Volcanic cauldera

Can i just spray them with WD40?

I need help

And another question Mike: How would you wire the Kato 20-210 Double Crossover Point (Scissor Points)? Would you isolate each track at one end of the point?

The masking tape will dry out and start to peel, use poster board and glue it down.

Thanks - very helpful, 7 yrs later ... now they have DS74, planning to build a large layout with about 60 switches, some can be combined as you have shown, just wondering if I should use DC on some and use DCC on essential ones that will be used often ? Or is there a better way ? Say DCC off the mains, then local DC within in each yard ?

I have learned so much from you and everybody.Else thank you

Is it the same with L gauge

I purchased the Bachmann N Scale Roaring Rails DCC Train Set and after a couple of years I decided to change back to DC powered track. Now using Kato with having 4 multi track layout with three crossovers. I also installed separate push button toggle switch, to power on/off to each track, so I can wait for a train to pass before crossing over with another train. I'm only using one Kato DC controller which powers the whole layout, running 4 DC trains with it and having alot of fun too :0) ... My Question: would it be easy to change that Roaring Rail GP40 DCC engine back to DC ? how would one change that specific DCC engine back to DC as it runs way too slow on a DC powered track, even when its the only train on the layout ... Thank you

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I think I've commented on this before Mike, but I had to do so again. Thank you SO MUCH for your help in putting these trucks into the ACes. It works on other modern diesels as well. I was putting the cap and drive shaft into the loco before anything else, and it still didn't solve my problems. Doing it your way was really much better, and the tip about preventing the truck from falling out in the first place has also come in handy. Take care. Andy

Do you run the CMX and Tomix cars together or do you make a run with Tomix first followed by the CMX?

I FOUND IT! TY so very much! :)

Im just now switching over to Kato n scale myself. I know this is an older video but do you have one on making Unitrak DCC Friendly? I will keep looking around :) You are Awesome with all your help. I applied it to my Atlas layout scenery etc. but now rebuilding and wanting to use UniTrak. Seems we are always rebuilding lol :)

Not shur how long your ac bus wire length should bee or short length or dose each ac bus wire be powered separately. Would you know what I'm doing wrong here . Let me know thank you .

Cdu need 16 volt to run 67 peco switch machines with cdu need 16 volts the pco turn table needs 12 volts breakout board volt regulator. But no power geting to the line . Strange so I'm not shur why the power is not geting to the line. Witch is connected to a terminal bar with has 2 other lines witch are 6 feet long on the bottom layout 33 foot li e is for the upper layout. But no power. The wall plug in 24 volt power supply can be changed from 3 volts to 24 volts is lite up so it has power but not geting to the bus line from the power source. O.k not shur why .

33 foot long exssories bus wire 16 volt ac/DC

$40+ bucks average for that car. Better to do simple modification of a lifelike or inexpensive car that maybe got at a swap meet that would do the same. The key is finding out what material the pad is made of.

Hi Mike. I'm thinking of moving on from OO gauge DC and getting into n gauge and DCC and found your video regarding points extremely interesting. Other experts talk about "cutting wires....adding wires....switches to change frog polarity..." etc. So, just to double check, are you saying that all we need to do is provide isolators on all four 'downstream' rails and the job is done? Best wishes, Alan

Hey Mike, are your black and clear sliding drawers 11" or 14 1/2" wide? I cannot find the black and clear stackable ones like yours anywhere yet! Do ya have a place I could look? Aaarrrggg 😫. Great video that still is great info!

ABSOLUTELY the BEST VIDEO ON THE SUBJECT

Crc 2-26?

Really helpful for the turnouts. Thanks! Would you show when you have two turnouts in a row? Thanks

Great work Mike. Did you buy the doors or make them?

Just starting my N Unitrack journey, and knew you'd be a great source of info. Curious why you're block all four rails of a turnout with the insulated joiners. Workig with handlaid DCC when I was doing S scale, only the two rails leading to the frog needed to be isolated, on both sides of the frog. The two outer rails were consistent common rails. Perhaps it is because of something like the T-Trak wiring standards that have the rail polarity for each set of rails reversed? Thanks for helping me understand! 😀

Mike, you're a lifesaver! This video saved hours of frustration. Thanks for the post.

My thinking/wondering; would someone be able to use two different/separate controllers? One for one side of track and another controller for the other side of the track, since its isolated in the middle of the cross over track, so to control the trains differently if not using DCC? and remembering to keep polarity correct or would that cause a short when train engine crosses the two power supplies at isolation point? That would be so cool if possible. Would that thinking work?

I don't understand what you mean by insulating the turn out tracks because while the black joiners are insulated, the rails would connect and possibly cause issues. Do you have a way to provent the track making a connection with say paint on insulation on the ends of the track? Or, can you get a short plastic rail as an insert?

I'm new to this hobby. My dad had a train for years and I would watch him work on it. I'm sure I got into programming as a result of watching him. Plus I read Hackers by Steven Levy when I was in high school and I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Dad was an engineer and machinist, so I know it rubbed off on me. Anyway, he collected HO and I just don't have room for a compelling HO layout. I have recently started on N Scale and I love these little trains! The detail is sometimes better than HO scale! Okay, my question is this - when trying to identify track could you just use an ohm meter and check for continuity? Since one rail holds positive and the other rail holds negative (in an analog layout) there shouldn't be continuity between the rails, so if the rail isn't energized (IMPORTANT!!) you should be able to check continuity right? I suppose if you are trying to check across a 30 foot layout it might be a challenge finding leads for my Fluke that long ;) , but theoretically it should be possible right? In a simple oval it's not such a problem and can be easily visualized, but when you have sidings and inner tracks (like my pops had) it could be more challenging to visualize it.

WoW!! I was 'coupler confused' however thanks to your excellent video & description....I am happily educated!!

I was hoping to see you doing the wash of the Black.

thank you so much that was next delima in my set up I've just started

Nice

Hi Mike, how are you? Great video. I would like to ask if you have had problems with the couplings of BLI locomotives and Kato freight cars. That combination has not worked for me, and every time the locomotive reaches a curve, the car that is coupled to it derails... Do you know how to change this??? Can you suggest me some hook?

super informative for a new n scale guy like me!

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Good ideas never go out of style. Its been 6 years since you posted this. It is still the good information that I was looking for. Now to mount my recessed push - pull controls.

Thanks Mike Great informative video!

Mike, great video…I have a question though and that is: how to you handle a Crossover Switch for feeders and insulation?

MRC's direction sheet show the yellow wires connected to the rails inside the loop, and the red wires to the track bus - the opposite of your video.

Thank you very much. Just what I needed!

And this should work if you want to run o gauge conventional locomotives or something like lionel legacy?

If there are no gaps, you can connect the power 186000 miles away, and it will make no difference

I had a friend who used to use Goo Gone, but theres two drawbacks to that: sometimes when handling the Goo Gone, if it gets on the fingers. It will find its way onto the sides of your rolling stock, and it will mar the paint. Second issue, it can melt the little "spike heads" on the track, and eventually destroy the track, or at least, cause the rails to go out of gage. I used to use Testor's airbrush thinner on a piece of napkin.

Good video. I did not know there are multiple options.

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Very interesting and informative. I'm looking to do something similar for my HO scale Unitrack turnouts, and just wanted to clarify that one should file behind where the mark was made on the point's end.

Does anyone know if these feeders will successfully feed power to a kato double crossover for the second loop?

You are a genius Mike Fifer!

The box is the valve box to load and unload the car. I unloaded and loaded many of these cars over the years. So I had to buy some of these.