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The nice thing about the extra balloon reversing track is it offers a way to turn around from the other direction. If you remove it then you'd have to back through the other reverser.
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Lovely Wendie99
 
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LoudMusic said:
The nice thing about the extra balloon reversing track is it offers a way to turn around from the other direction. If you remove it then you'd have to back through the other reverser.
Click to expand...

I really want to keep it, I like the look of track going though what eventually be the town area. I'll do everything I can to not have to take it out.
 
Back sitting at work wasting some. I'm getting ahead of myself but I was looking at some of the new locomotives, mostly the DCC ones and I noticed the hooks or couplings that connect to the rolling stock are different than what I have. All my rolling stock is 15-20 years old so I guess I have the "old school" latches. I don't even know how to describe them so maybe someone here knows what i'm talking about. Is there a way to replace the old style ones or will I have to buy all new rolling stock as well?
 


The connectors between cars and locos are called couplers. The popular coupler style provided by manufacturers during that time was the 'horn hook'. It has a more exact designation but I don't know what it is.

The common coupler to convert to then, and copied by many now, is the "Kadee" coupler.

http://www.kadee.com/index.shtml

Most manufacturers now have cloned it and make compatible couplers. They look better, perform better, and have more adjustment options. It's the common standard.
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Side Effects From Depakote
 
Last edited by a moderator:
LoudMusic said:
The connectors between cars and locos are called couplers. The popular coupler style provided by manufacturers during that time was the 'horn hook'. It has a more exact designation but I don't know what it is.

The common coupler to convert to then, and copied by many now, is the "Kadee" coupler.

http://www.kadee.com/index.shtml

Most manufacturers now have cloned it and make compatible couplers. They look better, perform better, and have more adjustment options. It's the common standard.
Click to expand...

The hook/horn coupler is the NMRA X2f coupler. It was adopted by the National Model Railroad Association as a standard years ago so various manufacturers that had their own designs that wouldn't interchange could do so fairly cheaply. The problem with the X2f was/is that it doesn't look close to the prototype, and the off-center forces caused by the design, along with the fact that many of the cars mounted the couplers on an extension arm off the trucks, rather than body-mounting them, caused derailments.

When the Kadee folks came out with their first couplers that looked and acted much like the prototype's, but had the uncoupling pins projecting from the knuckle (you used a diamond-shaped uncoupling ramp that could be raised to uncouple them), a lot of folks took notice. Then Kadee came out with the magnetic actuated, and that eventually the de facto standard. Even though the X2f was still supplied on a lot of rolling stock, the Kadee's became something almost everyone used to replace the NMRA jobs.

More recently the patent ran out and the folks at Kadee didn't or couldn't renew the patent. Others were therefore free to copy or at least make compatible ones. But, for my money, Kadee couplers are "it".

Green board all the way!
 
*****UPDATE*****

I just got back from my parents house, the track is in good condition, very little oxidizing on the track. Some of the track is nickle and some is brass. I talked to my dad, only 1 train was ran at a time on here, the balloon loop was never functional he said (even though I swear i remember it working) he said he never got the wiring completed for it but the entire track has power. The wiring as is looks pretty rough, alot of stuff disconnected so it will probably all have to be redone. My dad's pretty sure that some cleaning of the track with a wire brush and then rewiring the layout everything should work fine.

So all the information what would you guys suggest as far as supplies and stuff I would need to get it going?
 
Well, at a glance I'd say he's right that you can only control one train at a time. There's only one power pack. Next, I'd say those yellow and red switches are for turning power on and off to sections of track. And the blue switches are for remote controlling turnouts. Unless he did some interesting wiring, the reversing loops don't seem to be properly operational.

I'd start by cleaning a section of track and see if you can get power to it. Then expand that to an entire running loop and see if a train can make it around without constantly stalling out. If you're running trains from the same original build attempt you might have to clean the locomotive's wheels as well. Then I'd keep cleaning and flipping switches until everything worked, and document which switches did what. Hopefully your dad has some info on that as well :)

Once everything is working again it's time to figure out what you want to do from there. I'll throw my vote in for a starter set of DCC stuff. That would eliminate all those red and yellow switches and make your reversing loops functional. It'll cost more but 'running trains' will be vastly more enjoyable.
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WENDIE 99
 
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Get a Bright Boy (from Walthers) for cleaning the track. You shouldn't need a wire brush.

Get some isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth, and clean the wheelsets on your locomotives.

Kadee couplers are $4 per pair of 2 or $38 per 25 pair, which will do 2 or 25 cars, respectively. Provided your cars are Athearn, MDC/Roundhouse, Bev-Bel, Walthers, Accurail, Atlas, and some Life-Like, and body mounted, then you'll just need the #5 or #14 for standard head, or #58 for scale-sized...I prefer and use the #14s.

I recommend updating your wheelsets to metal ones. Metal wheelsets (especially the ones with metal axles) roll better, and don't get as dirty as quickly (thus, not getting your track as dirty as quickly). Depending on your rolling stock, trucks could be replaced too. I like Intermountain wheelsets, but Reboxx are good, and come in different axle widths.

Pick up a Kadee coupler height gauge so you can make sure your rolling stock works and doesn't come uncoupled when you don't want. Pick up a NMRA HO standards gauge, and you can measure several things, including your wheelsets if you don't immediately change your wheelsets out.

You can perform the process over time, as well as check and see if you really want to upgrade some of your older cars. Anything with couplers mounted on the trucks (Tyco, some Lifelike, Bachmann, AHM, etc.), is, unless it has sentimental value, not worth the trouble.
 
Thanks guys.

I'm already looking into the Bachmann DCC Command Control System and a few DCC loco's. But I gotta hold myself back and get what I have working before I go buy other stuff. Thanks for all the tips and suggestions guys, very much appreciated.
 


Get ahold of one of the books on "How to Wire Your Model Railroad". It will tell you how to wire reverse loops, balloon tracks, etc. It isn't difficult, but you may need to put some insulated gaps, if they aren't already there. Even if you go to DCC, you will probably need to electrically isolate those return loops. Not difficult at all.

For cleaning the track, I concur about getting a "Brite-Boy". It looks like a little ink eraser, but won't scar the track. Also, there are several products available to apply to the track that will inhibit oxidation, but still conduct electricity. My favorite is Wahl's Hair Clipper Oil, but they just call it something else nowadays. Your barber may know the exact name. It usually comes in a little oil can, and all you do is put some on a soft cloth and rub it on the rails. It will also work on the electrical pickup wheels of your locomotives (and tenders), using a cotton swab.
 
Hey guys, i'm thinking of getting a DCC starter kit. I'm wondering if the Bachmann DCC Command Control System is the way to go? You all know what i'm going to have it hooked up to so just wondering your suggestions. I have one on eBay i'm keeping an eye on. I will have to get a DCC ready loco as well. Would it be better to get a set like the Bachmann Digital Commander? I don't need the track but it seems like that would be a good combo to go with since it comes with 2 DCC ready loco's plus the EZ commander.
 
Anyone? I wanted to order this today so I"ll have it for next week since i'm getting the layout this weekend.
 
I just got the Bachmann EZ DCC from my son for Christmas. It came with a GP50. Nice way to start. I just added a steamer and I'm trying to figure out how to use all the features on it.
 
Thanks Gary. I have the layout as you can see, but DCC seems much easier and more convenient than my old DC layout will be. The Bachmann Digital Commander comes with 2 DCC ready locomotives which would a good place to start. I'm just trying to decide if its better to get the DCC Command Control System and then buy two loco's or just buy the Digital Commander set and get the track and 3 rolling stock as well for $160.
 
It's a very limited system, but if you want to get started in DCC, it works.

I'd recommend that you get a Digitrax Zephyr. It is expandable if you decide to go bigger or get more features. If not, it still has more features and functions than the Bachmann. If you decide to expand later and you bought the Bachmann, then you'll have to spend more to get a different system.
 
Thanks. Ill probably stick with the bachmann. As much as I'd like to dive in head first with this it will probably be a slow process to start. If I can get 2 or 3 LoCos running on my layout ill be happy.
 
The Digitrax Zephyr is about the same price. You won't regret buying it. The Bachmann is VERY limited. If you have a problem and look it up or ask a question, it can be fixed on the Zephyr, but if you have a problem try to fix it on the Bachmann, you may find that the system doesn't support the feature.

The Digitrax Zephyr can be expanded upon since most if not all Digitrax components are interchangeable with each other.
 
With the Bachmann I was looking at getting the combo set with the controller, 2 locos and track. I found on eBay for around 160. Does digitrax offer anything like that?
 


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