Here's another, "Fireball Mail," sung by Acuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQafTXPQ_Sg

Do trains run as reliably (no increase in derailing) on rails smaller than 100?

Gene, one is "The Wreck of the Old 97" sung by Roy Acuff & the other is
"Moving On" sung by Hank Snow.  Maybe a search on UTube will get the one for you as it did for me.  There are recordings by other singers, too.  I just tested this link, & it worked:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTBF6gj_K9M&feature=PlayList&p=3FBC92F0E660D66E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=41

Bill

  A friend sent me mp3s of two railroad songs I enjoyed, so I looked them up on Utube:

http://www.youtube.com/watchv=vTBF6gj_K9M&feature=PlayList&p=3FBC92F0E660D66E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=41

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF_iHwjW4rY

Thanks for the links, Bob.  I bookmarked them into my Model Trains folder.

OkieRick, your suggestion sent me on a search of this forum for graphite.  It seems mostly for lubricating couplers.  That leaves me still wondering why it accompanies the 2-10-2 & not the 4-8-4 or my SD45s.

  Something squeaks when I run my new 4-8-4.  Could it be wheels on a new tender?  What is the remedy?  I have IHC passenger cars that squeak when run, also.

  Bob, in regard to free-rolling cars, I just discovered a "clinker" on one of my trains, a Bachmann GN flatcar with load of logs.  One or more of its plastic wheelsets is binding.  I'm thinking of getting metal wheel sets for it.

Bob, examined under brighter light, the dust looks black.  It wouldn't stay in the tender long, so I'll just leave it in its bag.

HO-Ron, after several months more seasoning in the hobby since I made those comments, I now agree with you.  With 3 connected ovals, I think the 5 amp booster is essential.

Pacific Northern, your information that the 2-10-2's prototypical top speed
is 55 mph will reconcile me to the top speed of 64 mph my Spectrum gets pulling 6 cars, & it should have pulling power for the maximum cars I would use. 

 Thanks for the information, Gene.

  This is a timely discussion for me.

  I was powering 3 ovals with my 5 amp EZ Command booster connected to a terminal rerailer on the outer oval.  With much help from YampaBob, I've set up a terminal strip, connected the booster to it & feeders to terminal rerailers on my outer & inner track.  My middle track has no terminal rerailer, so I must figure out how to connect a feeder to it.  Since I have PowerLoc track, I need adapters for a Bachmann terminal rerailer, which must be evened up on the other side of the oval.   

  I got my Spectrum 2-10-2 DM&IR today.  Since I was mistaken about the 4-8-4 being a Spectrum, I'd forgotten that the 2-10-2 is, especially since it is priced lower.  I was surprised that the driving wheels of the 2-10-2 are much smaller than on the 4-8-4, giving the 2-10-2 a shorter distance across the drivers:  3.5" compared to 4".  Another difference is that the 4-8-4 has no engineer or fireman, but the Spectrums have.  Maybe, the 2-10-2 will steer better.   

  Does anyone know why a tiny bag with about a teaspoon of fine sand is included?  Is it to throw on the rails, or might it be an authentic sample of Mesabi Iron Range iron ore?   

jdvass, as others here say, "It's your railroad!"  I renamed my Bachmann DCC 4-8-4 Santa Fe Northern to The Milwaukee Road, because I live in Wisconsin.  I researched The Milwaukee Road & found that they had two versions of the 4-8-4:  S2 made in 1937 & built by Baldwin;  & S3 made in 1944 & built by American Locomotive Company.  The S2 looks more like my locomotive than the S3, so that's what I'm calling it.   

 Bob, thanks a lot for the diagram of wiring a terminal strip.  No instructions came with it.  I thought all of the terminals were connected by a wire inside.  I managed to connect the 8 terminals on the one side with jumpers & connect my booster.  For now, I wired from the other side of the terminal strip to the EZ Track terminal rerailer track on the outer oval & the PowerLoc terminal rerailer on the inner oval.  The middle oval has no terminal rerailer.  Current now reaches the middle from the inner oval, as long as the turnouts between middle & inner still conduct.  Next, I'll work on feeding the middle oval.   

  On the advice of YampaBob & Jim Banner, I added weight to the pony truck of my new 4-8-4, because its wheels would slip off the rails going through my 2 turnouts that are connected to each other.  I didn't have sheet lead, so I got an old split shot from my tackle box, flattened it with pliers & trimmed it to fit the small flat space on top of the pony truck.  Doubtful that so small a weight would help, I was pleased to see my 4-8-4 traverse those turnouts 6 times in succession, before I stopped the train.  Previously, the locomotive would make no more than 1 or 2 laps before derailing.

Robertj668, buying a 4-8-4 & a 2-10-2 in one week on eBay is enough for me for now!  I also bought 3 Con Cor 72' passenger cars on eBay for my 4-8-4.  I'll probably make it a combined passenger & freight train.

Grumpy, that's fine with me.  My inner oval has 18" curves.  Is it a Bachmann loco?  Did you have any problem with the pony truck slipping off the rails?  Mine does at turnouts.  I will try adding a little weight to the truck.

Thanks, Bob.  I purchased the wire & terminal strip at Radio Shack, but I'm not sure what to do with them:  booster's wire into terminal strip & feeder wires out to the 3 ovals or booster's wire left in the EZ track terminal rerailer track & wire from the terminals on the other side of the rerailer to ?

  This morning a tech from Walters called & advised cleaning the points with an Exacto blade.  He said PowerLoc was not intended for hobby use, just occasional use, like around the tree at Christmas!  I said they should caution readers of their catalog, as they do about the minimum radius for their passenger cars.  Anyway, I've had no problem yet with the track, just with the turnouts.