Search results

Boy, I wish I knew what ya'll were talking about. I need that book, "Basic Wiring for Dummies." I guess the "bus" is one main electric wire from the transformer and you connect "feeder wires" to it every 6 feet of track. I think this is called wiring in series.

Thanks Val. You restore my faith in people. I thought that was the case;but enough about that - let's talk about your layout!

Kim, remember what Thumper's father said, " if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." (From the Walt Disney movie, Bambi)

That's an interesting point about the fine details breaking off. A comment was once made about building a Bowser without the optional $45. "super detail kit" so one could man handle it and really enjoy being a kid again. LOL I know I have one $60 Atlas diesel and it has plastic railings that...

So you messed up and purchased a DCC unit without a decoder and ran it on DC and it defaulted. Does this mean it is ruined? What do you need the decoder for. I am sorry. I am lazy. I don't want to read pages and pages of the DCC thread and not find an answer to this question; but I promise I...

Is there another name for B units? I know you don't call them tenders. It just seems weird that they are not given the respect of being called a locomotive or even a car. ;)

Why do they face the A unit the other way? I often wondered about that. And why do I see some "double A units--one facing in each direction, or a combination A & B unit both facing forward, and finally, like you said, "Often there would be 4 units aranged A-B-B-A with the A's facing the opposite...

NYC-BKO, what does the decoder do? I think I want what you have. Does your Bachmann A/B set have 8 wheel drive? I can't seem to find Athearn Gensis A/B units for sale except in a set with 8 passenger cars for about $300.

Thanks for your time and trouble to share your knowledge. Atheans offers a Santa Fe F7A powered & a F7A dummy and/or a F7B powered & F7B dummy in a set. Can you tell me what I am looking at there? Talk about an expensive set! I would like to consider just the F7A & F7A dummy in the red...

Click here: Environmental Technology Inc. Here's a link to the source of the mold builder that I am using. It doesn't require a release agent and the clean-up is water. I apply it with a paint brush about 2 inches wide which is stored between applications in a 3 pound plastic Country Crock...

After painting the rocks laying on old newspaper with eight thin layers of liquid latex, two of which were reinforced with gauze, and letting them dry 24 hours between coats, I peeled them off with no problem. It was easy to find an edge of the latex mold and peel it off. Sort of like peeling an...

What makes an Athearn locomotive ( or some other preferred make) so much better than a Bachmann, Model Power, Tyco, Life-Like, etc. The only conversation I hear is that the latter are toy trains and the others are better; but WHY???

It would be helpful to know the difference between a can motor which seems to be the Cadillac of electric train motors and the others used by the manufacturers. I have heard a lot about it on The Gauge but really don't know exactly what it is, or what makes it so wonderful. What does it look...

Nope, I'm not an expert.

I don't know. I was delighted when I found out how to pronounce John Allen's "Gorre & Daphetid." All these years I thought it was something for real and then I found out he couldn't spell. LOL Or maybe he could spell and did that intentionally.

If the Athearns offered the Warbonnet Santa Fe F7 and dummy, I would lean toward the purchase of the Athearn. It's the unusual red front facing and red rear facing dummy that gets my attention and did so as a kid. I could go either way I guess: a set or just the engines. Or I could get a...

Have you looked on eBay? I've seen a lot of inexpensive steam locomotives on sale for parts.

Well, Model Power offers a basic Santa Fe F7 set with one locomotive and 3 or 4 cars. Then the set that I am interested in has two locomotives, one of which is a dummy. Oh what the heck; here's the link: Click here: Model Power World's Most Powerful SF Metal Train Set HO

I am seriously considering the purchase of this brand new Model Power Train Set from a dealer and just wondered if anybody had any recent experience with this locomotive. I think it is DCC ready. My other allturnnative would be to buy the Athearn Genisis. ( you like that spelling :rolleyes: ??)

You know all those books that are so popular and are entitled "SOMETHING OR OTHER FOR DUMMIES." Well, maybe we need a basic model railroading for dummies---like me. I am sure you all get tired of hearing the same questions from newbies so maybe we could format a list of basic information for...