on here! Hey gotta send you some pics of my bowl of snakes. I just got tools and stuff laying on it any place I can find. But I'm having fun.  I run 4, 15-20 cars on top and 2 subs on the bottom, all at once. Dang it does look like a bowl of snakes.
I'll keep in touch. Jim

I found out that Bachmann switch's are not perfect, many aren't believe me, including Atlas, or Peco. If you watch while the car is moving through the switch, it's either derailing as it hits the section of track that moves or the wheels are not gauged.  Make sure the very tip of the rail that moves  is tapered, not blunt or square. I found this on 2 of Bachmann switch's and had to very, very carefully file with a jewelers file to a point on the side, file the inside where it rests against the hard rail.  Another thing wiith the same piece of track that moves is the very tip of the point on that rail may not be against the main rail, that it's switched to. If that's the case carefully , very carefully, using long or neddle nose pliars, bend the tip so it just rests against the rail, DO NOT OVERBEND.   Another thing I found is that when you're watching does the wheels of the car seem to ride up? If so get yourself a wheel gauge, most cars are way off from the factory in the spacing between the wheels and absolutely will cause derailment. Just one more thing. It could be that the car is too light in weight. Adding weight to the car is very important. Hope this helps, Jim