Thanks for the info on the installation . I still might go with the acrylic hangers and bed . I'm not sure on a shelf If I do go that route I have made a couple of bridges I will use .

We are finally moving into another home . My folks house to be truth full . Tore down my HO layout box bladed my Garden Railroad . All that hard work . But anyway . I want to do a ceiling layout . I have looked and looked on-line saw some acrylic fixtures , wire looking stuff some shelf looking stuff you might put books on it looks like . does anyone here have one and could you give me some ideas . I see them and know what to do ,but I can't make my mind up . Will be for my Large scale trains .

There is a difference in a dual mode decoder (one with a switch)
and a plain decoder. Both will work in DCC and DC. A dual mode
decoder, like the one Atlas uses, will work like any other DCC
engine when in DCC mode, and like any other alalog engine when
in analog mode. A standard DCC decoder will work well like
any other DCC equipped loco when used on a DCC system, but will
not run as well on DC.  you can run it but no, you won't
like the performance enough to want to use it.

With no sound decoders, it will probably take quite a bit of turning with the control knob before the loco starts to move so do not be surprised.

Also, make sure the DC controller does not have pulse power on as some decoders only want pure DC.
The decoders send pulse power to the motor but has to overcome the mechanical resistance of the loco motor and gears before the loco can move.

We bought alot of supplies from Hobby Lobby , scenery , track , my MKT Plymoth , my accessory controller , Some of my HO and G scale buildings alot of my Bachmann rolling stock  . They always had a good selection of sets N HO O gauge and some G scale . Always good sales either on rolling stock or the scenery or the sets . It was really sad when they removed the train section . and just had the sets . Not only the trains but the Estes rockets , Revell models the science section to almost nothing . I don't think it was due to lack of interest but a Walmart across the Highway

I don't look at this as a warranty issue .The fact was we got a nice discount on a great product . And if the note about the wheels sets coming off the trucks has been an issue in shipment to the stores. And has been a problem with these sets then the buyer should have known that and the lack of communication to the managers is their fault then I wouldn't have got the discount . It was a matter of the wheel sets off the trucks . If the controller was defective or one of the 2 locomotives , then I see your point . And there was no lack of Bachmann products in that store .

Most scale model toy trains have a smoke unit, if smoking is appropriate for the particular type of locomotive. Those units require either pellets that heat over the locomotive headlight bulb, or liquid that heats within the smoke unit. It is not recommended to convert a non-smoking locomotive to smoke, since heating fluid in a locomotive that may be made from inappropriate materials could be a fire hazard. And you certainly wouldn't want to see a diesel engine running down the track with smoke pouring from under it.

If its a DC engine run it on a DCC layout for about 30 minutes at full throttle .

Doneldon
I have a 5x9ft with and outter loop a semi dog bone , a yard, and a pulp wood yard on a 3 degree incline . I use 2 70 tonners to work those cars and an upper loop on the other end of the layout that runs an FTA FTB FTA unit with a 5 string passenger line . and usually a SD45-2 consist on the outter loop . I have to be careful as sometimes the SD's like to derail depending on how I run them . usually slow and easy . and some Jeeps on the inner dog bone . I got an MKT plymoth I converted to DCC had to put a N scale in her with a beacon light I really like to run . that was a challenge burned up a motor or 2 and a couple of TCS Decoders before I got it right. always alot going on  . But like I said it works for me . when I get bored with them I go outside and run my large scale . But hey thanks for the info I never really thought of it that way . Some day I would really like to sit down and actually do some real modeling .

I bought my DCC Digital Commander Set from Hobby Lobby . It was a great sale they wanted $199.00 for the set . I noticed one of the wheel sets off the caboose , I thought it was broke and I was disappointed . I wanted the set pretty bad . It was around Christmas time 2008 I think it was . My wife being the retail guru said to me don't say a word . she took the set up to the check out lane and asked if we could get a discount due to the wheels being off the caboose . So she got a manager to come up and looked at it . My wife did her magic and the manager said 65% off and we bought it $80.00 . I was still a little disappointed but to no avail when I open it up when we got the set home . There was a little sticker that said " wheel sets may come off during shipping " I put the wheel set back on and there was nothing wrong with this set . I love the Digital Commander its been great for me . I have grown to over 120 feet of EZ track and turnouts , 20 Bachman diesel locomotives 50 different pcs of rolling stock from a 4x8ft to a 5x9ft layout only due to space . But it works for me . And by the way my wife is a Manager at Target go figure .

I would highly recommend this set to anybody . The thing is you can run multiple trains on a medium sized layout on a small budget . One thing if you by the expander set with track and turnouts you need to get a separate accessory controller to control and operate you switches for your turnouts . You can pick one up pretty cheap . Have Fun

Lionel post war 1964 set . This included

12710
Five Car
Freight Set
1964 - 1966

739 Berkshire Locomotive
736W Whistling Tender
6162 New York Central Gondola
6414 Automobile Loader
6464-725 New Haven Box Car
6476 Lehigh Valley Hopper
6437 Pennsylvania Caboose
Plus: O gauge track, UCS remote control track, LW transformer, billboards, smoke pellets and instructions

My father was over seas at the time . And my family lived on an Air Force Base in Maine . My mum set it up on the wood floor in my bedroom . I liked running it at night watching the head light and smoke . I remember the guff she went threw to get me more smoke pellets .  I believe some of it is still in their attic along with a bunch of TYCO stuff ...

For the record .And I think I posted this before , I have ran 7 HO Locomotives at one time with my EZ command . An inner and outter dog bone with a switching yard and an incline to a pulp wood yard . I then wanted to do something a little different and put a seperate upper level loop and ran another extention cord I believe it was one of the red ones Bachmann sells off a terminal railer to a terminal railer on the upper level loop and worked well . Again I still use my EZ command to its full exstent . I will admit I did have an over current once , just had to much going on at one time . I had 3 gp-40's a 70 tonner sd45-2 and an FT-AB set running and a long string on the SD45-2 . The longer your strings and the bigger heavier the Loco the greater current draw you will have . Also if you have any setting idle make sure the throttle is set at 0 "zero" for that adressed Loco . they can sit at idle and have a little throttle and you wont know it . then all the sudden the magic smoke comes out and you smoke your decoder .

But running 2 HO's and an N you should be fine . Oh and watch how you plug the other track in as it will short make sure the polarity is the same and also make sure and read about plugging in your wall plug to your EZ command and then the connection to your track .... Have fun

Thanks for the reply Kevin . Don't want to ruin a good thing . Pulled the 9volts batts out of the big hauler set . Right now everythings back in their boxes stored .

The PB11 uses a 3.6V 2/3AAA NiMH battery pack . Will they leak or could they leak . And do I need to remove them If not ran for extended period of time .

Would it be possible to , or has any one ever took the guts from a r/c car or truck like the ones you by at walmart for $59.00  I have a couple of these in the attic . And fit the remote controller into a R/C Big Hauler . only for the forward and reverse and speed function . The one I picked up doesn't work as I figured . When these sets came out in the late 80's . Were they just a seasonal item or were they short lived .

YOUTUBE.COM

is there a new version of the r/c big hauler other than the one from the late 80's . I found one but not sure if I want to buy it, so many don't work. they say this one does but hmmmm . and will bachmann ever make a newer version .