ho set recommendation

[NarrowMinded]

Google it forsale, I buy a lot from"Tthe Favorite spot". they are dependable and will accept returns for replacement.

http://www.thefavoritespot.com/p-556-bachmann-ho-scale-train-set-digital-commander-00501.aspx

NM-Jeff

[jbrock27]

I purchased a card of Bachmann center shank, knuckle couplers from there (of all ironies ).

[Balrog21]

I have to agree with NM...I buy tons of stuff from the Favoritespot..he's about the best price around when it comes to Bachmann. The owner is superb and is great to work with!
B

[TimR]

I 2nd (or 3rd) the endorsement for The Favorite Spot. I have bought probably 90% of my Bachmann roster from them. I have over 100 items in the roster and probably 30+ transactions with the Spot. Only once did I have a need for a return and they promptly exchanged the item for me even though they have no responsibility to do so. (Defective merchandise is supposed to be returned through Bachmann, regardless of where you buy it new) They are a class outfit in my opinion and experience.

[utdave]

Also a Favorite spot buyer.     so put me on that endorsement also.      i had 2 alaskan passenger cars that got smashed  during shipment .      he gave me a 50 % discount  on those cars.    great shipping cost when you combine.   now im waiting on my silverton durango dcc 2-8-0   and some log cars for another loco and a spare RF loco.   i may have bidded agaisnt some of you for those Bachmann products        Dave

[jbrock27]

That we have  bid against each other, would not surprise me at all Dave!

[Terry Toenges]

I've always had good luck with Favorite Spot also.

[mf5117]

I bought my DCC Digital Commander Set from Hobby Lobby . It was a great sale they wanted $199.00 for the set . I noticed one of the wheel sets off the caboose , I thought it was broke and I was disappointed . I wanted the set pretty bad . It was around Christmas time 2008 I think it was . My wife being the retail guru said to me don't say a word . she took the set up to the check out lane and asked if we could get a discount due to the wheels being off the caboose . So she got a manager to come up and looked at it . My wife did her magic and the manager said 65% off and we bought it $80.00 . I was still a little disappointed but to no avail when I open it up when we got the set home . There was a little sticker that said " wheel sets may come off during shipping " I put the wheel set back on and there was nothing wrong with this set . I love the Digital Commander its been great for me . I have grown to over 120 feet of EZ track and turnouts , 20 Bachman diesel locomotives 50 different pcs of rolling stock from a 4x8ft to a 5x9ft layout only due to space . But it works for me . And by the way my wife is a Manager at Target go figure .

I would highly recommend this set to anybody . The thing is you can run multiple trains on a medium sized layout on a small budget . One thing if you by the expander set with track and turnouts you need to get a separate accessory controller to control and operate you switches for your turnouts . You can pick one up pretty cheap . Have Fun

[Doneldon]

5117-

You are going great guns! Do you realize that you actually have about two scale miles of track? I'll bet your layout doesn't sound so small described that way. And, like all of the rest of us, you have way, way too much stuff on the rails. Just think about it. You have a locomotive every .1 mile and a piece of rolling stock about every 200 feet.

                                                                                               -- D

[Balrog21]

This is for Raz and the rest of you. I ran across this the other day while looking around for some SD40-2 IC's... this is one of the better 4x8's I've seen in action. It has a lot of stuff set out really nice and it looks great considering the 4x8 can be folded up for storage. So see, Raz, even with a 4x8 you can make one truly great looking model railroad and scenes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BSENSNtW-8&feature=share&list=UUMQIFpJC5HfNB_x-U8RGeSw

Best,
Bal

[jbrock27]

Thanks Bal!  That is nice.  And it shows a crossover in use (see other hot topic: "track").

[mf5117]

Doneldon
I have a 5x9ft with and outter loop a semi dog bone , a yard, and a pulp wood yard on a 3 degree incline . I use 2 70 tonners to work those cars and an upper loop on the other end of the layout that runs an FTA FTB FTA unit with a 5 string passenger line . and usually a SD45-2 consist on the outter loop . I have to be careful as sometimes the SD's like to derail depending on how I run them . usually slow and easy . and some Jeeps on the inner dog bone . I got an MKT plymoth I converted to DCC had to put a N scale in her with a beacon light I really like to run . that was a challenge burned up a motor or 2 and a couple of TCS Decoders before I got it right. always alot going on  . But like I said it works for me . when I get bored with them I go outside and run my large scale . But hey thanks for the info I never really thought of it that way . Some day I would really like to sit down and actually do some real modeling .

[Doneldon]

Some day I would really like to sit down and actually do some real modeling .

5117-

You're running trains indoors and out. You have formed consists. You're using a variety of locomotives and rolling stock. Your trains have reasons to exist, like carrying the pulp and hauling passengers. You even have the occasional train wreck. Hey! Don't look now but you are doing "some real modeling." It's not necessary that you have a huge coherent setup finished with museum-quality scenery and scratch-built models.

Keep track of where those SDs derail and what they are coupled to when they do. Pretty soon a pattern will reveal itself and you'll know the source of the problem. Nobody likes to clean up train wrecks, including the big boys (especially the big boys) so diagnosing the problem and fixing it need to be a high priority. If you let it go you might find one of those locos doing a double back flip with a half gainer onto the concrete floor of death. That tends to be very hard on the nice paint job.

                                                                                                                            -- D

[raz]

balrog21   I'm waiting for my dig commander set it should be here any day now. i checked out y.t. very cool also many others. i have also been reading all the questions and post on this site i am learning a lot and still have much to learn.i was wondering if you or anyone else could give me some advice on spending my money wisely! i know i didn't even get the set yet,but i am looking(planing) ahead. i was thinking about inclines, maybe two levels? if that is possible,any insight would be greatly appreciated.  thanks for all the help raz

[Doneldon]

raz-

Buying model trains is like buying anything: Have a plan in mind, know what things sell for and make planful purchases. Be aware of special opportunities which show up but don't buy stuff on special if it doesn't fit with your plans. Attractive online prices or the heat of an eBay auction can get us excited so we purchase things we really don't need and that tends to be pretty much wasted money. The resale value is way low, even for new in the box items.

I suggest that you have some concepts in mind as you plan and shop. What time in history do you want to model? What kinds of equipment do you prefer, long, streamlined passenger trains, unit trains, quirky older freight cars, steam engines, diesel locomotives, electrics? What kind of railroading do you hope to do? Freight only? Big time Class A railroads? Narrow gauge? Through trains running continuously? Peddler freights which need lots of switching? A major industrial plant with internal switching and shunting? How much room do you have and will large locomotives and rolling stock (80' passenger cars and long flats or container cars) handle tight curves if your space is limited? Do you want to go with maximum detail and authenticity or is good enough good enough? Here's a biggie: What's your budget? How much time do you have? Track with attached roadbed goes down pretty fast but at a higher cost than, say, flex track on cork. Or do you want to hand lay your track (eats up beaucoup time)? Will this be a truly permanent layout or do you expect to move in the foreseeable future? Would building modules to combine with other modelers' modules meet your interests or do you want a road of your own?

Spend a little time with questions like these. Write down your answers as you discover them. (I doubt if you can answer every one right now.) Look at how various parts of your interests enhance one another but other aspects seem to conflict. Serious mountain railroading in limited space can challenge long equipment. The same serious mountain railroading may double the fun of a struggling narrow gauge pike with funky equipment held together by chewing gum and scotch tape. You'll soon find that you have the answers to your questions, answers which will be better than any we can give you here because they will be your answers.

Good luck with your planning and future buying. Keep us up to date on your decisions and the progress on your railroad. Oh, and welcome
to the hobby. I can promise you that you'll learn lots of new skills, find an opportunity to satisfy some of the creative instincts we all seem
to have, and meet some great people.

                                                                -- D