Guys,
My O gauge layout is complete, but I have a 90 degree crossroad, and a diagonal crossroad, in the center of the layout, fairly close together.
So far, I have only been running Postwar Engines, and they run very well until they hit these crossroads. Unless I am really breezing through these at relatively high speeds, the engines have a really annoying "hickup" when they cross those dead pieces of plastic in the center of the crossroads. With these engines, the hickup is pretty bad, because the engines themselves are loud when running, and the hickup includes a momentary "stall" with the lights going out, as well as the engine noise going from loud, to zero, to loud again, with a "lurch" of the engines when they restart after crossing the center.
I know that lots of folks are using modern engines, with TMCC, Legacy, Lionchief, and other modern control systems.
My question is, when running the modern engines with the modern control systems, are the "hickups" from traveling across these crossings better? Worse? About the same? Compared to postwar engines.
With all of the great Lionel accessories out there, I would have thought that someone would have designed a metal "spider" to mount in the center of the crossroads, on top of the plastic piece, to provide almost continuous center rail power to the engine rollers.
Thanks
Mannyrock
