I agree with jWard. And in most cases, if the layout isn't really complicated, a simple switch over of engines and power supply is all that's needed to go DCC. In fact, some use a double pole double throw switch wired in and can run either way.

 I was born into Santa Fe. My Mothers father was killed when she was 12. He had his legs run over during a switching accident. My grandmother remarried a Square headed Pennsylvania Dutchman who had worked the steel mills in Pittsburg but got on with the pennsy and eventually the Santa Fe where he met and married my grandmother who had 3 kids (not something that was done during that era). My Great uncles (on my maternal grandmothers side) also worked for the Santa Fe to support their dryland farming habits, IIRC 5 of the 7 uncles worked Santa Fe. My uncle on my mothers side worked Santa Fe during summers in HS, then went to the army for 4 years and at age 22 back to the Santa Fe until retirement. From the time I was born until I was in my 40's I never lived more than a couple of blocks from a SF rail including thru HS where they were stopped less then 50 ft from my front door for crew change. I lived in a small town and if you wanted a snack after 10:00 pm the rail station had machines for the crews (sleeping accommodations up until the 80's). Many of the residents had an old caboose that were used to rent to RR employees on overnight stays and some later became storage sheds and workshops. My mothers cousin worked the car shop and his dad was retired SF. He knew all the yard hands and engineers/brakemen so snuck me in a few times for rides in engines and caboose (highly illegal and against the rules). Summers, from the time I was about 6, I would ride the passenger train to visit my grandparents in Canadian Tx (my grandfather knew all the conductors so I always had supervision if needed). To this point in my life I have seldom lived so far from the tracks that I couldn't hear the horn and after living right on the tracks for 8 years during JHS/HS I had a hard time sleeping if I didn't hear an engine and horn during the night. I had trains as a kid but after the "GIRL" thing kicked in, other things took priority but now that life has slowed, I needed a hobby for the winter months, not many car shows/cruise ins in the winter.

 There's a group on fb that does a lot of MOW vehicles. IIRC it's Budget HO scale models. There are other groups for different manufacturers there also. Also a lot of scratch builders and kitbashers.

 How do I reset a Bachmann Decoder? I'm using a NCE Powercab if that makes a difference. I had a power outage and get nothing from either of the two locos now.

EZ mate has a list of which couplers to use for which type car. They also have an online detailed procedure. Sorry, I don't have a link. Another option is to set up an adapter car. Put the EZ mate on one end and leave the horn hook on the other and it will bridge the difference.

Warflight, SCARM also has the ability to model houses, buildings terrain and even landscape (trees). Once you get comfortable with the trackplan part there are some tutorials for the other. In fact there are tutorials for the trackplnning.

Thanks Hunt. I was over there writing down the numbers so I could make a spreadsheet while you were posting. I hope I can school myself to keep an inventory of what I have and add to it as I acquire track. That way I can always check to see what I need to order to build the next greatest layout.

Thanks Terry, that helps some. I was hoping for with the part number since I'm not always seeing radii, but that may just be my vision. I guess I can use this and add part numbers from the Bachmann site. I'm actually wanting to determine if I have the pieces I need to put together a new track layout before I take down the old. If I have part numbers with what I have then I will only need to buy (and I may have enough) the track pieces to fill in the gaps, if that makes sense.

 Is there an inventory list for EZ track? I want to come up with a list of what I have and decide whether to add pieces to reconfigure a track plan without having to take up the current one. If I have them, no problem but I hate to be without a layout (even though tamp) while I wait for p[ieces to arrive.

There's another thread that is all on 4X8 track plans, should be in the last few
days of posts. It has a few. That seller is proud of his stuff.

 One of these on tuning or making Bachmann turn outs perform better would be very helpful.

 I'm using a NCE unit also. My advice is to read the manuals on the ones that have the features(ability to change CV's or whatever ones you need) and compare them. If you belong to a club (or have one nearby) you may want to see what they use since they are close to help with problems( but they will probably only know on the system they use). NCE was easiest for me to understand, the price was right and it had features that Bachmann didn't.

That's how my temporary setup is wired.

 I don't know if I would convert a modern Bachmann. I can usually buy a DCC with sound cheaper than I can add it.I might feel different if I owned more than one without DCC. I have bought a couple junk locos to repower and upgrade, but I paid like $5 each and felt like I could afford to play with the cost of a repower and decoder.

Bachmann switches use two wires input, they are auxiliary terminals on some power packs/transformers. They bring power to the switch (not the turnout, the electrical switch( those can be "ganged" with the power going to one switch and the connection(side by side) will power a row of switches. The 3 wire hookup goes to the Turn out solenoid. The switch then powers one end or the other of the solenoid making it bi-directional. You will ne an auxiliary power source to power them. Some power packs have both ac/dc outputs. I use DCC but run my turnout switches off of the original power pack. Bachmann has diagrams and directions that will get your switches hoked up right but until you can power them.... you're stuck.