Thanks, Tony.

IIRC you said that the fan has to be turned around, that you couldn't just reverse its polarity.

Stan,

Thanks for the detailed reply.  Voltage regulator, transistor and fan all need DC, hence the diode bridge for DCC.   

I suppose trying to build/test for 3 different power/control systems (DC, DCC and Battery R/C) is a challenge.    

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear #94,

If I recall correctly, only the N scale Bachmnann "remote" turnouts have power routing, nothing in HO.

You may have gotten a quicker response if you had mentioned "HO" here or put your post in the HO sub-forum.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

Dear Stan,

You wrote:   "rectifier" and "AV"

Did you mean "bridge rectifier" and "AC"?

Why do you need the diode bridge?  Is there a DC fan to blow the smoke?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Bob wrote:

"I hope I can contribute to the board at least a small portion of what you all have given me."

Uh, Bob,

Your detailed and helpful contributions now far exceed anything that I can remember sending your way, so humbly I say, "thank you" for all the time and effort you put into helping others on this board.

Who was that masked man? (Hi-Yo, Silver, away!)

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

   

Dear All,

A dual gauge turntable could not work unless its bridge had 4 rails, both gauges sharing the same centerline.

Stalls or lead-ins could be 2 rail (narrow or standard) or 4 rail (dual).   

Since most mainline dual gauge is 3 rail, there would have to be a transition to 4 or 2 rail as you neared the turntable.  

Think about what would happen if you had only three rails.  Assume that the track leading up to the turntable has the common rail on the left, and the narrow and standard rails on the right.  The bridge track is the same.  Now turn the bridge around 180 degrees.  Now the narrow gauge bridge rail would be on the left (opposite) side of where it should be to meet up with the lead-in track's (right side) narrow gauge rail.  Another thought: narrow gauge engines wouldn't have their weight centered on the bridge, which could cause problems.   

Hope this helps.

Joe Satnik

edit: added "transition" sentence, added "bridge " to first sentence, swapped left and right for clarity, added weight sentence.

Dear Pg,

Apparently you have to trim the roadbed of one or both tracks to make them fit. 

The Bachmann or Terry Toenges will know more.

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

...and the 2 conductor wire (red) that plugs into the clip if you don't have it.

Have you checked the back side of the styrofoam insert?

Have you asked the seller if they still have the clip and wire somewhere?

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-8.html

Dear CEO,

Kato's Unitrack cross section may be slightly different than Bachmann's, so it might not be a perfect fit. 

HO Ez-Track is just a hair under 2" wide at the bottom of the roadbed, with a unique (patented?) slope to the ballast.

For an easier (half) gradient, buy two sets and shim every other pier half the difference.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

Dear RFP72,

You said:
"My layout is 8ft wide x 14ft long, with a 4x8 hole in the middle."

Sounds like an around the room layout, 2' wide on the long sides and 3' wide on the ends. 

Good choice.

Have you considered filling in the inside corners of your benchwork to follow the curves of your track?

The math in this previous post of mine may be helpful to you, though it is for making a full curved corner piece, not just an inside "fill" for an already existing 90 degree corner. 

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,6808.0.html

Another option: Fashion triangular fills by cutting 12"x12" square pieces of plywood from one corner to the opposite corner.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Anyone notice the rear pantograph raised up to the catenary electric lines on the GG-1 photo? 

I'm gonna guess that the GG-1 might not be a Diesel. 

edit: added "pantograph", moved and corrected catenary spelling  

Dear CEO,

Here is an extremely detailed article on various HO track systems by Jim Hediger in Model Railroader magazine.

Track buyer's guide
Model Railroader, October 2003 page 90
choosing track for your railroad
( "HEDIGER, JIM", REVIEW, TRACK, HO, MR )

Though the article is 5 years old, track doesn't really change much.  Most newer developments are different fitter lengths, new turnout numbers and new crossing degrees. 

Notes on Bachmann HO track:

1.) Jim's article mistakenly calls Bachmann's HO 36" (solid) straight length of track "flex-track".
2.) Bachmann has recently added turnouts with stationary DCC controllers built in.

Your local model train club may have access to old MR mags, otherwise check your local library.  Ask for reprints of the article if necessary.  Kalmbach has back issues, but they are pricey. 

If your "handle" is for real, you may be able to afford the Kato line of track.   

Hope this helps.

Free the 2" Straights !

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

I assume you mean that you want to run on "G" track, aka "Gauge 1" or "45mm" track. 

The prototypes that you mention run on standard gauge (4ft 8-1/2 in.) track.

USA Trains and Aristo-Craft make 1:29 scale models for standard gauge prototypes (slightly off scale/gauge combination).

MTH and Marklin make 1:32 scale models for standard gauge prototypes (exact scale/gauge combination.)

Bachmann only models Narrow Gauge prototypes in 1:22.5 and 1:20.3 for "G" track. (No standard gauge prototypes.) 

LGB started "G" scale, or 1:22.5, which is the correct scale for models of "meter" gauge (european) prototypes running on "G" track.   (1 meter = 39.37")  Bachmann chose 1:22.5 scale for its "Big Hauler" line, fudging a little as the prototypes (eg. Tweetsie 4-6-0 steam loco) are 3 ft. gauge.

Bachmann's 1:20.3 - Gauge 1 Spectrum line is the exact scale/gauge combo for models of 3 ft. narrow gauge prototypes running on 45mm track. 

So, if you want a CNW 400 or a Hiawatha running on "G" track, you will have to go to 1:32 or 1:29 scale from another manufacturer.

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik       

Dear nak56,

What scale/gauge are you asking for?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Your welcome, TM.

3rail speaks with much wisdom and experience.

The problem is most likely the bad solder joint (intermittent or open connection) that 3rail describes. 

Another test, just to prove that it is an intermittent or open, and not a short, would be the following:

Put a 3" piece of tape along the top of the middle rail on a normal straigt track portion of your layout. 

Run the engine at a slow speed setting over it.  The bad pickup should sail over the tape no problem, but the good pickup will stumble over it.

If there is no stumble over the tape, your loco may be causing a short at the turnout, and further testing with an ammeter (or other current measurement/detection devices) would be needed. 

Let us know how it goes.   

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik