Quote from: Jim Banner on May 19, 2011, 02:44:52 PM
May I suggest that you try programming your 4-8-4 to address 03 before doing anything radical.  A new decoder is supposed to be set to address 03 but that is no guarantee that it actually is.  Use your E-Z Command and the instructions in your manual for programming a locomotive with an unknown address.

Another test you can perform without opening up anything is to attempt to run the locomotive on address 10 using your E-Z Command.  This is normally used for running locomotives that have no decoder installed and while it generates a dc voltage, it does so by stretching some of the DCC pulses.  The presence of DCC pulses will prevent a locomotive with a decoder from converting to dc operation so if your locomotive runs on address 10, it does not have a decoder installed.

I agree with not opening the locomotive to check out the decoder but only because the decoder is located in the tender.  Swapping decoders to change performance characteristics is so common that I would be very surprised if Bachmann would refuse to honour their warranty just because you opened the tender.  If you have any doubts about this, give the service department a ring  and ask.  (If you are in the UK, then by all means make use of the time difference - call late enough to get night rates but early enough to catch Bachmann still open.)

Jim

hi jim,

i'm located at auckland, new zealand and i think we don't have a bachmann representative here. i'm not going to do anything yet and will not try to swap the decoder and still awaiting reply from thefavoritespot. i'm surprise as they still didn't reply to me back. normally when i asked for an invoice for combine shipping they replied back within 30mins!

Quote from: poliss on May 19, 2011, 09:35:10 AM
Are you in the Uk and did you buy from a retailer based in the UK? Was the loco brand new? If so, contact the seller and tell them the problem to arrange for return and replacement. It is up to them to pay for all postage when an item is faulty.
Do not open the loco and attempt to repair it yourself as this will invalidate your guarantee.

i'm in new zealand and yes the loco is brand new. i bought them from a factory authorized dealer in ebay (thefavoritespot). in fact this is my third locomotive from them.

emailed them last night and still awaiting their reply. ok i won't try to swap decoder.

the lights came on for a short while before totally went off. yes the 4-8-4 is a new locomotive so by default it should be on address 3.
i'm too exhausted to keep trying... been trying for the past 4 hrs. really hope my student allowance won't go down the drain with a faulty new 4-8-4
 

Sorry guys but I need some advice again.

Just received my 2 new steam locomotives from mail this morning. I bought Bachmann Spectrum 2-10-2 Chicago & Illinois and Bachmann 4-8-4 New York Central. Both locomotives are new.

Spectrum 2-10-2 works perfectly without any problems. But the other Bachmann 4-8-4 won't work on DCC at all. Tried 2 different controllers, Bachmann E-Z Command and Hornby Select and still same result, not responding. At first the front light lights up but it just won't go when I pressed address number 3. After a while the front/rear lights no longer working. Not only that I tried it on 2 separate programming tracks and still I can't get it to work on DCC. Checked the plugs and got them into correct position and I'm pretty sure I pushed them hard into the slot too. Then I tried to run that 4-8-4 using a normal DC analogue controller and it works perfectly.

Does this mean the 4-8-4 faulty? Could anyone please advice?

Thank you

Quote from: Nathan on May 15, 2011, 08:28:30 AM
Rule #1:  This is MY Railroad.

Rule #2:  If you see anything you do not like, see Rule #1.

seriously i do agree with you there!

i attended my first swapmeet recently with a friend and he's like a mentor to me. i bought quite a number of items during that swapmeet and when i was about to get some athearn northern pacific passenger coaches, he immediately responded by saying you don't have a northern pacific locomotive which really caught me by surprise. he's very particular about train companies running during certain era on his layout and he don't simply go out and get anything which doesn't belong to his choice of period. in the end i just went ahead and bought all 7 passenger coaches because to me, i don't have the extra fund to be picky and i just grab what ever i like most and most importantly affordable to my current financial situation. well in the end of the day we are the one who enjoy most on our layout so yes, this is MY railroad

Quote from: odd on May 11, 2011, 09:09:04 PM
will a 46299 bachmann turntable work on a dc system?

the installation manual for DC system is pretty straight forward and you should be fine. according to the manual you need to use the analog controller to control the turntable.

let me know if you want to have a peek at the manual and i'll scan it later.

Quote from: ACY on May 07, 2011, 01:24:20 AM
According to Bachmann the minimum radius is 22 inches for the 4-8-4 and 22 inches for the 2-10-2.

hi acy,

does 3rd radius consider as 22 inches radius? sorry i'm using hornby tracks so it's a bit confusing for me when it comes to 22 inches

sorry guys,

not to be rude but i would like to ask a question related to bachmann 4-8-4 niagara. i'm expecting to receive my first steam locomotive by end of next weekend. in fact i bought 2 steam locomotives; spectrum 2-10-2 and 4-8-4 niagara and i only can keep one. i'm still undecided and what is the minimum radius required to run 4-8-4 niagara?

thank you

Quote from: Jim Banner on April 21, 2011, 10:54:27 PM
Setting the track up on a linoleum covered floor is much better than on a carpet.

If you can deal on eBay, have a look at the seller who uses the name thefavoritespot.  He presently has a number of Bachmann DCC equipped FT A diesel locomotives with a buy it now price of $31.  If you live in the USA, shipping will add about another $10.  This link will take you to just one of his locomotives at this price: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-HO-TRAIN-FT-A-DCC-EQUIPPED-D-RGW-60117-/190512369490?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c5b6c0f52
I have dealt with thefavoritespot many times and have never had a problem.  And I doubt you will find a lower price for a brand new locomotive that has DCC on board.

Jim

yup thefavoritespot is 1 of the most affordable dcc seller available in ebay. i bought my dcc locomotives from them and i'm in new zealand

Quote from: jward on May 01, 2011, 09:03:45 PM
i am guessing the layout is wired according to the instructions in the atlas book? if so, you'll have to cut the flat plug off the red cable, seperate the two wires of the cable, and screw them into the atlas terminals.

when i received my new e-z command controller, it came with extra cables. 1 of them is without any flat plug at the end of it. i used this loose end and attached it to my hornby power track.

so if your e-z command doesn't comes with that loose end cable, just cut off the flat plug  that will do as described by jward  

 I've seen a model train in a shopping mall about 10 years ago. It really caught my attention and would really love to own one. Unfortunately, model train is still way too expensive and very rare in my home country, Malaysia.

I'm in New Zealand at the moment and at last I have my own model train layout since this hobby is quite affordable (not that cheap though) over here in NZ. Pickup this hobby about less than 5 months ago. Since I just got started so DCC is much more easier for me.

For me, I always look at youtube for some ideas on track layout. Also model train magazine doest help too

Thank you

dear administrator/moderator,

am i allow to post a short review on the turntable and some pics on the turntable from my layout?

thank you

Quote from: ACY on April 29, 2011, 12:48:54 AM
I am still pretty sure that the hornby digital select controller is the issue, my reasoning is that as far as I have read, it is not NMRA compliant. See if you can borrow/acquire a different DCC system/controller (like a Bachmann E-Z Command, which you can get cheaper than any other system). I am pretty sure that your turntable is not defective/faulty.

hi ACY,

yes you are absolutely right! switched my hornby select controller with another bachmann e-z command controller and turntable is working perfectly! replug the earlier MRC decoder which i thought was the main culprit and guess what, turntable is still working perfectly. so the problem is the hornby digital select controller refuses to work along with the bachmann turntable.

took me 2 days to get the turntable working and not only that cost me additional $$$ too. but again, it's a good lesson for me

again, i would like to thank everyone here that helped me to "troubleshoots" the problem 

Quote from: the Bach-man on April 28, 2011, 10:14:28 PM
Dear Judge,
Make sure that the lead track comes in at the fourth position as shown in the diagram.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

lead track does connected onto the 4th track. but sadly, even though with a new bachmann decoder 44915 the turntable is still not working in my dcc (please refer to my earlier post).

does bachmann have any authorized dealer in new zealand? the reason i bought this new motorized turntable was because it says dcc ready and i didn't expect it to be so troublesome. as for now it has cost me 2 dcc locomotive decoders and still a new non-functional bachmann motorized turntable.

well i was expecting a good outcome after getting a new bachmann 44915 decoder but still everything still the same, turntable doesnt work.

Quote from: Yardmaster on April 28, 2011, 06:56:21 PM
The plug on the board is designed to accept an NMRA compliant decoder. I believe the decoder could be the culprit. You shouldn't have any problems if you install a Bachmann NMRA compliant DCC decoder item # 44915  http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1466 .
We've had addressing issues in the past with non-NMRA compliant equipment. Check to see if the decoder your using is NMRA compliant.

If you still have problems after installing the Bachmann decoder I would suggest a call to the service department. We will help you figure it out.
I've run these under DCC at various shows and the product performs really well!

the earlier MRC decoder the one that i ordered together with the turntable is NMRA compliant.

just bought a new bachmann decoder and plugged it into the turntable. power track connected to 4th track on turntable. the moment i turned power on onto my hornby digital select the turntable spins nonstop. i can't control it at all. the motor just spin nonstop and turntable kept turning.

what is wrong with the turntable? the first decoder doesn't response on my dcc layout. now with a new replacement bachmaan decoder 44915 installed the motor just spins nonstop and i got no control on it at all. i am pretty much sure followed everything exactly as shown in the bachmann manual.

could bachmann please help me out?