I just downloaded the MRH July issue and was reading the story about you dismantling your layout. Before removing your trackage take a spray bottle of an alcohol/water solution and liberally spray the trackage. Let it soak in a few minutes, then take a putty knife and slide it under the track and it will come up intact. Then use a stiff bristle brush to remove the remailing ballast from the track. After the ballast dries it can also be reused.

This is assuming you used a water soluble adhesive to install the ballast.

Joe

A reference to this traction technology just came up on another subject thread where the gentleman was searching for a method(s) to increase the pulling power of his 2-6-6-2 Spectrum steam engines.

Hi everyone, 

I'm at the planning stage for installing sound decoders in my HO steam engines, and have what I hope is a quick question ;) 

I recently watched a Soundtraxx YouTube video describing that the Tsunami 2 decoder reads the back EMF from the motor to determine the commutator position.  This way, they claim, you can set the chuff rate CV (114) at low speed and it will remain in sync at any speed. 

I tore down my layout in November and started a new one in January.  On the old one I had the Proto Throttle working great.  I am now hooking up all the electronics on my new layout.  The PT is working, except for variable braking.  I remember having issues with this on the old layout, but eventually got it working out. I had to fool around with CV settings on the Tsunami.  But not being the sharpest pencil in the box I failed to document the solution.  Has anyone had similar problems and know the fix.  Thanks.