Looking for some advice of a HO Proto 2000 SW9/1200 (920-41418) with factory installed sound decoder. Purchased the unit at a show, and after getting on the track discovered that the sounds work OK, but the engine motion seems to be incorrect. Unfortunately no manual with the box, so I can't figure out what settings may be. The engine initially was sluggish moving so I cleaned the wheels (although they didn't look bad) and noted a little improvement and the engine moved just fine.

I have a NCE starter system and the removable power cord, got moved to the pile of chords. Can someone look at theirs to tell me the output of the power plug. I looked in the manual and it says nothing.

And what part of good design makes it so common to ignore this simple little detail. Which is to label your equipment, including detachable plugs, so we can establish ownership a little easier...

So I'm switching the freight house on the module that is finished enough to run trains on and the SW-7 just stopped.  No short indicated, no burning electric smell, it just stopped moving and the sound stopped.  The headlight works but that's it.  It's a dual mode engine and won't run on DC either. 

Any ideas?  I'm using a Digitrax DCS-50

Jeff White

Alma, IL

Has anyone tried using CV ties as individual ties?  I would like to have very wide spacing between the ties for an industrial yard.  Even the CV branchline ties aren't spaced out very much.  I was thinking of making skeleton track with hand spiked wooden ties and then filling in with CV ties.  The wooden ties might need to be shimmed.  Tie spacing in yards can be up 30" on center.  Ties were spaced closer only under the rail joints.