Hmmmmm, this is an interesting question! I have 3 sets of rails, 2 main lines and 1 yard rail. They are all approximately 150 feet long, plus a 6 shelf display cabinet that takes up entire wall and all are powered by a single unit with a 8 amp booster, that I only use when I fire up my MTH HO train, which likes 16 volts. Included are 16 lighted passenger cars and 12 lighted caboose. I found out that if I keep all units a minimum of 8 feet away from section where the track wires are attached, when I shut down, I have no start up problem. My display connection is between power supply and rails and I had to install a disconnect switch to correct the problem there. Once I am powered up, I can throw the switch and power the display to demonstrate those units. All units, 17 trains and all with their own cars, are DCC with sound. I soldered all my joints, however, and developed an expansion problem resulting in loosing connections. I corrected this by my own invention of an expandable soldered connection! I used extra small phosphor bronz wire, bent it in shape of a square horse shoe and placed at connections that came loose. This allows a small expansion crack with no power lose. But I have a camera train to help me find them, however. It is powered from the track and will let you know when you have a bad rail connection. I didn't learn all of this overnight, however, as it was a 6 year trial and error method. But anyhow, that is part of the fun of railroading. I don't have much fun anymore, as it all runs trouble free now! Happy motoring!

Rains train, that was what I was talking about. All the pre-orders were canceled and auctions removed!

BaltoOhioRRfan, How much are they selling for and how can I get in touch with you?

Hey Bachmann,
I just bought a pack of your #44914 decoders to work on a couple of consist I have. I just found out there is no Mars light function control on them. I checked the rest of your decoders out and they all seem to be like that. Do I have to go with another brand? I guess I am just stuck with these or will trade them off.

The Russians had a Nuclear powered train that was a dud many years ago. It was kept top secret, but some info leaked out. I had an artist rendition of it and a report on my old PC that crashed on me and I lost all the info. It was about 50% longer than the Big Boy and was 2 stories high. I think they called it "Big Joe". The story said they got it about 100 feet outside the building where it was constructed and one of the reactors had a melt down and it sunk up in the permafrost, right where it set. They wanted to hold the "big loco" record, but had to cover up their blunder. I have not been able to find the article again. If anyone has any info on it, could you let me know.

Has anyone heard any news on the release of the MTH HO Triplex? Has other problems developed? The release date was supposed to have been on Jan 8, but no dealers I have contacted has heard anything. I have heard of the derailing problem, and it's fix, and also of the gear stripping on the rear drive wheels. Now I have heard that the pre-orders can't be honored! At least the real Triplex made it to the rails before it was declared a dud!

Does anyone know a web site that will give the different sizes of diesel locos? I think the DD40AX is the biggest, but where does like the SD80 fall in, at its size? How far up does the GP numbers go and is a larger number always mean a larger engine? I thought the DD40 was the same as a DD40AX, but now that I have both, I see that the AX is about .75" longer than the plain DD40. I was tryng to find a SD80 and it seems that Kato is the only one who makes them and road schemes is very limited. There seems to be more of them in N scale, however.

I just received following reply from Kirstin Martinez at MTH Electric Trains:

Hello.  Thank you for contacting MTH Electric Trains.  We appreciate
your interest in the new MTH HO Triplex, and can certainly understand
your concerns regarding the issue brought about in the review.  Our
production and service departments has looked into the problem that
Tony's Trains encountered with the Triplex and spoken to them about
the situation. We have found that the cause of this issue was that the a pipe in the front of the engine that was out of position lifting the rear portion of the front drive block off the track in certain situations.
Repositioning the pipe corrects the problem. The pipe is designed to
provide movement so the Triplex can go up or down grades. When the
center pipe is out of place the vertical travel of the front engine
is virtually non-existent. When the center steam pipe is properly
located in the slot the front engine has plenty of vertical travel.
The attached photos show the pipe out of place as well as in the
proper location.  The photos show the Triplex with the boiler
removed; this is only to better show the situation.  Should one
encounter this problem it is not necessary to remove the boiler; all
that need be done is to gently hold the boiler so that the front
engine is inline with the boiler and hanging down slightly. Then
using a small screwdriver, such as a jeweler's screwdriver, move the
vertical section of the center pipe forward until it slides into the
slot. MTH is creating an addendum to the Triplex manual to cover this issue
and the correction.  Please let me know if you have any question.
Thank you,
Kirstin Martinez
MTH Electric Trains

I don't know how to upload the pictures he mentioned. I never have been able to upload pictures in this forum and wish someone would tell me how. Everytime I try to figure it out, I hit a dead end street!

I hate to hear the derailing problem with MTH's HO Triplex. I was going to get one, but I guess I will hold off a while. I have one of the HO K-4 and only had one problem with it. It had low volume and was going brain dead with me. I figured it out by raising the track voltage to 16v and it cured the problem. It then would respond to all 28 functions and the volume was significantly higher. Mike came out with a article later on stating the cure for that problem and it was exactly what I done. The extra voltage is not too much on my other 18 trains, but I still keep my booster cut back to 14v unless I am running the MTH. If anyone hears anything else on the Triplex problem and cure, let me know.

You ask why don't they put DC instructions in the box? The day is on the horizon when you will have to file DC away with the bobby sox and saddle shoes! As big as MRC is, they have already done it with their Prodigy system! They tell you on the box you are waisting your time setting a DC unit on the rails, as it will not recognize it. I have 18 trains, 10 which are DC and they are all dry docked in a display case.

There are several types of smoke pots on the market, including the sleuthe, but if you are really want to spend your time watching the smoke, instead of refilling the unit with oil, check out Micro-Mark's smoke unit. It has a large reservoir and an electric fan. That sucker really generates the smoke and you don't spend all your time refueling! I have 2 of them, but I modified them to cut back on the volume of smoke. The 1" fan is on the bottom and it is simple just to restrick some of the air flow. You might say it is my version of a Nascar restrictor plate for smoke units! You can see this unit at http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82602
This unit cost $39.95 + shipping, but it works. I have used 2 of them for 5 years and no problems. Most of the cheapo units put out so little smoke, sometimes its hard to see if they are working. The only draw back with Micro Mark's is its size. Its not real big but you couldn't use it on a HO train. About the only gauge it would fit in would be G scale. But it works fine for scenery, you just have to make room for it so as to hide it. I have one in the chimney on a log cabin and one in a Liquor Still.

Ram, It will have 2, as there will be a second one in the tender. You can see all the models and see a video at
http://www.mthhotrains.com/news.asp

As was stated, to add smoke to a train is not realistic, nor worth it. But if you want a real HO prototypical smoking train, there is only one on the market and that is MTH's K-4 Pennsy. It puffs smoke in sinc to wheel revolutions (4 puffs per revolution), has a large oil container and has a 28 function decoder. It will set and talk to you all day long, if you push the right buttons. He is coming out with the HO Triplex in January that will have all the bells and whistles, but will have 24 pulling axels!
It is a 2-8-8-8-2. Then that brings you to needing an operating system to handle these high tech units. MRC makes the only system, in its Prodigy line, that will do it, but you will be unable to run the old DC (analog) trains with it. MTH has their own system but it is DCS, not DCC, and that is a whole new ball game, as you can't mix the two! But any of this you get into takes a lot of bucks. For instance: 5 years ago I received an $80 DCC train for Christmas. I decided to build me a railroad. I now have over $17,000 in it and still building! Happy railroading!

I read the following article on MTH's site:
Like the DCC standards established by the NMRA, M.T.H. Electric Trains took significant measures to ensure that our first HO locomotive complied with other NMRA standards whenever possible. Since our K-4’s release, some reviewer and consumer comments have been published that criticize the K-4’s operational functionality with power supplies that meet the NMRA’s minimum standard of 12 volts maximum power output. Understandably, those comments point out that the K-4’s top speed is less than expected when operating the train (with 12 volts applied to the track. A more typical max voltage output commonly found in today’s DC power supplies is 16 VDC.
To start with, most of today's power supplies are DCC, not DC, and it reads in AC on a multimeter. I have been operating my 18 train layout on 14 vdcc. If I crank my booster up to 16 volts, to satisfy MTH's K-4, what will that extra 2 volts do to my other trains? I will have to admit that I have been having some volume and other problems with the MTH and the 16 volts straightened it out and increased the volume. I just don't want to over power my other units just to get MTH to behave!

You have been gave some good advice on track  buliding. Take it from experience, if you don't have good, solid, level, smooth jointed track, you are going to have derail nightmares. I had to learn the hard way, as none of my trains would run without derailing. You can not have any sudden inclines or declines either. You have to make a gradual change in all grades. I tore up 150 feet of track and started over and finaly got a trouble free track, but only by making sure every piece was perfect. You can't even have a piece that is not secured without asking for trouble, especially in curves. If it wiggles the least bit, you got a derailment. I could never get the hang of track nails, with EZ track, as most of the time they would warp the rails beside of the nail. I hot glued all of mine in place and used grass and rocks to cover up the glue. I got 3 sets of rails now and can have 2 trains running on each rail for hours and have no problems!

That is the only thing I have found wrong with the system and its not really wrong, just wasn't explained in the manual, if you want to call what they got a manual. It is much easier to go from tether to wireless on this model, as you will be more familiar with its operation. If a person started out with the wireless version then it would take a little longer to get used to. But it is no different from any new system, you learn from trial and error.