I'm looking at a Bachmann SP Daylight GS4.  How can I tell if it's the original standard version, the PLUS version, the Spectrum version or the DCC version?  The listing just says it's a Bachmann GS4 Daylight and there is no box.

Never thought of it.  I've got a B23-7 so I'll try.  Thanks.

If you try glue, try Gorilla Glue.  Because Gorilla Glue expands it will make a very tight bond because of the enclosed connector.  Don't use too much and cut off any glue that expands out of the connector when it's dry. Don't use too much.  It worked great on a geared Rivarossi driver.  One very important point.  Make sure the wheels are "quartered".  It's not that hard, just be sure all the counterweights on the drivers are in the same position.  Good luck.

Will a Bachmann U36 shell fit on an Athearn U-Boat chassis?  Anyone tried it?

The folks at Bachmann just sent me this locomotive to replace a locomotive that could not be repaired or replaced.  While I was disappointed that I could not get a matching replacement, this is a good running, nice looking locomotive.  It came with a Vanderbilt tender that is a little light.  I would like to add some weight to the tender.  Paper work shows how the trucks come off the body but not how the bottom of the tender shell comes off, if at all, to add weight.  Any help.  The tender looks really fragile.

Here's a wild thought for "trains2brown".  When I bought a used roundhouse it was missing several doors and windows.  I color copied an existing door and window pasted the copies (on both sides for open doors) on card stock (index cards worked great) cut them out and glued them in place.  Even up close, doors and windows looked surprisingly good.  If you have an original Independence Hall in "O" scale try copying the walls at 50% for HO scale then do a little kit bashing for the roof and roof railings using Plastruct parts.  It's gonna be a lot more difficult than doors and windows, but what the heck, it may be fun to try.

By coincidence I was looking on e-Bay yesterday (3/5/12) and found two "Independence Halls". One was yellow brick and the other was red brick but otherwise identical.  When I zoomed in on the pictures there was the yellow one with "Plasticville Town Hall" on the front wall while the red one said "Independence Hall".  I hadn't realized Bachmann made two "different/identical" kits.  Both were 'O' scale.  Too bad for me.

Does anyone know if a hobby shop or on-line dealer acquired the left over stock when Champ went out of business.  Caboose Hobbies has a lot of Champ decals but not the ones I'm looking for.

Private Road Names OHIO & VALLEY in HO & O plus LIRR HN320, Long Island white lettering in HO

Thanks, I think I'll try the extra weight first.

You make it sound easy.  I don't know.  Replacing six wires into that small plug doesn't sound that easy.

Has anyone found a good, permanent, solution to stiff wires that connect the newer steam locomotives to their tenders.  The wires on some of my steam locomotives tend to pull the tender off the track if the wires are not centered perfectly.  They seem to stay in place for awhile then need re-adjustment or pushing back into the tender.  I worry that too much fiddling with these wires may harm the connections.  They do seem very fragile.

Here's another site with an automatic calculator that seems easier.
LIRRMAN


www.veloroutes.org/tools

I use DC.  So when I bought the dual operation GS4 Freedom loco it did pretty much the same thing (can't remember if it was DCC On-board or DCC ready, there is a difference apparently).  Bachmann told me to remove the small PC board (decoder?) and replace it with a small dummy clip that came with the loco.  The little clip plugs into where the PC board plug came out of.  Problem solved.  I have also bought Bachmann locomotives with similar PC boards and they worked fine on DC track right out of the box.  Go figure.

LIRRMAN

I have a double track main line.  In order to fit one inside curve into the available space I used the easement method Jim mentioned.  I went from 22" to 18" to 15" back down to 18" and finally another 22".  I matched the outside curve with flex track spaced at 2 1/2" on center to avoid bumping.  All my diesels, including the six axle types, went thru the easement with no problem.  Even smaller ridged frame steamers made it.  Longer steamers were dispatched to another route.  The one concession I made to the 6 axle diesels was to use the longer shank "KD" couplers to reduce the sideways pull.  I used a lot of lichen and foliage around the edge of the curve to hide the obvious overhang of some of the longer passenger cars.  Yes, even 85' passenger cars made it through the easement.  They don't look particularly good but the curve is away from the front of the layout and the the extra scenery hides the overhang.  And, so far, like the painter who is critical of his own work, I'm the only one who seems to notice. (Nit pickers and rivet counters are not invited)
LIRRMA

Thank you, Jerry
LIRRMAN