Agreed, both have been great contributors and teachers.  I truly hope they will be back soon.  Summertime does cause a slowdown in forums in general.  Many people enjoy outside activities or other hobbies.  My fingers are crossed that this is what's happened.

J

Went to your photobucket album.  Enjoyed it very much.  Thanks for sharing!

Regards,

Jonathan

BuddyL,

Just for fun and curiosity, I set up a small oval in my mountain, using 15" radius curves (sectional).  The turnarounds finish-off with a 1/3 piece of 18" radius track... a crude easement if you will.  So the oval really looks a little dogbone like, if you can imagine it.  You would be amazed what I can run on that oval.  ALL of my 8-wheel diesels will negotiate the curves, as will my 2-8-0 Connies.  I intended for it just to have the Gandy Dancer sneaking around, but the Dancer runs so poorly, I now run an ore train on it.  Your 0-6-0 will look just fine on tight radius track.  Just keep the car lengths 40' or less.  Don't let lack of space frustrate you.  I have seen wonderful layouts that were relatively small.  The scenery will make it fun to operate.

Hope this helps and enjoy!

Regards,

Jonathan

Oh yeah, here's a pic of my ore train coming around the 15" radius oval

I see that crazy add all the time.  Like you,  I always wondered if anybody actually bought it.  I have no foundation for my suspicions, but I believe it's actually a catalog.

Jonathan

Great advice!  Thanks Buzz and Jim.  I'll print these and start working on the proper ohms, amps, multimeter, etc.  I hate electrical math, but I knew this day was coming.  Thanks for the tip on the turnout motors, too.  I was going to try to run lights and turnouts thru one pack, but no longer.  I have enough juice to keep them separated.  Thanks again.

Regards,

Jonathan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_H-16-44

Here's a wiki site with a brief history of the "Baby Trainmaster".  I love 'em.  I own two B&O H16-44s.  I use them to haul coal.

Sorry, I tried to post a more lengthy response but got thrown out for some reason.

I don't own any Bachmann freight cars, so I'm not sure which type of coupler pocket they have.  I have experience with two kinds:  one is a simple tab type.  Just lift the tab a little and the old coupler falls right out.  The other one is tricky.  Requires more manipulation.... and prayer.  Hope this helps.

Jonathan

Well, here I sit on a Friday night.  The kids are at Nana's, my wife is upstairs playing something called 'bunko' (sp), and what am I doing?  Making trees!  Yes I said I would take a break.... but I'm procrastinating.  The time has come to consider lights and signals for my layout.  The structures are nearly done.  I have 'repaved' the streets and parking lots.  The trains are running fine.  So it's time for lights.  I knew this moment would come.  So.... here are my questions.  I am a little ignorant on electricity.  I have read this forum, Wiring Made Easy, and a host of other on line advice on lights to prepare, but the truth is  I just want to keep it simple.  Here's what I want to do, please show me the error of my ways:

I have four accessory connections (AC) available from four transformers for my DC system.  I want to run lengths of wire under my layout from the AC outputs.  Then, I want to connect any lights I use in 'parallel?' along those lengths of wire.  Is that connecting to a bus?  I wish to continue connecting to the same length of wires until the lights start to dim.  Then I'll use the second accessory output to wire more lights until THEY start to dim, and so on and so on.  My head hurts from trying to figure out voltage, milliamps, resistors and the like.  It seems to me, if my LHS sells a light for my layout, they ought to work without having to worry about blowing up a bulb right away.  Am I naive?  Again, to keep it simple, will that work?  I am planning street lights, as well as interior lights for my buildings, and oh yes, some tower lights for my freight yard.

Also, I want a crossing signal where my road crosses the tracks.  I like the NJ International lighted crossbucks with gate.  I won't even think about operating the gate, but I want to make the signals flash.  Can I hook the flasher unit up to my accessory wires as well?  Do I need a toggle to turn these things off and on?

If I'm on track so far,  The final question is, with four accessory outputs, do I have enough juice to run a few dozen leds or GOWs plus a crossing signal?

Sorry for rambling.  Here's a pic for being so kind as to read this.

Regards,

Jonathan

Bachmann has two F units (FTA) available, both with Santa Fe "Warbonnet" Red and Solver coloring.

#60102 (DCC) or #11702 (DC)

I'm sure they both run well, as all my Bachmann engines run well.

As far as couplers go, I have been able to get EZ mates into truck mounted coupler pockets, depends how they are configureed.

Regards,

Jonathan

Hope to hear from you sooner rather than later.  Thanks

Jonathan

Hi John,

We're not ignoring you.  It is possible that no one on the forum has any experience with that train set.  Are the trucks talgo? (coupler attached to truck).

I've never seen the set, so I couldn't recommend a replacement engine.

Sorry.

Regards

Jonathan

Ok, as I look at your first two photos, it appears you originally loaded them that size (very small).  Before you load photos into photobucket, you can select what size you would like them to be (bad grammer). 

Anyway,  I tend to load photos pretty large on my album.  If I wish to post them to this forum, I can post them large and this forum's software will automatically shrink them to fit.  However,  I sometimes "preshrink" them, so our dailup friends will not be overloaded.  You lose size and detail, but then everyone gets to look without the ten minute download.

Where is Yampa Bob?  He is the one who taught me all this stuff (ouch my head).


Regards,

Jonathan


PS  If you click on the link at the bottom of my signature line, you have access to all my train photos.  I don't put anything personal on there, just train stuff.  Well... I guess that's personal, too.  But I don't mind sharing.
J

If you look at your posts above, you will see some lengthy urls.  I simply clicked on them, went to your album, and copied your photo.  Yes, photobucket is a public exchange.  You can lock out an album to make it invisible, if you so choose.  When you post a photo to the forum from photobucket, you are actually pasting a url in this location.  The software grabs the photo and it appears there forever unless you remove it.  If you delete a photo in photobucket, every website in which that photo appears, will disappear.

I will be happy to delete the post with your photo, it you like.  Wasn't trying to invade, merely trying to demonstrate the method.  All this software stuff is giving me a PD headache.

Regards,


Jonathan

How does this look.

When you mouse over your pics, a drop down will appear.  Select the "IMG" code, right click and copy.  Then paste to your Message draft.  You can hit "Preview" to look at your message as it will appear when posted.

Let me know if I can help in any other way.  I'm not completely savvy on photobucket, but I'm learning.  You can, too. 

Regards,

Jonathan

I have intermountain wheels in my ore cars. They're great.  Perhaps their axle length is just a few microns shorter than the kadees, and that's why they roll so well.    Just can't get the Internmountains here without shipping fees.  That would probably cost more than the bag o' wheels.  We'll see what the train show bringeth.  No matter what, I'm sure my wallet will be lighter.  Needed to lose some weight anyway.

Thanks,

Jonathan

Loco722,

I'm not the most knowledgable on this forum.  However, every locomotive I have received, from every manufacturer, has had more than plenty of lubrication.  I wouldn't worry about oil or grease for a while, unless you hear something unusual.

For breaking in, I keep it simple:  forwards and backwards for a few minutes, watching and listening for anything unusual.  Never run at full throttle.

Hope this helps,

Jonathan