New to model trains need help

[RailRocker]

My childhood dream was to have a train layout , but it was never realized. Worked all my adult life and never had time. Now I am forced to retire with cancer and I decided to do it before I die. So I bought a small Bachman starter set w/DCC control. It only came w/enough track (EZ track)to do a 36"circle. but I didnt care. I bought flex track and a sheet of 4x8 plywood and began building w/paper machete. I created an outer loop that takes up the entire 4x8 climbing a gradual grade through a mountain tunnel ,crossing a ravine, gradual grade back down to start over again. I had the entire middle area free so I created a turn out to a smaller oval inside the outer oval. So much work and having not laid any outer oval  track yet, I connected the inner oval track because I was hot to roll , and the inside was flat. I left the outside unconnected at each manual cutout, hooked up the DCC controller ,put my loco on the track and......NOTHING ! Ive been working on the layout for so long, that the instructions have been misplaced, so I got online....read where the loco was probably set to #3 on the DCC control. STILL NOTHING. .....Remember im brand new , but what could be wrong? I tried all the stations on the controller and even the one for non DCC engines. .....I dont have an older regular DC transformer to test the loco or another loco to try on my track.......so im at a loss. Any ideas?....what am I missing? any help is appreciated....I will continue working on the layout ,I have a long way to go. (much more work than I had imagined). Attached is an early photo of the layout.

[jward]

ok i'll take a stab at this......

first thing is to determine if you are getting any power to the track. if you have a voltmeter, set it for dc, and read the voltage across the rails. at full throttle, it should read above 12v, in the 14-16v range. if you don't get a reading there, checque the plug in connectors at both the controller and the track. also, you should take your first reading as close to the terminal track as possible, then take other readings at various points around the track.

if this checques out ok, you can test the locomotive with a 9v battery touched to the wheels. use the kind with the snap in terminals. dcc decoders are usually defaulted with dc turned on, so that they will run with both a dc controller and a dcc one. thus, with 9v dc applied to the wheels they should turn.

let us know what you fin out.

[HOART]

Does it run with just the 36" EZ track circle ? It  probably will .If it does I would guess there is something wrong with your track connection .Maybe you should be using all EZ Track .Maybe someone else can give you better advice .
Anyhow,I wish you success .Art

[richg]

My childhood dream was to have a train layout , but it was never realized. Worked all my adult life and never had time. Now I am forced to retire with cancer and I decided to do it before I die. So I bought a small Bachman starter set w/DCC control. It only came w/enough track (EZ track)to do a 36"circle. but I didnt care. I bought flex track and a sheet of 4x8 plywood and began building w/paper machete. I created an outer loop that takes up the entire 4x8 climbing a gradual grade through a mountain tunnel ,crossing a ravine, gradual grade back down to start over again. I had the entire middle area free so I created a turn out to a smaller oval inside the outer oval. So much work and having not laid any outer oval  track yet, I connected the inner oval track because I was hot to roll , and the inside was flat. I left the outside unconnected at each manual cutout, hooked up the DCC controller ,put my loco on the track and......NOTHING ! Ive been working on the layout for so long, that the instructions have been misplaced, so I got online....read where the loco was probably set to #3 on the DCC control. STILL NOTHING. .....Remember im brand new , but what could be wrong? I tried all the stations on the controller and even the one for non DCC engines. .....I dont have an older regular DC transformer to test the loco or another loco to try on my track.......so im at a loss. Any ideas?....what am I missing? any help is appreciated....I will continue working on the layout ,I have a long way to go. (much more work than I had imagined). Attached is an early photo of the layout.

The DCC controller puts out about 12 to 14 volts, AC. Put your meter on AC. What do you measure on the rails? If nothing, work you way back to the controller.
Most Bachmann with DCC onboard have dual mode decoders. DCC or DC if the DC option has not been disabled. A nine volt battery connected to the rails or drivers would work like a DC power pack. You should see some driver movement.
If no meter, do what is called a quarter test. Put a quarter on the track. The DCC controller should shut down. That has been called a poor mans test. They have short circuit protection.

Rich

[RailRocker]

  What great advise , and so promt....thank you all for the input.

I first checked the locomotive w/ a 9v battery and eliminated it as the problem. (worked fine). Then checked voltage at the track....nothing there....then checked output at connecter ....nothing there either. I took a chance and opened up the DCC controller to peek inside and I got lucky. a little piece of solder fell out when I opened it. Had a bad solder connection at the output plug....the wire was not making contact.
Such a relief, I drove the locomotive around the inner loop. Now back to building my layout. Again , I am so grateful to y'all.
Thanks

[richg]

Good trouble shooting.

Rich