Kenmac - I just checked, out of curiosity, my 1 yr old B'mann Mogul.  I see the plate you are talking about.  The plate has a long rectangular cutout on one edge, and a small semi-circular cutout on the other edge.  Make sure the long cutout is closet to the engine.  This allows room for the wires to flex.  Also, the wires should be laying flat and parallel to each other, not twisted around each other.  Notice also, the drawbar, link between engine and tender, has two holes in the rear end.  I use the last hole to allow swing room for the tender and engine on my 18" curves.  Use of the last hole also tends to keep the wires up away from the rails.  My B'mann Mogul is one sweet runner.  Just wish I could get the starting speed a little slower.  Hope this helps - Dave Kelley

Jeff - Do you think your suggested method would work for the well geared down B'mann Shay and a Rivarossi Heisler? I run these engines at scale speeds, Shay top at 10 mph, Heisler at 15 mph.  I know these two are fighting each other, the Heisler winning out due to it's heavy cast boiler & cab.  Dave

Joe - thanks for the info on "time out" message.  I thought it was telling me I was taking too long to type my reply, when in reality my log-in session had timed out.  I read all posts, as you never know what new things you are going to learn.  Dave

Yardmaster - Excellent idea.  Never would have thought of that. The "time out" message, I think, was generated by the computer the forum is linked to, just a wild guess.   Thanks,  Dave

Joe - I nave never seen a EZ switch from B'mann, but your explanation is perfectly clear,  great documentation, Dave

To Yardmaster/Administrator - On some occasions, during a long post (or one where I have to think carefully what I'm posting), when I go to post the message, the system warns me it timed out.  What is the time limit before this happens:?  Thanks, Dave

Hello again Keesu, I'm not familiar with the type of switches you have.  If the frog of the switch is metal, my guess is that the wire is used for power routing ( frog takes on correct ( same ) power as the moveable point rail that is aligned with the frog). I'm surprised ( ha ha ) that there was no documentation in the packaging on how to use that wire. 
Even though you have a situation with the switch, I think you still have a problem with the loco.  The wheelbase is long enough that the other set of trucks, the one not on the frog, should have been supplying the alternate route for power to loco. Test your loco by putting a very thin piece of paper under both wheels on one side of a truck.  You should not have any interruption in power.  Repeat for all four sides. If you do lose power, the truck wheels at the other end of the loco, same side,  is not passing electricity, ( poor pickup from wheels, bad wire connection at truck, bad wire connection at pc board ). Just think of all the new knowledge you will have gained when you work through all this.  It will be rewarding,  Dave

Keesu - Here is something to try to isolate your problem.  Run the loco as you did, very slowly, and let it stall.  Do nothing more at that point. Do not change any control inputs, leave the throttle as is.  Take a straightened paper clip or a very fine screwdriver and lightly slide it along the same rail as the frog is on, up to the opposite wheels on that same rail.  When the clip touches the opposite wheels ( on the same rail as the frog ), I'll bet the loco fires right up.  Remember, the right side wheels of the front and rear truck should be picking up power together on these models. Same goes for the left side. You might have a bad wire connection to the truck that was not on the frog. Also, I have noticed that different materials used for the wheel rims plays a huge part in the quality of the electrical transfer from rail to wheel.  I actually find most of my B'mann locos are much better at this, and I own several different brands of locos.  The Proto locos are fine runners, so don"t give up too soon.  Good luck,  Dave

Keesu - I have a F3 Proto, DCCw/sound, I would assume it shares the same guts as the F7. New model 2014.  I think you are correct in that the B'mann switches are not the problem.  The Proto trucks have very little clearance and do not move, "wobble" if you will, much at all.  They actually were hitting the side steps of the shell and the rear truck was touching the coupler cast in place mounting.  It would stall out on my Peco switches all the time.  Check yours out.  Dave

Has anyone out there added a keep alive, stay alive etc. to the B'mann Shay with a Soundtraxx DSD 3tslc decoder?.  I've upgraded my Shay and it really runs fantastic, but contact between wheels and track is still problematic. Yes, I have done all the usual remedies, including CRC-22. I found that by loosening the bolster screws 1/2 turn really helped a lot, allows trucks to maintain better contact with rails.  Any advice would be much appreciated. Dave

Hunt - I knew Gieco could save me 15%, but I did not know DCS51 had read/write problems.  Thank you for the information.  I will certainly get it touch with them.  Dave

I have similar locos.  The 2-6-0 has plenty of "slop" at 18"r.  The Shay is at it's max at 18".  I had to trim the ends slightly of the "wood" catwalk between the rigid tender and the water tender to eliminate slight binding.  Also, the drive shafts when on the outside of the curve, are almost ready to fall out of the mating hollow shaft.  I do not have a Climax yet, but I do have a Hiesler with the same type of centerline drive.  It has plenty of play at 18"r.  Dave

Trying to add a bottom piece of foam to your already occupied foam is going to be difficult at best.  As you would only be gaining a couple of inches anyway, you could do the following, as I have in the past.  Before you move the foam onto the 4 x 8, plan your waterway on the 4 x 8.  Cut out the plywood.  If the waterway crosses a support piece of wood, add wood "doublers" on the side of the cut into piece to add strength.  After you mount the layout onto the 4 x 8, you can cut out your foam to expose the new waterway. You can cut into a support piece about 50% and still have plenty of strength if the support piece is not too long or the cut not too wide.  Dave

I used to program on the main.  Not anymore.  Rogertra is absolutely correct in using a separate programming track.  I have Tsunami, Loksound and Bachmann decoders. Every once in a while, after programming a loco on the main, another loco would act strange.  All have different addresses.  I keep a log for each loco of all changes to CVs.  I would readback the CVs on the loco with strange behavior, and sure enough, a CV would pop up with a value that did not match the log, and usually did not even seem a reasonable value for that CV.  I now program only on a separate piece of track off the layout.  I use Digitrack equipment. Happy railroading, Dave

In ref. to my original post, I went back and looked at the box, the Shay was actually 80 ton, not 70.  Eyes are not what they used to be. Sorry for the confusion.  The parts number I ordered was H81912.  Dave