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Topics - Terry Toenges

#1
HO / parallel tracks
April 05, 2024, 07:50:16 PM
Someone mentioned getting tracks parallel with turnouts.
I just did this one with Anyrail
#2
General Discussion / Railroad group on Facebook
March 27, 2024, 07:32:15 PM
I joined this Facebook group a while back. I figured some on here might be interested. It's real railroaders but rail fans are welcome.
"IF YOU WORK(ED) ON THE RAILROAD (railfans welcome)"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/658047340912711/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=7691410300909678
#3
I had never seen video of John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid layout before.
#4
General Discussion / track power for lights
February 10, 2024, 03:41:35 PM
If I want to use track power for lights on some cars what size resistor do I need?
I have some 3 volt Christmas lights that I'm using on flat cars and gondolas. Right now I'm using batteries. I'm using the cars with my DCC Mogul.
Someone also suggested a zener diode. Do those come in different sizes? I know nothing about them.
#5
On30 / Lighted cars for Christmas
February 02, 2024, 01:34:02 PM
I added Christmas lights to my On30 flat car. I used brass nails for stanchions. I still have another flat and a gondola to do. I'll fill this one with small Christmas presents. I was able fit the battery box between the frame and the truss rods.

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#6
Are the rails in the "diamond" in Bachmann crossings connected to the outer tracks? I'm trying to figure out how to keep my trolleys from stalling at the crossings.
#7
HO / Bachmann Brill Trolley
December 21, 2023, 04:29:24 PM
I finally got my Bachmann Brill Trolley set-up running. It goes kind of fast but it was hard to program this thing and I'm not going to mess with it. You might want to turn the sound down. It's noisy with my oxygen concentrator running in the  background.
https://youtu.be/sfGe99m50WI
#8
General Discussion / Track painting tip.
December 02, 2023, 01:54:12 PM
This will work for E-Z Track, too. You can read the comments for each pic. I don't know what method others use to paint track. This is what I came up with.
I go over the rails with Bachmann's conductive lube before I paint it. After painted, the paint comes right of the rails. I'll use 1/8" pin stripe tape to cover the ends of the ties. I cut card stock pieces to fit in the center.
I'm doing the track so it looks like trolley track laid in the street. I can run my Bachmann Brill trolley back and forth.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=terry.toenges&set=a.10161409953690522
#9
General Discussion / Bachman's "Now hiring" post
November 06, 2023, 03:41:19 PM
Boy! I sure wish I was younger. The media coordinator job would be right up my alley. Maybe I should say right up my spur :) A media person for a model train company. Wow! :)
I have BA in media communications with emphasis in public communications. Too bad this wasn't around in 1990 when I graduated.
Now, I'm too old and too infirm to even think about it.
#10
On30 / On30 tenders
November 03, 2023, 01:29:26 PM
Are any of the On30 tenders the same body as the On30 Mogul tender? I need a Mogul tender body for a kit bash. I don't need a whole tender just the body. If not, I guess I'll have to buy a whole tender.
#11
General Discussion / Former Central Pacific roadbed
September 30, 2023, 11:47:47 PM
Back in '97, we took a trip out West. One of the places we visited was the Transcontinental Railroad "Golden Spike" site in Utah.
After the ceremony was over, I decided to head West and travel over the old Central Pacific roadbed once we left the National Park site. It was neat to me knowing that over 100 years ago, the old steam locos were traversing the same route I was on.
I had an all-wheel drive van so I often got off the beaten path when we went places.
I found some old spikes and tie plate bolts along the way. I wondered how old they were and if any were originals. During WWII, they  pulled up all the track to use the metal for the war.
I also have a video on Youtube from the ride on the old C. P. route.
That's the Great Salt Lake on the left.
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The video. Just imagine you are riding in the cab of a noisy, hissing, steaming, smoke belching 4-4-0 headed back to California. The very last part of the video, I took a detour up a hill to see what was on the other side.
#12
HO / E-Z Track terminal connections
September 24, 2023, 04:31:08 PM
I made this for someone on Facebook but it might be of interest to someone on here. With Bachmann's connector wires, I take a black magic marker and run a line on one of the two wires so I can keep them oriented to pos and neg.
#13
General Discussion / Bachmann DC controller problem
August 14, 2023, 06:12:59 PM
I have two Bachmann DC controllers. Neither one will operate a loco in reverse. I have swapped them out and tried different DC locos.
They work fine for running the locos forward, but when I hit the switch to run backwards, nothing happens.
When I use the DC controller, I unplug the DCC controller and plug the DC one in. The controller is run through the Bachmann booster to the track.
Any ideas? Could both of the DC controllers be bad?
#14
HO / DCC trolley and Bachmann autoreverse system
August 12, 2023, 07:40:15 PM
Will this trolley (Spectrum #80203 Single Truck Birney Street Car DCC) work with  Bachmann's autoreversing system?
Is the trolley dual mode?
*****  I found my answer - it is dual mode *****
I'm going to put a trolley on my Christmas layout where I have my "Main Street". I'll use some flex track to bend it around the corners then lay something on it to cover the ties.  I need a 4 wheeler because I'm going to about a 7" radius at the end corner.
I have a Tyco/Mantua trolley but it isn't lighted.  I tried it and it seems to do the 7" ok.
I don't know if I want to spend all that money for a new Bachmann one just to get the lights. I might try to light the one I have.
I'll take the auto reverse system stuff off of the E-Z track and solder it to the flex track.
#15
General Discussion / Sierra Railroad on Wells Fargo
July 27, 2023, 05:44:57 PM
I was watching Tale of Wells Fargo the other night and one scene was shot behind the Sierra Railroad roundhouse. This is from a 1957 episode.
The Sierra Railroad roundhouse is in the background. Jim Hardie (Dale Robertson) is talking to Belle Starr (Jeanne Cooper). Famous movie loco #3 is pulling the train.
(Some of you soap fans might recognize Jeanne as Mrs. Chancellor from The Young and the Restless.)
#16
General Discussion / Wiring 3 separate loops.
April 26, 2023, 04:20:07 PM
Someone on Facebook asked about wiring his layout for three separate loops using E-Z Command. I showed him how I did it using stereo "Y" connectors. Someone on here might benefit from this.

#17
On30 / Looking for a DCC Mogul tender.
March 25, 2023, 06:12:25 PM
I'm still looking for a Bachmann On30 DCC 2-6-0 Mogul tender. I don't even need the body. Just the chassis with the PCB board and connector harness. Does anyone have one they want to part with?
#18
I searched and searched online for this loco. I figured it would be in a museum somewhere or on a tourist railroad. It looks well preserved. A number of things to look for - Old style pointed cab roof instead of rounded. Old box headlight instead of newer rounded one. Radley & Hunter stack. Straight boiler with no hump in back. Three domes when most old locos have two. Star insignia on front of boiler. #1 on front dome.
The two pics look like the same loco.

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#19
General Discussion / Digitrax PR4 programmer
February 20, 2023, 05:40:53 PM
I've had this Digitrax PR4 decoder programmer for a few months. It looked like it was going to be a major ordeal to set it up so I shelved it for a while.
It involved changing computer settings and dealing with device manager and com ports and installing software. I was hesitant about doing all that on my everyday laptop because I didn't to be messing with all my settings.
A couple of weeks ago, I broke out my old Dell laptop that I hadn't used in at least a year. (It was very slow. That was why I had gotten a new HP one.) I got the Dell all up to date with all the Windows updates.
Today, I got the Digitrax stuff all uploaded to the Dell and got the PR4 to work. It was a major accomplishment and took a couple of hours to get everything right.
I just successfully changed some CV's on my F40PH to get it to start quicker and stop quicker. I had never done anything with decoder programming before.
Now, I have no reason to get rid of my E-Z Command and switch to something fancier.
I'm very pleased now.
#20
General Discussion / Wabash and Gulf Mobile & Ohio
February 11, 2023, 02:43:34 PM
Cool pic of Wabash and Gulf Mobile & Ohio backing into St. Louis Union Station - 1954
From a pic that John Fulmer posted on Facebook.