Thanks Joe.

Are the Bachmann-supplied switches momentary or do they put constant power on the switch?

Someone warned in the other thread that the turnout motors burn out easily.

Yeah, isn't it funny how those switches don't come with instructions.

In a perfect world the Bach-man will post a link to the instructions that don't come with that track pack.

I had the same question, there are some answers here:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,11240.msg91979.html#msg91979

What I was still confused about, it seems like momentary contact switches are called for, but the ones supplied by Bachmann are not momentary contact, or don't appear to be.

I never did wire those switches up. I see where the green wires connect to the supplied switches, but I don't recall getting a wire to connect to the accessory terminals.

It does seem like the Bachmann switch controls can be chained together.

Good questions, I'd like an answer too.

This is covered in answer to your similar post on this thread:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,11950.0.html

Oh, and for glavdog, you don't wire them in, they get their signals through the track like locomotives do.

You can continue to use the standard turnouts on a DCC layout, but of course they need to be wired separately and won't respond to any DCC signals.

To operate the DCC turnouts, you press locomotive button #9, then function, and then the button for each numbered turnout.

There is a programming mode on the DCC turnouts so you can set the number.

I thought I'd ask this question in this thread rather than starting a new one.

You know how the standard Bachmann turnout matches up with a 30 degree 18" radius curve so well?

Do the #5 and #6 turnouts match up with any standard Bachmann curves? Like maybe a #5 is a 22.5 degree 22" radius and a #6 is like a 26" curve?

Note to the guys above, the standard bachmann turnout, dcc or 12v, is too tight a curve for some equipment, like long passenger cars.

I can't find the curvature specs for #5 and #6 turnouts anywhere, hopefully someone knows before I order them.

Thanks.

Yeah, be careful about pier sets, they often rise too quickly and fall too quickly, causing slippage on the way up, decoupling at the top, and on the way down the cars (if you have several or more) can push too much on the locomotive, jamming up cheap gears.

I tried the Bachmann 18-piece pier set and it really didn't work out at all.

But to chime in on your basic question, yes, you can use sections of track, just keep the grade limited. I had Kato Unitrack N scale with many grades and it worked fine.

Just for fun, run your fingers along the rail and see how much black junk comes off the track. That could be the problem, certainly the track needs to be clear before you try any other diagnostics.

For a quick test, just use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clean the tracks and the wheels of the locomotive. The alcohol really cuts through the gunk.

FYI, the black tar on the tracks and wheels, to my humble limited knowledge, is not standard household dust. It's a carbon layer that builds up as a result of the imperfect electrical contact between the track and train.

I find I have to clean the track with alcohol monthly at least. I find the track lube to be optional but still a great idea. Make sure you get specific electrically conductive lube, not gear lube.

Have fun, hope this helps.

Have to assume the previous post was a joke, since it was posted by Jestor the Jester.

It would have been funny, too bad it wasn't. Merry Christmas, Peace to all mankind and all jazz.

Jim

Quote from: jestor on December 24, 2009, 09:52:02 PM

Quote from: RAM on December 24, 2009, 08:16:02 PM
That three rail stuff does not have any speed control.  It just has an off and on switch.  At least that is the way it seems.

I must assume that the Price is Right is your only exposure to O Scale(3 rail) trains, as your comments indicate complete ignorance regarding the superior operating qualities of modern O Scale trains.  Too bad.   

The table is just the dining room table with 4 2'x4' foam pieces on top. Here's three updated views with all the junk on the table, all are links to bigger versions:











Here's where I should get a rebate from Bachmann, there's G, On30 and HO mixed together:







And just for fun here's a shot of an old Erie & Lackawanna car just after being trucked into Virginia City, this is it's first run on Nevada's Virginia and Truckee tracks. It's tentatively called the Mexican after one of the Virginia City mines:

Maybe I missed another thread, if so here's another place to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever holiday gets you to go out and buy Bachmann trains.

This morning on price is right they had Drew Carrey come out on a locomotive, and gave away a couple trainsets as prizes. Good for them for bringing some publicity to model trains. Of course they had the trains zipping around at full throttle, about scale 130mph.

Here's some "fair use" low quality shots from the show, for review purposes, plus a shot of one of my Christmas scenes with Plasticville and a Roaring Ridge set. Excuse the mess in the background.

Good point, at the same time I was just making a "for example" general point that even if it appears to run on the tight curves over time it may wear out the couplers. This issue with the UP is the length of the passenger cars and the way the couplers are body-mounted but turn with the trucks.

But in general, if something derails at high speeds on tight curves, over time it will wear out the drivers.

Just like a real railroad, the Virginia and Truckee, with a 2-8-0 running around one 22 degree curve. They have to use flange oilers to make it work, and the track gauge is set extra wide in that curve.

Too bad there's no flange oilers for model railroads

Quote from: Joe Satnik on December 18, 2009, 08:55:00 AM

You will have to cut track anyway to get the smaller fitters in that package to work.  (Oops on Bachmann's part.)

(Free the 2" Straights !)

Yeah, that's funny, the 3/4" pieces are shorter than the part that extends out of the track! Gotta love that Chinese engineering! (no offense to China)

Jim

Quote from: rick1127 on December 17, 2009, 08:13:40 PM
Ok so basically anit nobody got any.    Might be time to rethink my lay out, cause the gap thought small is a problem.  I have tried spreading the gap across several connection but hat only works for a little bit.  Virabtion and what not eventually causes a problem.

If you're pretty well set on this layout and just one piece of track will make a big difference, I'd think about sending you one, maybe in the future you could return it from a new 44592 set. Looks like those sets aren't expected until March-April, I was lucky to get it when I did.

How big is the gap, I could spare a 3/4" or 1" piece. Let me know here or email jim<atsign>virginiaandtruckeerailway.com

Not sure about the idea that this is a youngster, I know some local politicians with the same attitude 

Keep up the good work Mr. Banner, with such a great first name you must be a heckuva good guy!

Another Jim

I ordered one of these just a couple weeks ago from modeltrainstuff.com.

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BAC-44592

Unfortunately, they now show 0 in stock. Keep checking this site or call them, they should get it back in stock.