Thanks guys.  I had a shay and 2 climaxs previously with no problems so I guess it is something that I just won't worry about and get me another climax to start with.

I have been out of On30 for about a year and am thinking of getting back in it.  In doing some reading here to get caught up I keep reading about "gear" problems on locos.  What's this all about?  Has the problem been address and is it wide spread?

Thanks Joe but I already checked that and it is not touching.  Like I said, it only stalls in turnouts and usually when the trailing axle of the lead truck reaches the frog.  I thought perhaps it was a wheel gauge problem as my other 5 Bachmann locos have no problem with these Atlas turnouts but the wheel sets are dead on the wheel gauge.  I talked to Bachmann service and they said to send it in so I guess I'll just have to wait and see how they do.

Mike

Thanks guys!  Now it's off to the service dept to see why my shay shorts out on my turnouts, trail axle of the lead truck at the insulated frog everytime.

Mike

New to this scale and was just curious what scale of vehicles mixes well with the smaller narrow gauge equipment.  Not real familiar with what is available but have seen some di3ecast stuff in 1/53 that looks pretty interesting.  How does this size match up and do any other scales go fairly well with the bachmann size equipment?

Thanks

Mike

I am laying some track on my new layout and all has been going good except the lead truck on my shay is shorting out on Atlas #4 turnouts.  It goes thru the #6 turnouts with no problem and all my other engines, the climax, a forney a 2-6-0 and a 2-8-0 all handle the #4's with no problem what so ever.  Also, when the shay shorts out it is usually when going thru the diverging side.  Going on the straight tack side it does not cause any problem.

Any easy fixes or tweeking available.  I was wondering if it could be the wheel gauge but presently I am unable to check as I just ordered a gauge.  Any filing on the frog or guard rails help?

Funny, but my N scale wheel gauge doesn't seem to work on this On30 stuff.

Thanks
Mike

Finally got around to running my new climax with the tsunami sound system.  Sounds great and runs great....when it runs.  Received it Saturday and tried it out yesterday only to find that it might run 2 feet, it might run 20 feet, it might run 200 feet, then all goes quiet, lights go out and it stops cold.  A few seconds later, everything might come back to life on its' own or I might have to "nudge" it slightly to get it back to life.  Then the cycle repeats itself with no knowing how far or how long it will run.  Does this sound like something the service dept. is going to have to take of??

Mike

Mine had the same problem.  All it needed was the screw holding the coupler in tightened up.  It was very very loose allowing coupler to hang down.

Mike

I was thinking the same as Aussie as I have my first decoders ordered from Bachmann to install in my Climax and was hoping they come with good instructions.  Also still trying to figure out how (really just where) the plug goes from the tender of my 2-8-0 on to the engine.  I think there is a little plate under the cab that has to be removed to find the plug.  When I find it, I hope it is marked as there are virtually no instructions with the loco on what to do.  Quite scary for a newcomer with no experience with DCC.  Unless there are some good instructions coming with my DCC system, it is going to be a scary moment placing that first loco on the track and hitting the switch.  All I can visualize is a cloud of smoke and a mushroom cloud.

Mike

I've been reading a lot of stuff on On30 in this and different forums.  One thing seems to stick out and that is the use of homisote.  Another is putting your track directly on the blue foam.  My n scale layout had blue foam board and plywood in spots with cork roadbed everywhere and I could sure tell the difference when the trains where traversing the blue foam board.  It was a lot louder than the plywood portion of the layout.  Further, it seems like there was always a lot of negative talk about homisote in other scale forums due to expansion and contraction with the weather conditions causing track troubles.

Wonder why the differences in preferences.  Perhaps because On30 is larger and the track more forgiving of shifting.  I can see where noise could become an issue with the larger trains so I think I will take everyones advise and go with the cork roadbed then try to hide some of the "well maintained"  look.
Thanks
Mike

Since narrow gauge is supposed to look kind of "not very well maintained" do you guys still use the cork roadbed to help deaden the sound or put the track right on the plywood and suffer the noise?  If you  do use the cork how do you make it look not so class 1-ish and hide the elevation?

Thanks
Mike

I noticed the other day while browsing that Republic Locomotive Works has Sandy River & Langley decals but there was no picture of them available so I don't know what they looked like.

Go to their site, click on product catalog then click on decals, select O scale and I think they were on page 4.

Mike

Mr Bachmann

What decoder do I need for your climax and the 2-6-0

Thanks
Mike

I'm having the same problem with decals.  Is it safe to assume the same applies, O scale decals are in order.  Any good sources for them as I haven't seen too many available at the places I've looked.

Mike

Thanks for all the info guys.  One more question, as far as turnouts and DCC go, if I understand it right, as long as the frog is insulated in is "safe" for DCC and t here is no special wiring needed.  Would that be correct?

Mike