I have to agree that it seems the cheap little point and shoots can take crisper images than some SLRs.

Regarding the washing out of white areas, I am curious, does a polarizer help with that?

Thanks so much!

OK, I know this is probably a dumb question, I just can't find a good answer anywhere online, plus my EZ-Track manual doesn't seem to address this, so here I go...

After playing with model trains for years now, for the first time I want to wire up the remote switch on a DC turnout.

I assume it runs off the AC accessory connection on my cheapie Bachmann throttle, is that right? 16V AC?

Thanks for anyone who can help.

Jim

Used Nikon D100 should cost about $100 these days, I think.

And IMHO the best point made above, get a D-SLR. Between looking through the lens and the superior focus time, plus more manual settings, you will catch a lot more trains.

Many point and shoot cameras get confused by moving trains and won't focus until your shot is gone.

The corrugated and/or uneven sides of many freight cars will also throw off cheaper camera and point-and-shoot automatic zooms.

Quote from: ekwheel on December 03, 2009, 01:11:07 PM
... and believe I'm on the right track. 

Use a pun, go to prison! (for those old enough to remember the Use a gun go to Prison ad campaign, which I haven't seen for a decade or more.)

Quote from: lexon on November 30, 2009, 02:47:30 PM
... if the loco speed is prototypical. do not compare to dc control. there is a possibilty on dc the loco was running too fast.

That's funny, I like to run trains slowly, only up to proto speed, like you. For me, the slower I can make it crawl the better.

But certainly around Xmas there are plenty of kids "running 8" making that train go as fast as they can ;>)

G scale is cool but costs more and takes up space. I have a 40' track running around the living room, it's neat!

Before you decide, if you're simply looking to have something Xmas-like running around the tree, check out the auto-reversing Xmas trolley set.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200407282067&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

NOTE: This is not my listing on Ebay, I have found in nearly all cases these guys have good service and the best price around. As always, caveat emptor, but I've bought several products from them, including the Christmas trolley. It's pretty cool!

Yeah, the max speed of a DCC set is lower than a 12V setup, in my experience.

Personally, having worked in N, HO, On30, O and G scales, I think this would be a great set for Christmas.

It has the best of both worlds, the larger train to please the kids and the flexibility of the HO EZ-Track system.

If your kids want to play with trains after Xmas you can start collecting HO equipment, and just break out the On30 Xmas set once a year. Not being a purist, in my mind it's OK to mix HO and On30, though saying that makes me a heretic.

I agree with Banner's point about On30 being harder to put on the tracks, but it's not that much harder, and IN THEORY you shouldn't have to rerail a new set that often.

The set you mention can be had for around $200? That might seem a little steep for an entry set but it's a Spectrum set, which is Bachmann's higher quality trains.

I think it would be a good purchase. If you just looking for a train, Spectrum quality, at a little better price, check out this Ebay seller, who has the best deals out there. http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-SPECTRUM-ON30-ROARING-RIDGE-TRAIN-SET-25014_W0QQitemZ370297013791QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item56376c061f

Thanks everyone for the fast answers, I appreciate it.

Lex, what you say is interesting, is it purely a voltage issue? I wonder, did you test with the basic cheap Bachmann throttles vs. a Spectrum or a Tech4?

I guess I'm ignorant in this area, is there a "signal quality" issue with DC like with AC?

Jim

Quote from: lexon on November 24, 2009, 03:53:23 PM
the only downside you might say, is you have to turn the controller up higher than you normally would on a dc only loco. usually the loco will not start moving until the voltage is around 7 to 9 volts. If the loco has sound, the sound may start around 5 volts before the loco moves. i have monitored this with a multimeter. your mileage may vary
lex

I did a search for the answer but didn't see a clear answer, forgive me if this has already been addressed.

Are all Bachmann DCC-equipped locomotives able to run on 12V layouts? Is this called a "dual-mode" decoder?

If yes, does anyone know if there are specific exceptions?

I specifically need to run a On30 rail truck on a 12V layout.

Thanks for any help.

Jim

Thanks for the info, the other set is the non-Spectrum set, for a few bucks more I'll stick with higher quality.

I appreciate the link to Walthers, about the same time you posted this an EBay seller, thefavoritespot train shop, replied to say they, like Bachmann, were mistakenly using the same photo for both the United Traction and XMas set.

I know different retailers have various prices, but the variability on this particular set is amazing. I see Walthers has the guts to ask $175 on this set, while I just bought it from the Ebay seller for $80. Even Trainworldonline has it for $99.

I love the Internet, it could be called the Deflation-net.

Thanks again for the info.

Sorry, a very picky question...

In the Holiday Season the Christmas trolley sets must be popular. I was looking at buying one, but I can't reliably figure out which color building and trolley will come with what set.

If you look right here on the Bachmann site, the same photo is shown for:

25016 Village Street Car Set -- United Traction
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=357

and
25017 Village Street Car Set -- Christmas
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=356

Yet in the picture, the printing on the box shows a real Christmas trolley decked out in green and red with decorations, while the actual unit in the box is the tan United Traction trolley.

In addition, there seems to be a red building available with this set on EBay and other places, while the Bachmann site is the only one I've seen to show a beige/tan colored building.

Is there any consistency to these sets? What is the real difference between a 25016 and 25017?

Thanks to anyone who can help clear this up. I'd sure like to get a tan building with the proper green and red Xmas trolley.

Jim

Thanks for everyone's comments, I especially liked Jim Banner's joke about counting.

Where I grew up in Silicon Valley we counted 1,2,3 ... 9, A, B, C, D, E, F, 0

Wow, thanks for the fast response. Yeah, #10, not #9, my bad.

I appreciate the clarification, I will build a separate track for the new set. Hopefully this is seen as a constructive suggestion, perhaps the User Manual for EZ-Command could be updated so it doesn't suggest running a 12V DC locomotive. Granted, it already says not to leave one stationary for extended periods.

Thanks again.