Dear All,

14th Annual Happy Grandparents Train Show.

Menomonie, (West-Central) WI

April 11-12, 2015

http://www.trainweb.org/hgmr/

Hope you can make it.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

We've always said that modelers should have a Volt-Ohm Meter for troubleshooting. 

Can't beat free. 

Look for a coupon from Harbor Freight in your newspaper. 

Nothing else to buy, while supplies last.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Streamliners at Spencer Time Lapse:

http://trn.trains.com/Interactive/TrainsTube/2014/06/Streamliners%20at%20Spencer%20Timelapse.aspx#74686

From Jim Wrinn at Trains Magazine.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Punctuation

Dear All,

Steaming by the Water Model Railway Expo, Sunday, July 6, 2014, 11 am - 4 pm, Eau Claire, WI

Free. 

My friend Charlie at our local hobby shop put on this show last year, and it worked out pretty well.

http://www.trainweb.org/steaming/

One day only.

GPS compatible address for the deli across the street:

329 Riverfront Ter, Eau Claire, WI 54703

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Added Terry's page 1 sketch to AnyRail,

so it seemed logical to put it on the end of the thread containing the sketch.  

Joe Satnik

Edit:  This is a warning to NOT reply to a 7 year old question or comment in the other mentioned thread.

Dear All,

Getting a little more skilled with AnyRail:



Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Just showing off what you can do with AnyRail.com.

Figure-8 in Oval Recipe - 22"R x 30 degrees, 4'x9' (extended length) table top.



A 7" long 30 degree crossing is needed.
 
Either cut a 44540 Bachmann 11-15/16" 30 degree crossing down to 7" length (each leg end 3-1/2" from center of diamond) or,

use a 30 degree x 4" Code 100 crossing and add 1-1/2" fitters to each leg (as shown above).

2 Left and 2 Right #5 Bachmann turnouts are needed for the entire layout.



Traveling away from 7" crossing: (the following are all Bachmann HO Nickel-Silver E-Z Track)

One 26"R -18 degree curve

Two 22"R -22.5 degree curves

#5 turnout

Four 22"R -22.5 degree curves

Two 9" Straights off the main line end of the turnout.**

Multiply by 4 to get the entire parts list.

The layout needs dual insulated joiners or both rails gapped at or near the "crossed" (or non-circled) track joints shown on the diagram above. 

DCC operation with a DCC auto-reverser recommended.   

(DC-block operation with manual track polarity reversing would get too intensive.)

**Two of the eight total straights could be replaced with straight terminal re-railers.  (One on the left side of the insulated rail joiners, one on the right.)

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   
   

Dear 3rail,

Please consider moving the technical contents of the thread

"Can I start a Williams in reverse?"

to the Williams F.A.Q.s -  Read Only Forum.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Here is a pdf file link for the new 2013 WBB catalog:

http://www.bachmanntrains.net/Catalogs/2013/2013_Williams.pdf

Be patient, it takes a few seconds to download. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Hmm.   Interesting. 

Never knew they did the Aluminum LLs in an 80 foot length.  Wonder what year(s)? 

Crown Edition.. O-54 min. diameter.  (Who's got the room for O-72?)   

Wonder what one would look like on an O-27 curve?...I suppose the couplers wouldn't be able to swivel that far. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/O-WILLIAMS-6-CAR-B-O-ALLUMINUM-80-LUXURY-LINER-PASSENGER-SET-NIB-/300795861541?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4608d49a25

Joe

Barry,

Is your sbc e-mail addy still active?

Barry and others,

Does anyone have a handle on the recent price history (auction, etc.) of the

1999-2000 On30 GN (Great Northern) 2-6-0 and 3 car passenger set, item number 25005 ?

There is currently one on e-bay, but it is part of a larger lot of items, so its individual value is hard to determine.....

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit:  added full road name

Dear All,

Do you have any of these Bachmann catalogs?

1998, 1999 and 2000 catalogs w/ Spectrum

If so, would you look something up for me?

Thanks.

joebarbsatnik"at"gmail"dot"com

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Just a warning:

If two power packs are connected, and the voltage levels are different or opposite polarity from one another, significant damage can occur to either or both power packs. 

If you try to run multiple DC power packs on your layout (i.e., multiple "throttles" or "cabs")

you run the risk of connecting one power pack to another, either through

1.) a mis-wire, or

2.) "bad block switch selections" and a wheel rolling (connecting) across a gap between blocks, or

3.) "bad block switch selections" and 2 trucks on a loco (or other rolling stock with 2 truck electrical pickup) straddling a gap between blocks.

If you are wired properly using the correct electrical (block) switches, you would be prevented from connecting one power pack to another on an empty layout. 

This type of wiring (block, multi-throttle, multi-cab) is shown in many different books, including "The Complete Atlas Wiring Book" (Atlas book #12).

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

If you want to install a switch to go back and forth between series and parallel, skip down to 3.)

Assuming you have safely removed the loco's shell;

Look at the wires attached to each of the two electric motors.  

Each motor should have a "dot" where one wire attaches to it and no mark where the other attaches to it.

Trace the "dotted" wires back to the Molex connectors plugged into the reversing board.

Note the plug's orientation to insure that it gets plugged back in properly in later steps.

a.) Remove one (2 pin) plug at a time.

b.) Using a small nail or Xacto-knife blade tip, depress the small tab on the back of the "dotted" wire's metal connector pin, and pull it out of the back of the plastic Molex plug.  

c.) Plug the plastic molex connector in its proper orientation back into the reverser board (with only one metal pin).  The dotted wire should be loose.  

Repeat a, b, and c for the other dotted wire.

Double check that the 2 loose wires are indeed from the dotted side of each motor.

Join (connect) the two dotted wires together, one from each motor:  

1.) You could lay the two loose pins next to each other and wrap them with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing.  This would make it easy to return to stock parallel wiring, but may not be a trouble free connection.  

or,

2.) For a more permanent and trouble free connection;

Move back one inch from the metal pins on each dotted wire and clip them.  

Strip 3/8" insulation from each wire, slide a 1" long heat shrink tube on one wire, then wrap the bare ends around each other and solder.  

Slide the heat shrink tube over the soldered portion of the joined wires, and shrink with heat.

Save the 2 clipped ends to return to stock parallel if desired in the future.

3.) If you would like to make your motor switchable between parallel and series,

You will need a DPDT switch rated at least 3 amps and at least 20 volts.

Radio Shack 275-636 is one of at least 3 that would work from RS.    

The back of the switch has 6 terminals (T1 thru T6):

1 2
3 4
5 6

Assuming you have safely removed the loco's shell;

Look at the wires attached to each of the two electric motors. 

Each motor should have a "dot" where one wire attaches to it and no mark where the other attaches to it.

Trace the "dotted" wires back to the Molex connectors plugged into the reversing board.

Do not remove pins from connectors.

Cut and strip the 2 dotted motor wires (leaving 4 ends) at a convenient location for the switch,

or add wire length to any or all of the 4 ends to reach wherever you mount the switch.  

Shrink tube any wire to wire solder connections.

Connect (solder):
 
T1 to T2.
T3 to front motor dotted wire (from motor).
T4 to rear motor dotted wire (from motor).
T5 to front motor dotted wire (from reverse board connector)
T6 to rear motor dotted wire (from reverse board connector)

Check the back of the switch to assure no shorts. (Solder globs, stray strands of wire, etc. touching a terminal it shouldn't.)

Exception, T1 and T2 are connected together, so appear as a short.

Check any extended wires for proper insulation.    

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit:  Significant clarifications, please re-read.  10:25 am EDT 5-28-2012

Dear All,

See this topic on the "General Discussion" board.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit:  added "Discussion" 

Dear All,

Some stunning new liveries here, plus the originals to compare to:

http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20Reference/Locomotive%20Profiles/2012/05/Norfolk%20Southern%20heritage%20then%20and%20now.aspx

Enjoy. 

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

There is an auction listing on e-bay showing a photo of a 2626 Sager Place passenger car as a Pullman, not an Observation as listed and shown in the catalog.

In other words, all three cars in the auction set are Pullmans. 

Was this a one-time manufacturing mistake (fluke), or do they actually come packaged all three as Pullmans?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WILLIAMS-SET-2625-IRVINGTON-2626-SAGER-PLACE-2627-MADISON-PASSENGER-CARS-LIONEL-/270903896561?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3f132169f1

Mouse over or click on 4th picture.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear Bachmann,

1.  You guys have been busy.  Very impressive new products in all scales.   

2.  Please, please, please, may I be the first to ask?:

Will the Schnabel car run on 15" radius curves?



Thanks.

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

"Happy Grandparents" 10th annual spring train show coming up. 

http://trc.trains.com/events.aspx?page=info&eventid=15600

West Wisconsin, about an hour east of St. Paul, MN on I-94.

Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM

I should be there Saturday, hopefully early. 

I'll be wearing a black baseball cap with "2719" on the front.

A huge mix of scales and gauges.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Dear 3rail,

I noticed that there are aluminum Vista-Dome passenger cars made in 60 ft length, but not 72 ft. 

I assume the 60 ft. passenger cars came first, then the 72 footers. 

Any particular reason the Vista Domes didn't carry over?

Further investigation, also (Traditional Line) combines and diners in 60 ft. but not 72 ft.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik