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Messages - Ralph S

#1
General Discussion / Re: Reversable trains
September 29, 2024, 10:37:59 PM
Terry,
QuoteWhat do I mean about splitting the set?
If you click on the: " Had anyone tried splitting the Reversing Trolley Car Set?  I asked the question and explained it in a diagram.   Basically what I was referring to was placing a turnout in the reversing track (splitting, as I call it).  In this way the trolley (or loco for me) would travel down one of two paths then reverse itself at either end.  It would then return to the original starting point and reverse again.  Should the turnout be switched the loco or trolley would follow that path to the end and reverse itself and return to its original starting point.   

It sounds feasible to me.  What say you?

Or click on this below:
Had anyone tried splitting the Reversing Trolley Car Set
#2
General Discussion / Re: Chemical Plant Industrial Layout
September 26, 2024, 01:52:34 AM
Does your experience from this layout..., was there a helium production plant in the area?  I am trying to figure out how to make/build a helium plant on my layout.  I have several helium tank cars but no helium plant for them.  Goggle doesn't do justice on what a helium plant looks like.
#3
General Discussion / Re: Reversable trains
September 26, 2024, 01:24:07 AM

Interesting thing that was not mentioned.  Bachmann has a point to point reversing track set.  It's model number is 44547.   Beware models 44847 and 44547 one is "N" scale and the latter is "HO" scale.  It's a bit pricey for me at this point in time, but I am still thinking about getting this reversing system.  I already have a few of the reversing track from an earlier purchase in trying to obtain other items.

I also asked earlier in this forum about: Had anyone tried splitting the Reversing Trolley Car Set?  Unfortunately, I got no responses for that query.   ...But I'm still thinking about it for my HO museum track engines.

Sorry got off the subject.  From my research,
1.  I have not determined if the track system works with DCC.  I believe it is made for DC (analog).
2.  Any engine (locomotive or trolley DC powered) will work.
3.  It's the track and its autoreversing controller required to make it work.
4. See page 146 in the Bachmann 2024 catalog for this reversing system.

Hope this helps.
#4
General Discussion / Re: 4014
September 22, 2024, 12:30:57 AM
Let me know when the DD40AX is run (if any are still around and working).   That engine to me is a much better-looking double engine locomotive.  The stationary one that I use to work around had a 16 cylinder and a 20-cylinder diesel with a 4160KV (1500KW) generator sandwiched between the two diesels.  From what I was told just before this diesel was retired, was that it was a replica of the DD40AX.
#5
General Discussion / Re: Railroading 80 years ago
September 08, 2024, 03:25:34 PM
The pandemic found the error in senior managements enthusiasm for "Just in Time" shipping.  The companies including the railroad industry reduced inventory and, in some cases, reduced jobs, to support this new management cost control.  The pandemic found this management oversight and as stated wreaked havoc on shipping industry.  Some industries are sticking to this "just in time" management style.

Fortunately, my model railroad will not fall prey to this management style since I own the railroad, the rails, the modular containers, the trucks,
You cannot view this attachment.
and the construction companies.  I have a seat on the city, town, farm, suburb, industrial park council.  I have jurisdiction and authority of the railroad, city planning, structural engineering, water reclamation, subway, and any future planning.
                                                                                                 
#6
General Discussion / Re: Railroading 80 years ago
September 01, 2024, 10:55:42 AM
QuoteConsidering what a mighty Empire America's railroad system was at the end of World War II, it didn't take long for it to nearly collapse.  For those like me that went through it, it was a time of unbelievable melancholy to see our railroads Quickly going down the drain.
To me, although many a track and railroad company(s) have gone into history.  From what I see, the railroad industry is still the most powerful economy moving industry that keeps America in the forefront of technology and commerce.   As a matter of opinion, once the diesel engine was applied to trucks the railroad industry modified its transport vehicles from box cars to modular containers.  Basically, what I believe is that the railroad is a mighty, maybe now slender backbone using diesels keeping America the best in the world.  My model layout hopefully will reflect that opinion.
#7
This is great news.  I purchased the Bachmann 42901, although kinda expensive, to try out.  I only have 1 sound locomotive and have no controller that can change many of the decoder's other parameters.  This I think will allow me to place these rollers inside my maintenance shed.   If the rollers tend to tip over or move around, I was thinking that I could solder one set of rollers to the track leaving the other to be adjustable for different lengths of engine trucks.   It'll take a week or so before these rollers show up...
#8
In my search for obtaining additional locomotives, I ran across the Bachmann model 42901  E-Z riders.  I wasn't sure what these are used for... so a search on this wonderful forum found these two queries:
---Display/Test Stand Rollers - E-Z Riders(TM)  and ---HO test track rollers?

What I did not find is:  Can these test rollers be used to program DCC locomotives?  Would there be any drawbacks from programming on the test rollers?

The reason is, I could eliminate my program track (3 sections of 9-inch straight track) and just use the test stand to program the DCC locomotives.  I'm also thinking that I could put the test stand rollers inside my locomotive shed and program the locomotives in the shed.  This would free up space for other items on the layout.

Interested in all responses Pro and Con.

P.S. Terry your image clarifying the E-Z rider is superb!
#9
General Discussion / Re: Railroading 80 years ago
August 25, 2024, 04:28:09 PM
I also have to state the same...I wasn't born that far back.  The only Steam trains I've seen/ridin on were at Stone Mountain (Georgia) and at Disneyland (California).  It's great to reminisce about those days.  Good to put it in history for others to see and experience as I did at the Kenefick Park, Nebraska, just this past July (2024).
Excerpt here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlbBvFqys8E and that history is as follows; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg6nnYkq9R0

My stop was to view the DD40X not the Big Boy.  It was great to see these two massive engines together.  I grew up diesel, hopefully that will not offend you.  Just to note, for those steam historians check out this forum topic: "UP's Big Boy is back on the rails!"  Just note that that second U-tube video lets you know that steam engines will not be forgotten.

P.S. not responsible for the content of these u-tube videos
#10
General Discussion / Re: EZ COMMAND PLUS CONTROLLER
August 08, 2024, 12:24:17 PM
Speculation only!  Based on what you have stated. This seems to have the same issue that my car radio has.  My car radio has that "infinity" volume knob.  You have to turn it 360 degrees for more than 4 times to increase the volume in the radio, likewise in opposite direction to lower the volume.  I was informed that the EZ Command Plus has that infinity type controller knob.  If this is the case, you might try turning that infinity knob many times in order to get the switch to provide power to the track.  This may or may not work, but it's worth a try in any case. 
Again: If it's under warranty, send it back to Bachmann, if it isn't... turning the knob many times may or may not help. 

Note: only a qualified person should perform this action.
#11
HO / Re: Keep alive in Bachmann engine
August 08, 2024, 11:31:36 AM
As always, I seem to enter the conversations late.  Like others I own Bachmann locomotives, working on buying three more. Question?  Does anyone know what Bachmann model locomotives (HO) that have the "stay alive" circuit? ...Cause instruction manuals and box labeling do not mention whether or not they have or have not this circuit or I'm I just missing something.   
#12
General Discussion / Re: rc plane transmitter
July 09, 2024, 12:33:23 PM
Understand that the transmitter you wish to use on some scale rolling stock is not going to work.  Basically, Bachmann's only controller that I know of is "Dynamis E-Z Command Wireless DCC Model Railroad Control module, model 36505.  It has an Infrared (IR) frequency somewhere in the 300 GHz – 430 THz, while your dynam primo has a frequency of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. With that low a frequency it's to slow (data rate) for IR.

Hope this answers your question.
#13
HO / Re: Designing HO scale Delta track with DCC
July 09, 2024, 12:11:57 PM
I stand corrected.   Thanks, having an electrical background instead of a railroad background I used what I normally would have used in working with 3 electrical loads (see image).

Therefore, I concluded that this "wye" track was a "delta" track (which looks very much like a delta network) instead of what railroaders have termed it.

Okay,
Quote...leave the mainline tracks alone and insert your gaps in the rails of the curved sections. That way, the entire "tail" of the wye will be your reversing section.
When you say "tail" you mean the upper portion (at the top of the image) of the wye.  This means I do not have to cut into any track, since I normally use track insulators (Atlas #55) since Bachmann only makes straight gaped track and does not make gapped track for a curve. 

As you can see in the (simplified) electrical diagram, it's not easy to visualize the railroader's "wye" as an electrical circuit compared to the electrical "delta" circuit.  The crossover is easily understandable.  Gapping the converging upper end of the "wye", i.e. delta does isolate the mainline and the crossover.  I'll have to use Bachmann 's Automatic Reversing Loop Module (44912) instead of using a simple relay at the crossover the due to the dual gaps and/or convergence track.

Hopefully, I'm not confusing the real railroaders.  I apologize for the incorrect OP (Opening Post) stating delta instead of wye.
#14
HO / Designing HO scale Delta track with DCC
July 07, 2024, 07:18:42 PM
I was viewing U-Tube videos and came across one of the train shows had a Delta type track that went toward a reversing loop.

I decided to build that delta track with my EZ track.  See image of the track below. I also want to modify that single track delta by replacing it with a double track crossover (trying to save space).   After creating the delta track, I came across an issue with A rail and B rail convergence.  That is, the A and B rail would cross one another.  I therefore inserted two isolated frogs (plastic) at the track split located at the crossover track section.   The top end convergence track is non-isolated (metal) frog.

This is where I ran into an issue.  Where to install the reversing loop at the crossover? 


If I install the reversing loop on the crossover, it will affect the other track.   Question, should there be a gap in the crossing section?  In order that the other track not be affected.

Well, I'm asking this before I go cut a gap in a good crossover.   All the Delta track I'm aware of and instructions from the web only used a single track with reversing loop circuit for bottom of the delta.  I want to use the crossover in that bottom portion of the delta.     If you see or know of anything that I may have missed, please let me know.   I'm all ears at this point, before I mess up (cut a gap) a good crossover.     
 

#15
Wow!  I know I'm an amateur in train modeling knowing that even with a ball park amount, 50 or more locomotives is way beyond my thought patterns.   I'm lucky to have 18 DCC loco's with 6 not by Bachmann.  I have 15 DC locos where 11 are not Bachmann, that is, Life-like, Tyco, Mantua, although they still work, they are all discontinued.  They are on my museum DC powered track.
There are 7 DC Bachmann's I want to convert to DCC, where 3 are MOW's.  This is where I run into a conundrum of either purchasing the Dynamis or purchasing the DCC decoders for the locos. I want to do both, but which to purchase first is where I'm at today.