Quote from: BradKT on March 08, 2010, 09:01:55 PM
Could you explain a little more about this works or refer me to a website that does?

I should have put this question in my original post.  Is there anything out there that would work with a Bachmann EZ-Command DCC system?  If not, what kind of system would it work with?  I use Digitrax DCC decoders in my engines, which are either Atlas or Athearn.  I also have a few Bachmann DCC engines that use Bachmann DCC decoders.

Are we talking about a system that is controlled by a PC or what?

I need to learn a little more about this in order to determine whether this is a feasible idea.  I idea that I have in mind is automating 1 or 2 stops at the refinery, the cement plant, the passenger station and the truck-rail terminal...and maybe regulating the speed of the trains.

Could you explain a little more about this works or refer me to a website that does?

I should have put this question in my original post.  Is there anything out there that would work with a Bachmann EZ-Command DCC system?  If not, what kind of system would it work with?  I use Digitrax DCC decoders in my engines, which are either Atlas or Athearn.  I also have a few Bachmann DCC engines that use Bachmann DCC decoders.

Are we talking about a system that is controlled by a PC or what?

I need to learn a little more about this in order to determine whether this is a feasible idea.  I idea that I have in mind is automating 1 or 2 stops at the refinery, the cement plant, the passenger station and the truck-rail terminal.

I am building a DCC layout that is about 80-85% complete. 

I have seen automated functions in layouts where a train stops at a stop (such as a station or a factory)  and then restarts and continues on after a set period of time.  I checked with Circuitron and, while they have the circuit boards that enable DC powered trains to do this, they don't have anything that would work with DCC.

Is there anything out there that would enable the automation of a DCC layout so that my trains could make automatic stops?

Thank you.  That lets me know how many signals I need and where to place them.

You gave me some excellent information...exactly what I needed.

I am going to be putting several nonoperating RR track signals (the pole type) on my layout and have some simple questions about where to locate them:

Question # 1: Are RR block signals supposed to be mounted on the left or right side of the track?  I had heard that they were supposed to be mounted to the right of the track.

Question # 2: Does this depend on the particular RR?

Question # 3: Are the signals supposed to be located only at switches or just every so often for each track?

Question # 4: Should 2 signals be mounted side-by-side before each turnout?

Question # 5: Does anyone know where I could get some information on this subject?

If it is a small, lightweight and compact camera, I would not expect there to be any damage to the engine at at all.

My brother did this same thing with 1/32 scale slot cars on a course that he designed and built and the video came out great.

I have driven through West Virginia a few times and to me, a possibility might be farms or any industry that is agriculture or coal related, such as a synfuels or an ethanol plant.  Likewise, you could have anything from a junkyard or salvage yard to a support industry for your railroad, such as a small factory, manufacturing plant or small steel mill.  Walthers makes relatively inexpensive models of all of these.  You could also just have a few scattered oil pumps and oil storage tanks, coupled with a loading facility for the railroad (no refinery...or you could have a small refinery).

One thing that I did on my layout was to turn a Walthers salvage yard building model into a small construction equipment rental company.

With a new industry, you will also need an access road and an employee parking lot.

What I do is just post my pics in Photobucket (Yampa Bob taught me how), give people my site address when I post there and if they want to see the pics they visit the site.  That way, I control what gets posted on the site and frankly, I was surprised by how many people visited it.  Photobucket has a feature where a visitor can choose to be automatically notified whenever I post new pics.

I just posted a few new layout pics last night,  If you want to take a look at a Photobucket site, my site address is:

http://s584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/BradKT

Denver, Colorado is the next show (February 20-21, 2010).  I didn't find any advance schedule other than that.  You can contact them and probably get more information.  The website is titled 'The World's Greatest Hobby on Tour."

There's a lot of stuff like toys for kids (there are ton of little kids there with their parents); vendors selling T-shirts, hats, patches, etc., (the big one is Daylight Sales and they have a great internet site); booths for the major sponsors like Athearn, Bachmann, Atlas and Lionel; layout and information booths by local RR clubs; and local and regional vedors selling cars, engines, track, buildings, tools, etc.  Some of the exhibitors like Woodland Scenics have "how-to" demonstrations. 

You can talk to a lot of people there and get some good information.  The  people there are there to promote the hobby (as well as sell stuff to you)  and they were very nice and helpful.  They have stuff in all scales and a number of vendors have stuff that is significantly discounted.  Again, you just have to look around and pick and choose.  There is a lot to see and if you find something that you want, you'd better buy it then or it may be gone within the hour.

At the Long Beach, CA show, admission was $10.00 for adults and free admission for kids.  I went at about 12:30pm on Saturday and there were hundreds (if not thousands) of people there.  I was there for about 5 hours-plus.  Even if you just walk through the place, you'll spend at least a couple of hours there.  The exhibit area was 100,000 square feet-plus.  It's the kind of show where you could spend all day there and it would be a day well spent.

I went today and had a great time!  Lots of exhibits, RR clubs and vendors.  You have to pick and choose, of course, but I was able to find some very good deals on a few new Atlas RTR freight cars and was able to get a variety of logo patches for the railroads that I run on my layout (Santa Fe, BNSF, D&RGW, UP and SP).

Most of the really detailed layouts were N scale, but I did pick up a few good ideas for making (instead of buying) my layout background if that is the way I want to go.

I recommend that if this exhibit comes to a city or town near you...go!  You won't be disappointed.  It's called the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour.  For anyone in the Los Angeles Area, it's here today and tomorrow (Sunday).

I agree with Steamchugger about Blue Ridge Hobbies.  I have purchased items from them on many occasions and their selection and prices are hard to beat. 

One thing that I really liked about Blue Ridge Hobbies was when I had to return one item (a turnout...they had the pictures switched, so I had ordered the wrong one), I called them and they handled it very nicely.

I also like Hobbylinc a lot...for all kinds of things that are train and model-related...paints, modeling tools, parts like couplers, etc.  You should check out their site.  I have ordered from them more than any other site.  They don't carry Athearn products, but they do carry pretty much everyone else.  If Hobbylinc is out of a product, you can have them automatically notify you via e-mail when it is back in stock.

One other place that you might want to check out is Amazon.com.  I think that the best of their stores is My Atomic.

Always have at least one straight rerailer right in front of where the operator is going to be.  I have two there.  That way, is will be easy to put cars on the track without having to go all around the layout just to put some cars on the track.

If you have (or plan) a large layout, put a rerailer near each end of the straight track in the back.  Non-terminal rerailers are relatively cheap and you can always get a few more if you need them.  There's no such thing as having too many.  Put them where it is most convenient for you...otherwise, you will find yourself doing a lot of unnecessary walking around your layout just to put a car or two back on the rails.

It definitely sounds like a faulty controller.  Take it back and maybe they will just swap a good one for that one if it is still on warranty.

I have never heard of this particular problem before.  Try reprogramming your DCC engines to work on a channel other than 3 (again if this is the second time you have done this) and see if you have the same problem. 

If you have a DC engine, run it on 0 (which is the default code setting on an EZ Command Control Center for DC engines) and see if you have the same problem.  If you have the same problem with a DC engine (as well as with your DCC engines), then the issue is probably with your EZ Command Control Center and you would need to have it serviced or replaced.

If, on the other hand, a DC engine works OK, I suspect that the problem might be with the decoders.  Are you using Bachmann DCC engines or some other type?

Rogertra's solution worked beautifully!

I got some Plastruct 1/8" styrene tubing, drilled out the holes in the body of the freight cars so the tubing could be inserted and glued it in place.  I made it extend the same length as the original mounting points on the freight car body.  The inner hole in the tubing is narrow enough to accommodate and grip the proper size screw (2-56).  I then got a few replacement underbody frames from Athearn (they usually cost 2@$3.00), replaced the old underframes, mounted the trucks and screwed them in place. 

Now that I know that this method works, all I have to do is to remove the trucks and underframes, paint the new styrene the same color as the body and put the underframe and trucks back on.

Thanks again everyone!