Easiest way to do it is to make a transition car. Micro couplers on one end and rapido on the other.

Thanks guys!

What are the advantages, if any, of metal wheels on rolling stock? I am going to a train show Saturday and thinking of buying some but the more I think about it - I not sure I should.

The crossovers you are referring to are set up for DCC. Jim Banner has posted instructions for converting these crossovers to DC (do a search to find it). Problem is his instructions are for the HO scale crossovers and the internals for the N scale are a little different. I did not have the guts to experiment so what I did was make the crossover section a separate block (I am set up for DC). You do have to "run" your trains - switching from one controller to the other when a engine approaches that block but "it works".

Sorry - should have said it will not run on DC.

Not always true Bach-Man. I had bought a 2-6-6-2 that ran for 5 min and the rods feel off and got bent. Sent it in for repair. Got a call from Bachmann and they said they did not have the parts to fix it. They substituted a DCC Heavy Mountain as a replacement. First one I got never did run - the tender got very warm. Sent it back - they sent me another - WILL NOT RUN ON DCC - barely moves.

They give you a pair of jumpers to convert to DC but since the decorder is hardwired, I can't install the jumpers. I don't know if I am going to send it back or just give up! Maybe I will make it a wall decoration.

Yea - I got one of those dictionary things - I keep next to my slide rule.

Sloan,

If your platform is up against a wall, I would place the speakers toward the rear - maybe 6 in. or so from the wall. If the floor that your layout sits on is carpet (soft) place the speakers so that they face toward the front of the layout. If the surface is hard (concrete) try placing the speakers so that they face down toward the hard surface. This will cause the sound waves to bounce between the bottom of the platform and the floor.

Regarding the distance between the speakers, you are limited by the length of the speaker wires that MRC provides. If that doesn't work for you, slice in some speaker wire to increase the distance between the speakers.

It is funny how the human mind works. If you have a passenger train in front of a passenger station and you have the conductor says - "All Aboard" you swear it came from the station area - if the train is somewhere else on your layout - you not sure where it came from!!!!! The human mind is easy to fool - politicians have been doing it for years.

If you place the speakers on top of the platform then it is easy to determine where the sound is coming from. I placed the speakers under the platform attached with Velcro. The sound waves bounce between the floor, the walls and the bottom of the platform (plywood) and thereby fool the human ear in determining direction. In one thing to theorize but in actuality it works.

Oh - by the way - I am an Audio Editor and even though I am getting up there in age my ears are pretty sharp.

Not bad. I bought 2 at Hobby Lobby with their 40% off coupon - one for steam and one for diesel. I am sure they are not as good as DCC systems but the human ear can not determine where the sound is coming from so it is somewhat realistic.

I used nails thru the little holes in the ties. You can find the proper nails at your local hobby store. Others have used caulking and other methods. Do a search.

Thanks Jerry. I will experiment a bit with a turnout I have that shorted out.

Thanks gentleman. I guess to do what I want I got to use Atlas #6 Turnouts and flex track.

The standard turnout for Bachmann N scale gives a distance between parallel tracks that is way too much. I wish they would at least make more than what I am guessing is approx. a #4!!!

Newbie question.

Could someone tell me what the number in a turnout description represents? Eg. #4 Turnout, #6 Turnout etc. Is it the length of the turnout or the angle of the curve? I am working in N scale and Bachmann only makes one turnout in N EZ Track. I would like to run 2 lines closer together than the Bachmann turnout allows me too. I know I can do it with a Wye or crossover but those babies are $$$$$$.

Do a google search on Model Railroad scales. It will keep you busy reading all day!