Quote from: Kris Everett on December 31, 2010, 08:52:07 PM
ok i got a really cheap way to fix your problem and any body that runs on 22v volts can do this.
Just to clue you in i am studying to be an electrician so im not talking out my rear on this one.

Kris, be careful what you post, I have made erroneous posts before, but I do not recall endangering anyone's life with the information I provided.

The 9 & 3/4ths is a bit tight for some of the locos like the light mountain & the N&W J.

No, you cannot use an Ez-Command or any other DCC system because your locomotives do not have DCC and would not function very well if you installed DCC. Try getting a larger DC power source that can cover all three locos and isolate your layout into blocks,

Some will, but it will not look good, nor will it run particularly good. Bachmann recommends a minimum radius of 22 inches for this loco.

Those numbers are not part numbers, so I am, sorry I can't help you out. The track is likely one of the following: 15" radius, 18" radius, or 22" radius.

Unless you are an expert, just stick to regular DCC, Adding sound would be a big hassle, because there just isn't really enough space.

Chances are good that there would be damage to the loco or the track. Buy him a wooden Thomas set to tie him over until he is old enough to operate them electrically.

It sounds like it is just the jumper plug, so it bypasses the DCC and allows you to run it on DC.

Because it is 2 days after Christmas and 25% of the boys in the USA probably got a Bachmann train set for Christmas or set one up, they are very busy and this is the worst possible time to get in contact with them. When it is not around Christmas, you can usually get through immediately.

All Bachmann DCC locos have dual mode decoders, but if they had a previous owner, he may have set it to only run on DCC. If you buy a factory new Bachmann DCC Sound loco, it will be set to run on DC & DCC, but will only have very limited sound abilities compared to if it were operated with a DCC system. Get an E-Z Command starter system to get your feet wet and it will allow you to access 8 sound effects and control multiple locos simultaeously.

Did you try to adjust the CVs for start voltage and acceleration.

Also there are decoders that are single mode decoders, so if he bought his locomotive used, it is possible to have a single mode decoder, but not likely. I have seen a few single mode sound decoders around, but don't really see any single mode decoders from back in the early to mid 90's around much any more.

What exactly is the problem, you said it does not run well, why do you think that...is anything happening to cause this that you can see...is it derailing?

You can do that, I never said you couldn't, but unless you are looking for a car only made by TYCO, it is much cheaper to buy a car that comes with metal couplers and wheels and better detail in the first place. Say you pay $4 for a TYCO car, add $3 for a pair of Kadee couplers with boxes, add $3 for 4 metal wheels, and add  $2 for 2 trucks, so now what started as a $4 car is now a $12 car and for the same price or less you can buy Proto 1000, Walthers Gold, Athearn RTR, Atlas Trainman, & Bachmann Silver Series. They all have metal wheels and most of these have metal couplers, or at the very least knuckle couplers. And you can use that time you saved to work on your layout, unless you enjoy upgrading a fleet of TYCO cars, then by all means buy them if that is what you enjoy.

It would probably be best to call the service dept. or email them if you can contact them that way, plus they have no way of knowing who you are currently.