Two DC Trains

[brian1516]

Just getting into trains again with my sons.  Not ready for DCC yet, but i did buy two DC Bachmann train sets.  I know i can run both trains on one power supply, the trains will eventually catch up to each other.  What about if i plug two power supplies in and both sets of tracks are connected?  I ordered some track expander and hope to have the trains pretty far apart from each other.  Will i overload the track and short out the trains?  Thanks.

[richg]

That is called blocks for DC layouts. Two blocks. You could short out if a loco crosses the gap and you might also find yourself wondering why one controller is operating both trains. Use to happen in our club that had 14 blocks.

Rich

[Doneldon]

brian-

DO NOT under any circumstances connect two power supplies to track which can permit them to connect to one another. If you want to use two power supplies to run two trains you must wire them both through a switching system which ensures that only one will ever be connected to a section (richg used the correct term, "block.) It would be better to have two completely independent tracks so you can control each with one of your train set power packs without the need for block wiring.

On the other hand, if you want to be able to have both locos, and any future locos, operate all over your system, you would be well
advised to go to DCC now and save yourself the work and expense of block wiring. Yes, DCC will cost more right now but it sounds
like you are thinking in that direction already. The most economical way to go long-term, though admittedly not short-term, would
be to start with DCC now. Check out Bachmann's Dynamis and the starter systems from other manufacturers to see what can best
handle your current and anticipated desires. NB. I do not recommend EZ Command because I think it is underpowered, has
essentially no programming capability and is terribly expensive to expand (and even an expanded EZ Command can't program).

                                                                                                                     -- D

[jward]

what doneldon said about ez command being terribly expensive to expand means that it is a dead end system. if you outgrow its limited capabilities ( and most of us do) you will have to replace it entirely with something else.