Quote from: atari on February 20, 2011, 03:03:01 PM
So which DCC turnouts do you use? #4,5,6?

I have both #4 and #5.

Quote from: atari on February 20, 2011, 12:18:54 PM
I've read elsewhere about some odd DCC behavior with the turnouts (maybe here?). However, it is encouraging that they at least do not derail. Which ones do you use?

If you are referring you me, I have three of the Bachmann EZ Track DCC turnouts . I would change over more of the troublesome Bachmann remote turnouts, if it weren't for the expense and the  occasional weird DCC behavior.

[The new Rivarossi's aren't scarce, you must not be looking in the right places that's all. The BLI's were readily available for a while, now they are a bit harder to find. Do you only want a streamline or a regular Hudson fine? I also forgot about IHC they made Hudson's also and were very economical options.
[/quote

Neither of my LHS's carry Rivarossi and the one that carries BLI has no Hudsons and said they have been unable to get any for some time.

I just checked the 8 to 10 Internet stores that I have purchased from. None have Rivarossi Hudsons. The ones that have BLI Hudsons all show "out of stock"

Twice burned, once badly--several hundred dollars, I no longer buy off E-Bay.

Quote from: atari on February 20, 2011, 08:49:52 AM
My manual turnout seems to work just fine as well. It's just the remote that has a 100% fail rate. In fact, it is so bad, I wonder if I just got a defective part.

My experience with Bachmann turnouts has been the same. The manual turnouts seem to work with no problems. However, the  same can't be said for the remote turnouts. I have had nearly a 50% faillure rate for them. Some could be fixed by "tinkering", several were so bad, they had to be returned to the hobby shop or to Bachmann.
That doesn't say much for Bachmann's qualitycontrol.
I have three of the DCC turnouts. The only problems that I have had with them is some "squirrelly" DCC behavior.

I have an early  Rivarossi DC Hudson. I looked at the MTH Hudson(Empire State)--PRICEY.  If I bought that,  then I would want  the matching cars--way too much money.
The BLI and new Rivarossi are quite scarce.

ATTENTION The Bach-Man

Those Williams 4-6-4 Hudsons look really great.

Any chance of a future HO 4-6-4 Hudson, maybe with sound?

To be very blunt----
That is just one of the reasons I have not purchased the Acela and won't until it's problems including those ridiculous couplers have be corrected.

Sorry, but I am just being honest.

Will

MTH also offers steam locomotives equipped as you desire. BUT, again, very expensive. Mid $400s and up.

I have six 2-10-2 locomotives. All run just fine on my two 22 inch radius curves.
The ability to handle the 18" radius curves varies from locomotive. Some handle
18 inch radius just fine. A couple have occasional problems and one won't do it at all.
Even the ones that will handle 18" curves do not look very good doing it.

Quote from: Pacific Northern on January 27, 2011, 05:06:04 PM

Quote from: daxdog on January 27, 2011, 03:12:07 PM
I got a replacement locomotive in the mail yesterday.  Thanks Tom.  I really appreciate it.

Given the time of year, you are very luck to have received your replacement locomotive so soon.

Considering the Wx that they have been having, that is an understatement. This time of the year, I have waited as much as six weeks without the Wx problems.
They are typically swamped around Christmas and into the New Year.

Quote from: Pacific Northern on January 22, 2011, 12:09:12 AM
Remember that most DCC decoders other than Lenz will often run erratically.

This is due to presence of the capacitors on the Bachmann board. These can easily be cut or removed.

Check this site by searching for "capacitors"

I guess I have been lucky. I have 9 Bachmann DCC ready locomotives that I have installed decoders in and have yet to have any of them "run erratically".
I have not had to cut the capacitors from any of them.

I think Jonathan is on the right track.
Call Bachmann  Service and explain the problem you are having.
I have found them to be very nice and always helpful.
One suggestion. Use their direct number, rather than the 800 number.
1-215-533-1600  ext 336-----If it hasn't changed.
I have had much better results getting a quick answer that way.

Will

This might not help you much and is a little off the subject, BUT........

I looked at his web site and looked at his Feed Back Profile and Andre is correct. He has very few negative feedbacks and thousands of positive ones.
I would suggest you try and contact him directly and explain why you were so upset and even apologize. Then try and work some thing out.
The feedbacks sound like he can be reasonable if approached correctly but, also "bow his neck" if some one comes on strong to him.

I did notice one thing about his site, like many Internet hobby "stores" he doesn't have a "real time inventory" on line.  And most of the
negatives were caused by him not having an item in stock that he sold.

I have pretty much limited my self to ordering only from those internet dealers who have an on-line "real time inventory".  
This eliminates a lot of problems. If I get desperate enough, I will use some one who does not have "real time inventory", but with
the realization that I might have a long wait and possibly never receive the item. I have had that happen more than once, but never when
ordering from an internet seller that has "real time inventory" on line.

I apologize if this is off topic, but I felt it might save some one here  from having such problems and prevent some hard feelings.

Will

Just so you know you are not alone.
I have one of several Bachmann DCC turnouts that does the same thing when I run either of two  Bachmann DCC  locomotives, then either reverse the locomotive's direction or operate it's DCC controlled lights.
I have more three dozen DCC locomotives and only those two Bachmann DCC locomotives of the dozen or more that I have,  cause that one  DCC turnout to quit responding. The rest of the DCC locomotives(including the Bachmanns) cause no problem. And there is no problem with the other DCC turnouts.
My thought has been and still is that some kind of interference is occurring between the decoder in that one turnout and the decoder in those two locomotives.
Since I have two totally separate layouts, the easy solution for me was to move the two offending locomotives to the other layout.
I wish I could offer a solution that would solve your problems that easily.

You might try calling Bachmann's Tech people, or possibly The Bach-Man may have an idea.

As already posted, no a DCC controller will not work. However, my brother models in S scale(DC). I have seen him run as many as 5 or 6 trains at a time.
As indicated it is done with blocks and he has two or three Lionel ZW transformers(not a small investment; $700+ for a new ZW). The new ZW will handle 4 trains at a time.
I'm not sure if a similar transformer for HO is available. I suspect that even if such an HO
transformer exists, going DCC would probably be less expensive.

One possibility, I think, would be to use a couple of  EZ DC controllers and two separate tracks with blocks,  on one table. That should allow running four trains at a time
with relative ease.  I personally have never tried more than two DC at time.