The most expedient solution possible. Sometimes getting things running is more important than doing it the cheapest possible way or figuring out how to fix it yourself.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
MissArgentina So we went to a local hobby train shop and we came home with some terminal rail joiners and it's working like a charm! Not sure if it's the best choice but it's working! :) He seems pretty happy.
So we went to a local hobby train shop and we came home with some terminal rail joiners and it's working like a charm! Not sure if it's the best choice but it's working! :) He seems pretty happy.
Rich
Alton Junction
MissArgentinawe came home with some terminal rail joiners and it's working like a charm!
LastspikemikeFor me, and assuming you can reach the backside of the nut, I try to jam a very thin blade screwdriver between a side of the nut and the plastic recess in order to stop the nut turning by just enough to get the screw tight.
I have used a small amount of epoxy like J-B Weld carefully buttered around the periphery of a rounded-out hex recess in plastic, with the nut then carefully set into this and any raised material smoothed down against and over it. When this has set up completely (over about 24hr to ultimate strength, whatever is on the package specs) it provides flats much more resistant to being 'cammed out' than the original plastic was.
Remember it is likely that the other screw, at some point, may develop comparable difficulty, and it might be wise to butter its nut in, too, with epoxy or comparable material to secure it from trying to turn. This is a very small amount of adhesive, perhaps a couple of toothpick-tips' worth.
One more little note: it is possible to use longer screws in these terminals, and if you have any room "under" the track grade, you can provide washers in the stripped-out recess and a nut that can be easily reached from the underside or given better 'fixation' in stronger materials.
Ahh, both the screw and nut are spinning. Not good. And, you indicate that you cannot get hold of the nut in order to get the screw out. If it were me, I would return it for a new one, or just buy a new one. Christmas is only a week away. No time to mess around with faulty equipment.
Not sure how that will separate it from the spinning nut it seems to be connected to. They're spinning together. This is the track I'm talking about. I can take a close up pic of the terminal tomorrow if that helps anyone.
If you have any white Teflon tape, also called "thread tape", laying around, wrap a thin piece around the screw and try that method. Since the screw is so small, it will be a bit delicate to apply, but it should work.
Hi all! Well everything came in, I wrapped it up real pretty-like, and he's getting it set up with no issues until...It was actually a NEW piece I ordered that gave out. It's the straight terminal track from Atlas. one of the contact screws is spinning spinning spinning in it's nut/rivet/hole/? They're both spinning together non-stop and it's so tiny everything We've tried has not worked. (For the record I did suggest setting up the terminal and transformer first). Suggestions? Anyone had this issue?
garya SeeYou190 Had that car, too.
SeeYou190
Had that car, too.
The one in the picture was a lucky find on ebay. The seller had the description wrong. It was an ancient Tyco red box model that had never been out of the package. It is in pristine condition.
It was less than $10.00 including shipping!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
A rerailer track makes it simple to put cars on the track. Isn't it a rule that a derailement never happens right before the rerailer?
It's not that hard to put a car on the tracks but in your case, the top of the rail is going to be on a level with you big toe nail.
Gary
Nobody is telling her to get DCC?
Inside joke Claudia, it won't fit the budget, that's as much as you need to know.
MissArgentina I hope the process makes us smile and not curse! (also I feel a little guilty because I kinda think this will be a present for me too in a sense). Stay tuned! Claudia
I hope the process makes us smile and not curse! (also I feel a little guilty because I kinda think this will be a present for me too in a sense). Stay tuned!
Claudia
Claudia, this will be a present for you too???
And your budget is $50 to $60?
What is wrong with you, girl?
You gotta set your sights higher than that.
By the way, and don't get me wrong, Claudia is a very nice name. But I was sorta hoping that it would be Evita.
MissArgentinaWhat is rerailer track?
A rerailer is a track with wedges leading into it. It is designed to guide dragging equipment back onto the rails.
They work occassionally at best. They also look like car crossings, so that can be fun.
MissArgentinaI've been fascinated by miniatures since a child.
Me too. Do you dabble in miniatures in other ways than Model Railroading?
Well not sure if it was the right way to go, but for now its the way I went! We have a 4x4 piece of ply, we've got cork, we've got sheet insulation (we build theater sets) so we can mount whatever we need to. And I was able to get it cheap - I think that was the deciding factor. Yes it's code 100 but I think we've established this train ain't supposed to be high end, maw. So...Atlas code 100 nickel-silver 18 degree curves and straight terminal track. Got it for a steal. I'm going to see what happens with conductivity patching it with the brass stuff that's coming with the train. If need be we'll snag 3 pieces of silver nickel straight-aways. So I'll document the whole thing and share our nostalgic adventures of this kiddie railway with you! I hope the process makes us smile and not curse! (also I feel a little guilty because I kinda think this will be a present for me too in a sense). Stay tuned!
MissArgentina Thanks, everyone, for the advice! 1. He's not too nostalgic- we don't have to stick with Tyco at all, but what's in the picture is what I already bought because it's the core of the set he showed me was like his. So yeah - if I got the wrong thing oh well!! Got it on eBay and it has been tested and seller said runs well on a layout, so we'll see. Package is not quite yet in hand. 2. If we're talking model railroading budgeting, then yes I'm on a tight budget. Lol I've been blown away at the prices and the insane layouts people have. Amazing. But I've been fascinated by miniatures since a child. Honestly - I would love to not spend more than $50-60 more for this little project.
Thanks, everyone, for the advice! 1. He's not too nostalgic- we don't have to stick with Tyco at all, but what's in the picture is what I already bought because it's the core of the set he showed me was like his. So yeah - if I got the wrong thing oh well!! Got it on eBay and it has been tested and seller said runs well on a layout, so we'll see. Package is not quite yet in hand.
2. If we're talking model railroading budgeting, then yes I'm on a tight budget. Lol I've been blown away at the prices and the insane layouts people have. Amazing. But I've been fascinated by miniatures since a child. Honestly - I would love to not spend more than $50-60 more for this little project.
Regarding your budget of $50 to $60, that's about what I started out with when I got into HO scale modeling. My cumulative spending on this hobby, some 17 years later, would have been enough to buy a new car. So, in some ways, you better hope that your hubby doesn't get too enthusiastic about his new hobby.
Howdy,
Keven showed KATO track which is a good idea for around a tree. Reason being it has a plastic base that elevates the track up off of any carpet etc. This is good if the track is on the floor, carpet or no, because it helps prevent fuzz or animal hair etc from getting into the wheels and especially the motor.
One thing about KATO Unitrack is it comes in a wide variety of curves, from sharp curves to broader or gentle curves. If you really want a circle and not a rectangle, you can get larger curves such as 24" radius, or 26 or even 28. Many hobby shops and online model train dealers carry it. It is a little more expensive that Tyco, but it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg for a circle of it.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
MissArgentina Thanks for the input and clarification on so many things, all. The good thing is I'm not waiting til Christmas morning to surprise him, hoping it will all magically come together. Heard of some horror stories there. So he'll be getting it early which will give him more time to play. I just want to go ahead and order or pick up whatever I need to in order to finish it off now. You all have been a great help - I'm sure I'll have more questions!
Thanks for the input and clarification on so many things, all. The good thing is I'm not waiting til Christmas morning to surprise him, hoping it will all magically come together. Heard of some horror stories there. So he'll be getting it early which will give him more time to play. I just want to go ahead and order or pick up whatever I need to in order to finish it off now. You all have been a great help - I'm sure I'll have more questions!
Simon
The red and silver Santa Fe Tyco loco was my Dad's, that pulled the passenger train. Mine was the blue and yellow Santa Fe loco - the first train that was truly mine, given to me, not just stuff my parents had that I was allowed to run. The year I got it, I think it would have been 72 or 73, I set it up on the dining room table even though we had the usual train layout set up in the family room like always. I didn't get to have it there for long - we needed the table for guests. But that was my first moment with a proper scale train set that was all mine.
As you move more into the 70's, that's when the Tyco stuff got cheaper and less reliable. Those early 70's F units we had ran many many miles with no problem. First thing to fail actually were the rubber traction tires - mainly because most of the year they were stored in the attic which got very hot over the Summer. One of the last things we bought in the mid 70's was the Life Like Teakettle 0-4-0 - that one didn't last one season, truly one of those "life measured in hours" locos, the side rods fell off and the motor melted. It became a stationary prop.
While the nostalgia is good, I would heed some of the previous advice - the roadbed track (which is the track that comes mounted to palstic 'roadbed') will be much more reliable, not only are there the metal joiners ont he rails, but there are also clips ont he palstic part of most of it which holds it together so that just running the train around won't make the track come part. And it keeps the train slightly up off the floor - even with a tile floor and not carpet, the loco will want to suck in every little spec of dust. Kato is the best, but expensive. Atlas and Bachmann both make the same sort of thing. With the basically 4x4 area, you will need to use 18" radius curves. You'll be able to have one straight piece of track on each of the 4 sides, that's about it. You'll need 12 curved pieces for the full circle, in the Bachmann line the terminal piece is a curve, so you need 11 curve pieces plus one terminal track, which has the wires to connect to the power pack.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
This thread makes me remember my original Tyco train set that got me started. Yeah, the old red and silver Santa Fe loco gave it up pretty quickly, and the rest of it's long gone, but whenever I see a green Tyco Burlington Northern box car on Ebay or somewhere, it takes me right back!
There's a place for this old nostalgic, not so accurate or detailed train set stuff. sometimes it just makes you smile.
Hello Miss Argentina.
to the Model Railroader forums!
I am also assembling a Tyco train set from my youthful memories... here is what I am doing, and I know a lot of this might not work for you.
Track: I opted for Kato Unitrack and a Kato powerpack. Their HM-1 is the set with everything. This is a very high quality oval of track that will have none of the problems of old train set track or power packs.
This track has the rail joiners and the terminal track built in. The radius are a little larger than traditional train set track, but that is better.
For the locomotive, I bought the good old Tyco Santa Fe #4015 locomotive and the matching Santa Fe caboose.
The locomotive has been retrofitted with a chassis from a different manufacturer for smoother and more reliable operation. This might be beyond what you want to do.
For the freight cars, I have collected the examples that I remember. The Ralston Purina, Heinz 57, Western Maryland Tractor Flat, Santa Fe Piggyback, and Old Dutch Cleanser freight cars.
The train cars that bring back memories for your husband will be different from mine. These five are the only ones that I want. I know I had a lot more Tyco train cars than these, but they are the ones that are meaningful.
I have improved all of the freight cars with body mounted couplers and high quality wheelsets for excellent reliability. Again, this is probably more effort than you need to expend.
I hope something here helped.
Oh the memories! I had many of those same items under the tree in 1977, too.
BigDaddy I see a Priority Mail box in the photos. I think she bought it already.
I see a Priority Mail box in the photos. I think she bought it already.