Because that's where our trains "jump" the tracks?

---- I have some leads that I can control wirelessly with a smartphone

That sounds neat -- can you tell us how you created that?

---- except that the polarity is swapped

I don't know if that will work, perhaps someone on the forum with better electrical knowledge than me can shed some light on it.

If you don't mind risking the the sacrifice of one turnout's switch motor, you could always give it a try.  If it does burn out, then at least you still have a manual switch...

My layout is mostly DC-based EZ Track -- the switches do have 3 wires for directional control, comprised of a single common and a powered for each direction the switch is thrown.  Do you have the wire that came with the switch, or is your concern that you don't have the appropriate control?

FYI, I'm not Bob (if that matters).

Is this your model?

http://hoseeker.net/assemblyexplosionbachmann/bachmannemdgp40pg02.jpg

The shell should just pry off from the fuel tank.

Yardmaster,
If both units were plugged into the layout at different locations (say, opposite sides of the layout), can one be used when the other is turned off, or is there some trickle of power from the unit that's turned off that would interfere with the active unit? Also, a decoder would respond to same CV from both units, correct?

I've scenicked most of my layout, so (for me) ballasting is a must, but I've never used a ballasting tool.  I was able to do so with EZ Track without too much trouble.   I painted some full-strength white glue on the sides with a paintbrush, sprinkled ballast on it with a plastic spoon, waited a day and added some more dry ballast, then sealed it with very diluted white glue that I keep in another glue bottle that had previously been used up.  For between the rails, I just spread the dry ballast on it and then seal it with diluted glue.

My only complaint is that the roadbed is pretty tall; I wish Bachmann would produce a lower-profile version.

Hardware stores sell long metal hinges in various lengths; my Home Depot has them in up to 4 foot lengths.  Whether your extension will fold up or or down, for extra piece of mind you may wish to put something extra to support  the hinged side as well as the unhinged end.  As the others have said, plenty of info on this on the Net.

QuoteYou need to get over it and instead, thank your Mom and give her a big hug and kiss, LOL

I do that as often as I can! 

Long after I grew up, got married, bought my house in the suburbs, had two kids, got two dogs and a six-seat SUV, I asked my mom "hey, when you sold the house what did you do with my old Tyco train set?"  She said that when she and my dad sold the house they sold all the toys too.  I've been pouting about it ever since, and that was 10 years ago.  The moral of the story -- playing with toy trains makes you feel like a kid all over again!

From my experience, durability is all about good care and operating practices, even among the low-end equipment of the 1970s and 80s.  I've brought a number of Bachmann, Tyco and AHM locos back to life with simply a good cleaning, and it's just as fun watching them scoot around my layout as anything else.

A few months ago I acquired a nicely detailed 1980's consolidation with the pancake motor in an auction of a "grab bag" of HO stuff that appeared to be in decent shape.  I completely dissembled (including the motor), cleaned and lubed it, and it ran beautifully on DC.  Then just for fun, and against a dozen comments I read that said "don't waste your time", I {gasp} installed a $20 DCC decoder I had lying around, and now it runs even better.  But I also know that if I try to drag a dozen cars behind it, I'll be pushing my luck.

The old adage my dad used to tell me still applies -- take good care of your toys and they'll take good care of you!

Common problem.  Below is the link to one of the more recent threads on this issue:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,33181.0.html

You've got my interest piqued, but this video would be a lot more interesting to me (and perhaps inspire me to pay a visit to the train store) if it included a segment on how to add overhead trolley power lines to my streets.

Does anyone know where I can find a parts diagram for the older N scale, non-Spectrum, single motor DD40AX?  It's not listed on the Bachmann parts website.  Thanks!

Just to clarify, you're sure your locomotive has a dual mode decoder, not just one of the DC boards that looks like a decoder?  I have a Spectrum 70-Tonner that has such a board and it threw me for a loop until I learned about what it was.
CK