Walthers makes a cleaning block called a "Bright Boy", which does about the same job as the suede block.  Many folks say not to use any abrasive cleaners since they  can leave tiny scratches in the rail head that can attract more dirt.  They use some form of electronic contact cleaner with a cloth or paper towel to remove the dirt and oxidation.  There is a rolling track cleaner out there where you wrap the brass slug with paper towel, soak it with cleaner and push it around the layout.  Oxidation of the rail is more of a problem with brass track.  Not so much with nickle silver.  Stay away from steel - it rusts. 

Well, it is feast or famine at train shows.  I've been on the look-out for a number of years for one of the Rivarossi B&O
S-1 2-10-2's.  In the past, if I saw one at all, it was really over-priced.  At Timonium this Saturday I found one in the first 15 minutes for $85, which I felt was a reasonable price.  I really wanted the tender to go behind the new Bachmann Light Mike.  The engine represented by the B&O number on the model got a large Vandy tender later in life and that's what I would like to do.  Well, went in the south hall and found two more, one without box for $40, the other in box for $75.  Figured that was how life sometimes plays out.  Then as I was getting ready to leave and making one last swing I found just the Vandy tender for $10, so got that too.  Now, since I have both the full loco as well as and extra tender my plan is as follows - the loco just barely runs; I think it needs lubed mostly.  But now I want to track down one of the IHC 2-10-4 models that has the correct size drivers for an S-1 and a much better mechanism.  Plop the Rivarossi superstructure down on the IHC mech, do some surgery at the rear of the frame, and I should have a very nice S-1.  The extra tender will go behind the Mike.  Will have to cut out the coal load to access the interior, but that's not a big deal. 

I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and get the Hodges truck from Greenway tomorrow if they have it with them.  I expect I will also order one of the Cal-Scale Cole truck kits from Bowser in anticipation of acquiring one of the new P-5's.  That is, unless I decide to kind of fake it get a Delta truck and make believe the loco is a P-6. 

Northwest Short Line sells the Stanton truck, a self-contained power truck that is available in several different wheelbase lengths and wheel diameters.  Check their web site to see if one of them is compatible with the original. 

The three-truck Shay also has a bulb, with Lucite light tunnels to the actual headlight.  Real pain to access!

A couple of washers between the truck and body bolsters will adjust the height.

The biggest issue with home-printed decals is that you can't get white.  All the color printers presume the white print paper provides the white color.  AFAIK, only the old ALPS printers did white, but they used some kind of film transfer process, and they've been out of business for years.

Well, having Googled both sites, the verdict is that a Hodges truck must be cast in gold instead of brass.  Dave's truck is $49, but Greeeway's is $45.  The Greenway truck also has an equalizing bar between the spring and journal box which isn't correct for the B&O verson.  I may look around a bit more, but may have to shell out the big bucks to Dave.

OK, Jonathon, thanks for the leads.  If I get to Timonium next month, I'll check with Greenway.  And I'll see what Uncle Dave is charging. 

I know there are some B&O fans following this thread so here's a question - I'd like to spiff up my light Mike, and the first order of business is to replace the trailing truck.  I'm pretty sure the prototype has a Hodges design.  The Bachmann model represents a Cole style.  Anyone know of a source for a correct truck?  The Cal-Scale kit is a Cole.

Turnout derailing is almost always the result of one of two things - either the point blade is not seated completely against the stock rail, or one or more wheel sets is out of guage.  You need an NMRA Standards gauge to check for wheel gauge issues. 

First order of business, make sure the wheels and track are clean.

A general rule of thumb was that the top speed of a steamer was equal to the driver diameter in inches.  Ergo, a Mike with 63" drivers would max out at about 60 mph.  Speed limits with steam engines was a function of a number of factors, beginning with driver size.  Smaller drivers had to rotate faster to achieve high speeds, and they were limited in the type and amount of counterbalancing that could be installed.  Insufficient counterbalancing led to rail pounding because the reciprocating forces of the rods could actually bounce the tire off the railhead.  As noted by Trainman, the railroads moved away from the drag freight era towards high-speed service and loco designs changed.  Most modern Berkshires had 68" or 69" drivers that could achieve higher sustained speeds.  Many 4-8-4's were designed to be "dual-service", i.e., freight or passenger service.  They might have drivers in the 72" - 76" range. 

Chooch also has several varieties of plastic sheet stone.

Refresh my memory, but didn't Bachmann do one of these logging cranes on a flat car about 10 years ago?