Tuco10,

Are you wanting to use your E-Z Command controller to operate your snap switches?  If you are I don't believe it will.

I *think* you need a DCC decoder attached to each switch.  Someone here will be on me ike a duck on a June bug if I'm wrong and giving you wrong information.  I have the E-Z Command and the Dynamis Wireless controller (not together on one track) for my DCC control.  I'm sure the Dynamis is capable of operating your switches but I don't know if the E-Z Command is.

If you are going to wire your switch machines and mount the SPST switches in a bank or control panel and operate them by hand you'll be ok.

I'm going through the same thing with the layout I've been working on for a long time now.  I'm using Atlas code 83 track but am going to use my Dynamis to control both my trains and switches on the turnouts.  With the advice of some people here I chose to use Digitrax DS64 4-switch decoders ( http://www.digitrax.com/prd_statdec_ds64.php ), Atlas Custom-Line turnouts and Atlas Remote Switch machines. ( http://www.atlasrr.com/Trackmisc/hocode83.htm )



Happy Rails
OkieRick             

I have both - feathered and plucked.   

And yep, a Henweigh around here is 3-5 lbs.

I was afraid this thread was going to turn into a "I'll gve you $x.xx  for your _______."  Advertising and selling are against the cod of conduct. 

Daylight4449, I didn't want youi to get in hot water with the boss here.

Luck-

Rick

Fellers, If we don't get our hands slapped for carrying on this light hearted conversation I'll get a picture of my docking station where I park some of my sticks I use daily and post it sometime.

I've suffered from a few severe cases of hoof-n-mouth.  I imagine purt' near everyone has. It doesn't discriminate nor does it know and monetary, political, ethnic or geographical boundaries. It cripples the best of us when we least expect it.


                        
                                 


I still have my 4x8 double oval leaning against the wall.  I'm going to get my Bachmann Geep and my 2-10-2 Light Steamer out.  I haven't heard and bells, whistles of chuffing in a week - except for the train just east of the house.  I'd get my Russian out also but it's on a shelf somewhere at Bachmann repair.  I called today and asked about my repair order number 10311 and was told the techs were in the 103s and it shouldn't be long now. I need a HO fix.

Rick

p.s. ya think this is disguised enough to look like a real loco / train message?

Daylight4449 sais:

what would you want for your 4-4-0, i might trade.


Is this your day or what.  You caught me in great spirits glad to be alive on this good Earth on a sunny day in Oklahoma.


                                     


I have a Henweigh I'm willing to give away if you pay postage.

Okie

jettrain,

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose.  Sometmes you don't get to play the game.  Keep that train indoors or I'll tell your mommy.

Happy Rails-
Rick

Bob, my 1" Starrett mics are down in the shop.  It didn't occur to me there width difference as well as height difference.  By the looks of the joiners I'd say yes - very little, but 83 is narrower than 100 at the base.  I have a few of those joiners and will try them.  thanks for painting me a picture. I do catch on first time occasionally.


PD, I have a 1/4" dia. dowel rod for mouth sticks.  On most I have a plain rubber secretary's finger stall on the workng end held on by a technologically advanced light weight green rubber-type compound called "the rubber band saved off the daily newspaper."  I do have different length sticks for turning pages of a book, reaching for the thermostat, one for typewriter use (yep, still have a typewriter) and one for flipping playing cards out of a holder & Scrabble letters. 

Too much weight on the end of my stick makes it hard to wield but yesterday I did think about having a small file attached so I could touch up the soldered rail you mentioned.


Rick

PD said:

Take your rail joiner and flatten it on one half, slide the open end on a piece of code 100 rail. Lay a piece of code 83 on the flattened end and solder just the code 83 side. A touch up with a file is all you need. By the way, does your stick have its own file?

Ok - I had to study this a minute.  I need to flatten one end - half of it lengthwise - then do the soldering to the 83 sitting atop the flat joiner. I can get that done easy enough to save me a bunch of bucks.  My 36" long Flex Track is 100 & I do want to use it.  Thanks for the tip!


Bob

I have plenty of 83 and 100 rail joiners.  I don't have any idea how many joiners are in a package, if it's less than 100 it's highway...or train robbery.
Then again, I couldn't make them for that price.

Thanks guys - as always, it is appreciated.

Rick

While my buddies are busy with their kids and grandkids graduating high school I took the time to take stock and order some items needed so I can continue laying and cutting foam.  I called Victor at ERail - http://www.erailhobbies.com/ - my train only hobby shop / MRR club boss in Tulsa. He let me buy at club prices so I saved some bucks on Atlas Code 83 Custom-Line #6 and #8 Left and Right turnouts and Remote Switch Machines. 

Also picked up a Digitrax DS64 Quad decoder to control 4 switches PD told me about. He started to sell me a less expensive DS44 but found it only worked with Tortoise or other slow motion switches. 

I need some 83 to 100 conversion track pieces but I can't find any in stock. I've sent email to the vendors listed at Walthers that purchased it there.

Now I'm broke again for a month as far as train equipment goes. I have to get some work done. The long range forecast here is for sunshine or partly cloudy skies. Maybe I can get some foam cut outside.

If not I'll go watch my tomato plants get busy growing after 2 weeks of rain.


Rick

Frankly, I'm amazed!   


The natives of the Southeast Northern MidCentral Valley Highlands on the dark continent of Africa say if you see the giraffe in this picture you posses un-natural super powers that very few non-natives are capable of controlling. I saw it once after a Cherokee Medicine Man took me for an overnight two week trip.


                                   


Bless you, may your headaches be cured.



An Okie named Rick

Mee Too. I do all the above then guess where my screws, nuts. bolts and washers are next time I go hunting them. Actually I use empty small cups with plastic see-through lids butter comes in. (Country Crock or Sheds Spread). 

In all honesty, I thought fsm1000 might have gone with 9pin JST to 8 pin NMRA harness.

                                       

Then again if I had use of my fingers I'd be dammed before I bought a 2 or 3 inch long bundle of wires with the appropriate ends on them for $5.00+ - that's what the plug is for.

Still it's a good presentation.  For a foreigner fsm1000 spiks goot Eenglesh. 

Rick

PS - I always clean up after making a mess.  Run the vacuum, wash the walls, use the air freshener, change my clothes, etc.

That's a very good instructional video.  Anyone getting ready to install a decoder on a DCC ready locomotive could learn something.

I also checked out some of your other videos and photo 'how to' guides.

Good work.


Rick

No tender, Unpainted. $129

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/455-351603

What does that thing weigh?  Is the tendder brass also?


Rick

About 15 years ago my sister in LA checked on taking the trip back home to visit the folks in OK by rail on the Amtrack just to give her kids the experience of riding a train.  Then Wichita was as close as she could get straight through.  You can get from LA to OKC if you're patient...


                       


I didn't pick the dates, the scheduler did.  I didn't bother to check the price.

Seems most Amtrack service is on the Eastern seaboard, West coast and across Texas to the south and Kansas & Illinois to the north.  Okies just pay taxes to help keep it running.

Trains could sure move worlds of freight and people.  Wish I'd had taken a train trip when I could have, wheelchair or not.

I have three suitcases, big suitcases, full of brass track left from all the train equipment my uncle left me.  I had a 4'x8' "Figure 8" nailed down to run my first new Proto 2000 Heritage Series DCC & Sound steam locomotive at the I bought end of 2008 on.  A new MRC power supply had my Steamer working like something out of a folk song.

A friend & helper of mine told me "they" didn't use brass any longer - that nickel-steel and other alloy track had taken its' place.  I called Walthers to discuss it with a tech guy - he said to trash it and replace it with 83 (code 83) nickel-steel track.

I'm sure he would have liked me to do that and re-order from him.

No way was I going to toss over a mile of brass track away.  A little research later I found there was Code 100 and Code 83, track with bed attached, track and rails, flextrack pieces in 36" lengths, etc. and a lot of people that not only made their own track but some made their own working turnouts.

I talked to a guy in Tulsa that owns a small train only sales & repair shop and runs a MRR club about track. He told me the club had two layouts, one brass and one code 83 NS track. I told him about my situation - he said brass is fine just keep it cleaned and untarnished.  I ran across a load of Atlas track both code 83 and 100 (see http://www.trainworld.com/atlas/atlas_HO_track.htm ) at a second hand store.

Bottom line is what do you chose to use. It's your rail road.

What trains do you have?  What gage?

luck-
Rick