New Bachman HO Engine Runs slow on Bachman EZ track

[chuckpiot]

Bought our first ez track and EMD GP 40 DCC sound equipped locomotive. Put together the track and added loco. It runs slow, like half anticipated speed. Train only starts at half throttle and moves slow at full throttle. We are using a Tek Ampack 780 transformer.   Please help. Thanks! 

[Len]

DCC equiped locomotives normally expect to see a constant 12V DCC signal on the track. When operating DCC equiped locomotives using a DC power pack the decoder is looking for at least 5V on the track before it passes any power to the motor. This means the throttle on a DC power pack has to be turned considerably higher to get a DCC locomotive moving than a straight DC locomotive.

If the PCB has an 8-pin socket for the decoder, you can replace the decoder with a dummy plug tna it will operate at the lower voltages of a regular DC locomotive.

Len

[chuckpiot]

Thank you len!
Is it possible to achieve a constant 12V DCC signal on the track?
Thanks, again!

[chuckpiot]

One more question, what is a "dummy plug tna"? Thanks, again!

[Len]

It's not just a constant 12V on the track, it's 12V with a DCC signal provided by any of the many DCC systems available. A 'dummy plug' replaces the decoder and connects the socket holes as shown on the right here:



A quick look using the key DCC DUMMY PLUG in the search engine of your choice should bring up several places to purchase one. Or you can use small gauge solid wire to connect the socket holes together as shown in the picture.

Len

[jward]

Thank you len!
Is it possible to achieve a constant 12V DCC signal on the track?
Thanks, again!

Yes, if you're using a DCC command station. If you're running DC analog as you are, speed is controlled by varying track voltage. 12v on the track without a DCC command station to tell the locomotive what to do will result in your locomotive taking off at full speed.

One more question, what is a "dummy plug tna"? Thanks, again!

A dummy plug is used in place of a decoder, to jumper the pins in a socket and effectively convert the locomotive to DC. In order to do this, the decoder must be unplugged, and any functions of the decoder are lost. In this case, you would lose the sound effects that I assume were the reason you bought the locomotive in the first place.