http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_Turntable.pdf

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_Turntable_Instructions_DC.pdf

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_Turntable_Instructions_DCC.pdf

4th track position........?

Bill,

Consider an elevator if the helix is too big.    

Joe

Build a train elevator
An automatic device to transfer trains between levels
by Steve Harris  
from Model Railroader June 2009  p. 60
benchwork  elevator  train  

Going up!
An elevator instead of a helix
by Roberts, Dick
from Model Railroad Planning January 2001  p. 78
construction  design  elevator  layout 

Vertical staging yard works like an elevator
by Roberts, William C.
from Railroad Model Craftsman October 1979  p. 85
fiddle  staging  yard 

Edit:  Added a 2nd and 3rd article.

Bob,

Inductive kickback laughs at resistors. 

The ca. 2000 version 5 chassis that I am most familiar with had an incandescent grain-of-wheat bulb in the front and nothing in the rear tender housing. 

Loco Bill will know more about when LEDs came on board.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Bob,

Could be inductive kickback coming off the electric motor's commutators.

If you had an oscilloscope across the motor leads you could possibly see the kickback on the waveform. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Mark,

Remove everything from the rails.

Try shoving the coal tender and each of the passenger cars down the rails, one at a time, looking for drag. 

Secure the chuff electrical cable and connector on the front of the tender up and out of the way so as not to snag the connector on the track ties below.

All three should roll down the track with ease.

Let us know the results of your rolling tests.

Further tests to follow depending on results of those rolling tests.

Joe   

Do you have a hobby shop or a model train club near by?

Perhaps they could help you get them running. 

Joe

Guessing an internal power pack problem, which should be covered under warranty, or you could return the set to the seller.   

Try this:

Unplug from wall.

Turn the train around to face the other direction, and change the direction switch on the controller.

Plug back in to wall. 

Does it always run at full speed as before?

Joe 

More discussion, including Len's response at the bottom of this thread:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,8723.0.html

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

The most common 80 Watt transformer is the "chopped wave" Lionel CW-80, which wreaks havoc with loco electronics.

Most 90 Watt transformers have a clean sine-wave output, which is compatible with electronic sound boards.

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear RM,

Most take their Locos and cars inside when not operating.

Some build tracks through a porthole into buildings for storage and staging. 

If caught in the rain, dry them as soon as possible and lube the metal parts.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear All,

Some British track radii I see in the AnyRail.com HO/OO track libraries are:

371 mm (14.61") 1st radius

438 mm (17.24") 2nd radius

505 mm (19.88") 3rd radius

572 mm (22.52") Fairly certain this is 4th radius.

Class 47 example:

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-656DC.jpg&cat_no=31-656DC&info=0&width=650&height=220

Class 37 example:

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/32-370.jpg&cat_no=32-370&info=0&width=650&height=237

Cookie,

Looking at the long length of these locos and their 3 axle trucks, I'd say the larger the radius the better...

I noticed that the Bachmann Branchline on-line catalog did not list minimum radius...

Perhaps you could contact them and ask them to add that info. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Jesse,

Some wiring mods for BH 4-6-0s:

You can add an on/off switch to the motor wiring in the loco. 

You can then shut the motor off and "cook" smoke while parked by turning up the power supply.

This will increase your running smoke output for a short while.

Don't let it go dry, though.   

PM me if you would like some other Big Hauler re-wiring ideas.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear Amber,

The Valvoline set is a loco, tender, tank car and bobber caboose.
 
You could piece a set together on a well known on-line auction site right now.

Three of those four pieces are duplicated in the Thunderbolt set.

Add the Valvoline tank car and you're good to go.

Bonus: a Victor Gold Mining Co. yellow gondola.      

Search on:

Bachmann G Thunderbolt

Bachmann Valvoline

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Spelling

HC3,

Casters added to sturdy legs on a sturdy frame will allow you to pull the table out from the wall(s) to get around or behind it, which might buy you that extra foot of width. 

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=casters&FORM=HDRSC2

Hope this helps.

Joe

Dear HC3,

I feel like I'm piling on just a bit here, but you said your layout is

...."5 feet wide narrowing to 4 feet at one end".....

You will probably find out that you were "spoiled" by the (extra) width

at the 5 ft. end of the layout, and wish both ends were 5 ft. wide.

It is easier to do expansion in the earlier stages of layout building than later.

If you have the room, go for it. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik