Newbie Questions - Bachmann Starter - add DCC

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I’m a newbie looking to start messing with temporary/seasonal setups. I started with some Bachmann HO and N-scale starter sets with EZ Track, and I eventually want to invest in some better O-scale setups with Fast Track to run my fathers 1956 Lionel hand me down.

1.) I’ve noticed that my Bachmann starter set locos, including a HO EMD FT Diesel, sound like they have more power than they actually show. They sound like some of their internals might be rubbing. Is this normal just because they are underpowered units, or could they need some lubrication? Or is this what is described in the accompaning literature as its “Break-In Period”.

2.) How long of a “Break-In Period” is required with locos before its safe to run them full speed? I’ll admit I went full bore within a few minutes with the starter locos, but I will want to be more conservative with their more expensive replacements.

3.) Is it bad to run more than one DC loco on the same track? Are the consequences with the locos, power packs, track, …?

4.) Can I move to DCC with the EZ Track without having to mess with additional wiring?

5.) Aside from adding DCC locos what else would I need for a temporary, multi engine setup? Do I need the power pack from Bachmann’s E-Z Command Digital Command Control starter set or are their better alternatives?

Thanks in advance for any help, and I hope these questions aren’t too amatuer for this forum.

2

[quote user=“Tek34”]

I’m a newbie looking to start messing with temporary/seasonal setups. I started with some Bachmann HO and N-scale starter sets with EZ Track, and I eventually want to invest in some better O-scale setups with Fast Track to run my fathers 1956 Lionel hand me down.

1.) I’ve noticed that my Bachmann starter set locos, including a HO EMD FT Diesel, sound like they have more power than they actually show. They sound like some of their internals might be rubbing. Is this normal just because they are underpowered units, or could they need some lubrication? Or is this what is described in the accompaning literature as its “Break-In Period”.

Your Warn gear may be slightly out of alignment or worn.

2.) How long of a “Break-In Period” is required with locos before its safe to run them full speed? I’ll admit I went full bore within a few minutes with the starter locos, but I will want to be more conservative with their more expensive replacements.

About 15 min at 50% each way

3.) Is it bad to run more than one DC loco on the same track? Are the consequences with the locos, power packs, track, …?

No, I do that all the time, well, id that, on DCC now, the standard power pack should handle 2-3 at a time or more if you are using accessory power

4.) Can I move to DCC with the EZ Track without having to mess with additional wiring?

Of course! Just disconnect the DC control and hook the DCC feeder in and you are good to go! Seriously, from opening up the DCC box, it takes about 5 min.

5.) Aside from adding DCC locos what else would I need for a temporary, multi engine setup? Do I need the power pack from Bachmann’s E-Z Command Digital Command Control starter set or are their better alternatives?

3

Thanks a lot for the replys.

If I run 2-3 DC locos on the same track, can I plug in a second or third power pack to give them more juice? I’m not sure if that is what you mean by “accessory power”.

4

Yes and No, because it’s DC, the control with the higher voltage and that’s the speed the loco will run! If you need more power, get a bigger power supply with higher ampage. Althogh it says 16VAC but it will run on 16VDC or actually you might want to bump it up an extra volt or 2 if the power pack you find is DC. But if you are just talking about hook up another power supply, then yes, just make sure you got the polarity right.

Unlike DCC, true amp draw cannot be measured accurately because it’s square wave but with DC, you can measure with multimeter quite accurately and then you will know what power rating of the power supply you may need…

5

In DC (or toy train AC), it is a very bad practice to use more than 1 transformer or power pack to power the same section of track. Despite your best efforts, the output voltages cannot be matched exactly. The voltage difference between the power supplies creates what is known as a “fault current” that flows directly from one power supply to the other through the wiring. The fault current path does not have the resistance of the locomotive or the track rails to reduce the current. If breakers are installed in the leg the fault current is occurring in, they should pop as soon as you try to turn on such an arrangement. But in most cases, especially toy train transformers, the circuit breakers are in the common leg, and the “hot” leg, where the fault current is flowing is unprotected. If the fault current does not pop the breaker, it will likely let all the magical smoke out of your power packs as soon as there is more than a volt or so mismatch between the power packs. It could even cause enough heat before the destruction that a fire hazard exists.

The single power pack or transformer must have enough capacity to meet the load. But the real solution is to separate your track into electrical blocks so that a given power pack controls one train where ever it goes on the layout. Each train has its own power pack and engineer. Now, a train can have more than one locomotive provided the power pack can supply enough current (most train set power packs cannot).

DCC uses a similar setup if multiple power boosters are needed. The layout is divided electrically into power districts, each of which has its own power booster (or divides the current from a single large power booster). But again, 2 boosters do not supp

6

Thanks for the thorough explaination and warning about multiple power packs. I hadn’t tried it yet, so all my magical smoke is still in my cheap power packs. Is it possible to set up separate electrical blocks using off the shelf, plastic snap together track like Fast Track or EZ-Track?

I got a good deal on a DCC EZ Commander set so I’ve been able to keep three diesels from colliding on my small HO layout using DCC. I was hoping to use the same equipment in n-scale but acquiring and/or upgrading locos to DCC in N looks pricey so far, so I may stay with DC here for the time being and expand my layout to keep multiple engines safely apart.

7

I’ve not used those types of tracks personally, so I can’t say for sure. However, most every manufacturer of track suitable for beginners has some way to insulate the connection. In normal track without roadbed, you use insulated rail joiners. Insulated rail joiners are rail joiners made of plastic with a small spacer in the center so the 2 rails do not actually touch.

If there is no other solution, covering one of the mating electrical connections between track sections with electrician’s tape should do the job.

The goal is to prevent one rail from conducting from track section to track section. This sets up electrically isolated sections of track normally called blocks. The isolated rail is wired to an Atlas Selector or SPDT toggle switch that allows you to select which power pack will power that block of track.

Atlas and Kalmbach have beginners books on wiring which explain this in more detail, and have decent diagrams.

hope this helps

8

INsulated joiners work just fine on EZ Track.

9

I just cut insulating gaps with my Dremel.