Never hear that before, Bob.  Perhaps in standing water or torrential rains.  We don't have either here.  I've had Trex buried in the ground with both ends cut for at least six years with no sign of deterioration.  But, to quote Ronald Reagan (something I seldom do) "Trust and verify."  I trust you, and I'll be trying to verify your results. 

I have a thought, based on what the previous writer said.  I use code 250 AL track.  It is not as robust at code 332 brass, and is quite flexible (in every direction).  I too replaced slip joiners very early in construction, but was troubled by flexing connectors, causing the joints to fail.  I had (still have) a supply of short pieces of trex, left over from a deck project.  I cut them into about six inch sections and placed them under the joints, then screwing the track sections to the trex.  Now my track joints don't move and the entire RR where I did this is much more reliable.  I didn't put trex under the entire layout, since some is elevated on bridges and trestles, and trex is expensive for this kind of use.

But trex won't rot, drills and paints like wood, and will be there long after the RR is a dim memory.

One quarter of a circle with an 8 foot radius has an area of .25(3.14.6 times (8 times or approximately 59  feet.  Use 3 foot sections -- it's lots cheaper to use four joiners as opposed to eight!  I wouldn't use 4 foot radius if I planned to use long cars.  Either make bigger curves or use two axle cars.  AND NO "Big Boys."  The switches will need a short straight piece after the curved section at least as long as your longest cars to prevent the dreaded "ess curve."

I don't think 1 Amp will be near enough but if you must use one, plan to run jumpers to at least two other spots on your loop.

Don't waste money on a track cleaning car, unless you can get it REALLY cheap.  A lot of us use a drywall sander (I put Scotchbrite pads on mine to reduce scratching the rail) just walk around the layout.  You might put few drops of Dexron III automatic transmission fluid on the rails as you clean the track.

Here's the "problem" with large scale.  The track is constant (45 mm) so if that represents standard gauge, the scale is 1:32.  If it represents meter gauge, the scale is 1:22.5, etc.  I think that if 45 mm is to represent two foot gauge, the scale is more like 1:16.

I do know that O scale track is about three foot gauge in 1:32.  Perhaps On30 would be two foot gauge in 1:32.  If the track were 48 mm, then two feet would be about 2 mm/ft.  So this is pretty close.  But then, your interchange tracks would be with Number 3 gauge track!

I had the same problem with THREE trolleys.  Six axles, five cracked gears!  I 3D printed replacements in both PLA and ABS.  I put the file up on Tinkercad.  Look for "gear" and it should show up.  Else write to me directly [rfriedma at pacbelldotnet] and I can show you the file and the results, since I can't figure out how to put photos up on this board.

About half my passenger cars have LED lights.  I pick up power from one passenger car truck, and put LED lights in all cars, fed by the output of the rectifier in the one car.  They look good and are not too bright.  It does show empty seats in the cars though.

Udo, enjoy those J&S cars.  I've got about a dozen of them now, including some I built from kits.  I've put kadee couplers on all of them, removed the battery powered lights on about 2/3 of them and replaced them with LED's, and installed metal wheels on those that needed them.

Best improvement I made in them was to remove the screws holding the roof to the body and putting four brass nails (escutcheon pins we call them) in the corners of the roof.  Makes getting in much easier, and is so easy if you're working from kits.

One thing I want Bachmann to do is release the end rails as parts.  The old flimsy plastic ones were way too thick and still got weak in hot weather.

I've got nearly a dozen of the passenger cars (coaches, combines, obs, and full baggage).  What I would really like is a sleeper or diner, even though diners may not be the "proper" vintage.

On a toursit RR, you always need a diner!  Anyone out there made a sleeper of one of the J&S coaches?

TIA.

Now that Bachmann has started selling the J&S coach kits again, what's the chances of getting those metal end rails as replacements?  The cars with them look really great, and make the fat yellow plastic ones look really goofy.

I'll take ten pairs!

I have experience with code 250 aluminum track from Llagas Creek and Sunset Valley.  Both work, although I've seen samples of SV track where the rail broke off from the ties.  Llagas Creek is very nice.  I've used their plastic ties for about half a dozen years with no problem, and I've hand laid a 20+ foot siding with my own hand cut ties.

Keeping the track clean is not near the problem aluminum's detractors say it is.  I did have problem with brass rail joiners corroding, but now put a piece of aluminum foil between the rail and the joiner and now no problem.

OK guys, what do I have to do to see the pictures?  Never seen a one

Any track that's 45 mm (1.75 inches), can be used with  your starter set.  In addition to the other statements, you can use aluminum and nickle silver track.  It all works.  Only watch the size (height or code) of the rail, as that makes joining sections difficult.

The hobby standard is code 332 (.332 inch) as that's what LGB started with, and the others followed.  I use code 250 as it doesn't look so oversized.

Unless you bought one of last year's Sam's sets.  Despite what it said on the box, no lights anywhere! <G>

Oh well, I converted it to track powered LED's.  At the same time, I made about five other modifications to them.  Now to get the metal railings for my other dozen J&S cars!

The  others are correct.  Yes on the track, yes on the set.

Don't overlook aluminum rail.  It bends easily (only comes in five or six foot sections as far as I know), requires fewer joints.  Has small size so looks better than big brass.  Conducts electricity very well.  Some houses are wired with it, as are some aircraft. Does corrode and the rust is not conductive.  But cleans off easily with a scotch-brite type pad on a stick.

Quote from: domdad on August 06, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
M The room is 14' x 18', so I am going to have a lot of track.  Do you see a probelm using the power supply that the set comes with?  Also, I have read people talking about splicing the power wires and soldering them to the track on the other side of the room.  Thoughts?

Not Mike either.  The starter set power supply will work fine, if you're only running a single locomotive and you connect the pack to more than one location.  If you hook it up with a single connection, and the train slows down halfway around the room, you're a candidate for a second power connection.

If you're going to use the Bachmann starter set track, I'd use a couple of points of electrical contact, 180 degrees around the room using a heavy lamp cord.  Steel rail is not as good a conductor as aluminum or brass, so it's cheap insurance.  I'm not sure how to attach wires to the steel rail, but soldering or clamping will be fine.  Be careful not to revers the wires from connection to connection.  Some lamp cord has a ridge on one conductor.  Make sure the ridge stays inside to inside or outside to outside rail.