For HO, what EZ Track turnout would be compatible with a 22-inch radius curve?

On my layout, that is all Bachmann NS E-Z Track, I have noticed that some of my Bachmann Spectrum heavyweight cars don't clear some turnouts, crossovers, and retailers. The problem is in the couplers, where the "air hose" is too low on the coupler. My solution was to use my side cutters to trim the length. The couplers still work and derailing is eliminated.

Yes, I know, the mounting bar for the couplers (a great but flawed design idea) on the heavyweights allows the couplers on some cars to hang too low. But, the design supports 18-inch curves which I do have on one loop. The other curves are on 22-inch radius.

Thanks, TM203 and Russ. I did find it. Went to that Colorado site and listened to the variety of sounds. Now, for adding water, coal, and conversation on the ground with the maintenance guys -- LOL.

Let the sound war begin.

I have a 2-8-0 with a DCC encoder. It's a Bachmann, of course, so it can be programmed for DCC with the single feature of turn the light on and off (which is direction sensitive). If it is possible to add an inexpensive sound decoder, I'd enjoy it. Speed-sensitive chuff, bell, whistle is basically what I'm looking for.

My DCC controller is the original Bachmann E-Z Command

Thoughts and opinions will be appreciated.

As it so happens, I'm cleaning out some of my Bachmann G things and have a Columbia. The body and all are in great shape. The gears, however, aren't. Nice looking engine on the smaller side, which, in prototype, they were. The Columbia has an interesting history.

It's available for the cost of postage/shipping. I'm not about to quibble over value. We're downsizing and getting ready to go full timing in our motorhome in 20 months.

Calenelson, would you mind contacting me off-list about your Tweetsie photos and interest?

[email protected]

Apparently you were around Banner Elk/Boone this summer. I have an interest in ET&WNC for the layout I'm working on in the front yard.

Byron

OK, Kevin, enough with the showing off. It makes me slobber all over the keyboard. The drool factor is significant. It also makes me think I need to just stick with teaching music appreciation the rest of my life in spite of the extreme boredom it cause semester after semester. However, if I didn't appreciate art I wouldn't have the problem. 

By the way, your documentation on myLargescale.com is awesome. You write well, model well and do a great job setting up your own photos.

Thanks, again, for sharing your experience and expertise.

Byron

Loco Bill,

Got it. Have read it twice. Yes, the best around with photos to help those that are graphically appreciative.

His response here and that article make a great combination.

I've grabbed it, messaged it, printed it, and stuck it in the GR issue.

Byron

Kevin,

As always, an informative and complete response.

One writer to another -- I know it took time, thought and attention to detail (now where is that photo I want to insert?)

One comment, in the event you mix a little more sauce with this and it winds up in somewhere else: Going from photo 1 to 2 bent my mind a bit when you said something about the same locomotive. That word, same, is the trick. I do believe you mean same model.

Again. Most excellent. This and the August 09 Garden Railways article certainly help the "scale-challenge newcomer". Knowing where to look and how to look for the other things that turn you train into a work of art is most helpful.

I guess if I could go back and read six years worth of GR, look at everything there is at Family Garden Trains, keep up with Buck the Wonder Dog and events on the Cleveland, Delphos, & St. Louis Railway blog, and exhume a few ancestors I might begin to be as intelligent as you and a few others on this forum. But, at 62, there just aren't enough hours in the day to do that and get in the yard, too. I'm just grateful I've figured out what direction to head.

If the stimulus money keeps coming in one day things here in West Mitford and over at Victorian Crossing will start to look more like a worthy stop for the ET&WNC. All I have to do is get the crew to move a little more rock and I'll have a chance at getting the attention of the Board. I'm sure they'll want me to build a business case and promise to complete the trestle.

Byron

calenelson said: If you are leaning towards 1:20.3 here is a Great Fn3 Blog (notice links on left):
http://120pointme.blogspot.com/

Thanks. The links on the left are most helpful.

Other questions, as posted, remain.

Byron

(In the event that the Bach Man reads this I'll start by saying that I'm a Bachmann fan and am looking forward to more products from them in spite of the less-than-realistic MSRPs).

So, here I am. Another new convert to large scale modeling. As a lot of others, I jumped in because of the entry level on the Big Haulers line. Now that I'm in, I find that the scale is different. In spite of that I see that some modelers tend to mix things up a bit. Still, I'm wondering two things for which I'm seeking an opinion or two.

How far should one go in mixing the two Bachmann scales? Does it really look OK to have some Big Haulers cars behind a Spectrum locomotive?

Where do you get the other things to make the layouts look somewhat realistic; you know, building, vehicles and people? What scales do you look for? I see a lot of 1:24 but not much of anything else unless it's 1:18 or 1:32 (which would be totally inappropriate)?

Since Bachmann can't make everything, do you have other lines you consider worthy? What are their scales?

How would you rate the difference in details, etc. between an Anniversary Big Hauler and some of the Spectrum products that are currently being offered? Is there a difference in gears and motors or just looks?

Some thoughts from those of you with experience would be nice. (I hope I'm not asking for a book).

Byron

Nathan,

You state that you and your dad "happen to use the NCE 10 amp system with mostly Bachmann locomotives.  Even if we have lighting in our passenger cars and running 3 to 5 trains we tend to stay under 6 amps."

Can you tell me more about this. Off the board would be OK ([email protected]

I can assure you, anything that takes you an hour to do will take me about two.

I prefer to keep the track powered and stay with DCC with all it's benefits and limitations and benefits.

I also plan to run extra feed points along the track as necessary. Do you have a guideline as to how many feet of track to consider for extra feeds? I'm using Aristo's stainless steel.

Thanks, in advance, for a possible response.

Political observation: It seems that NMRA has a ways to go in getting DCC into a more tightly defined specification. Until that happens model railroading isn't being helped much. It would seem there should be some basic things that DCC does and standard plug-in architecture being on of them.

Where would we be if a standards committee hadn't gotten together and developed a Wi-Fi standard. Or how about the way HTML is handled. For that matter, there was Java and then Java according to different publishers. Finally, the Java camp realized that chaos was getting everyone nowhere.

Yes, there can be deviations but within a good, broad scope, the terminology ought to mean something.

So, from what I read, every locomotive is DCC Ready if you know how to hook up and wire things yourself.

Marketing hype. I do hate it. I'm just glad I've learned to see through it. (Back when I was in charge of purchasing for a small computer retailer the sales folks used to hate to see me -- I tended to keep them honest.)

Thanks for the responses. I'm seeing that this whole mess of controlling trains is really a consumer's choice with little real guidance to go on unless you know where to look and how to decide. It isn't for a novice, which is a shame because that's one of the decisions one would make early on. For instance, I read Kevin's nice review of the new Revolution in Garden Railways. I found it interesting that Revolution will not do some things that DCC is capable of but does have some features where DCC seems to be lacking. But, you can't mix and match. It's one or the other unless your pockets are as deep as an artesian well.

Byron

P.S. You guys on here are great. I've been on several forums and discussion boards and this one is top notch.

Dear on30gn15,

Send me an email off the discussion board and we can work something out. I have extra locomotive parts and willing to let go of a car. Shucks, I'll even swap out the drum for normal railing from the combine so you have a passenger car. The car, by the way, has metal wheels and knuckle couplers. I'm not a fan of hook-and-loop.

My email is in my profile. But, for the sake of making it handy I'll provide it here.
mailto: [email protected]

Byron

She's looking good.

I assume you'll post some photos of the work on the engine after your modifications are made. That plate between the engine and tender makes sense as do the other modifications you're planning. Some real nice wood in that tender would look nice.

So, where the heck are the passengers?

Changing the roof out looks great.

Need another V&T car? I'm considering messing up one out of my set since the engine bit the dust. That leaves one for another life at another place. (Two cars are too short anyway).

Byron