Maybe a ways off in the future I can swap over to the Peco turnouts. How would I get 6 tracks on a 12" board right now the rear track has clearance problems with  big hooks so their on the outside track and if I space them any closer than my nerve damaged hands will cause pure chaos on a major scale.

Stephen

I have never had to wet my cork roadbed to form a curve even down to 15 radius on a old old layout I gave to a friend.

Stephen

Go with Kadee, yes they might cost more but I have been using them since I first bought a Athearn BB kit almost 20 years ago and the KD #5s are still going strong. Last few cars I got with the clones either McHenry or EZ Mate IIs were already worthless in the box with the knuckles sprung even on a brand new 2-10-2. Save yourself some heartache go with Kadee.

Stephen

Hi Len,

I am pretty well stuck with Atlas turnouts and yes I am using 20 year old track thats how long the yard has been in place down the hallway I am stuck with 4 tracks on a 1 foot x6 foot shelf cant make it wider or I couldnt get to my bedroom.

Well I discovered with some testing while sitting on a stool because I can't stand up over 15 minutes at a time that all my locos will go through a properly functioning #4 turnout including the 2-10-2s they don't like it but they can do it. Quite sure the HO scale engineers if Proto 2000 hadn'tleft them out would be saying keep a few big hooks  handy just in case lol.

I would swap over to better turnouts but I just had  major laser work done last Tuesday on my right eye and the total after Medicaid got done was a little over 8 grand so my modeling funds is now on a very frayed shoe string.

Glad I ordered my new IC GP40s when I did.

Stephen

  Very nice work indeed.

Stephen

Gene,

Glad you got the ole gal fixed up and back on the mainline. I am fixing to redo my little double loop 4x8 so the extra 12 feet of yard track 3 feet on all 4 tracks is giving me room to park stuff I cant get back in the boxes like 55" covered hoppers Accurail and  50' boxcars Athearn and a few others I bought that no longer have boxes.

Stephen

  What I thought,just hope I have enough new turnouts on hand as the 1st one in the ladder is giving me trouble as well.

Stephen

Hi Gene,

This was a few years back right after they came out, I don't remember exactly where he mounted the weights I do know after we enlarged the mounting hole the truck stayed on the rails much better.

Stephen

I had to slightly enlarge the pilot truck mounting hole on one for a friend his would derail anywhere not just switches also added two small weights hehad laying around I forgot the size of them but now it runs like a champ only complaint I hear now is that @&$* blue headlight and wrong engine number on the tender.

Stephen

Hi guys,

I am expanding my little 4 track yard down the hallway. Orginally built I used a #4 Atlas turnout on the yard lead now with bigger motive power mainly 2-10-2s a Sd40 or two I need to make it bigger how much more space will a #6 require and would I need to relay the whole yard lead and  ladder track?

I should know this from helping to build a monster 40 track yard at my former club but that been at least 10 years ago.


there's the lead in question sorry for all the big hooks blocking the way but can't get new pics right now the batteries in the camera are dead.
Thanks
Stephen

Must be a bad day for 2-10-2s I got a proto 2000 giving me fits and it goes back to Millwaukee tomorrow as well. Not a good day for 5 coupled drivers I guess.

Stephen

  Thanks alot Ram  for the great page.

OH LANNY I need one of each please 

Stephen

Hi Mr. Bachmann,

I have a pair of those pliers from Micro Mark and they do help but I am still scared to squeeze to hard for the fear of breaking something Branchline Boxcar grabirons come to mine in a pair of tweezers. On my 2nd Proto 2000 2-10-2 I used  a Kadee grabber with some success in getting it plugged together now all my steamers sit in the yard for the frear of putting them back in the box the only locomotive and Tender I can do without fear is my Bachmann Spec N&W J which has the tender preferment attached.

Stephen 

Thanks Rich,

I am 32 and already feel the pains of some that are much older than me. Thanks for checking on the connectors.

Stephen

  Rich I agree 100% with what your saying I dont need monsters I need every day hard working branchline and mainline steam not a roundhouse of Big Boys.

Stephen