Bachmann HO track and crossovers/switches

[siberianmo]

Hello,

My HO layout was constructed using Bachmann's nickel silver sectional track w/roadbed. I followed the advice of several people in the hobby to changeover from my Atlas brass track to nickel silver. Because of an arthritic problem in both hands, I stayed away from the more labor intensive type track (laying it myself, etc.) and roadbed, going with what I thought would be an easy fix.

Well, there ain't any such thing. I'm here to tell anyone who is about to put together a good size layout that this sectional stuff ain't what it is cracked up to be.

I have found that on my pike - length of 35 ft and 15 1/2 ft wide at the widest point - conductivity could and should be better. My curves are 22" because that was the best I could find from Bachmann at the time. Nevertheless, all of my 85' passenger cars (43 of them) operate just fine with that radius.

The "roadbed" looks cheesy and I wound up laying my own ballast on top of it - lots of fun with over 900 pieces of track, switches and crossovers to contend with.

The most aggravating probelm I encountered in using this stuff came with the Bachmann #6 crossovers. They are wired for DCC and either I did not read the markings or it simply was not clearly identified on the packaging (about 3 years ago) - but I had to rewire them all to accommodate the way I run my railraod. I use the commonrail approach with insulated rail joiners - you know, the old fashioned way - so to speak. Anyway, in trying to get these crossovers to switch at the same time, without having to use more than one controller to throw them, I spliced together the wires needed in order to accomplish what I thought would be a simple solution. Not so. Sometimes they do and sometimes they do not.

So, my first question is this: Does anyone have some advice regarding what should be done to get these crossovers to switch properly using one controller?

Second question: Is anyone aware of a remedy for Bachmann's beneath the track switching mechanisms that from time to time are balky? I have over four dozen Atlas switch machines from my former layout with everything required for beneath the board mounting, but am not sure how to go about adapting them to Bachmann's stuff.

Third question: Are any of the manual switch throws adaptable to this type of switch and crossover?

My layout is as complete as it is going to get. To me, it looks great and my trains operate quite well on it. I run 4 consists independently of one another and really am pleased with everything other than those damned #6 crossovers.

Thanx for indulging me and hopefully some thoughts will come my way.

[Anonymous]

It's too bad these people that gave you all this advice couldn't have advised you on how bad Botchmann "E-Z Crap" track was.
If those were my only 2 choices, I would have stayed with the Atlas brass track!
Kato Unitrack is probably the best of the sectional track/roadbed that's being sold today but it's no cheap. As in anything else "You get what you pay for."
If I was going to start a new H-O layout I would use the Atlas Code 83 and put the main line on cork roadbed and lay the rest of the sidings and industry tracks right on the plywood. I would also use Caboose Ind. ground throws for all of my turnouts. They are cheap and they work!
Good luck,
gtr

[cwclark]

there are a few things you can do...first, solder the track together at the rail joiners..this will improve your conductivity, next, install 18 gauge wire..the layout is pretty big and you need a heavier gauge wire installed so that there is minimal resistance drop through the wire...you should also put in a wiring harness and connect the power to the rails about every 3 - 5 feet....now the crossover switches...sounds like you are using "coil type" switch machines and you may need to build a capacitor discharge unit..don't let it scare you..a capacitor discharge unit is a really basic component and you can build one and install it in about an hour...there is a kalmbach publication called "Electronic projects for model railroaders second edition" and with a few parts from radio shack you can build one..what is happening is, that when a coil type turnout is thrown, it pulls a tremendous amount of power in a milli second, but this power is just not enough to cause both coils to completely throw at the same time..a capacitor discharge unit stores the power after it builds up and will give you that extra boost you'll need to get them both to work at the same time...now on to the atlas / bachman switch question, take a pin vise and drill a hole in the center of the point rail tie just big enough for the atlas under the table switch machine to fit and work with the bachmann turnout...for manual switching, there are a lot of companies that build manual track turnout throws but most of them are going to require a lot of reworking of the turnout...ie...small holes drilled and spring wire bent , shaped, and installed to create wire linkages that make the turnout work with the manual track throw device....Chuck