Beginner looking for the perfect starter set

[JandD]

Hello,
    I am looking for a steam locomotive train set.  The people at the local hobby store have been about as helpful as they can be but seem to be lacking in certain knowledge pertaining to DCC and sound. I am wanting to have sound and possibly steam. I have looked at buying the Spectrum Frontiersman set which has DCC on board but I am not sure what decoder I would need or controller to give it sound and be able to control it. I have also looked at buying the Iron King set which is not DCC equipped but has steam. I was curious what I would need to buy or if it is possible to get this engine to have sound and be able to control it.  I would appreciate any advice anyone could give me.       

                                                                                                                           Thank You,
                                                                                                                              JandD

[Jerrys HO]

J and D

If you are looking for DCC and sound I would suggest the Dynamis Sound Commander.
Although a little pricey, it comes with the Dynamis controller which can modify the sounds and speeds etc. through cv's that you can program. Most other set's Bachmann makes have either no sound or DCC. Some are DCC equipped but has no DCC controller.
It really depends if you want to go DC or DCC and what you want to get out of your model railroading. I chose DCC for the fun of running multiple trains on the same track and being able to control them independently.

Check out the product listing it has great starter set's. Here is the one I like with DCC and sound.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=3434

Good luck on your adventure and feel free to ask any questions whether you think they are to  basic or to complicated. There are a number of great people here to offer excellent advise.

Jerry

[Jerrys HO]

I might add, to take the time and search through some of the topics in this forum. Just go up to the search box type in what you are interested in and READ. I am sure any topic you search for will come up. If not post a new question.
By all means take the time to read up on this hobby, it may help you make your decision.

Jerry

[Doneldon]

JandD-

Let me second Jerry's recommendation about the DCC Sound Commander. It has everything you need to get started with DCC model railroading, including a reliable, powerful and versatile DCC controller. The Bachmann 2-8-0 is an excellent locomotive and a good partner to the Dynamis DCC unit. I don't think there's a better DCC starter system on the market, regardless of manufacturer.

It is a little pricey at $600 but you won't have to pay anywhere near that much. Search on line hobby shops and ebay and you may well find it for half price or a little more. You could come up with a better entry system for $600 if you cherry picked a DCC system, DCC loco, rolling stock and track. However, you definitely could not do so for the $300-350 you're likely going to pay. And the Bachmann 2-8-0 would be a prime candidate for that cherry picked system. And so would the Dynamis, so the core of your system could look just like this ready to go set. So ...  you can view this set as a great choice. About the only down side is that Bachmann only makes the set in Maine Central and C&O. The C&O has quite a few fans, and it's great if you like the MEC or C&O, but you are likely to be partial to different railroads.

Welcome aboard!!
                                -- D

[richg]

Hello,
   I am looking for a steam locomotive train set.  The people at the local hobby store have been about as helpful as they can be but seem to be lacking in certain knowledge pertaining to DCC and sound. I am wanting to have sound and possibly steam. I have looked at buying the Spectrum Frontiersman set which has DCC on board but I am not sure what decoder I would need or controller to give it sound and be able to control it. I have also looked at buying the Iron King set which is not DCC equipped but has steam. I was curious what I would need to buy or if it is possible to get this engine to have sound and be able to control it.  I would appreciate any advice anyone could give me.      

                                                                                                                          Thank You,
                                                                                                                             JandD

Some LHS do not have much knowledge of DCC and sound conversions if they do not specialize in trains. Lots of difference between a Local Hobby Shop and Local Train Shop.

I just did an Internet search for Bachmann DCC Sound Commander and saw a couple prices for about $400.00.
Make sure the one you buy from says Dynamis for a controller. Bachmann sells a DCC on board with similar label that is the old EZ Command with a diesel that goes for about $130.00.

Rich

[Doneldon]

Lots of difference between a Local Hobby Shop and Local Train Shop.

Rich-

You are so right.

The Twin Cities (where I live) used to have several excellent hobby shops which carried extensive inventories of trains and had the expertise to back it up. Now we have two places which offer excellent selections of merchandise but one is pretty naive about trains and I can't tell about the other because they appear too unfriendly to be willing to share any expertise if they have it.

I think it's fair to say there are no more than 50 or 60 genuine train shops left in the US and that's not very many. So we're all left to find those few remaining resources or figure out our problems ourselves. Boards like this one do a great job of making up for the extinction of authoratative model railroaders in hobby shops. I'm really not sure that there would still be much of a hobby without resources on the Inet.
                                                                                                                                                                            -- D

[vern1959]

Hi JandD!
For $300 I bought the Dynamis starter set ($120) and the Spectrum Cavalier DCC starter set ($180) from modeltrainstuff.com. The Dynamis wireless control has some line-of-sight issues but generally works very well and the Cavalier set is really beautiful (N&W 4-8-4) and the coaches are lit.
Have since added several DCC and sound locos and the Dynamis has handled them all. I am primarily an "O" scale person but the combo I listed above has been a wonderful intro to the world of HO wireless control!
   Have fun,
      Vern

[richg]

Hi JandD!
For $300 I bought the Dynamis starter set ($120) and the Spectrum Cavalier DCC starter set ($180) from modeltrainstuff.com. The Dynamis wireless control has some line-of-sight issues but generally works very well and the Cavalier set is really beautiful (N&W 4-8-4) and the coaches are lit.
Have since added several DCC and sound locos and the Dynamis has handled them all. I am primarily an "O" scale person but the combo I listed above has been a wonderful intro to the world of HO wireless control!
   Have fun,
      Vern

Sounds like someone who knows how to shop on line. Nice sugestion. The loco can be converted to sound.

Rich

[wildpaws]

Hi JandD!
For $300 I bought the Dynamis starter set ($120) and the Spectrum Cavalier DCC starter set ($180) from modeltrainstuff.com. The Dynamis wireless control has some line-of-sight issues but generally works very well and the Cavalier set is really beautiful (N&W 4-8-4) and the coaches are lit.
Have since added several DCC and sound locos and the Dynamis has handled them all. I am primarily an "O" scale person but the combo I listed above has been a wonderful intro to the world of HO wireless control!
   Have fun,
      Vern

The Dynamis starter set sounds like a good option for my needs, I had already picked up a Cavalier set to start over after being away from model railroading for a few years. I too purchased from modeltrainstuff.com as they seem to have excellent prices and their shipping was super fast.
Clyde

[JandD]

Hi JandD!
For $300 I bought the Dynamis starter set ($120) and the Spectrum Cavalier DCC starter set ($180) from modeltrainstuff.com. The Dynamis wireless control has some line-of-sight issues but generally works very well and the Cavalier set is really beautiful (N&W 4-8-4) and the coaches are lit.
Have since added several DCC and sound locos and the Dynamis has handled them all. I am primarily an "O" scale person but the combo I listed above has been a wonderful intro to the world of HO wireless control!
   Have fun,
      Vern

I was just wondering if the Dynamis starter set you are refering to is the Wireless E-Z Command Dynamis DCC controller #36505? I really like your suggestion seeing that I am on a little bit of a budget. I just want to make sure I am looking at the right controller.

                                                                                                                                      thanks,
                                                                                                                                          JandD

[JandD]

Thank you all for the information I am glad I decided to join the forum because I have been getting a little overwhelmed researching this hobby. I am very excited to get started but I am being very cautious before I make my first purchase. Like most everyone I am trying to get the most bang for my buck and my wife will only let me spend so much. I am just a little confused if DCC is the only way to get sound. The guy at the hobby store made it sound that way. Also If I buy a starter set that is DCC equipped besides getting the controller will I need to buy a decoder for the locomotive?

                                                                                                                               Thanks,
                                                                                                                                JandD

[richg]

I am only talking Bachmann products. Not all DCC locos can be easily converted to DCC and DCC with sound. There are too many variables. Bachmann has two diesels with sound and a 2-6-0 with sound that are good deals if you buy on line.
Many of the DCC ready and DCC on board are not easy to convert to sound.
Some, frame modification, soldering, removing capacitors on the PC board, the baffle for the speaker, etc.
Since you are so new to DCC, don't jump to fast.
No doubt you are looking through some of the messages so take paper/pen notes on different aspects of DCC and sound. Don't try to do this my memory as you might buy the wrong item.
Organize your Favorites list and store different links about different items. Your PC is a powerful device to do good on line shopping and data gathering.
I hate to say it but there is no best starter set. Just what works best for you.
The below fellow has a lot of good DCC and sound info and favors the Tsunami which Bachmann uses.

http://www.mrdccu.com/

Rich

[Jerrys HO]

J&D,

The products Vern was talking about did not come in a set. He individually purchased a Dynamis controller and the Cavalier set. The set comes with a DC controller but the loco is DCC equipped with a dual mode decoder which will run DC or DCC.
The set I posted the Sound Commander comes with the Dynamis controller and DCC equipped loco. It is a little pricey but there is the Digital Commander that is DCC and has the basic EZ Command system. I purchased this set to get me started in to DCC and eventually expand. My layout is getting bigger but I still use the basic EZ Command.
I and others may have different opinions like this set as it is affordable (150.00) and just what I needed to get started. Just because it is basic does not mean you can not run multiple or sound loco's. I on occasion run two sounders ( Bach's S4 and MTH's SD70 ACE) with other loco's running.
I am getting close to having to upgrade only because I want to start playing with cv's to tweak my engine.
Don't get overwhelmed. If you purchase Bachmann's DCC starter set or piece your own together it will be a fun experience you will not regret.

Jerry

[Len]

I am just a little confused if DCC is the only way to get sound. The guy at the hobby store made it sound that way. Also If I buy a starter set that is DCC equipped besides getting the controller will I need to buy a decoder for the locomotive?
                                                                                                                              Thanks,
                                                                                                                               JandD

DCC w/sound gets you sounds that move around with the train, but it's not the only way to get sound. At least for a smaller layout.

MRC makes that they call the Symphony 77. This is essentially two amplified speakers, one of which has a sound generator built in, a wall-wart power supply, and controller. You put the speakers under the layout, or on it in or behind a large building, and select the sounds with the controller.

You get a variety of steam, diesel, and generic (e.g., wheel clack, coupler slam, air hose release, crossing gate, etc.) railroad sound.

Some people do something similar with sound only DCC chips and a speaker inside a station, roundhouse, etc. There are also several devices for controlling the sounds of sound equiped locos, or cars with a sound chip and speaker in them, on a DC layout without getting into full blown DCC operation.

Or you could 'bite the bullet' and jump in with the set Jerry recommended.

Len

[JandD]

Ok so here is a link to the original set that I was contemplating purchasing from the Hobby store but then found it online cheaper. The man at the store was ready to sell me the Dynamis controller also but did not seem sure if the combination of the two would enable me to have sound.  I  like this set but I am wondering how much of a pain it would be to get sound to it. 


http://www.dunnstoyandhobby.com/Bachmann_01303_TRAIN_SET_FRONTRSMAN_SOU_HO_p/bac01303.htm