Recent content by TomR

Electrolysis is caused by potential difference between two metals in the presence of an electrolyte of some type. The bulk of track problems model railroaders have are tarnish or surface oxides, and contamination by insulating materials like dirt, dust, or other debris. If we have galvanic...

Well, there is a show coming up in Warner Robbins. I started sorting the stuff by railroad and then region. Not by era. :-) Like I put all the Detroit middle Michigan cars in a group, and then Chicago area stuff. If it is more likely people collect by time period, that might be a little more...

I have hundreds of HO scale cars of many types from all sorts of large to very obscure railroads. Most are probably from the 1980's and onward. They range from what look like nice quality to poor, but most are better than good except most have old horn hook couplers or need couplers. Most are...

Yes, that looks fine. Apparently yours are common anode LED's I use different resistor values on red and green to keep the red brightness down a bit. Red looks too bright at the same current as green, so I use more resistance in the red direction. By the way, another hint. You have limited...

That circuit is nothing but a simple flip-flop. The output is two + outputs that go high and low, and they bridge the LED's between them. This creates a reversing polarity, depending on which side is low and high. How you connect to the other dwarf depends on if it is common anode, common...

Here is an interesting analysis: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/3229 Of course we have to keep in mind nickel silver track has no silver at all in it. :-)

S1 is a single pole double throw toggle. Yes, in my system I used a bridge rectifier type supply with the center tap of the transformer as the common. This gives dual voltages. The supply is laid out on the PC board. All parts, even the transformer, mount on the board. DL1 and 2 are shown...

Yes. One toggle runs one setup. I have two turnouts on one switch at crossovers, or where they must track. That's right. SPDT. Because it is a dual supply with + and -. The toggle picks either + or - to feed the system. I lay the boards out on computer. I send the .gbr files to...

Just don't sell it. :-) A bridge rectifier with a CT transformer will have a dual polarity output. It is actually two full wave rectifiers in one package when used that way. The only thing about the supply is it needs to be fairly stiff. It has to handle the discharge current with sagging...

No disrespect intended here, but did you measure the oil to see if it was really conductive? Virtually every oil in the world is an insulator, including automatic transmission fluid that people on model railroad forums and articles claim to be "conductive" or "enhances conductivity". I tested...

All mine from start to finish. If the Kato is a dc motor that slides, it will probably work. I'd have to know the electrical details. Mine works with several varieties of dual coil sliders, including under table. Nope. Heat in any resistance is I squared R. That would be less than 20mA...

What is the best track cleaning car, or should I build my own?

This is what I use. Works perfectly for all the turnouts I have tested: http://www.w8ji.com/Model%20train%20layout%20wiring.htm I run my signal lights and power control relays from this.

Whatever you do, don't put automatic transmission fluid on the track. I barely put any on a rag and wiped a little test area. When I ran a steam locomotive through it it about stalled. I had to clean the wheels and rails with Xylene a few times to get it back to normal. All I do is wipe my...

Like my Polish step-father's immaculately manicured lawn, and not my family's patch of cropped clover and weeds? I though about making different neighborhoods like that. I was going to put an upside down car in mine.