Retrofitting Bachmann Civil War train set

[AVCOTT]

I just purchased two Bachmann Civil War HO train sets. I am new at this hobby but do have an interest in creating a layout that features a civil war theme. On one side of the layout will be a working yard and the trains will run about ten feet to the other side of the layout. Before I purchase any more trains, am wondering how to power all the track that will be needed in the layout. Each set comes with its own transformer that is DC. Am wondering if these trains can be retrofitted to work on DDC, I think it is called? Is this a part that needs to be put into the train itself?  Will I need a larger transformer too? Thanks ...

[richg]

I just purchased two Bachmann Civil War HO train sets. I am new at this hobby but do have an interest in creating a layout that features a civil war theme. On one side of the layout will be a working yard and the trains will run about ten feet to the other side of the layout. Before I purchase any more trains, am wondering how to power all the track that will be needed in the layout. Each set comes with its own transformer that is DC. Am wondering if these trains can be retrofitted to work on DDC, I think it is called? Is this a part that needs to be put into the train itself?  Will I need a larger transformer too? Thanks ...

Since you are new here, there is a HO forum.
I have converted the Bachmann 4-4-0 to DCC.



Not really at Civil War loco but close enough I guess.
It could be a challenge if you are new to DCC and model railroading. It will not be plug and play.
Below is a link on making the loco run better that I have used.
A short wheel base loco and tender needs all the pickups it can get. DCC does not like any interuptions.

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/bachmann_4-4-0/sound/

Wish I could be more positive but I have gone though all of this before.

Disconnect the two motor leads from the pickups. Connect the orange and grey decoder wires to the motor. The red and black leads on the decoder go to the pickups.
No idea on what the loco has now for lights. Mine did not have a working headlight.
The loco diagram page does not show the loco.
I replaced the motor in mine for more room for a decoder.

The below fellow is gone farther than I have. I only used an N scale non sound decoder as the current for this loco is below the 1 amp limit for most decoders.

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/bachmann_4-4-0/sound/

Good luck. Consider it a challenge.

Rich

[richg]

You might consider running a couple trains with a Bachmann DC power pack. I ran a couple locos with a DC power pack for years.

Rich

[Doneldon]

AV-

Whatever you do, do NOT connect both power packs to the same section of track. You can use both if you separate your tracks into electrically isolated blocks wired so only one power pack can energize a particular block at a time, or if you run two entirely different tracks. DCC will enable you to run more than one train at a time, with independent control of every train but, as Rich mentioned, converting the 4-4-0 locos which come with the Civil War sets to DCC probably isn't a job for someone new to the hobby.

I'm wondering if your sets are one Union and one Confederate. If so, you'd have a good justification for running your railroads with two independent track plans. However, that would be tough to do on a small footprint because the Northern and Southern railroads really weren't very close to one another with just a few exceptions.

One interesting possibility would be modeling the Union railroad (more properly called the U.S. Military Railroad) from the docks at City Point, VA, to some point closer to the front lines in the Virginia Tidewater or near Petersburg or Richmond. The City Point rail facilities were state of the art and very busy. Virtually all of the equipment and supplies used by the Union in eastern Virginia passed through City Point. A layout with City Point would also present the opportunity to model the extensive port facilities there.
                                                                                                                                                                        -- D

[mabloodhound]

The advantage to DCC (as opposed to what you now have) is independent operation of each locomotive on the same track....plus you can add sound to them.   But you cannot use your old transformers for that.   You will need one of the new DCC systems to do it properly.   Bachmann is just one company that offers DCC systems.

[AVCOTT]

My thanks to you all for your responses ...very informative and helpful. Greatly appreciated... AVC

[richg]

For only two locos, I would suggest operating with one power pack. It will handle two locos just fine. I use to do that.
I have three tender drive locos and it was a challenge to convert to DCC and get them to run without too many hiccups.
I also have a circa 1855 Winans Camel 0-8-0, DC only that would make a nice pusher. Motor in the loco.

If two operators, set up some blocks to use two throttles.

I had a MRC2000 DCC controller with five throttles. Throttle one could run a DC loco. I would park the Camel on a siding and switch off that siding.
Take a bunch of time to study the various aspects of DCC. The Internet is loaded with thousands of links about DCC.
For nearly twenty years our club running DC had four throttles and fourteen blocks. Someone had to control the blocks from a panel.

Rich