Suggest you try this link. There is an article how to make a std Bachmann perform like a Spectrum with some easy tweaks.  Harold is a regular contributor and quite skilled.

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/

Best Wishes,

Jack

Woodland Scenics makes it. Saw it demonstrated at a train show. You can make a waterfall, rapids, etc quite easily. Suggest you get to a train show, The WGH or similar and see a demo.  You will be convinced.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Gene,

Louis L'Amour once said there are 25 original plots.  I guess you and he are correct.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Kit,

To get to your question, are you thinking about wiring quick connectors to the engine and tender?  If so, many persons here have discussed this, I believe.  Perhaps someone can fill us in.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Kit,

Good question, and serendipitous since I will be getting a Mantua HO Berkshire in a similar state, sans decoder. Anxiously awaiting the replies since I will probably do similar.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Steve,

Would you have preferred Hamish to say, "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy?"

My favorite: Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Another: Radioactive cats have eighteen half-lives.

All from OMNI magazine, many moons ago.

Best Wishes!

Jack

Dear Joe,

Glad to see you are still here. Have not heard from you in a while.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Hunt,

Many thanks for your fine insight and concise posts, especially Alan Gartner's fine link. They have helped me tremendously. I am not imbued with too much electro-mechanical insight. Thus, this stuff is very strange. However, one presses on to keep current. Too, I am not getting any younger. Thus, time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. (Got that from Omni magazine years ago).

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Sheldon, et al,

I see where there is a going out of business sale for your Proto, and other makes.

http://www.discounthobbywarehouse.net/#Bachmann

Perhaps you already know about this?

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Friends,

Several years ago I bought a Sesame Street G scale set with traction tires. They promptly rotted from use and current (I think) in about 30 min.  George Schreyer described this on his web site.  Aristocraft supplied new traction tires with the new material, but I never installed them. I dearly love the slip of the drivers when my little boys goose the throttle!  It is still a good puller without the traction tires.

I did not mean to hijack this tread, only to add my experience with a larger engine.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Hunt,

Brilliant reply to John and me!  Thanks, con mucho gusto! Alan Gartner's link I had seen a while ago, and had forgotten about it.  I will read it and toast your health!

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Hunt,

Roger that.

Regarding your comment about powered vs. non-powered turnouts, have you read Lionel Strang's book on DCC?  If so, I believe he is a proponent of powered frogs as a way to avoid derailments if the points are set incorrectly. 

I have skimmed through Tony's DCC outline, and cannot figure if he advises for or against powered frogs. I sort of remember a discussion here several months ago.

Any info you can provide will be most appreciated, or a link .

Thank you and best wishes,

Jack

Dear Kyle,

Have you thought about submitting articles to various model railroading magazines?  You could probably make a whopping 5 cents a word if an article is accepted. Won't get rich, but better than nothing.

Good luck and best wishes,

Jack

Dear Folks,

This link is from the MR newsletter, 05/10/07 and is a nice compact reference for me to help maintain trackage and running stock. Hope it is useful for you, too.

http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=911

Sorry I did not "link it" but just glad to get it here!

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Kyle,

We had a newsletter for our business. It got very expensive and time consuming. Too, it generated little business, too little to negate the hassle. Kevin makes a very good argument. 

I would not be comfortable sending a cc payment over the internet. With so much free information, I do not think many folks would be motivated to contribute money. I will post a link from MR with an excellent article about RR maintenance that shows the quality of the stuff that is out there.

Good luck anyway!

Best Wishes,

Jack