I made the jump too DCC on the B line with a E-Z. Yes I like it, make’s controling the sound way easyer on the BL 1 Steamers. A is still DC with MRC 9500 for power.
E-Z with 1 amp will handle say 2 engines max with sound, but B-line is only around 106 feet of rail so two engines is about the max.
Why and what will I get when I move up besides more power? When I up grade after the new K-10 mining company is added (named after K-10 trains LHS) what should I look at and why? I like simple, and the E-Z is that.
T-Stage, why did you up grade and what did you get out of it? Plus thank you so much helping me with the jump as well.
Cuda Ken
PS
On a side note, do not sell cheap short. My War Baby GS-4 Bachmann with some tweeks is pulling 21 cars up a 2% grade.
I’m a newbie less than 2 weeks in and I’m really enjoying my cheap and easy E-Z Command too. It got me off my n-scale for now and running all HO since that is all I’ve been able to find in cheap DCC locos.
I’m just curious how your sound is working with only F0-F8? Do most units with sound stay within this range? I thought I saw a 24 function sound engine. Would that mean you would lose 2/3 of your sound options with this setup?
T-stage didn’t realy move up he installed a new booster(SB3) with more power at a fraction of what it would have cost to go to the next system. The SB3 moves the power up from the Powercabs 1.7 amps to the SB3’s 3 amps and enables him to move the Powercab from panel to panel. It also allows for 4 cabs instead of 2, run more trains or add sound, the available functions go up to 28( more than we know what to do with ).
You did what I thought I would do that is buy the cheap system and after getting my feet wet want to expand. There are many very nice systems out there, some are expandable all the way into a full system(matter of your needs) some are a bit restictive.Unfortunately I don’t think the Bachman can expand at all. You already have experienced the teathered throttle so that may be one of your desires in your next system, but you realy should consider carefully your future needs.
Tek34, yes. If your DCC system has only 12 functions while running a 24 function loco you will only be able to run those 12 finctions, but I believe you can remap the decoder to run the desired functions ( those YOU want ) to run within those 12 functions.
spidge, Tom let his DCC EZ-Command go to the originator of this thread, so he doesn’t use it. He did, in fact, upgrade to NCE nearly a good year ago, IIR, and has publicly and happily not looked back.
Most Sound/DCC engine fuctions can be accessed via the F0-F8 range of functions. All you really need is the headlight/whistle/bell for the most part. The air compressor/rod clank/coupler clank/etc are just icing on the cake.
Bachmann has finally announced cabs/boosters in the past year so you can expand the basic system.
Bachmann E-Z is a good system for what it does. They are supposed to announce a new full function DCC system that is coming. You may want to use your system for awhile, getting more familiar with what it can or cannot do, and then after seeing what Bachmann is going to offer, you can decide on upgrades, or maybe an entirely different system
With Tom’s choice of NCE Power Cab he can eventually work his way up to a full blown system, including radio throttles. There are many good systems. You just have to decide what best fits your layout and how you like to run it. I wouldn’t rush into an upgrade but would first do a lot of studying of what’s out there.
Ken, if I were you I would go with a Digitrax system and get it from your friends at K-10. Ken and the gang at K-10 have a ton of Digitrax experience and you will then have the advantage of local support should you need it. I got my Zephyr from K-10 and never once regreted it. Then if you decide to add a walk around throttle you can use the throttle on the K-10 layout as well!
Agree with Simon. The Bachmann system is a great way to get into DCC cheap, but it’s fairly limited and the expansion options they offer seem rather hokey. Best bet when you decide to move up to more is to do what Simon recommended, replace the Bachmann system and like Tom, pass it on to the next guy to get them started in DCC. Hmm, Tom’s old Bachmann could be like the MR Boxcar - passed around the country getting more people onboard with DCC.
I’m glad to hear that you got the E-Z Command in the mail safe and sound, and that you are enjoying it. [tup] I was wondering if you had gotten it or not.
As mentioned, I upgraded from the E-Z Command to the NCE Power Cab. The year that I had to play around and learn on the Bachmann was not wasted and I have no regrets for entering DCC that way. The year was spent running trains and reading and learning what I wanted in my next DCC system.
Ken, the main reason for upgrading was that I wanted to be able to access and adjust CVs (configuration variables) and eventually program via computer port. (Still awaiting on the latter. [sigh]) I also liked the intuitiveness of the Power Cab, how the buttons are laid out, and the “portability” of the it, albeit tethered.
Now with the addition of the Smart Booster, I:
Increase my total power output from 1.7A to 3A
Have a true (unteathered) “walkaround” system
Increase my # of functions from 13 to 29
As usual, Simon and Randy have given you solid advice. I agree. If your LHS sells and supports Digitrax, really knows its merchandise, and you like dealing with them, IMO you should seriously go that route.
Ya’ know, Randy maybe onto something. “E-Z Command last seen just east of St. Louis…powering a Bachmann GS-4 War Baby…“pulling 21 cars up a 2% grade”…headed for Cincinnati…” [(-D]
It’s still tethered right? Can’t you now unplug and plug in again at another location without shuting the system down, but you still have to be plugged in somewhere?
Tom, I would not mind passing it around when the time comes. You know if the retailers where smart that might offer something in a way of a trade in credit for your working system and do the same way.
Few things that I don’t like or understand.
1 My PK E-6’s will not run on the E-Z. They are still DC, is it there DC board that is installed? They only pull a 1/4 of a amp on the MRC 9500.
2 Cannot get the speed balanced between the two engines so they don’t gain on each other on the B line. Can get them close but not perfect. In fact as I was posting the GE Dash 8-40 C ran into the back of the Class J drag.
I am not in a hurry, need to buy decoders and a few more sound engines before I get another DCC set up.
I might get the Bachmann E-Z 5 amp power supply if I can ever find out there cost, so far I have not. I want to be able to run both the A, B and up coming C line with the E-Z.
The one thing that might spur me into the next section, I want to be able to have a radio controled thottel!
Sorry, Jerry. You are correct. The Power Cab IS still tethered. The SB3 allows you to plug and unplug into and from the UTP panels located around the layout. It should read instead as:
Are you running the E-6 on address 10? That’s the DC address button.
Yea, the consist feature is pretty spartan. Unless you can match the speed curves of your locomotives, you are stuck with how they run. (One of the advantages of a more sophisticated DCC system: Adjusting CVs) The E-Z Command will only allow you to program the locomotives to the same address.
Ken, I did a Google search and found prices ranging from $153-$185 for the Bachmann 5-amp booster. For that price you could and should look at a more sophisticated DCC system.
If you’re thinking Digitrax, the Zephyr would definitely be in that ballpark price range, is a nice starter system to get you going, and is VERY expandable. The NCE Power Cab is slightly cheaper, with a cost of $140 at discount.
Ken, take you time in figuring out and choosing your next DCC system. Enjoy the E-Z Command for what it is - limitations and all. In the meantime, do your homework, figure out what YOU want and need in your next DCC system, and save your pennies for a better system - whenever that will be. Decoders are fairly reasonable investments: Ranging anywhere from $12-25,
I was at a shop that sells those 5 AMP boosters this afternoon and never thought to look at the price of them. I was actually glad to see that they had some. One of the Only shops I know locally that stock any Bachman stuff.
I picked up the ATSF 4-8-4 with DCC today for a GREAT Price! I only hope it runs as well as it looks!
BEMF or Back EMF stands for Back Electromagnetic Force. I’ll leave it to someone else to give you the technical definition. On a simplistic level, if you want a locomotive that is great at low speed respond (critical in switchers), you want a decoder that has Back EMF or BEMF.