Bob,

Except now your friend has to put his original address back when he returns to his home layout.

Personally I like the Zephyr with the direction/brake lever for mainline running, and the Atlas Commander for working in yards and large industrial areas. The direction buttons on the commander make is simple to do the "Kadee Shuffle" over the magnet when uncoupling knuckle couplers.

Len

aweinstock,

Gaps are required in the rails and connections under the roadbed in order to isolate the two loops the crossover connects for independent DC operation.

The fellow with the portable Acela layout has 'how to' instructions on his website. The URL is scattered around the forum.

This issue has been around since the #6 crossovers were first release. So why Bachmann doesn't include this info in the box, or at leat on their own web site, is beyond me.

Len

Bach-man,

Appreciate the offer, but I've already replaced it with an MRC 1370. If my Grandson stays with it enough to justify the space for a table, we'll use the original transformer for low load accessories.

Thanks,
Len

GG,

You said, "...kids are far more concerned watching him speed along under their control, rather than how many cars he can pull, which is the general consensus for the age group."

I wasn't dealing with an "age group", but a 7 year old grandson who is VERY familiar with the Thomas videos. In particular that Gordan is often seen pulling 3 or 4 coaches, not just the 2 that come in the set, in the videos. He specifically requested the extra coaches (and track) when we were at the LHS purchasing the set.

You also say,

"Its illogical for Bachmann to risk sales by raising the price just so a child can run 4 cars."

If my LHS can sell an MRC 1370 with an MSRP of $39.98 for $29.95 and make money, how much is it really going to cost Bachmann to include one at OEM prices? I'd be glad to have paid an extra $2 - $3 dollars for the set to have included a decent transformer to have avoided the hassle to a second trip to the LHS.

You need to rething this statement, "In conclusion, maybe in the manual's and dvd's that come with the sets they should suggest the use of a Spectrum transformer in the future if one wishes to pull many cars."

The Gordan locomotive can easily handle more than 2 cars with a decent power supply, the Thomas videos often show Gordan pulling more than 2 cars, Bachmann sells add on coaches seperately and should expect people are going to add them to the Gordan set, and that those people are going to expect the transformer in the set to be capable of fully utilizing Gordan's capabilities. Finding out AFTER purchasing the set and getting it home that you'll need a better transformer is what will annoy the customers (like me).

Len

P.S. For Zelda: My grandson doesn't have to use a screw driver. I attached the power lead lugs to the transformer for him. All he has to do is plug/unplug the connector from the track.

I picked up a Gordan HO passenger set, a couple of extra coaches, and some extra track for my grandson. He loved it, until he wanted to pull four cars like Gordan some times does in the videos.

Even with an extra feeder to the far side of the loop, the rinky-dink transformer that came in the set just didn't seem capable of getting the job done.

So I ran back to my LHS, picked up an MRC 1370 transformer on sale for $29.95 and hooked it up. What a difference in Gordan's performance. Plus there are accessory power outputs for building lights, switches, etc., when he's ready to expand some more.

Why can't Bachmann put a decent transformer in these sets to begin with? If nothing else, maybe do an OEM agreement with MRC to put 1300's or 1370's in the set the way Walther's Trainline does in theirs.

Len

Just wondered if the pre-Bachmann purchase loco lifetime warranty issue has been "ruled on" yet?

Len

A complete explanation of those stupid labes can be found on the Aristo-Craft site at:

http://www.aristocraft.com/articles/warning%20label/index.html

Basically California passed a law that can have major impacts on businessess that don't do business in California if one of their customers brings a product into California that doesn't have one of these labels on it. Even though they aren't required in the state where the company does do business. Why this Feds haven't stepped all over this, as it affects interstate business, I have no idea.

Len

Chance,

Both the Atlas and Kalmbach books explain how to create electrical blocks for DC operation of two, or more, trains. It's actually not that hard to start out with DC, and then add a DCC controller either. Even with DCC the electrical blocks can help isolate problems.

Len

Both Kalmbach and Atlas have a number of books and brochures available with small layouts (4x6 & 4& allowing two train operation.

You can also download the free RTS software from the Atlas web page and plan your own layout. The only major differences between the Atlas track geometry and EZ-Track is the 30deg crossing, and the starting point of the curved diverging rail in the remote switches. But that's fairly minor.

You can get a quick look at the sectional track layouts in the Atlas books at:

http://www.atlasrr.com/Code100web/index.htm

Some additional layouts using Tru-Track, similar to EZ-Track are at:

http://www.atlasrr.com/WebTrue-Track/index.htm

Len

Using a 90deg crossing you will need:

90deg Cross - 1
3in straights - 8
9in straights - 4
18inR curves - 18

Attach a 2in straight included with the 90deg crossing to each leg.
Attach two 3in straights to each leg.
Attach one 9in straight to each leg.
Connect nine 18in radius curves between two adjacent legs of the crossing.
Connect the remaining 18in radius curves between the remaining legs of the crossing.

You now have one each figure-8 that will fit on a 4'x8' sheet of plywood if you are so inclined.

Len

These all sound like great ideas, but...they are all things that will add to the cost of these locos if implemented.

And one of the things that made Williams attractive to many people, including myself, was the fact you got a great running basic locomotive for much less than "the other guys" that often included things you may not have needed just to get the loco you wanted.

Please don't drive off the primary customer base for Williams equipment by turning it into clones of everyone elses stuff.

Len

"The EZtrack system is not exclusively for DCC"

Actually, when used to cross between two loops the #6 crossover was designed specifically for use on DCC layouts. If you want to run seperate trains on each loop on a straight DC layout, the crossover has to be modified to add the appropriate isolation gaps in the rails and under roadbed connections.

How to do this gets asked fairly often here, and The Bach-man points people to David Harrison's web page. What I don't understand is why, as this has been getting asked almost since the day the crossovers were first released, Bachmann doesn't include the instructions in the box?

Or better yet, manufacture it with the gaps in place for DC operation, and include jumpers for those using DCC to bridge the gaps with.

Len

Chuff,

Where are you getting this, "To start with, most of today's power supplies are DCC, not DC, and it reads in AC on a multimeter.", from??

That doesn't jibe with the monthly sale report for the LHS my repair shop is colocated with. It shows for every DCC system they sell, 6 to 8 DC power packs go out the door.

While there are a lot more DCC users than there used to be, they are by no means the majority of HO and N model railroaders.

Len

Chuff,

I don't think DC is going anywhere for quite a while. DCC is still a relatively small part of the hobby. And there are too many folks out there, especially beginners, that don't want to deal with the cost and/or complexity of DCC. And by 'complexity' I don't mean the wiring, I mean the decoder installation and programming.

Len

After all this time, I still don't understand why Bachmann doesn't include instructions on how to convert these cross-overs for non-DCC use in the box.

Len