The reason some of us buy those old Bachmann and TYCO cars is we would rather do the modeling ourselves than pay someone else ridiculous prices for stuff that will break off if you handle them very much.By the way those TYCO cars with the solid stirrups were made while General Mills (think cereal) owned the company.

I've got to problems with most but not all builders of 4' x 8' layouts.The biggest one is they seem to think more track is better and the second is the track just has to run parallel to the edges of the layout.This layout does neither of these and indeed is quite creative.

Here's another vote for leaving the table at the height it is.You will be glad you did in the end.If you lower the table you will have to bend over to work on it and that posture gets old real quick no matter what your age is.

1) do not solder all of the joints as you will need some room for expansion of the various materials used in your track.

2) I would suggest however that you solder several pieces say like 3 pieces then just a unsoldered joiner connection 3 more pieces then do the same. While your doing this solder wires to the joiners at one end of the middle piece .Colour code your wires and make sure the colours go to the same rails completely around the layout

2a) you can buy your wire at a big box store or your LHS.Or if you can find some telephone wiring it can be stripped of it outer covering and give you a lifetime supply of feeder wires.You will want tom use heavier wire for your busline,you need to be sure and solder or somehow attach the correct colour wires to the proper bus wire.

3)For a layout this size blocking should not be needed.

4)By all means use the extruded Styrofoam insulation on your layout.2" will allow you enough space below track level forb rivers and gulleys.

4a) I use LOCTITE PRO LINE 300 to secure my track. The secret to using it successfully with a roadbed type track is to lay out your track the way you want it then use a marker to outline the outside edges of the road bed the put down several dabs of adhesive tall enough to be depressed when you put the track down. One more thing do not glue your turnouts down because there is a unwritten rule the glue used to hold down a turnout will get inside the turnout and gum up everything in there that moves.

One more thing,the above works for me,your mileage may differ. 

And one more thing,there is no such thing as a dumb question, only dummies who won't ask that question.

There is no need to "FIX" my GP50.I simply want to install DCC in a very nice running DC locomotive.The same goes for my SD45.
I can see no reason to spend several hundred dollars for a replacement loco when there is nothing wrong with the two I want to DCC.

Roger T.The locomotive runs very well thank you.As far as I am concerned it is well worth the investment involved for DCC. As for the Athearn's I have they all run sweet with a little TLC which even the much newer units require at times.I also have a Bachmann SD45 that will be recieving DCC.

The GP50 is a older model analog unit.his is what I have,what have I got?

Hi, tried to post this in the DCC forum but there does not seem to be a message button.I have a Bachmann Southern GP50 I would like to add DCC to.Is there an easy way to do this,or should I just buy a GP 38-2 or 40 with DCC and just swap drives?

I'd love to buy a Whitcomb,but I can't justify even to myself spending that kind of money for a plastic loco.

Royce,I fully intend to do just that. Bachmann cars were meant to be bashed into something else if so desired (which I do).

Check with "The Favorite Spot" in Texas (they have a Facebook store) I think they have some in stock.

I would be happier if they made some longer cars.Splicing and dicing to get them is fun but gets rather expencive after awhile.

The units pictured look exactly like my plastic bodied GMs except I made doors for mine,

Pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/sets/72157629742189767/detail/?page=13

Hopefully we won't have any curves smaller than 18",but it is nice to know the Forney will take them if necessary.Thanks for the input Steve.