Grandpa new to hobby

[cabuso]

I'm recently retired and my grandson and I are going to build an outdoor track this spring.  I bought him (us) a Big Hauler Durango & Silverton boxed set for Christmas so this will be our starter train.  He's currently playing with it on our family room floor when he visits.  In doing research I find it would be better for us to use a DCC loco since it appears simpler to operate a layout with it,  but I am a "babe in the woods" when it comes to the subject.  Do I need to find a loco DCC ready or can the loco that came with our set be converted?  Open to all advice and thanks in advance.  Learning more every time  I log on.  You guys really got it goin'.  I only wish I had started sooner but the kid (not me, the grandson) wasn't old enough for large trains till now.  I just hope I am!

[Kevin Strong]

If you're just getting started, stick with regular DC track power, using a traditional power supply. The one that came with your starter set will quickly prove a bit weak, so I'd look to upgrade to something like Crest's Train Engineer system or Bridgewerks 10 amp power supply.

Once you're up and running with that, you can think about more complex things like DCC or Radio Control. But amost all locos run straight out of the box with regular DC, so there's really no extra thought required in that regard.

Later,

K

[mhampton]

If you haven't read it elsewhere, I'll say it for you now: don't plan on using the track that came with your Big Hauler set outdoors. It is VERY prone to rusting. It's OK for use indoors, but once you go outside you will need to replace it with brass or some other durable metal.

Mike

[calenelson]

Welcome in to Large Scale Trains!

let me encourage you to visit a few other forums!  Nothing wrong with this one, but to inform you of all the info avail!

http://www.largescalecentral.com

http://www.mylargescale.com/

I'd also visit the Garden RWY Magazine Site, there is a forum there as well, and the magazine offers a ton of helps! 

http://www.trains.com/grw/

Welcome in again, and Have FUN!

cale

[cabuso]

If you're just getting started, stick with regular DC track power, using a traditional power supply. The one that came with your starter set will quickly prove a bit weak, so I'd look to upgrade to something like Crest's Train Engineer system or Bridgewerks 10 amp power supply.

Once you're up and running with that, you can think about more complex things like DCC or Radio Control. But amost all locos run straight out of the box with regular DC, so there's really no extra thought required in that regard

Thanks for advice guys.  Our track will be almost a circle laid on a bed of granite stones around the edge of my putting green.  Will have a couple of S curves and is pretty level.  The circuit will be about 140', so would a 5   amp power system be adequate to run a basic Big Hauler set that distance without any problem or should I jump to 10 amps and eliminate the worry?   Thanks again.       
                                                                            Jerry
                                         

[Kevin Strong]

5 amps will be quite sufficient for that, provided you're only running one or two motors. Once you start getting into the three and four motor trains (multiple diesels, for example) then you'll probably want to think about a beefier power supply. But if you don't intend to travel down that path, 5 amps will be fine.

Later,

K