Quote from: seaisleRR on January 02, 2011, 05:20:52 PM
Good points DoubleDAZ. I had already flip-flopped back in forth in my mind about the set before I read your post.
I think I'm going to skip it and either find a recommended starter DCC set or maybe, as you said, buy the parts separately.

If you find something, please let me know.  Bachmann sells their E-Z Command controller with some diesels, but that's all I've seen so far, really haven't looked for DCC sets though.

FWIW, I just did a down/dirty check and as near as I can figure the loco cost me $25-$50.  I simply computed the cost of track/cars based on what I paid since and that came to just over $110.  At best, the loco cost me $25, at worst $50, so I don't feel I'm out too much.  And that doesn't even count the controller and power supply.  I've heard of some people who bought multiple sets just for the track.  FWIW, the loco goes for $58 on Amazon.

Quote from: seaisleRR on January 02, 2011, 02:54:25 AMI noticed on another post that a guy had problems with his locomotive from the "Empire Builder" set right out of the box.  I wonder if he got it fixed. Sure hope I don't end up with a fix-r-upper in a brand new set.

If you are talking about me, I wouldn't let my experience deter you if you really want to get a set.  However, if I had to do it over, I would opt for a set with a diesel or smaller steam locomotive.  The steam locomotive in the Empire Builder set is definitely entry level.  The power pickup is via the wheels on the front truck only, only some parts of the gear linkage are actually connected and work, there are 2 wheels with tires that are not connected (that's how the tires came off), and the tender is just a tender like any other rolling stock.  I'd be very surprised if it can really be converted to DCC, but even if it can, I'm not sure the operation would be reliable.

Be advised though, that is just an opinion for what little I know about DCC so far.  I know very little at this point, but all you have to do is look through their on-line catalog to see/read the difference in their standard N-scale equipment and what they offer for DCC.  Even the diesels are very different, look between the trucks.  The locos have 8-10 wheels plus tenders that pick up power vs just wheels on the front truck.

I know the set appears to save money, but if your intention is to upgrade to DCC, you will spend less in the long run by simply buying what you want instead of a set.   But, that is just my opinion.  I'm going to start with a couple of diesels and add steam later.  Even with DCC, you need to do your homework to see if the E-Z Command System will satisfy your needs.  I'm not against Bachmann, but there are other systems out there.  The advice I got in another forum is to check with the local hobby shops to see what folks are buying in your area so you will have a resource for help.

The Bach-man,

Yeah, trouble is I ordered from Amazon awhile ago and they'd want me to pack up the whole set, if they'd even accept a return.  I'm probably just going to write it off to experience and be leery of Bachmann products in the future, at least their entry level stuff.  I admit I got the bug suddenly and didn't do my homework.  I should have just bought some track and a controller to use my old diesels.  At any rate, I've decided I'm going to upgrade to DCC right away (probably Digitrax) with a couple of diesels and eventually add steam, a 4-8-2 or 4-8-0.

ACY,

I know N-scale is delicate, but it ran lousy right out of the box before I got the switch and noticed the backup problem.  That's the drawback to buying a set, you don't find problems until you add more track, etc., and then it's too late for returns, especially mailorder.  Besides, I bought it mostly for my 4-yr old granddaughter and all she's interested in doing right now is turning the speed dial to maximum. 

I just thought there might be some simple instructions on making some adjustments to level it out more and get the front pickup wheels to make better contact.  I also haven't set up a test bench yet, so I'll work on that so I can play with it.  The motor seems fine when I just connect the front wheels to get power, so I think it's just a matter of some adjustments to the tension of the mounting screws.

I am so disappointed with this set.

First was the caboose consistently derailing any car in front of it, can't even hook it up.

Next was the loco derailing a lot and  losing power for a herky-jerky operation.  I got a 30+ yr old diesel I got at Kay Bee Toys back in the 70's (been in a box in the garage since 1978) and it runs smoothly over the same track.

Then, after I added a turnout, I found the loco could not back into the siding.  Turned out the trailing truck was not level, seemed like a washer or something was missing from the mount.  The rear steps were below the top of the rails causing one side step to try going straight and the other side step try following the curve of the turnout.  As soon as the tracks got far enough apart, the loco just stopped.  Added a small washer I had and it now goes through the turnout, but it's still off.  The front truck bounces and keeps losing power.  I have to turn the controller up to about 40 to even get the loco to move and nothing seems to happen over 70 or so.  It's just very slow and quirky, slows when it hits the curved terminal/rerailer.  Some of that is probably my fault as the washer is probably not the right size and I've been trying to adjust things to get the darned thing to make a circuit or 2.

Oh yeah, also found a tire laying on the table the other day and then the other one came off in my hand while I was reattaching the truck.  I got those remounted and I've tried adjusting the tension on the truck mounting screws without success.  When I place the loco on the table and look closely, it seems the loco is tilted ever so slightly to the rear causing the front wheels to lift enough to lose connection and the front set of the 8 wheels seems to be just above the rail.

Just venting I guess, so I don't know what I expect in the way of comments.

Here's a website that shows foam at work:

http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/customer/gallery/2_modelrr.htm

I'll give that a try and also try the connector on the other side of the terminal track until my straight terminal track arrives.

I have the same set and I have to manually push my cars together until I hear a little click that says they are coupled.  Even after doing that, the caboose pulls the car in front of it off the track almost every time it hits the curved terminal/rerailer track.  It's the only car with body-mounted couplers and I've quit using it.

I also have a lot of problem with the locomotive's front wheels over those same tracks.  The truck is only mounted by a screw at the rear and it seems very loose and it appears to bounce a lot.

So far, the layout is just a 3x6 oval on a 4x8 table.  I also have an old diesel loco and some cars I got from Kay Bee Toys over 30 yrs ago and it's been stored since 1978.  It still runs and I swapped trucks on 2 boxcars so I could couple both sets of cars, 13 total.  I can get both locos to pull (separately of course) the consist continuously for several laps, but sooner or later the 4-8-4's front wheels will derail.

So far, I'm pretty disappointed in the set.  The curved terminal/rerailer seems to be a problem, so I ordered a straight one and will see if that helps.  I also have to turn the controller to about 40 or so before the train will even start and then I only notice speed changes to about 85.  The power feed doesn't seem to be very good either.  At speeds less than 65, the train is pretty herky-jerky.  Even at 65-70, I notice the lapse of power in several locations.  I'm not new to N scale, but it has been 30 yrs and this is my first experience with EZ Tracks.  I had planned to upgrade to DCC at some point, but I'm having 2nd thoughts about the whole thing.

Thanks.

Quote from: Roger Perkins on November 15, 2010, 12:09:12 PM
Yes, I can recommend the use of extruded polystyrene over a plywood base for an n-scale layout.  I used the 2" thick material.

Someone in another forum suggested using just 2" stryofoam, no plywood base other than for buildings, on an open top construction with supports at 16" intervals.  Is the foam strong enough for that?

Found my answer about the insulated rail joiners in another thread, Atlas code 55 IRJ #2091.

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I had the same question and a couple others.  I bought the Empire Builder set, so I'm using EZ track and plan to add terminal tracks at various points throughout the layout.  I'm new to EZ Track.  How do I connect the red wires from the terminal tracks?  Do I cut the ends off and splice them all to a single feed that then plugs into the controller that came with the set?  Or does someone sell female connectors I could use to build some sort of terminal strip?  How many terminal tracks will the power supply included in the set support?  I noticed there are terminal connectors that can be purchased.  It doesn't seem like I could use those without filing a place for the wires to fit so the track sections still connect completely.  Is there a better way to do all this?

A side question:  If I can I use the power connectors, can I also use the non-power connectors to separate reverse loops?  I do plan to upgrade to DCC later and I notice the EZ Command System has an automatic reverse loop module that eliminates the complicated wiring (I assume the switches).

Thanks for any help.  I'm still in the planning stage for a portable 4x8 table top layout using 1x3's or 1x4's to make a base consisting of two 4x4 sections and a grid of 16" squares.  I'd like 2 reverse loops to allow continuous running in both directions, upper and lower levels, but that may turn out to be problematic especially since I want to be able to separate the 4x4 sections.  An alternative strategy is two 2x8 sections.