I didn't want to hijack the 4-4-0 thread.
You can see more of my Christmas layouts here.
http://www.sarget.com/xmasdex.html
I don't know what I did with the 2005 layout pics.
Now, it's still the same as the 2006 layout. I just leave it up all year because kids enjoy it all year long.
I have the pencil forest on the corner and, when people bring their kids come over, I tell them they can take a pencil from it.
In the middle of summer, it's kind of relaxing to shut the drapes, turn off the house lights, and run the trains. Makes me forget it's hot outside.
These are from '04 -



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These are from '06 -

I had posted this on the old board. I hope I have this right from cutting and pasting -
Passing sidings
One problem with making a passing siding on the straights with EZT (EZ Track) is that (with one exception - #5 below) you need a 2" straight.
That is, unless you want to cut the EZ Track.
As of today, 2" straights aren't sold separately.
They are sold with Bachmann's 90* crossing. It comes with four 2" straights.
Below are 6 examples of how you can make a passing siding using 18" radius curves.
This won't work with 15" or 22" radius curves without some kind of "S" curve somewhere.    
   *****************************************************************    
      
   1. Above - No straights between curve and turnout. ***NOT A GOOD IDEA *** Diverging leg = left - 18"r - 18"r - right Straight leg = left - 3" - 4 1/2" - 9" - "2 1/4" - 2" - 9 - right Dimensions = 38 3/4" long 6 3/4" wide    

   2. Above - 2" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 2" -18"r - 18"r - 2" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 2 1/4" - 2" - 2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 42 1/4" long 7 3/4" wide    
   
   3. Above - 2 1/4" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 2 1/4" -18"r - 18"r - 2 1/4" - right Straight leg = left - 2" - 9" - 4 1/2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 42 1/2" long 7 3/4" wide    
   
   4. Above - 3" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 3" - 18"r - 18"r - 3" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 3" - 3" - 2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 44" long 8 1/4" wide    
   
   5. Above - 4 1/2" straights between curve and turnout. *** The only combination that will work without a 2" straight. *** Diverging leg = left - 4 1/2" - 18"r - 18"r - 4 1/2" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 3" - 3" - 2 1/4" - 2 1/4" - 9" - right Dimensions = 48 1/2" long 9" wide    
   
   6. Above - 9" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 9" - 18"r - 18"r - 9" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 9" - 2" - 4 1/2" - 2 1/4" - 9" - right Dimensions = 54 1/2" long 11 1/4" wide    
   
   7. Above - Opposing turnouts Diverging leg = left - 2 1/4" - left - right - 2 1/4" - right Straight leg = left - 4 1/2" - 3" - 2" - 9" - 9" - right Dimensions = 45 1/2" long 7 3/4" wide    
   *****************************************************************    
   EZ Track yard
Here is an EZ Track yard made without cutting pieces and using the 2" straights, standard turnouts, and 18" curves.
The below pics use the diverging legs for the straight sections and the straight leg
for the curved sections.
Add straights equally between the two curves and the straights to make it longer.    
   *****************************************************************    
      

   1. Above - Can be passing siding or two track yard.
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 2" - 2 1/4" - left
Straight leg = right - 18"r - 18"r - left
Dimensions = 34 1/2" long   10 1/2" wide (to lowest corner of turnout)    

   2. Above - Four track yard.
Top set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 2" - 2 1/4" - left
Straight leg = right - 18"r - 18"r - left
Second set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 9" - 2" - 9" - left
Third set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 9" - 4 1/2" - 2" - 2 1/4" - 9" - 9" - left
Dimensions = 65 1/4" long   17 1/4" wide (to lowest corner of turnout)    

We just returned from 4 days in Hannibal MO. with the grandkids.
While the trip was meant to enlighten the grandkids about things Mark Twain related, it was also a cool place for train viewing.
There is a double track main through town between the historic district and the river.
From our riverview room in the Hotel Clemens, I could watch the trains frequently going North and South. Seems like about every couple of hours or so, there would be one going one way and, a few minutes later, one going the other way. We were on the second floor, so the view was partially obstructed by buildings. Had we been on the third floor, the view would have been even better.
Just above the historic part, there is a railroad draw bridge crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois and I watched quite a few trains crossing the river.
I think it is Burlington Northern track. I did see BN, BNSF, and UP lettered locos in the same train.
The consists seemed to be mostly empty auto haulers going South and hoppers heading North and East with an occasional mixed freight.
Just South of the historic district, below Lover's Leap, there had been a roundhouse in the late 1800's- early 1900's. I looked all around for any indications where the roundhouse had been, but couldn't find any.
Crossing the Southern part of town (East to West) there is an "S" curve that looks like the curves are really sharp compared to others I've seen and the straight between them looked to be not much more than a car length.
Just South of Hannibal, there is a cement plant with all kinds of neat sidings and spurs.
In town there is a train store with a huge "O" scale layout in the back room.
I had been to Hannibal years ago and had forgotten about all the train activity.
Great place for train fans to visit.

I said it on the old board but I'll repost it here.
A good way to get ideas for layouts is EBay.
There are often quite a few for sale on there and I enjoy looking at other people's layouts to get ideas.
I use the following search parameters -
In MODEL RAILROAD, TRAINS - "layout -pallets -crates -oil -loads -hay -barrels -garden -freight -barrel -skull"

http://toys.search.ebay.com/layout-pallets-crates-oil-loads-hay-barrels-garden-freight-barrel-skull_Model-RR-Trains_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcombineZyQQcopagenumZ1QQfcdZ1QQfposZ63601QQfromZR10QQfromZR9QQfrppZ100QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaatcZ1QQsacatZ479QQsatitleZlayoutQ20Q2dpalletsQ20Q2dcratesQ20Q2doilQ20Q2dloadsQ20Q2dhayQ20Q2dbarrelsQ20Q2dgardenQ20Q2dfreightQ20Q2dbarrelQ20Q2dskullQQsotrZ2QQsspagenameZSTRKQ3aMEFSRCHQ3aSRCH

I use that to avoid people just selling barrels and stuff under "layouts".

Here are a few EZ track layouts I came up with.  These were up on the old site.
One is the WGH layout using 22" radius curves.
I have some more pics of sidings I'll put up shortly.

The pieces that have the white strips across them are the 2" straights.
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[imghttp://www.sarget.com/trains/traintips/bach/eztrack/bachezyarda-24.jpg[/img]http://2.

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Hans in China,
Do you read this Bachmann board?
I replied to you about the LS domes on the "EB" site, but it wouldn't let me post an email address to buy them directly.
It's against EB's policy for them to let me buy directly from you.
In order to go through them, you have to put the domes up for sale through them so I can buy them.
I sure hope you read this board. It would make things much easier.

Looks like the 2" straights lost out this time.

Bach Man - Is there any way to put up the old posts for viewing only?
There was so much pertinent info that is now gone.

The downside to the new board - I had a couple of threads bookmarked that had all the info I needed about adding track powered lighting to my Big Hauler combine when I got around to it.  Now they are gone and I am getting ready to buy what I need to do it.
Can someone help me out here please?
Do I need different wheelsets?
I guess I can use the LGB wipers or is there something else I can use?
If I switch to  LEDs, do I need any additional components like resistors or capacitors for flicker free lighting?
What voltage LEDs should I use?
I'm no electrical whiz.