To reset Bachmann DCC On Board decoders I set CV8 (it has a value of 101 to denote Bachmann) to 8 and then press Enter (I use an NCE Power Cab system) then exit out and then go right back in and after checking that the Long Address is reset to 0000 I then reset the Long Address to what ever I want to go with the particular engine I'm working with.

I do all this in Program Track mode.

Frank

Is item #63506 (Conrail GP-40 road #3088) a previous release of this loco?  In my 2011 Catalog I can only find #63505 (page 53, Conrail GP-40 road #3072.)  I believe both these locos are only DC versions as far as I can tell.

Frank

My layout will be DCC only.  I have a NCE Power Cab I already have on hand and using on my existing DC/DCC layout with a control panel.  I plan on removing all the brass track and wooden roadbed (I will reuse it for yard tracks, etc., not mainlines and without the wooden roadbed) and start over with NS track, either code 83 or 100 (I haven't made up my mind yet on which code.)  I'll start with the double oval w/crossovers and go from there.  Also I'm considering adding an expansion to the 8' side to make it around 5 1/2' wide to be able to use larger raius curves (26" and 28").

Frank

Will somebody please explain what the difference is between all the different # turnouts?

Frank

What would be the best way to join 18" & 22" radius E-Z Track ovals?  Switches or crossovers?

Frank

Anyone know of a good place to get Ditch Lights in some sort of kit form?

Frank

Thanks, guys, for the info.

At the time of the comparisons all I had on-hand to compare with the GP-40 were a couple of FT-A's & B's and 2 DDA40X's.  My other loco's were at the local MRR club and not available for the comparison.  I have no intentions of running the GP-40 with the DDA40X's or FT's at all.

With more running time on the GP-40 its starting speed has smoothed out and it is faster, somewhat, but still has some minor jerkiness to it at the beginning of start-up (could this be due to the decoder Bachmann uses?)  I've tried playing with the CV's but this didn't fix the jerkiness, nor the 'humming', at start-up.

BTW, I had to add a strip of eletrical tape to both sides of the metal frame that goes up into the hood area to get rid of the ratteling noises it made right out of the box (it was B-A-D!!!)  It is much quiter now and hardly makes any ratteling noises.  I plan on getting a few more of these models (now that I know how to 'tweek' them) so I can make up a consist of them together.

Frank

I'm going to rip up all the brass track on a 4x8 layout table that was given to me and re-track it with either EZ-Track or Atlas Snap track.

I need an honest opinion on which I should use (I'm leaning towards EZ-Track for now.)

While I'm at it I plan on extending the 8' long side outward about 1 1/2 ft so I can use larger radius curves, 28" and 26" radius.

Frank

I have a new Bachmann #60306 Conrail GP40 that I have broken in with about 3-4 hours of running.  I have noticed that it doesn't run as fast as any of my Bachmann FT-A's or B's or Bachmann DDA40X's.  Is it geared lower than any of my other locos, possibly for pulling power rather than speed?  As of now I can't run it in a consist with any of my locos.  I've tried all the settings of CV's for speed, voltage to no avail.  Anyone have any ideas?

Frank

Thanks ACY!
I'll check out all those URL's you listed and see what's up for sale.

Frank

I'm looking for a 4-4-2 Atlantic made by anybody for sentimental reasons.  I don't see one in the 2011 Bachmann catalog and don't know if they ever made one.  I don't care if it has DCC or not.

Frank

Thanks jward;

Are those dome cars streamlined and/or D&RGW cars?  I've found Zepher Dome cars but they are not in the Ski Train paint scheme.  Did they mixed them together?

I have a 7 car passenger HW consist by Atheran: RPO,  Baggage, Pullman, Diner, Round roof coach, Celestry roof coach and Observation, all in the Ski Train paint scheme.  At the head end I have a FT-A-B-B-A (Bachmann) consist (I plan on replacing them with Alco PA/PB's when I can afford them.)  Right now when all put together it makes for one long train on the local MRR club layout!  Adding just one Dome car will make it even longer but I'm trying to make it as prototypical as possible.

Frank

Thanks jward;

The motor and housing are not moving when changing directions.  I couldn't even feel any movement using my fingers.

After running the loco for a few hours like you said it has started to smooth out but the jerkiness is still there when the loco first starts to move at slow speed, but it's getting better.  Hopefully after some more run time it will disappear altogether.

I have noticed that this particular loco runs slower, even at top speed, than my Bachmann FT-A's and FT-B's (I have 4 A's & 4 B's.)  I've tried adjusting the CV's but that didn't help.  Is this loco model geared down for pulling power rather than top speed?

Frank

You are very welcome Rod.  I, too, am 67 and had been away from MRR for over 40 yrs. (family duties and raising 3 kids!)  I was finally able to get back into MRR now the kids are grown and moved out of state.  When I got my DCC system I messed up one of the Bachmann decoders (I have 11 Bachmann diesles) and after asking around at the local MRR club I found out about CV8 being set to 8 to reset the decoder (Bachmann) back to factory defaults.  Saved my bacon, for sure!  I wonder why Backmann doesn't have that in the instructions included with a new 'DCC On Board' loco or list it in their CV listing you can get here off this web site?

Another tip:  If you have a consist of 2 or more locos and are going to take the locos somewhere else to run clear out (kill) the consist on your own DCC system to reset each loco to non-consist.  When you get to where you are going to run them again as a consist you won't have any trouble setting up the consist again.  Do the same thing again before returning home.  I found this out the hard way once.  Happy MRR

Frank
bluefoxx@comcast.net

Yes there is.  I've "lost control" of my own Bachmann decoders from time to time and to get them back I programmed CV8 (normally has 101 in it) to 8 then exited out to normal control then went right back in and reprogrammed the decoder back to my loco's # (the long address should again be 0000 and CV8 should reply back as 101.)

Frank