Dear Friends,

I have purchased the engines and rolling stock from a friend who modeled the Erie-Lackawanna.  I want to get a few Spectrum steam engines that might look good for this era.  Even if they are not prototypical, what the heck!  I still want to run some steam!  (This is for our friend SteamGene).

The rolling stock is mixed freight, open and covered hoppers, gons, and a real nice set of heavy passenger cars. 

I would appreciate any suggestions.  Thank you!

Best Wishes & Happy New Year!

Jack

Dear Rich,

I believe I have read on Aristocraft's site that the AC TE has been reported to suffer from the kind of interference you have mentioned.  Sheldon has been running one for a while now.  I will hope to have mine up and running for a small HO switching area.  Will keep you informed.

I wonder if the Airwire has similar issues, or if they have been resolved.

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear "Bob" & Ballou,

I intend to convert my LS engines to R/C battery.  Which particular batteries do you use?  Some use NiMH, NiCad, or Li-Po.  I have heard of explosions with Li-Po.  Some use 7.2V packs in series to give 14.4V.

I have read the Aristo stuff regarding battery cars and will probably go that route.  I do need help to choose the proper battery.

Thank you.

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Mark,

Very impressive is your knowledge and explanations.  I consider you and Sheldon et al to be very bright chaps.  He has helped me tremendously with my foray into wireless cab control of an upcoming HO layout.

Thank you for your good tips, which I will put to good use!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear "Viejo,"

!Con mucho gusto! for the great tip!  I will buy this item for my son, who has been asking for this.  Santa gets to enjoy this one with my Joey!
Oh, Boy!  Oh, Boy!  Oh, Boy! 

I will download some pix if the bldgs turn out OK.

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas from snowy Pennsylvania!

Jack

Dear "Viejo,"

My son and I love to watch the WGH Track Pack video narrated by Michael Gross, the actor.  It is beautifully directed and organized.  I learned a wealth of tips from it.  Most libraries have it for loan. 

I believe the price you stated is the lowest I have ever seen, by a large margin.  The layout is a "bent oval" with a passing parallel inside track on one side of the oval and an inside spur.  The whole thing fits into a 4' x 8' area. 

It uses Bachmann track on foam sheet construction so you can sculpt hills and lakes, etc.  The time consuming part is building the models, IMHO.

Please take a gander at it and let me know what you think!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Bob,

This is from memory, but I think the Atlas track catalog lists connectors to meld different O gauge track from various manufacturers.  It could be MTH, Lionel and Gargraves to Atlas, I believe.  The connectors adjust for the various rail heights among manufacturers.  I saw this a few years ago, but do not have that catalog in which I saw it.  Unfortunately I could not navigate the cumbersome Atlas online catalog to find it.  (Kudos to Bachmann for the ease in which they have constructed their web site!).

Does anyone have experience with these connectors?

I becha TOC has used this stuff!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Dear Mac,

Since you have hailed us from sunny SoCal, perhaps you can provide some info on the live steam club that used to be in the Fontana area?  I believe they ran track about 7 inches diameter?  I used to live in San Berdoo in the late '70's, if you call that living!  Is she still there and could you provide a web link?  !Muchas gracias, Amigo!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Sheldon,

Is that Dalee item: BASIC DETECTOR TRAK-DT ( Item #365) ?

Thanks and Best Wishes!

Jack

Dear Sheldon,

My search for "Twin-T detectors" gave this link:

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/~rdmurg/clinic/detectit.htm

I would be anxious to read your comments.  If you have a better link, would you please provide it?  Seems to have the stuff I need to build a circuit.

On another hand, the military provides lots of "sir kits," don't you think?

Our military friends are encouraged to comment!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Gene,

I'll second Tomcat on that one. It is really good!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Sheldon,

I'll vouch for older is better!  Will fill you in if you would like, but it might be TMI!

I have two friends who are electronic whizzes who could help me with the construction if I go that route. 

My layout is conventional block wired with two cabs, so perhaps two TE's would suffice.  At this juncture I am not sure if I will use computer block control or not.  Possibly not since there will not be multiple operators, nor too many trains running at one time.  I surely want to know how your situation is panning out, and will be paying attention!!!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Sheldon,

Good update!

Would MU consists of 2 or 3 diesel engines give a marginal voltage drop allowing you to still use the 13.8 V/3A power pack?

Perhaps you could provide a schematic if you build your opti-isolator detector?

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear pgarman,

Not to get off the subject of trains, but to respond to your comment about playing sports at altitude, I have a comment.

Red blood cells (RBC) traversing the pulmonary capillaries will exchange oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen across the capillary endothelium, alveolar basement membrane and capillary endothelium down a concentration gradient and restricted by the membranes' permeability.  This is nicely explained by a graph called the oxyhemaglobin dissociation curve. 

The partial pressure (PP) of oxygen at the alveolus is calculated at sea level at 70 degrees F as the PP of oxygen (21%) times atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi or 760 mm of mercury) minus the PP of water vapor in the inspired air (47 mmHg).  Thus,  (760) x (.21) - 47 = 100 mm Hg of oxygen PP at the alvelous.

The RBC will pick up its full complement of oxygen, and beome "saturated" in 1/3 the time it takes to traverse the alveolus.  This leaves 2/3 the time as reserve to increase oxygenation.

How does this increase happen?  With time spent living at altitude, the heart chambers enlarge and the heart rate increases to pump more blood per time, known as increasing cardiac output.   The body produces more RBC's in the bone marrow, and the spleen and other storage organs release more RBC's to the blood stream.  The body produces a chemical, 2,3-DPG which lowers the RBCs' affinity for oxygen and thereby increases oxygen delivery to the tissues.  The lungs will expand and increase the amount of air delivery.

These are some of the adaptations that the body does, called acclimatization,  to adjust for the lowered partial pressure (PP) of oxygen at altitude.  There are more RBC's to move through the pulmonary capillaries at a faster rate.  This maximizes the volume of oxygen that can  be pumped to the tissues.

To put it in railroad terms, the RBC's, or coal hoppers move faster through the tipple, which is dumping coal as fast as it can, but at a slower rate which is analoagous to the reduced PP of oxygen at altitude.  A faster train will pick up more coal than a slow train.  So, as an example, 100 coal cars 90% full have more volume of oxygen than 80 cars 98% full.

That is how the cardiovascular system at altitude delivers more oxygen to the tissues.

This is not analogous to a mechanical system, but a biologic adaptation in mammals.

As I said, this is for pgarman, and is FYI for anyone else who might be interested.

I sure learn a lot from you train guys!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack

Dear Sheldon,

Gracias, con mucho gusto!

Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!

Jack