Dear All,

As far as I can remember, HO and N (and now On30) power pack DC outputs are normally limited to +/- 12 V.

My notes on the Bachmann #44212 two piece power pack (wall-wart adapter/transformer AC1601000 + controller head 46605A)

show 0.7Amps (= 700mA) @ 12Volts (?), but followed by a question mark. 

I probably could not find any published or marked ratings, so I actually hooked up power resistors to try and measure the ratings. 

The resistors were not an ideal match to the power pack,

so the 700mA may have been my best guess, based on the resistors I had on hand.   

A good portion of the controller head circuitry is just for limiting the DC output current. 

Output is smooth analog.  (No curcuitry for "pulsed" output.)

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

   

Dear All,

A Pier will typically support two adjacent track sections at the joint between them.

Be careful of an overhead joint (and therefore its pier) being right on top of the lower track. 

Some remedies:

1.) Build a wider pier so its legs straddle the lower track,

2.) Reinfoce the overhead joint with a bridge,

3.) Use a longer section of track (if rigid enough),

4.) Move the overhead joint by using half-track sections elsewhere (layout shape stays the same),

5). Move the overhead joint by re-designing the layout into a different shape. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear jward,

I really enjoy seeing the AnyRail.com layouts put up on the board.  Thanks.

This one has a rather pleasant looking shape to it, and, as far as I can tell, no "S" curves !

A few other observations, if I may. 

I see that the layout is wider than 4 ft., which is the standard construction sheet width. 

A builder would need some carpentry or construction skills to widen (smoothly splice) the board.

How about building and showing an alternate version with a 22"R outside loop?

Perhaps someone would not mind that their trains requiring a larger radius (22"R) could not go into the inner loop or sidings(18"R). 

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

 

Dear All,

As a general rule, I would not take out a switch.  A switch adds flexibility, and if removed, you might misplace/lose it.  

If you don't like or think you don't need its function, re-wire it to do something else. 

To you Youngsters, re-wiring is the "old-school" way of making a "new app".

Leave a schematic (wiring diagram) of the original wiring somewhere obvious to bring it back to stock if you want to sell it.   

If my (2000 era Version 5 chassis) BH loco HAD a polarity switch (it does NOT), I would disable the NMRA side and use that position as "loco off". 

That would enable me to park my loco on a siding without having to isolate and switch off (one rail of) the siding.

I would also wire the smoke unit and smoke switch ahead of the polarity (now on/off) switch. 

This would allow me to park the loco, crank up the (track) power to the smoke unit and "cook smoke".

(Don't walk away while you are doing that, though.)

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Hi, Schward.

Welcome to the board.

The instructions for chuff operation are on page 12 here:

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

If your chuff sound still doesn't work, let us know, we'll go from there.  

Hope this helps.  

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Grammar

Some Bachmann Branchline OO Scale Prairie Tank Engines:

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-440.jpg&cat_no=31-440&info=0&width=650&height=290

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-441DC.jpg&cat_no=31-441DC&info=0&width=650&height=307

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-614.jpg&cat_no=31-614&info=0&width=650&height=320

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-615.jpg&cat_no=31-615&info=0&width=650&height=332

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-980.jpg&cat_no=31-980&info=0&width=650&height=302

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-981.jpg&cat_no=31-981&info=0&width=650&height=299

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/32-131.jpg&cat_no=32-131&info=0&width=650&height=326

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/32-140.jpg&cat_no=32-140&info=0&width=650&height=295

Enjoy.

Joe Satnik

Hey, Stryker.

I think you are doing just fine.

As a general rule of thumb,

If Bachmann doesn't make a competing item, (in this case a plastic non-powered OO kit),

and it advances the hobby, they won't mind too much.

You are also purchasing a chassis to kitbash,

and I'm sure they don't mind too much about that. 

(Free reminder to other kitbashers to order a chassis...)

Joe

Hi, Stryker,

Using a chassis from the store is a great idea.

I was digging around online and found a few things:

Dapol OO plastic model (assembled, unpainted, decals applied):

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31FdM97VF9L.01_SL500_.jpg

Same with a very nice paint job:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2B9MMEcHcL.01_SL500_.jpg

By the way, this is all way too much fun.   

Joe

Hi, Stryker.

I would guess you should try to make a good side view by 

setting the body's height and length scale(s) to fit (complement) the Big Hauler's driver wheel diameter,

spacing and wheelbase. 

The body width and wheel gauge would then become "rubber scale" to fit the 45mm model track gauge.

Hopefully the "overall" scale and coupler heights would come close to matching

appropriate and available rolling stock, unless, of course, you plan to scratch build everything....

Please let us know how it all works out, and which scales (L, W, and H) you ended up using. 

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik
 

Dear Stryker,

Welcome to the forum, and thank you for your service and sacrifices. 

I had to look up OO9, and found that the scale is 1:76.2, and the prototype gauge is 2'-3", or 27", or 685.8mm.

What is the prototype gauge for your 2-6-2T ?

This will determine the scale (or approximate scale) you should build in: 

Prototype gauge (mm)/45mm = 1/Scale.  

Your project's scale may be much different than 1:22.5.

I encourage forum members with much more modeling skill than I have to talk about matching wheel sizes, wheel spacing,

wheelbase length and how the wheels are driven.   

It might also help us to know the manufacturer and item number of your OO9 2-6-2T model. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik  

Yardmaster,

Thanks for the quick and definitive answers.

If you would, please, have the on-line and print catalog folks add that info to the appropriate listings. 

Again, thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Hi, Tyler.

For the steel alloy hollow tracks, they are 600mm radius (=1200mm diameter), an imitation of LGB R1 size curves.  

For the new brass tracks,  

They are Aristo-Craft-like English (feet or inches) measurements,

2' radius (= 4' diameter),

2.5' radius (= 5' diameter), and

4' radius, (=8' diameter) as measured to the center-line between the rails.   

Conversion:

inches x 25.4 = mm

mm / 25.4 = inches.  

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Eliminated incorrect metric info after Yardmaster's answers given below.   




 

Dear All,

To my ears the stock BH chuff system's lack of bass is more of a problem than lack of overall volume. (Poor EQ.)  

A larger speaker, or the same size speaker with a heavier magnet, may increase the efficiency and bass, thus the perceived loudness.

Hmm, I wonder if anyone has ever taken lab measurements of the tender and its speaker, with the intent of making a tuned-port bass box out of the two....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_reflex

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik



   

cf,

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/big_hauler_tips.html#sound

You may have a newer version of the board, but these tips should still apply. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

What Radio Shack part number?