Night Before Xmas train set G scale

[golujan]

How many straight and curved steel tracks do I need to expand my current layout?? How many extra cars can I add to the train set??

Thank U

Lupe

[Narrowgauge12]

You get the standard 4-6-0, a gondola and a bobber caboose. Usually you get a circle of tubular track with 2-4 straights. If i were you, i would try to find the old version of the set because it had one or two more cars and came with 4 more straights. Hope this helps  

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Are you wanting to make a figure eight, or just make what you have longer? or get switches and make sidings?  Let us know. 

You have one of the best Christmas sets which includes the 4-6-0 with the version five chassis, it should give you years of good service.  As long as you keep the track level you could probably add one or two cars.

Have fun.

[Chuck N]

My answer to you first question is add as much track as you have space. 

You can add cars until the wheels on the engine start to slip.  Then remove at least two.  There are too many variables to say how many you can pull; are the wheels oiled, how much do they weigh,  radius of the curves are you using, etc.

If you are planning on only using the track indoors, the Bachmann tubular steel track is fine. 

Chuck

[golujan]

I want to make the oval bigger. If I can make a figure 8 what do I need?

[Chuck N]

Bachmann sells additional track pieces.  My suggestion is for this year add some sections of straight track to expand your oval.  Doing a figure eight will require more curves, straight  and a ninety degree crossing, also sold by Bachmann. 

Chuck

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hopefully our trackplan expert Joe Satnik will chime in here he can tell you exactly what you will need to do the figure 8.

[Joe Satnik]

Loco Bill,

Track plan expert?  Hardly. 

I just understand a little bit about figure 8 geometry, and how to use the AnyRail.com track CAD program. 

Figure 8's are just plain fun. 

Not very prototypical, though. 

The main advantage for a model railroad is that they turn the train (or exercise it, or wear it out) in both left and right directions.

Here's the thread with the recipe that I generated before AnyRail.com added the half-straights to the tinplate G track library:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,10407.15.html

Recipe is about 1/3 of the way down. 

Feel free to PM (personal message) me if needed. 

Fence to Fence (Table-Top) dimensions are important:  55" x 122", which includes room for 4-6-0 cow-catcher and roof overhang. 

Anyrail picture:



Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[Loco Bill Canelos]

You are too humble Joe, If I ever have a track question about the Bachmann Steel track you would be my go to guy.   

[golujan]

Thanks for the info Joe. My last question would be can I put rechargeable 9V batteries into the passenger cars??

Lupe

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

It shouldn't care what type of batteries, rechargeable or not, it just must be 9vdc.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Lupe,

Ah, yes, the lit passenger cars, a.k.a. "The 9 Volt battery killers".

A rechargeable battery should work well, and is probably the easiest solution to your battery drain problem.   

Another option you might want to consider is changing

the incandescent lights over to golden white LEDs (with resistors in series) to extend battery life. 

Use the search function to find old threads on the subject.

The newer Jackson Sharpe track powered passenger cars have pickups that add rolling resistance (drag) to the train and draw more current from your power pack.   

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[golujan]

This is for Joe Satnik who seems to be the expert around here. I bought a Lil Big Hauler 'North Pole Express Merry Xmas' caboose from e-bay. The stamp on the bottom says it's from Bachmann. The problem is that this caboose came with hook couplers. If I remove one of the hook couplers and install a knuckle coupler from Bachmann, The knuckle on the caboose is too high to engage the Bachmann car. Is there some kind of adapter from Bachmann that will make the knuckle on the caboose go to a lower height so that it will engage the Bachmann car??

[Chuck N]

Bachmann has a stepdown coupler that should work.  Mine came with an engine, so I do not know the part number.

Here is a picture of the coupler. 



Chuck

[golujan]

Thanks for the info Chuck. Almost no one here in El Paso seems to know about this adapter. I will report the part # once Bacmann delivers the item.