Well, I Did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Thanks to you guys.

HO 2’ X 8’ switching shelf layout 50’s era industrial. I ordered the Bachmann EZ DCC for $62. and the BLI SW-7 Switcher W sound for $125. I think they are great prices. The only problem is I don’t have any track laid yet!!! What can I say![:O] I do have the code 83 flex track and 10 turn outs and I do have the track plan, in fact I have the roadbed laid. I thought long and hard about using any roadbed at all on top of the 2 inch foam and in the end decided to use the Wood land Scenes for even more sound proofing. I like it quiet! When done, I hope it looks good!

Thanks again for all your help, DON

P.S. Yes, I have had big layouts in the past. Now I am down to keeping everything as simple as possible. The reason for the cheap Bachmann DCC. Because of the size of the layout, I will only be running one loco at a time.

2

Congrats, Please keep us posted on progress. Kevin

3

I’ve never priced the EZ DCC system but you got an excellent price on the BLI SW-7. I got a pair of them several years ago and they both look and run great. I think you will be very happy with yours. I also think you made a wise choice for a DCC system. With such a simple layout, I see no reason to spend big bucks on the higher end systems.

4

Welcome to the world of DCC & sound. Don, if you are gonna buy a 2nd DCC or DCC/Sound loco, don’t have them on the same tracks at the same time on your layout.

5

Luke,

I assume by your statement that you are implying that, because the E-Z Command is only a 1-amp system, it can’t handle an additional locomotive. Not necessarily so.

I ran up to 3 newer DCC locomotives simultaneously on my 4 x 8 layout with my E-Z Command and experienced no power problems. And one of those locomotives had sound.

It depends entirely on the current draw of each locomotive and sound decoder. Don may actually be able to run another DCC locomotive, or even one equipped with sound. Luke, I have a friend who has a brass UP turbine that pulls so much current when it’s running, even your Zephyr might have problems pulling it.

Tom

6

Tom, he would have to run them both on 03. I believe you cannot program on a EZ-Command.

7

Luke,

You’re right that you can’t “program” using the E-Z Command. However, the E-Z Command has room for 10 locomotive addresses: 9 DCC and one DC.

Don’s BLI SW7 comes with DCC and sound. He has 8 other DCC addresses still available to him on his E-Z Command, as well as 8 sound functions.

Tom

8

Luke, I believe Tom is right. I have additional addresses I can use and with DCC I can use the same track. Since I am modeling the 50"s, my next purchace will be a small Steam Engine , DCC and sound. The thing thats nice about the 50"s, its a transition era and you can have both.

By the way, Thanks for the nice comments. Photos will be coming!

DON

9

Good deal! Please post photos when you get a chance. It struck as funny while I was read this post, guys strive to make their layouts quiet and then add sound to their loco [%-)]. I’m not knocking anyone for putting in sound, I jsut have an off-beat sense of humor and wanted to share.