I have the Dynamis with the Probox. I know there are 20 functions I can directly access. I have some engines that have more the 20 Function keys. Is there some way to access them?

Also I have the reference showing the CVs for my engine (N scale DD40AX) but it is not clear what many of them are for and nothing shows what the values are and what setting a CV to a value actually does or what the values represent. I caught one note here where it said setting CV115 to 1 of 3 numbers changes the horn sound. Where does that info come from?

I have an EZ command and a Dynamis. They have been packed away for while and the wall warts are mixed in with a bunch of others. The EZ command is stamped 16VDC 1000 Ma, The Dynamis is not so marked. What is it rated for? Are the power supplies for these available? I haven't seen them anywhere in parts.

Mr. Bachmann,

I have a Tuscan Red Baldwin Shark. I really do like the way it looks but I snapped off one of the horns and have lost it. I have never seen one listed in parts. Any chance you have any that aren't listed?

Frank

How ell will this work on a DC only system. I am in the process of taking stovk of what I have and trying to decide if I want to DCC or not. But this is a beauty and I'm a little spoiled with my O scale MTH steamers and diesels which work pretty nicely in conventional mode.

I realize you don't have the full range of features and there is no horn/bell buttons like an O gauge transformer to access those features.

What can you actually trigger/hear in DC?

I just picked up a right and a left #6. So far they seem to work nicely and the mechanism seems vastly improved over the older 11.25 turnouts I have.

On the back of the card are directions and a photo for guidance on how to power/unpower the frog. However on both turnouts there is physically nothing there. No mounting point, no screw, no wires.

I'm getting slight hesitation as it goes through the turnout even with a longish steamer with tender pickup. Just curious as to how I can check if the frog is powered (duh I can use a meter) but I'm curious as the difference between the packaging and the actual turnout.

I doubt I'll spend any time making up and breaking these trains but I'd like to get them closer coupled and a little better looking. Also the 4-4-0 tender coupler.

EZ Mate shorts OK?

Since I have a fairly large quantity of EZ track (acquired both free and at very good discounts) and don't think I'll have a more permanent N layout anytime in the near future, I'm going to tough it out despite some issues.

I have a  stack of the older switches some of which work better than others that I intend to more carefully troubleshoot. In the meantime the new(er) #6 and #4 switches, is there enough experience that they are better, worse, or the same as the original 12.5" radius turnouts?

Presumably power routing like the older ones?

Main issues I experienced were incomplete throws, engines picking the points, power (not) routing. Having stepped away from it for two years, I think I've gained a little perspective, not all were new when I bought (or was given) them but still, knowing these were for beginners you'd think they'd be more robust.

Presuming not all will survive my retesting and will need replacing. Anyway the smaller diverging angle looks like it might be easier for longer locos and cars to pass though them.

So anyone use them yet or the #6 crossovers? What has been your experience?

Wow do I have big fingers! Trying to change traction tires on a 4-4-0. The old ones come off easily enough. I have a box of tires from Calumet (box is at home, don't remember full name) package says specifically that they will fit this particular model.

I have a dowel that I tapered on one end to expand the tire as I pushed up the cone and then slide ti down towards the wheel pressed against the full diameter end of the dowel. So far no joy.

Anyone got a trick for this that doesn't involve large quantites of bourbon?

Oops! had another idea while visualizing to explain it. Well, any of your ideas may help soooo...

Took a bunch of locos, etc out of storage last few days. Got a 4-4-0 N scale that runs great. The other, well, it runs great off the track, it runs great in reverse, forward however, not so much. Thinking it might be the mass of the tender that helps keep the driving wheels on track in reverse. In forward, it slips, wheels spin doesn't sound healthy.

Thinking this may be my first Bullfrog Snot test. Any other thoughts on it. It runs really good in reverse, as good as the first one in forward which I had pulling 6 cars cars on the test track after clean and lube.

Where do you apply lube on the tender?

If one were to buy a replacement shell from parts how would one disassemble the tender to make the swap.?

I have the trucks off, the screw in the center doesn't seem to back out when I turn it and I don't want to force the rds plastic cross thingy the screw passes through.

Same on the plate covering the coupler, screws turn but don't seem to want to back out.

Don't want to gorilla the little bugger, so Help!

Frank

The bell on my 4-8-2 Light seems to have gone missing. Parts says they are sold out. Will they be getting more in? Os ther a substitute?

Y'all really shoulda superglued it on. I will when i get another one.

Frank

Well I finally sent my older not so good 4-8-4 in and got a new one back. Very impressive, much better. Runs quiet and strong.

On the basis of that I decided to try a Spectrum engine and bought a 4-8-2 Light Mountain.

It's performance puzzles me. I have a test loop of EZ Track set up, I'm using a MRC Locomotion 1500 to drive it which works fine with all other engines. . It seems to run slower than any of my other steamers and the light is yellow rather then white. I know about scale speed and all and I haven't tried to calculate speed yet but it does seem a bit on the slow side. 

I'm letting it run to break it in after applying some grease and oil but is this normal for this engine or do I need to send it in?

Frank

Well I replaced the wheels on the tender with a set of brass wheels/axles I had sitting in the parts box and performance has certainly improved.

Now I'd like to open the tender so I can add a bit of weight, but how? It's gotta be easy it's already drilled on the bottom for a speaker so Im guessing it's something simle.

I removed one screw in the front that's hidden under the truck but all that did is let something loose that is now rolling around inside.

Help!
Frank

Bought the Overland set for my son for Christmas. We've got a slowly growing setup in the family room, keeps him away from Daddy's layout!

I know the 4-8-4 is a train set engine but it's not to bad, needing some tweaks.

First the tender trucks tend to open up a bit to much occasionally shedding wheels wich is discoraging him. Some of the freight cars suffer froom the same problem. I also think the tender is to light but adding weight is not an option until I resolve the truck issue.

Would quality metal wheels resolve this possibly? I have some but can't dig them up right now but I'm gonna need 6 axles total. I saw some metal trucks on the Bowser site (Cal Scale?) would that be a better way to go?

Second the pilot truck seems a little squirrely. Is there an easy (or difficult) fix for this? I've had it jump rail a few times, we've both checked the connections the EZ track is correctly joined, thought the joins themselves aren't always that smooth.

Frank

Found these on sale at a very good price. But are they good - appearance, performance, etc?

Thanks
Frank

I was wondering if there were any websites that did "independent" reviews of at least engines. i actually found one for N scale stuff, and as a static modeler of aircraft, tanks, etc there are quite a few that will attest to the accuracy and ease of assembly of kits.

I'm curious about two models. Bachmann's FT A?B and the Proto 1000 F3 A/B. I have found both on sale at really good prices. Both have a DCC decoder instaledd in both A and B unit. Neither is in a roadname that I can really use as I am mixing real with freelance so markings are not an issue as i will be painting and remarking them.

The FT is dead on for my era ie WWII home front, though my road probably didn't really have one, I'm taking a liberty. The F3 is postwar but again if you're freelancing a bit...

If you could buy only one set? I'm leaning toward the FT on cost and correctness for period, but is to good a deal not a deal? $50 for an FTA/B powered and decoders in both. The Proto 1K is $62 for same thing F3A/B powered and with the plugs but not the decoders in both.

Note: I have not committed to DCC yet, but the new engines I'm buying will have the plugs at least, just in case I decide to go for it. I understand these will work with either DC or DCC. What is more important is sound, I am becoming fascinated by the idea of having quality sound coming from my engines steam or diesel.

Your thoughts?

Frank

I have a couple of older B-mann gons. Thesae have plastic wheels and axles. I'm putting McHenrys on them and repaintingthem and wanted to do something about the trucks so they are more free rolling. They exert much more resistance then other cars and don't roll down the hump as well.

I have Athearn trucks and wheelssets. Unfortuneately the trucks don't fit over the existing screw post, I guess I couls sand these down, and the Athearn axles in the wheelsets seem a bit longer than the B-manns, the fit tight and don't seem to give much advantage.ell except that they are metal and well tapered. The originals are bluntish and fuzzy.

Just file and sand the existing ones, do others work, any tricks folks?

Frank

Finally have a basic double loop with an up and over setup. Going to make a portable yard next to plug in. I've bought over the years 5 F7A and 4 F7B I believe they are all Spectrum or Plus, though I only have 4 of the pacages right now.

While testing/breaking in the engines I noticed that the F7A is noticeably faster than the Bs. When running 1 A with 2 Bs I got to a spot in the track that needs work and the A separated from the 2 Bs and just walked away.

Are the Bs supposed to be geared the same or are geared to be real helpers meaning lower ratios - less speed more power.

Come to think of it are the B engines physically diffferent from then As other than the shells and lights? I hadn't compared them side by side and I'm at work now so can't check.

I would think that if you put an A-B-B-A combo on the track uncoupled they should all move off in formation without running each oher down or pulling away.

Frank

I've decided on an era for my HO layout - WWII. I figure coal loads to factories, military trains with flat cars of tanks, etc, troop trains, tank cars, and various other crs carrying freight for the war effort and homeland civilian usage. Mixes my military modeling interest with trains.

I quickly realized that half or more of the rolling stock I have is wrong (to new) and my engines may be questionable.

I'm looking for

1) A general reference on locos and rolling stock that would give general characteristics and dates of introduction. Meaning 40' boxcars are good, some 50' boxcara are good but PS-1s aren't ca 1947.

2) Some books on railroads during the war. I found "America's Fighting Railroads: A World War II Pictorial History (Paperback)" and a few others on Amazon. This one is mostly photos.

I'm thinking some kind of interchange area with coal drags going north to factories, tank cars from the west bound for east coast ports, tanks, etc from factories and/or military bases for the east coast ports, plus troop trains and miscelaneous freight. Maybe one main railroad, maybe two or three being routed through. I imagine the earliest EMD diesels (FT, F3) would have been present and I want to find the smallest reasonably realistic steam engines that would run on say 22" radius plus mainlines. And which company would have run what equipment.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Frank

One, do you provide customer service? I emailed a week ago and no answer. I tried calling, the phone rang for some time before someone answered. She sounded busy and abrupt. Sent me off to an extension presumably in customer service which again rang for quite some time and was never answered. I have an N 4-4-0 that has been missing the rear truck from the tender since I bought it and put it up a few years back, must have not really noticed it at the time as I'd bought 2. The screw is there, but the head appears smaller than the other screw on the tender or the 2 on the second one.

2 On the EZ Track, Frankly I like it. I want to have something to play around with until a more permanent layout is possible. I have HO and N and am using both. Seems to be a major bias toward the HO Nickel Silver grey. Will there be more selections in the black steel alloy, which works fine for me so far. In particular the insulator sections, more curve options and more switch options. I like the black, I think it looks better unfinished and will weather nicely. Plus I'm cheap (to many interests not enough resources).

Last. I bought a train set for my son a while ago plus some extras. The set came with and/or I bought extra 40' open hoppers (I'm a sucker for an ore load). The cars are in red marked MStL. This was fine at the time, but he's not so intersted and I'd like to integrate them into my layout as Norfolk and Western cars. They are the short list for kadees, a repaint and a coal load. Would Bachmann sell sets of the decal markings? Are they decals or are they applied in a different way? How?

Frank