Thanks, I think I'll try the extra weight first.

You make it sound easy.  I don't know.  Replacing six wires into that small plug doesn't sound that easy.

Has anyone found a good, permanent, solution to stiff wires that connect the newer steam locomotives to their tenders.  The wires on some of my steam locomotives tend to pull the tender off the track if the wires are not centered perfectly.  They seem to stay in place for awhile then need re-adjustment or pushing back into the tender.  I worry that too much fiddling with these wires may harm the connections.  They do seem very fragile.

Here's another site with an automatic calculator that seems easier.
LIRRMAN


www.veloroutes.org/tools

I use DC.  So when I bought the dual operation GS4 Freedom loco it did pretty much the same thing (can't remember if it was DCC On-board or DCC ready, there is a difference apparently).  Bachmann told me to remove the small PC board (decoder?) and replace it with a small dummy clip that came with the loco.  The little clip plugs into where the PC board plug came out of.  Problem solved.  I have also bought Bachmann locomotives with similar PC boards and they worked fine on DC track right out of the box.  Go figure.

LIRRMAN

I have a double track main line.  In order to fit one inside curve into the available space I used the easement method Jim mentioned.  I went from 22" to 18" to 15" back down to 18" and finally another 22".  I matched the outside curve with flex track spaced at 2 1/2" on center to avoid bumping.  All my diesels, including the six axle types, went thru the easement with no problem.  Even smaller ridged frame steamers made it.  Longer steamers were dispatched to another route.  The one concession I made to the 6 axle diesels was to use the longer shank "KD" couplers to reduce the sideways pull.  I used a lot of lichen and foliage around the edge of the curve to hide the obvious overhang of some of the longer passenger cars.  Yes, even 85' passenger cars made it through the easement.  They don't look particularly good but the curve is away from the front of the layout and the the extra scenery hides the overhang.  And, so far, like the painter who is critical of his own work, I'm the only one who seems to notice. (Nit pickers and rivet counters are not invited)
LIRRMA

Thank you, Jerry
LIRRMAN

I got out my trusty scale rule.  The new black water tender is 39' and my "J" water tender is 45' (excluding couplers). As hawaiiho pointed out, N&W used various size water tenders so both could be accurate.  I'm sure the Bach-Mann could tell us which prototype was used for each model.  Thanks to all.
LIRRMAN

Mr. Bach-Mann
How do you send photos?  I read that "attachments" must be enabled but I can't find how to do it.
LIRRMAN

Brad:
No kidding!  The aux. water tender was made to haul water - who knew.  I know what it was for.  My question, if you read the entire string,  was why the new one (the black freight one) was 3/4 of an inch shorter than the one Bachmann made to match the "J" and if one, both or neither are to scale.   The new one is factory lettered for the N&W. 

Rich:
Compared to the "original" "J" Aux Water Tender.  I'll photo them both and as soon as I figure out how to post photos on this forum I'll send them along.
LIRRMAN

to richg:
Yes, that is the one I bought.
LIRRMAN

I may be wrong but I seem to remember Atlas code 100 snap track having a curved re-railer.  It might have been a terminal track with electrical connections but it was built the same way as a re-railer.  There is really no way to make these tracks "not obvious" but I have used re-railers inside a tunnel as an extra precaution.

Just received the black aux. water tender.  I was surprised at the small size.  I was expecting the same size as the original aux. water tender produced to match the "J".  That tender was about the same size as the "J's" coal tender.  The black tender is considerably smaller.  Are both of these tenders accurate as far as scale is concerned.?

Donaldon is right.  The oil residue from the smoke makes a mess and the oil on the track causes slipping.  I stopped using smoke engines long ago.  I do have one question however.  If the smoke unit is connected and not used will the heat cause any harm and will the unit eventually burn out?