I am in the process of taking my first adventure in trying to detail an engine of mine.  The items I am planning is adding fire cracker antenna, operating ditch lights & rotary beacon.  As I am looking at a drawing at http://www.sooline.org/publications/drawings/locomotives/SD60/SD60.jpg .  I see the items and placement I am looking to do.  But I am not sure of the item that is placed toward the very front of the roof before the antenna.  Can anyone help me with this item?  Thanks for the help as always!

Djp,

Thanks for the information on how to move forward on this project.  I am in the process of painting the shell and thought since I have it apart it would be a good time for the DCC install.  I would appreciate a pic, fuzzy or not, as I am always looking for information to put in the library of knowledge.  Thanks again!!

I have recently received a Bachmann GP40 that I am repainting to match a short line that runs in my area.  This is a DC engine and I would like to convert it to DCC.  Has any done this?  More specifically does the motor need to be isolated?  From what I can see my first thought is yes but I would like to also hear from someone who has done it as well.  Thanks!

I am modelling Rock Island and Soo Line.  I have also added the local shortline ... Tacoma Rail.  My friend is modeling BNSF, Union Pacific and McCloud River.  With that range we are bridging the Midwest to the Great Northwest.

Our Walmart put the Norscott Cat vehicles on their clearance rack for under 5.00.  So a construction crew I have now.

Hunt,

Great information.  We have begun our ballasting as well but have stayed clear of the turnouts as we have tried to find a good way of doing this.

I did find the short last night.  The issue was with an Atlas Snap Switch in which the the rails on the frog ended up touching.  Maybe because of soldering joints?  I am not sure.  We have replaced the switch and all is well except for now putting every thing all back together.  Thanks to everyone for their ideas and help to resolve this problem.

Thanks Jerry,

I have tried testing it with no rolling stock or engines on the layout, which leads me to believe I have a track issue.

And so the learning continues.  I am going to break the section down to three power districts instead of the one big one that I am working with not.  Once I do this I will be able to see which of the three are causing the problem and will help very much to find the trouble spot or spots.  Thanks for the insight.

Thanks RAM,

I have double then triple checked this and all gaps are still as they should be.

We have not run trains in some time and felt it would only inspire us
to move quicker on the layout if we started to run them again. So on
the freight yard leg (a section that worked previously) I connected
power to it and my Digitrax DCS100 shorted and shut down the system. I
have disconnected the rest of the layout from this area, checked for
something on the tracks and verified wiring under the layout. I can
only come up with that after ballasting and painting that a switch is
shorting. We are using Atlas snap switches and a Digitrax Super
Chief. Any ideas would be most helpful .. thanks!

That is great on the Rock Island side.  My head spins from all of the imformation sent my way.  Thanks for all of the great help!

I agree with Rich.  And ensuring that your connections are done well will save alot of troubleshooting later on down the line.  Good information Rich!

I would agree with Gene to add the second power lead.  I could actually see the adding so that you have a power lead in the north, south east and west of the layout.  The digitrax Zephar would also be a very good choice and would allow the expansion to one of the larger systems if ever needed.

At Goodsearch it is states that it is powered by Yahoo, so I think you were right in the first place.