BTW, NMRA seems very nice with shipping charges.  Along with my G&D wood 40' boxcar came a Bent Spaghetti Lines 50' two door box car.  They were essentially two different sales, but Igot them in one box for the S&H for the G&D car.
Gene

The 2-8-0, the 4-8-2 light, and the "medium" Vanderbilt tenders can be swapped around with no swapping of curcuit boards.  Tender tracking is another issue with the Vanderbilt tender and the 4-8-2 light. 
The 4-8-2 heavy and the 2-6-6-2 can swap tenders all day long, but DON'T swap the identical large USRA tender of the 2-10-2 light with any others.
Gene

Question.  My under construction layout is around three walls with two penninsulas.  One wall is 26' and the other two have 17' going to the penninsulas, which are about 9 feet each.  I'm planning on using DCC and have a mostly steam fleet, most of which have or will have sound decoders in them.  What size for the bus wires and what for the feeders.  My plan is to have the command station approximately centered on the 26' side.
Gene

It's a nice ride.  They were working on the path over the Narrows using the railroad bridge, which was double tracked so there is plenty of room for both train and bikes.   The locomotive whistles at each grade crossing where trail crosses track.  The only real problem I can see is the  tunnel, and a sign with train times could alert hikers and bikers that perhaps this is not the best time to go through the tunnel. 
BTW, while the trip begins on former Western Maryland mainline, the Frostburg end is on a former short line which actually tunneled under Frostburg.  The Frostburg turntable is an addition added by the Scenic Western Maryland. 
Gene

I think you mean the standard guage Scenid Western Maryland.  I rode it last year and it and the trail are at peace. 
Gene

Lanny sure should be able to do that.  My understanding is that it's a late Consolidation - 1920-1930 build date.
Gene

To tell the truth, I haven't looked in my Hornsby Rivarossi H-8.  The Rivarossi H-8 has the plug in the boiler, not the tender.  If the Hornsby Riv has the plug in the tender, life is easier for that one.  I'll have to take a look.  Thanks.
Gene

I could actually lay some track tomorrow.  OTOH, it is the industrial area and I probably really should use code 83 for that and I don't have any.  Come to think of it, I don't have any rail nails, either.  But maybe I can lay out the track and turnouts and get the code 83 and track nails Monday. 
I had some help from a church friend who cares nothing about model trains, but loves woodwork.   He brought along his C&O H-8 version of a cordless drill and didn't chuckle about my two, one a Consolidation, the other maybe a USRA light Mikado. 
Gene

I've never heard the phrase before, but I'd assume it refers to  pilots with bars close enough together to resemble a chicken coop.   Obviously not a solid or switcher pilot.
Gene

I don't know if the MRC decoders are junk, but they do seem to have a higher failure rate than the industry standard.  I asked some of my club members to evaluate four locomotives, two with Tsunami and two with MRC Brilliant sound decoders.  They were in four locomotives, two C&O J-2s aand two H-5s ( heavy Mountain and light Mallet).  These were blind tests and the MRCs won.  In fact one of Tsunami just got replaced because IT went bad.
However, programming the MRC is not very easy, and I've had to send several back to MRC where they apparently are currently out of stock. 
Gene

Or failing that include a note saying "Turn switch over to see the score line." 
Gene

I currently live in Hampton, Virginia, but grew up as an army brat in Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas (three cities), Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Japan (two places), Massachusettes, and Virginia (two major places), where I also went to military school and college.  In Milwaukee the Road built a spur just for me <g> and we lived close to tracks in several of the places I've lived.  I'm a retired English teacher and also spent 27 years in th army - active, Guard, reserve.  I'm a photographer and author with two published books.  I've been married since 1969 with two adult children, four grandkids and a boxer named Sioux.  I'm currently building a 26x17 foot HO layout in a two car garage designed by Sheldon who also designed the layout.  Sheldon, btw, comes highly recommended. 
Gene

Cut the capacitors and move them to one side if you cut only one leg.  Cut both legs and throw it away is the alternative.  You do not have to shunt anything for the capacitors.  All I've seen are a yellow gold in color, sort of blimp shaped, with a leg at each end.
Gene

The special gray with red doors centenial was striking, but not real common.  You are correct, most VT&P box cars were box car red, as were the hoppers.  The centenial hoppers were caboose red, but it really wasn't a practical color.  If interested, send me an e-mail.
Gene

I know there are, Roger.  What I'm suggesting is swapping a Great Eastern for a VT&P, or swaps like that.
Gene