You could convert the EZ track turnouts to DCC with stationary decoders and a little work, but I believe you couldn't control them with the EZ command system. 

Both Toby and Mavis had plenty of room as did Percy and Thomas. Henry and any like it would be an easy deal if you put the decoder in the coal car, but that would mean always using the coal car with them. It would also involve some wiring between the engine and coal car.

I think James might be in the next group, but that's totally up to my 6 year old son. He picks the engines.

I haven't done gordon or spencer so I don't know the "inside" of either, but if you look at the "parts list" of each engine on this web site I'm sure it would be easy to figure if they would be a problem. I've done Thomas, Henry,Percy,Mavis and Toby. I'll be adding another 3 engines in the next few weeks, but I'm not sure yet which ones. I found the digitrax DH123D are a great chip. I have no experence with the Bachmann chips. We have a EZ command and a Digitrax dcs 50 for controllers. I also use the decoder pro software w/ a locobuffer and the dcs50 to program and sometimes control the trains.

I done 5 thomas and friends engines w/ DCC chips and most of them are pretty easy. The only one that was a problem was Henry do to the lack of space available. I think I'm going to change Henry to included sound and put the chip and sound in the coal car. It's just a matter of cutting the wires off of the current board and soldering in the DCC chip. Just make sure you know what wires go where since it seems most engines don't use the same wire colors for some reason.

Mine did that with a power supply that didn't put out 16V. At 12V my turnouts didn't work. Could that be the problem in your case ?

Quote from: Anthony P2 on January 15, 2011, 10:00:50 AM
if you're good at soldering then you could put DCC decoders (I recommend Digitrax  ) in the thomas engines. it's really easy. red to red, black to black, orange to orange, then there's brown to grey. you could then start with a basic DCC system for now, like Bachmann E-Z Command. Oh, and back to you using 4 controllers, is that on one line? if it is DO NOT DO THAT you can damage your trains that way.

Not all the "Thomas" Trains are red to red , Black to Black, Orange to Orange and brown to grey. I've found so far Percy, Toby and Mavis did NOT follow this wiring at all so be very careful if you decide to install your own decoders. The Henry I have has nothing but red and black wires in it.The Digitrax ones are a great choice as there DH123D decoder fit inside pretty well.

My toggles are (on) off (on) for my turnouts. I use mini ones so I can get 12 in a 2X3.5" box.

Quote from: daxdog on January 19, 2011, 09:57:05 PM
I was just having to figure out switches as well.  This may be an obvious statement to 99.99% of the people on this board, but it took me a minute or two to figure it out.  After sliding the switch into position, you must then press down on the switch to actually make the track move from one side to the other.  Hope this helps (or hope that you are not as dumb as me!!!)

Good point. I forgot about having to push down on them. I built a control box with toggle switches for the turnout so I never used the ones that came with the turnouts and totally forgot about having to push on them.

Quote from: ACY on January 19, 2011, 10:28:57 PM

Quote from: RGC on January 19, 2011, 10:26:55 PM
If you need a dated receipt for warranty work why have the card in the first place ?

It makes it easier for Bachmann to sort out and keep track of everything.

How ? if I need warranty work I need to send in a receipt dated within the last year..how does the card make that any easier ? seems easier to me to just require the receipt since if I don't have the receipt they don't need to honor the warranty anyways even if i did send in the card. The card is just extra work for both parties.

If you need a dated receipt for warranty work why have the card in the first place ?

Quote from: ACY on January 19, 2011, 09:38:25 PM

Quote from: RGC on January 19, 2011, 09:10:09 PM
I bought a "used" Bachmann diesel that came with the box and the warranty card so I could sent that in just like I could "fill" one out online. Every new boxed Bachmann train I purchased from people online came with the warranty cards, but I'm sure some of them are not authorized dealers. I'm sure Bachmann could come up with a way to deal with online registrations if they wanted to.   

Although this may be true, sending them in and claiming them as under warranty is dishonest, why would Bachmann want to cause more work for them while making is easier for people to cheat the system. You also need a sales receipt from an authorized Bachmann dealer within one year of the date Bachmann revives the item, but somebody could probably make their own if they tried hard enough.

If you need a sales receipt for warranty work then online registration wouldn't make it any easier to cheat the system..you still need the receipt...it just cuts out the mailing in of the card...no receipt no warranty work.

I bought a "used" Bachmann diesel that came with the box and the warranty card so I could sent that in just like I could "fill" one out online. Every new boxed Bachmann train I purchased from people online came with the warranty cards, but I'm sure some of them are not authorized dealers. I'm sure Bachmann could come up with a way to deal with online registrations if they wanted to.   

The turnouts get power from the AC terminals out the top of the controller ( if yours has them) The red wires go from there to the slide switches that came with the setup. The green wires from the turnouts plug into the slide switches also. You can chain the slide switches together with the red wire with black plugs on both ends if the setup came with them.

I bought them from tower hobbies.