I have a DCC Sante Fe Engine with sound (HO) and when I run it over my Bachman Crossover the rear truck slides off the main line and heads down the tracks to the inner line and causes the layout to short.

What could be the causes of this happening?  I have checked the track gauge, the "air" hose position and length, the condition of the track, the switch itself, and the condition of the truck.  I am a befuddled newbie just returning to model railroading.

ACY
I have the E-Z Command Control Center DCC which came with the set I purchased.
I read the manual and there were no instructions on how to adjust the train speeds to match each other.
I have looked at alot of YouTube Train videos where they have mentioned this is possible but maybe not
on this set etc?

Thanks for your help!

gehdoc97

Yes - it is also DCC - it is just that the engine was not equipped with sound when it came in the train set  I purchased .

I recently purchased an F7-A Sante Fe Warbonnet HO engine with sound.  I have put my non sound FT-A Sante Fe engine behind it. 
I noticed the second engine seems to "push" the first and at times is enough to derail the back wheels on the first.

Is there a way to synchronize the speeds of the two engines to stop this from happening?

Thank you

gehdoc97

Hunt
Thank you for the link to the instructions.  The instructions are for a turnout and not a parallel crossover.  Do the instructions work equally as well for both types of track?

gehdoc97

I like the new design especially the way you incorporated the horizontal siding to use an existing switch.

My new design is somewhat similar to yours without the horizontal spur and the 90deg side panel.

Good luck on the design and have fun working it all out - like to see some pics of the finished layout or work in progress
if you can too.  I am going to put a layer of 1" insulation foam on my benchwork to help deaden the sound, paint over it
and then while the paint dries sprinkle on landscape grasses etc.

HAVE FUN!

gehdoc97

hello
I am a novice in model railroading and just purchased a left and right #6 crossover for my new layout design.
The instructions are not clear to me how you wire these especially when talking about them not being "polarized"
Can someone help me understand how to wire these to the switches that came with them and then to my accessory box?
I plan on having the two switches attached and using only one feed into them if possible.  There are also two black wires that look
like they are suppose to plug onto a metal tab recessed underneath the track bed - I am using Bachmann EZ track with gray ballast.
It would help if you could include pictures because I can "understand" a pic better than written instructions.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Gary Holloway

I have a layout I designed using AnyRail and the
Bachmann track options.  The layout has a problem in making a complete connection.
In looking at the track layout pieces on the bench they have numbers that do no match
the Bachmann catalog numbers - They are both 9" ST HO but cannot match them to the
catalog or the AnyRail software - how can I match up the track to the catalog in case I need
to order more or to confirm the track pieces I need to meet a layout design.  Anyone have
a suggestion for this?

BTW - thanks to all the advice I was able to fix my decoupling and derailing issues - couplers were
all at different heights etc.  I purchased gauges for HO and used coupler tools to realign and the train
and I are now all happy!

anyone know of train layouts for model railroading covering grape growers, harvesting, processing plants, buildings, etc?  We have a lot of brand and independent grape growers here with acres of grapes on well maintained and not so well maintained grape fields.

Thanks for all the help so far - I really loke and appreciate this site and the forum with the wealth of knowledge - it keeps thw hobby fun.

gehdoc97

I am befuddled

I have checked the trip pins on the couplers, have watched them move to one side when over the electromagnet under the track,
have followed the instructions, watched the videos and guess now what I have to do is take the engine and cars and go to the hobby
shop and find out what is wrong.

The couplers move but look like they dont move enough to one side to loosen.

Anyone have any other ideas?  Maybe I need to change the couplers.  These are the original couplers that came with my DCC Sante Fe HO set.

That was a great set of videos and wish they had come on a cd as a starter set with my new train set

Thank you - I was unsure if the metal plate was suppose to be on the magnet still or off - seemed it did not matter.
The trip hooks are suppose to touch each other when coupled and when going over the magnet reverse pole one and it
uncouples the car?  Never went to electric shop as a kid - but I know not to stand in water when you plug something in hhaha.

Thanks again - feel like such an old dufus around all the experienced modelers I have found.

I will look into getting a Kadee gauge - they have coupler and track gauges as well I think.

gehdoc97

Hello again

The electromagnetic ones with the metal plate on one side and a sticky surface on the other came in a plastic bag
with the Bachmann Sante Fe HO "warbonnet" set I purchased.  I also got another one, same packaging, with the EZ Track
extend a track set.  There were no instructions with them.  I would believe they were distributed by Bachmann but with
no markings on them I do not know who manufactured them.   There is one available on the Bachmann site with the little
flag man.

Hope that helps

gehdoc97

Hello again- newbie here

I have placed a magnetic decoupler under a straight piece of EZ Nickel Silver Track away from the powered rerailer with the metal
plate on the decoupler still installed.  The decoupler is very balky and sometimes it works on a car and other times it will not - it also
does not like most of my other cars - all HO scale and all Bachmann Silver Series.

Can someone help me ?  Did I install it correctly? What areas should I look for to troubleshoot this issue?  I thought if you backed onto the
magnet, shut off the cab power, waited a few seconds, then pulled forward slightly it should decouple and then you could back the car
into it 's position.

Thanks again for the help - alot more to learn I guess.'

gehdoc97

Doneldon - Thank you - a long explanation but filled with points of importance and interest I suspect coming from
experience in model railroading.  That experience is appreciated by newbies like me.

Thanks to all those that helped me look into this issue and resolve it - at last - a place to start, learn and improve.

I also wrote a query about changing the default (#3) on an InterMountain loco I was having trouble with.
Well, I eventually figured it out by myself and the responses I received were right on - it made me wonder about the
accuracy and integrity of Intermountain in responding to HELPING model railroaders and not in SELLING to hobbyists.

Thank you all for the help and advice - I have found a good site and experienced people just the place I need to be now.

Sincerely