most basic quetsion possible

[devmodevmo]

just got the Chattanooga and this is our first train.  How does the engine connect to the tender?  the tender has a knuckle hook on the back but a solid hook on front and the back of the engine doesn't seem to have anything to attach to?  I'm sure i'm missing something simple.  thanks and MC!

[phillyreading]

There should be a plastic rod with a hole in it on the front of the tender and this slips over a small thumbtack-head looking piece and secures around, most H.O.and N scale have this.
If it is O gauge you have a small bar with a hole that slips over a small thunmbtack looking piece or you have a piece with a slot in it that allows another piece with a quarter inch wide flat metal piece that fits together.

P.S. when you post please say what scale or size train you are talikng about, it makes things easier for a reply!

Lee F.

[J3a-614]

Devmodevmo, if I don't miss my guess, you have an HO train set with one of Bachmann's 6-wheeled switcher locomotives.  This is an older model, almost more of a toy compared with some others, but greatly improved over the years with a better motor and so on.  My guess is that this one is like the old one I had years ago, in that the "solid" drawbar at the front is rigidly mounted, and has something like a peg on it.  This peg fits into a slot at the rear of the locomotive.  Curves are handled by the drawbar sliding from side to side in the slot. 

Let us know if this is what you have--and welcome to this wonderful hobby.  Merry Christmas!

[devmodevmo]

That works, thank you very much!

[missyl]

anyone know what I need to do to get my train to run faster. cleaned everything but it barely moves around the track

[missyl]

what is difference in on30 and on27? and just O ?

[phillyreading]

what is difference in on30 and on27? and just O ?

From what I have seen is; on30 is H.O. track with narrow gauge looking trains, I think they run on DC, supposed to be O scale.
As far as I know of, there is no on027.
O gauge trains are about 1/48th scale, and most run on AC for three rail and DC for scale two rail. H.O. are about 1/87th scale, not sure on the size of on30.

Lee F.

[jward]

i think she means O-27.

O27 is O scale, standard guage. the number refers to the diameter of a circle of track. unlike other scales, O measures their curves by diameter not radius. the curves come in many diameters, with O27 being the one in many lionel sets. O72 is also common, and a much wider curve .

On30 is a narrow guage track, the 30 denotes the number of (scale) inches between the rails. On30 trains can run on HO track, O27 ones need regular 3 rail O track. there is also a difference in power supplies, O27 runs on AC, On30 on DC. don't EVER try to use the power supply for one on the other.

[phillyreading]

Just a small but important point with 027 trains and O gauge; 027 will run on O gauge track but not all "O scale"(true to scale) trains will run on 027 track. O gauge tubular starts at 31 inch curves and can go up to 120 inch(maybe higher) curves, and 027 has 27 inch & 42 inch curves.
027 style track is lower in heigth than O gauge track, and has smaller size track pins.

Lee F.

[missyl]

thank you!!

[missyl]

know what slows a train down??

[ChrisS]

Bunch of carpet fuzz wrapped up in a loco?

[missyl]

sorry I know so little. I am widowed and gone back to my second childhood and always loved trains. I have a northern lights G scale and it has slowed to a crawl. I got a new 0 27 set for Christmas I know zero about so I appreciate the help. I have several ho scale

[Woody Elmore]

Your engine may have dirty wheels or the track may be dirty.

[M1FredQ]

On our layout my son and I have both the old Lionel tubular track from the 1950-60's and Fas-Track.

We take the time to clean the track using Goo-Gone lightly springeled on an old rag

and black carbon comes off the rails. The trains then run very smooth and we can run them at very slow speed without "die-downs or slow downs". When we get the new layout up the old tube track will be used for our rail yard and to run the Peter Witt street car my son received from Santa through the town.

Happy Railroading!!