Resetting decoder.

[White_Crow05]

Hello all,
I recently purchased a slightly used  bachmann spectrum 2-8-0 consolidation with DCC and sound. I'm using a bachmann ez command dcc controler and i found that the person own owned it prior had a better DCC controler and could program the actual engine number to it, 605. Is there a way to resent the decoder using the bachmann ez command? i read the faqs and didn't see anything. thanks for your help!

[pdlethbridge]

Not with ez command, but more advanced units can.

[richg]

Here is a useful link when you get a better DCC controller. Store the link in Favorites. You can also download it to your PC and print it out.

http://00200530.pdl.pscdn.net/002/00530/MRH04/DCC%20Shortcuts%20Card.pdf

Take time to carefully read the EZ Command manual. Also, go to the SoundTraxx site and read the Bachmann manual for the Tsunami decoder. You can download that manual also.
That way you can figure out what you can do and not do.
Actually, with the EZ Command you can not do very much with a sound decoder. Your options are very limited.
Good luck.

http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals.php

Rich

[White_Crow05]

Thanks for all the help i guess i just missed that part when i was reading thanks hunt.
richg. I got the ez command set up for a steal at a hobby lobby lol, it was opened and returned soit was half off and then they had a sale of 40% off of all train sets. So i kinda fell into the controler. I am looking to up grade as soon as i start my second layout. which well use flex track instead of ez track. Is it very difficult to wire up a dcc layout?

[richg]

No problem with the EZ Command. I started out with the MRC 2000 some years ago. We all start somewhere. I moved to the NCE Power Cab for home because our club uses the NCE Power Pro and I can use my controller at the club with the four wire cable. Six wire cable at home.

Until you get into reverse loops and large layout, wiring a layout is not too difficult.

Get yourself a cheap multimeter to check for shorts as you wire. Don't wire up everything and then find out there is a short somewhere.
I have three of the below meters. I found them on sale at different times from Harbor Freight for about $3.00 each.
You can find them on ebay also for about the same price or less. Depends on what is selling.

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html

Wiring links. Look carefully though the  links and make notes on paper for what you might like. Careful planning will me it enjoyable and a learning process.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=Wiring%20for%20DCC
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/

Rich

[Doneldon]

WC -

You shouldn't have any trouble wiring a layout for DCC.  It's much easier than DC, IMHO.  But do run large a bore power buss (14 ga, maybe 12, stranded is best) and use frequent feeders for best operation.  The feeders can be small, even 22 ga or smaller if they're short. 

If you ask six DCC modelers how often to place the feeders you'll get at least seven opinions, and mine isn't worth any more than anyone else's, but I try to have no more than one rail joiner between any piece of rail and a feeder.  That may sound like a lot, but if you're using three foot flex track it's only one feeder every 12 feet.  I solder the feeders to the track, either solder or use suitcase connectors at the busses, and use conductive grease with every rail joiner.  I have no electrical troubles.

Welcome to the world of DCC.  The EZCommand is a fine place to start but you'll likely want to upgrade before long.  Then the EZ can be used on a kids' layout or sold on ebay, probably for more than you paid for it!  It does like you got a wonderful price.

                                                                   -- D

[White_Crow05]

Wow thanks for all the great info! I think i would like to keep my original layout and maybe expand it to another 4X8 table...(maybe a 5 X 9 which my original layout is on lol i just wanted so much 4 X 8 was a bit tight) i was wondering if i was going to make my next layout with flex track would there be a way to transition between the two and still run DCC on both? or would i have to switch my original layout to flex track also? Thanks again for all your help i can't explain how helpful it is to have any question i ask answered quickly and so throughly.

[Jim Banner]

Switching between E-Z Track, flex track and unbased sectional track is quite easy.  Flex track and regular sectional track are normally installed on 1/4" thick cork road bed, which just happens to be the thickness of the base under E-Z Track.  You can either cut the plastic hook off the end of the piece of E-Z Track that abuts the cork or you can leave the inch or so of flex track/sectional track unsupported over top of the hook.  If/when you ballast the track, you can fill that void with ballast or plaster of Paris with ballast on top.  Once ballasted, E-Z Track, flex track, and sectional track all look the same.

Electrically, rails supported on plastic ties on a base or rails supported on plastic ties on cork or rails hand spiked to wooden ties are all the same as far as the electrons are concerned.

Jim

[Doneldon]

WC -

There aren't any real problems connecting different brands or styles of track to one another.  Sure, it's almost automatic to join products from the same manufacturer, but what is needed to connect different types of track or track with roadbed is obvious once you abut the two lengths of track.

There is one other thing you should know about joining track : Track comes in different heights, or codes.  This means that you can find Code 100, Code 83, Code 70 and Code 55 rail, though Code 55 is rarely used for HO.  The code number is the height of the track in thousandths of an inch.  Thus, Code 100 is 100/1000", or .1 inch high.  Code 83 is 83/1000", or .083", and so on.  Most HO track is either Code 100 or Code 83 and you may have to look a little to find the smaller sizes.  I only mention this because you must take the height or Code of the track into account when joining rail.  The same is true for 1:1 railroads which want to use the smallest rail they can for a given job.  Steel is expensive so they use smaller and lighter rail where loads and speeds will be lower.

Rails the same height will go together just fine with rail joiners designed for that size rail.  If you have rails of different heights, you must compensate for the difference.  There are special joiners for this or, in some cases, you can fudge it.  For example, joining Code 100 and Code 83 rail can be accomlished either by using a special rail joiner or by rolling your own.  By this I mean that the two folded top edges of a Code 100 rail joiner are cut across the joiner, and then one end is crushed with a pliers.  The non-crushed end is slid onto the Code 100 rail and the Code 83 rail is soldered to the top of the crushed end.  A little dress with a fine-toothed file and you are in business. 

You might find sections of track which do the adjusting for you so you connect Code 100 on one end and Code 83 on the other.  I haven't tried these and I'm not sure they're still made.

Don't let any of this intimidate you; it is much easier in the doing than in the describing.

                                                                   -- D

[ABC]

Shinohara makes transition track for code 100 to code 83 and code 83 to code 70. I think it is sold under the Walthers name in the U.S. Atlas makes transition joiners to go from code 100 to code 83. Peco makes code 100 to code 75 transition rail joiners.