Why do you think Bachmann Item No. 60808 is a GP 40?

Per the current online catalog and 2007 printed catalog,
Bachmann Item No. 60807 is EMD GP30 (DCC Equipped) Pennsylvania #2205
Bachmann Item No. 60808 is also an EMD GP30 (DCC Equipped) Pennsylvania but the road number is 2208

Both are Standard Product Line.

Call and discuss your trestle project with the folks at Garden - Texture

Quote from: wheeler on June 09, 2007, 12:14:10 AM
What your saying is that  brass is worse outside than stainless? And that track power is including DCC right?

Most everyone selected brass over aluminum rail for outside use until Aristo-Craft made #1 Gauge, code 332, Grade #304 stainless steel  track at an affordable price a few years ago. Stainless steel  is better than brass for use outside.

I do include DCC in track power category. Although if you want wireless DCC with battery on board power look at  CVP's AirWire 900.

Select the Command Control system you will use first; then select the track.

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Quote from: Paul W. on June 08, 2007, 11:07:30 PM
...  For current flow you can't beat the conductivity of brass. Yes you will have to do regular track cleaning, but you will have no problem with carrying current. ...

Conductivity of brass... the key is doing regular track cleaning.

Some facts,
If you are going to control your locomotive by track power then the better selection is the Aristo-Craft stainless steel track over the brass. When brass oxodizes, corrosion occurs and electrical conductivity is lost. As stainless steel oxidizes, electrial conductivity is not lost. Also, oxidization of stainless steel creates a surface film resistant to corrosion.

Cost -- stainless steel track cost more than brass

Download this PDF http://www.phoenixsound.com/pdf/3TruckShay.pdf

Quote from: lanny on June 07, 2007, 02:05:47 AM

QuoteBeing fully assembled, perhaps we can refer to them as Ready-to-Disassemble kits.

Hunt,

Your comment is a wonderful oxymoron! Do you think that there might be any nicely finished resin kits out there that are 'ready-to-disassemble'    I'd probably buy a few 

lanny nicolet

Lanny,
Actually the oxymoron is Ready-to-Run Kit. However, R-T-R kits do exist. How many times have you bought a R-T-R and when you opened the box you find all those not so easy to put on detail parts are included for you to do just that – put them on?

Any fully assembled (or mostly assembled) R-T-R can be considered as a Ready-to-Disassemble Kit. Depending on one’s modeling skills of course.  Often the Ready-to-Disassemble Kit is the primary component of any kit bashing project.  

Quote from: Bojangle on June 06, 2007, 07:51:01 PM
At the LED center, the wattage is given in the answer when you click "Find R" 
Example:

The wizard recommends a 1/2W or greater 1500 ohm resistor. 

Resistors are  cataloged wattage first,  resistance second.

Bo and all,

Be cautious, such do-the-math-for-you calculators/wizards are only useful when they are given accurate information and the user has at least some general knowledge of the basis of the calculation (formula) used by the calculator.

Reason Tom worded his question the way he did is the Yeloglo, 3 mm diameter, LEDs he purchased has supplied with them the following resistors,
  •   270 Ohm for use with 4 - 9 volts
  •   470 Ohm for use with 10 - 16 volts

Quote from: SteamGene on June 04, 2007, 02:01:09 PM
Accurail now offers ready to run kits.  ...

Gene,
Some have been out since last qtr of 2006. The few I have seen being sold under Accuready ™ brand were fully assembled. As I recall, they have brass axles and don’t roll as freely as Bachmann Silver Series rolling stock.

Kit 
Being fully assembled, perhaps we can refer to them as Ready-to-Disassemble kits.   

Use actual inches when checking the grade, less likely you will make a mistake. Converting to scale is a unnecessary activity.

Nope John, I’m not buying into your claims of historical model railroading accomplishments when at the same time you write, "… EZ Track has definite problems for me."

If your disability prevents you from using a track system that uses rail joiners then look into   Life-Like Products Power-Loc side-locking system, it uses no rail joiners. The Power-Loc track is entry-level and has very limited selection; but, someone can build an oval track layout with it.

Call the computer repair shops convenient to you. They should be able to recover most, if not all, your data files or can tell you who to contact.

No convenient help, then contact http://www.drivesavers.com/

Zamac -  acronym for Zinc Aluminum Metal Alloy Casting

If Zamac is at the point of disintegrating into powder there is nothing you can do; but, if there is just cracking -- coat with a penetrating formula CA.
Example:
Zap-A-Gap CA
Filling Adhesive
Super-Thin Penetrating Formula
Made by Pacer Technologies

Don’t use the  Zap-A-Gap CA+

Quote from: John Murphy on May 30, 2007, 10:16:48 PM
...
   After that debacle, I rethought the layout and came up with a 4'x4' w/ 3 seperate ovals....
    Will try your suggestion, but am having serious 2nd thoughts about EZ Track's flexability (or rather the lack thereof) as far as wiring and track insulation.  I'm disabled, so ease of track assembly is vital.
John Murphy

John,
You were informed a short wheelbase locomotive would not run through a #5 turnout unless it has a polarized frog. Your test proved what you have been told is the case. That is not a debacle. If there is any debacle, it is you did not apply the information you have been given.


You will find no easier track system to use than E-Z Track.  Reading between the lines of what you have written in this and other threads on the Board it is probably best if you avoid track plans requiring the use of any track piece other than straights and curves.   Stick to the basic oval of track. Successful completion of a model railroad track plan requires a fundamental understanding of electric wiring that you seem to have not yet acquired.

Quote from: John Murphy on May 29, 2007, 09:28:55 PM
Did a test last night w/EZ Track #5 turnout and motorized handcar (shortest wheelbase I have.  On straight DC, Handcar sparked and stalled on the metal frog.  Turnout was straight out of the box, no mods.
   Any ideas on what went wrong?  ...

Sure.

DC or DCC has nothing to do with what you experienced. The same thing would happen on any other brand of #5 turnout with a non-live frog or on a straight track piece with the same length of a rail isolated from power. What happened…  lost contact with power on one side.

Does the Spectrum 0-6-0T make it through?

Attach the wire to polarize the frog and try again. Even doing this you will need some speed for the motorized handcar to make it through the turnout. If it stops again at the frog, follow the instructions on the back of the turnout package about flipping the plug and check the wheel gauge. Does the Spectrum 0-6-0T make it through?

By the way, what was the track plan you used to do the test?
Was it as I suggested or did you have two ovals using two turnouts to connect them with power feeders to each oval from one DC power pack? If the two ovals, where did you place the insulated rail joiners?

Rich,
BLI (OEM QSI sound decoder) locomotive will run on DC or DCC out of the box.

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The Tsunami manuals can be downloaded from SoundTraxx
http://www.soundtraxx.com/products/dcc/docs.htm

Bear in mind, these Tsunami manuals are for the Tsunami decoder. A Bachmann factory DCC sound equipped locomotive, while its decoder uses Tsunami technology, parts of the manuals will not be applicable for the Bachmann sound decoder.
Example: Out of the box, a Bachmann sound equipped locomotive will run on DCC or DC without any changes to CV29 (because Bachmann's decoder  CV29 Bit 2 factory default is set = 2).