Dear TM,

Your SD-90 has two middle rail roller pickups for power, one under each of the trucks.   One of them is not working properly.

1.) Turn your loco upside down in a foam cradle (to protect the finish).  Check to see that both roller arms (and their roller axels) are well centered, not hung up and have equal "springiness".  Check to see that both rollers roll smoothly and freely, and have no flat spots or grooves worn into them.

2.) Use the two track power wires from your power pack to power your upside down loco. 
Set the power pack to a low speed.   
Touch the end of one wire to a wheel, and the other wire to a roller pickup.  The reverse unit should respond, cycling the loco through its forward-neutral-reverse-neutral pattern.  Do the same test with the other pickup. 

Report back your findings.  (More tests/repair suggestions to come.)

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear tfman,

I think you meant '08 in the subject line. 

I don't know how many people liked last year's ('07) LED set.  They may have lost money. 

If you are interested,  I have an unopened, sealed in the box '06 "Holiday Special" (4-6-0 Annie) Passenger Train and Trolley Set, plus new

never-been-run "set break up" individual pieces, which I intend to list on e-bay soon.

"Expand your consist." 

For more info:  joebarbATwwtDOTnet.

Thanks. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Dear Dan,

Vitajte !

Whatcha got?  Whatcha workin' on?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear Dan,

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/up806-full.jpg

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/up.shtml

Google is amazing. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Jay,

You still haven't answered Jim's question:  "is that table size or room size?"

Jim Banner's "around the room" suggestions are superb (as usual), but I'm going to guess that your dimensions are for a half a spare room or half a bedroom that you want to put a table in.

(Warning: old repeated advice)

If you can get away with it, start with 5 foot table width.  This will allow up to 28" radius curves and give some growing room to a 4'x8' track plan. 

Ping-Pong tables are 5'x9', and can usually be found used in the "thrifties" classified newspaper ads for a reasonable price.

Your 6.5' dimension would leave 1.5' for walking on one side.  Slide your table out, or put it on casters and roll it out, to gain access to the wall side.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik       

Dear Bachmann and All,

I just now realized that there is a remove post button (with what looks like a waste-basket icon) that appears at the bottom of an originator's post. 

Yeeeow !!!

Could you please put in some kind of warning, and then a choice "Do you really want to remove this post? Yes, No"

Perhaps the warning could be:

"Caution:  If others have replied to your post, they could mistake the deletion of their writing as censorship by the board moderator. 

In almost all cases, saving space on the board is not an issue.

If you must remove the (replied to) post, please make another short post identifying the subject line deleted and why you deleted it.  If applicable, thank those that replied." 

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

edit: spelling     

Dear All,

I'm guessing that it might not have been the Bachmann that deleted the "need address" post. 

First, he's usually on at a different time of the day. 

Second, the Bachmann previously has offered explanations for threads/posts deleted. 

Hope an explanation comes our way, and that my contribution wasn't out of line.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik     

Dear T,

Are you a Tea Mangler, or a Team Angler?

If you have room to expand your layout a few inches, you can use what I call "Differential" gap filling. 

Say you need to fill a gap of 3/4".  Expand the other side of your layout with a 2.25" straight, then put a 3" piece where the gap was.

3" - 2.25" = 3/4".

This concept works very well (maxgap = 1/4") if 2" straights are available.  (At this time only found in the 90 degree crossing package.)

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Free the 2" Straights !

Dear All,

Rick's attempt is on a huge outdoor layout (not a straight line, not level) that is not lit for nighttime running.

You tuned in duing "Miller Time". 

How many of us wish we could have been there?  (Medium Well, please.)

How many of us strive to make perfectly weathered rolling stock, scenes and photos?

How many of us want perfect (no derailments) trackwork?

The length record is just another aspect of model railroading that Rick wants to excel at.

Setting the record certainly wouldn't hurt his business, which is building garden railroad empires.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   



   

Dear WGL,

The Grass is usually too wet from dew to cut in the morning.  (Mantra: "The lawn can wait, the lawn can wait......")

The "Happy Grandparents" show has been around for about 5 years, usually in April.

The Model Railroader website has an "Events" calendar that you can check next March. 

The Happy Grandparents are at this show, I suppose you could just ask them for the 2009 date.   

I'll be at the Eau Claire show today, Sunday from 10 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m.

It would be great to meet you.

Charlie in the "Model Trains Classics Plus" table area in the NW corner of the gym should be able to point me out.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

Dear All,

The Indanhead Model Railroad Club is having its 7th Annual Train Show

today, Saturday Oct. 11, 2008, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

and Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Regis High School
2100 Fenwick Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701

Admission: $5
Kids under 12 free with adult.

$1 off admission with non-perishable food item donation for local food bank.

Concessions provided by Boy Scouts.

Sellers, Displays and Operating Layouts (N thru Large scales)

Hey, WGL, can ya get there?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

Well, let me check my stock portfolio. 

Hmm...  I might have to wait on that for a while...

You guys are hilarious.....................................................$11.00 

Is it anything like this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Williams-1218-N-W-Class-A-2-6-6-4-Crown-Edition_W0QQitemZ190258517112QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190258517112&_trkparms=72%3A1420%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear Corey,

2cm is about 3/4".  Expand the other side of your layout with a 2-1/4" straight, then use a 3" straight were your gap was. 

I call this differential gap filling.  (3" - 2.25" = 0.75")

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Dear Dan,

Your turnouts have blackened metal frogs that can be powered,
but it is only necessary for short wheelbase locos. 

If your long wheelbase locos are working properly, they should be able to get over the unpowered frogs with no problem. 

Given your symptoms, my best guess is that: 

The "rail bus" umbilical between your engine and tender is broken or not fully plugged in.
Usually a wire is busted off its pin in the plug.

If that isn't the problem, let us know.  I'll run you through the rest of the troubleshooting proceedure.  (Ohm-meter needed.)

Others can tell you how to power the frog if you must, or change your tender trucks from two wheel pickup to four wheel pickup.     

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik