Old Tyco Engines

[ClayNick]

I bought a Bachmann First train track pack to replace my old Tyco tracks (My 45 year old engines run great still).  My questions are:  If I get a new transformer , will my engines run on this track, or do I now need to get new engines?  And what transformer do I get to run the trains and switches in this track pack?

[Flare]

Your vintage locomotives will run fine on those tracks with a modern speed controller, just don't get one that sends digital signals (DCC) because your equipment is analog.

Bachmann's analog HO controller looks like this: http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=879_604_782_783&products_id=3172

But any non-DCC controller should do the job.


Does that track pack come with switches that have green wires attached to them?  If so you'll need to verify that the controller you get has AC terminals.

[ClayNick]

The tracks have three green wires attached to them, so would the controller you linked worked for me.  Thank you for your reply, this is the first time I have ever posted anywhere, and when I tried to navigate the phone numbers at Bachmann (I'm old fashioned, I like to speak to humans), I wasn't quick enough, so I got hung up on by the automated system, on several occasions, till I gave up.  Thank you again.

[Hunt]

Click Here    for the Bachmann Remote Turnout instructions. Read all the instructions do not depend on just the illustrations.

[Desertdweller]

ClayNick,

You must have taken good care of those Tycos for them to run fine after 45 years!  I remember them being smooth, quiet runners.

Sometime back in the 1930's, model railroad manufacturers decided to standardize their HO trains so any manufacturer's trains would operate on any HO railroad and power supply.  You can probably find exceptions if you look far enough, but generally it was true.  Scale was 1/87, track was two-rail, motors ran on 12 volt DC (nominally).  The last thing to be standardized was the couplers by the late 1950's.  This situation remained until the late 1970's when DCC appeared.  DCC has supplanted DC control, not replaced it.  Most model railroads today still use DC.

So your 1960's-era trains should do just fine on modern track and DC power.  Two things you should be aware of:  Current HO and N-scale trains (American type) now use knuckle-type couplers.  They will not mate with the horn-hook couplers of the era of your trains, but it is not difficult to change out the old style couplers with new ones.
The second thing is that Tyco freight and passenger cars use truck-mounted couplers.  If you run Tyco cars in a train with cars with body-mounted couplers, you will need to convert the cars to all the same type coupler mounting, or they may derail on curves.  Body-mounted couplers are the current standard.  If you continue to run all Tyco cars, no problem.  Otherwise, it is not difficult to standardize on body-mounted couplers.

Good luck!

Les

[jbrock27]

Clay, I hope you bought the nickel silver track pack.

Did you view Hunt's "Click Here"?  Did the pack come with those switch controls that hook up to the switch/turnout track as pictured?

[RAM]

Les, As far as I know the couplers were never standardized.  The x2f was brought up for a vote, but it failed to pass.

[jbrock27]

I can't believe there are still people who look to sell horn hook couplers

[Desertdweller]

RAM,
 
The X2f, or horn-hook, coupler was the standard coupler from about 1960-2000.  It was the standard coupler for HO trains as being the coupler HO equipment came equipped with.  Who voted on it?  The NMRA?  The NMRA serves as an advisory board to the manufacturers, but are pretty irrelevant to most model railroaders.  They try to standardize specifications for model railroad equipment to facilitate compatibility of equipment, but have no means of enforcing their standards.

In the period of the horn-hook coupler, modelers wishing better-looking and better operating couplers generally used KayDee couplers, operating knuckle couplers.  KayDee had a patent on these until about 2000.  When the patent protection expired the market was flooded with knuckle couplers.  At this time, knuckle couplers became the industry standard.

The horn-hook couplers did not all operate well with each other, as manufacturers used different designs and materials in their couplers.  To a lesser degree, knuckle couplers today have the same problem.

At one time, I was enthusiastic about the NMRA (National Model Railroad Association).  By the time they decided to hold their National Convention in London, England (!) I came to the conclusion that it was an elitist organization that had little in common with the average model railroader.  I do not consider model railroading to be a competitive hobby, and I do not appreciate other people dictating how I should enjoy my hobby.

Les

[jbrock27]

The horn-hook couplers did not all operate well with each other, as manufacturers used different designs and materials in their couplers.
Les

And this is why, in large part, they s#@!k. 

I have to say, I have not experienced the same problems to any degree with different brand knuckle couplers.  Breakage yes, but not with coupling.

I do not consider model railroading to be a competitive hobby, and I do not appreciate other people dictating how I should enjoy my hobby.

Les

Amen to that brother!

[Hunt]

 

KayDee [SIC]   The name is Kadee

[jbrock27]

 
Nothing like being pedantic I guess.

[ClayNick]

Thanks again to all who replied.  I have switch type B with plastic frogs, I didn't realize replacing my old track would get so entailed.  My son is moving up from the wooden/metal/plastic Thomas the Tank Engines to his own HO set this Christmas, so I wanted to updated my set to be compatible.  I intend to pick up a controller tomorrow.  Again, thank you all for your time and patience with this old novice.

[jbrock27]

Did you end up getting the nickel silver set?

Just food for thought; you don't feel you have to buy a Bachmann DC Controller and may want to consider a DC one by MRC.  They are very good and may even be less in price.  You can look for and buy the plug/wire set up seen in the diagram Hunt provided, separately and connect the one end to the AC terminals of the power pack and the use the black "plug end" to connect to your B type switch controller.

Good luck and have fun