The more I learn from others.........would you kindly post if you found an answer! Thanks in advance! Jim

There are so many decoders for different applications try this google search as I just did for thousands of listings.

stationary decoders model railroad

No don't make a complete loop, don't connect the wires from start to finish. Just dead end the wires with a wire nut on each wire. Jim

EZ Command is just that! It's the easiest, simple, the less costly of all the DCC systems available on the market. No you won't get "all" the individual sounds available on a decoder with EZ Command. I recently asked a question on this and other sites of how many use all the available functions on their throttles. Now these are the more expensive more or less complete systems costing $500-$600.
The most common response was the bell and the horn. I've been using EZ Command for 7 years and still don't use the few other sound functions that I could use with EZ Command. I normally run up to 4 trains with all 4 in a consist of 2 loco's, I have and can run as many as 6, but it gets downright confusing. Now understand you can't do that without the 5amp booster. You are lucky if you can run 2 sound loco's with the 1 amp power supply. Some sound decoders are real hogs for power! Now I can't remember what loco is on what address let alone what button to push for the individual sound and or light functions. And not all decoders use a standard of what button does what, most do stay within the recommendations of NMRA standards, but not all!

For instance Function 4 on one of my decoders enables pop-off drier and starts compressor/airpump. On Function 4 on another different decoder n 4 dims my headlight, and on a still yet different decoder Function 4 operates on/off for my ditch lights on a loco. I have sound decoders that you can hear the engineer unlock the cab, who'd a thought. Other decoders have farm animal sounds, still others have "all aboard" from the conductor. It gets crazy and I personally believe a gimmick to sell a product, just my opinion.

Bachmann sells loco's with sound that are extremely affordable for the few that are available at this time. I've paid more just for a decoder than Bachmann sells for a complete locomotive with the sound already installed. Bachmann DCC systems are a bargain and again easy to set up and operate in DCC with no hassles's. There are other systems that have a much more complete program and function capabilities but for much more $$$. But I'm not interested in spending several hundred dollars more so I can hear a rooster crow or listen to steam safety blowoff. No on the contrary I even enjoy function 8 MUTE! No sound at all, just the whining of the electric motor and the metal wheels on the track. And I appreciate Bachmann making this hobby with DCC simple, and ez to use for the price of it. Jim

Ray I understand your post and I don't see the "tone" as attacking anybody. Like you said:
"This is an excellent forum - fulled with knowledgeable folks who truly want to help. I will endeavor to keep the same standards."

I think most all feel the same way. I've received tons of useful information on this site in the past 7 years. Talking about what we do to make our pikes run trouble free and easier ways to do it by finding out what others are doing. Experiencing situations and problem solving from our own experiences and telling others. I've never learned anything from my attributes or things that come natural, but I've learned a great deal from my failures and wrong decisions I made throughout my life.

This dirty track issue has been around a long time, forever, I suppose. I remember it back in the 50's when I too was a youngster, and as I got older and NS hit the market, the same problem still exists. My theories are sometimes far fetched, but I would like to explain my true thoughts. Metal wheels are scratching the rails, no matter, on curves and I'm sure even on straight runs the wheels are spinning and slide from side to side, it doesn't take much for this action to scratch the rails.

I used to think and still have reservations about being right about plastic wheels doing the same action as metal when we run our trains. But the strange issue I have is how come there is so much gunk accumulated on them, my theory is that it's actually picking up the gunk made up of various particulates especially metallic and they , the metallic particulates are attracted to the plastic via charged electrically static magnetic force. I no longer think the plastic wheels are so evil, on the contrary, I believe now they aid in keeping my track clean by picking up the gunk. When I clean them the gunk sort of stays together, like a solid compacted ring and peels off. That's another reason it's important for me to clean wheels as opposed to track more often than the track itself, so I have plastic wheels on a few cars for each train. It seems to be working out OK for me!

Another thing that occurs when we operate our trains is the force of metal to metal is "work hardened" where the metal becomes hard and forms tiny microscopic cracks. I don't thank it would be an issue with model railroading, but I do consider it sometimes. I worked in a wire drawing facility for a few years, I'm not a metallurgist, by no means, but do have some knowledge of what happens to metal if not properly maintained.

I'm sure most if not all, will disagree with my theory and it's OK! Just my thoughts and what I do seems to be working! Jim

Notice none of the above posters said anything about using any abrasives such as bright boy, scotch bright, or railroad cleaning cars. I have never used any abrasives on my track and I have some brass but mostly 90% ns. I have Bachmann EZ track for my subway and it's both ns and steel (22" curves).  I run DCC which is more sensitive to dirty track and wheels. I have replaced most of my rolling stock with metal wheels, but still have plastic wheels on some. My layout has been up for 7 years and still growing 11'X17'. I have cleaned my track maybe 4 times in 7 years using Flitz metal polish and occasionally I do use 91% alcohol both the alcohol and Flitz are applied with soft cloth cleaning rags from old t shirts or flannel shirts. I use the alcohol maybe every 3 months. There are areas I cannot reach in mountain areas up to 5', and girder covered bridge's up to 3' long that have never been cleaned except when I closed the mountain tops, I do have some excess but can't reach it all, no problems though. I too use a tiny bit of oil on my track, it's singer sewing machine oil applied with a soft cloth to rails at a rate of about 2 drops per 10 feet of track and only maybe 4 times in 7 years also. And like the above posters I also clean my wheels when needed and again maybe 4 times in 7 years. And I do have plastic wheels on a few of my cars. The only proven method I use is similar to the above posters but again I will not apply abrasives of any kind to my track. Jim

I am curious as to how many model railroaders actually use all the function buttons when operating one train or 3-6 trains for a session. QSI, I believe, has the most functions for sound and or lights, 17 at the present time and I've read somewhere where they are adding 2 more functions.

Most throttles have 10 function buttons and some have 27, correct me if I'm wrong,

my throttle has 10, I still use Bachmann EZ Command after 7 years. I mostly use the default buttons such as:

1-bell

2-horn/whistle

3-loco addressing

4-ditch lights (remapped, not defalult)

8-mute

9-dim light

10- light/lights on/off

I don't use all the function buttons for all the sounds/functions available on a decoder. Though I know how limited I am with my throttle. Even when I program using PR3/JMRI their throttles too only have 10 function buttons. I assume that using other throttles,Dynamis, Digitrax, NCE for example would have something on the screen such as touch for the remaining functions. I really can't remember all the function's on my decoders whether it's Bachmann, QSI, Soundtraxx, Tsunami, or Digitrax.

The only other function button I use is #4 for my ditch/mars lights, I remapped so I could remember what function button to use.

Do any users really use more than the bell, horn/whistle and the light function buttons when operating or am I really alone. I do run 3-4 trains with 2 loco consist's on my 11'x17' layout but can run up to 6. It seems that running even 2-3 trains and trying to apply all the different functions is almost impossible. Heck I can't really remember what loco is on what address, let alone the functions for it.

LOL, I've never sent text messages with my cell phone either, maybe it's just the younger generations that can move their fingers and mind that fast, at 68 I sure can't.

Thanks in advance, Jim

I wish I had a buck for every time I said anything positive and put up with ton's of grief from those that more than don't like Bachmann on other sites. I haven't purchased any of the new sound loco's from Bachmann, but I plan on it from the reviews I have read about.

Just nice to visit a site that's not ALL against Bachmann!
Jim

By the way JMRI is a free software program that can be used for any DCC system

One of the things I like about is what I just did this morning. I hardwired a decoder in an older analog loco that I converted to DCC over the weekend. I have installed the same decoder in another loco in October and tweeked and programmed the decoder back then to my liking. Today I put the loco I just converted this weekend on the program track, went to JMRI in my computer, found the loco I programmed back in Oct. Hit the button "write changes on sheets", 2 minutes later I now programmed the loco the same as was done 6 months ago, a little bit of tweeking cv's and it runs great. Didn't have to change each cv one at a time. Now ain't that something! GREAT! Jim

Almost like what's been said by above, I started out with EZ Command and still use it 7 years later. Retired for 7 years and on a fixed income. I did however upgrade my EZ Command with the purchase of the Bachmann 5 amp booster and I also installed 3 Bachmann auto reverse units for my loops 2 of which are hidden in my subway.

I purchased the Digitrax PR3 and installed JMRI so I can program cv's for fine tuning my loco's and sound for an additional $75.00. Some sound decoders have choices of bells, whistle's, horns, different lighting functions, mars, ditch lights, cab lights, gyro, and more. What's great about JMRI as compared to the top of the line other DCC systems is that I keep a log in the JMRI program of the cv changes I have made for each loco, and I have 38 entry's. It's better than spread sheets or scraps of paper tossed about. Even those that have the "other" DCC systems also have and use JMRI to keep a log and for the simplicity of programming cv's and sound! I am learning more about JMRI as I want to run my layout using a computer.

As we all know you can only run 9 trains with EZ and single digit address's only, LOL I run 3 or 4 trains that's enough for me to handle on my 11'x17' layout with 2 loco consist's for each train, I can however run 6 trains, but it gets confusing. Keep in mind you can't run that many trains especially with sound and/or consist's without the 5amp booster no matter what "other" entry level system you have.

You are limited to some of the funtions up to 10 for sound and or lighting functions. LOL, I can't remember all the sounds available on some of my sound decoders and what button to push anyhow. I use the bell, horn and light functions, the rest I don't bother with much. EZ also comes with addtional cards in hand control for additional loco address's and it's easy to consist with EZ Command also there are some useful video's on you tube
for EZ Command and Dynamis.

LOL if I had a choice of upgrading to one of the other systems for roughly $600 for a start, I would instead buy a Big Boy with sound and another 2-6-6-2 given the choice. I am very satisfied with what I got!
Thanks Bachmann for making this hobby simple, affordable, and enjoyable for me! Jim

$214.29 at "The Favorite Spot". When you go to manufacturer's sites or buy direct from any or most manufacturer, you pay top dollar. Here's a link to The Favorite Spot with the Pro Box, he's a Bachmann dealer in Texas and Ray is the kind of guy who will talk to you on the phone if you need to call him, over 130,000 sales on eBay with 99% feedback and he is a very fast shipper! Those of us on a fixed income have to shop around to get what we want/need for the best price! Jim

http://www.thefavoritespot.com/p-2780-spectrum-ez-command-control-system-digital-dynamis-pro-box-36508.aspx

Here's a whole list of mostly Country Western train songs, over a hundred of 'em.

http://www.thespoon.com/trainhop/songs.html

How about this for the "ole timers", like myself from "Boxcar Willie" (Wreck of Ole 97).
Note that johnny Cash made it popular too in the 60's.
One more "ole timer" was Jimmy Rogers (the singing brakeman)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyk3AEXvmLg&feature=related

Also Johnny Cash train songs:
Long Black Train
Folsom Prison Blues
Hey Porter
Wabash Cannon Ball
On the Evening Train
Orange Blossom Special
Give My Love to Rose
just to name a few!

One of my favorites and I sing it often enough, I sing country music with bands and karaoke on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights is Hank Snows "I'm Moving On".  

Um, some of these old rolling stock have push pin trucks you won't be able to adjust them, by adding some weight to them it will improve performance a bit, some of these cheaper toy frieght cars are really light. It is possible though to convert them or "fix" them as your post indicates the screws won't tighten (plastic holes are stripped) by removing the trucks and gluing in a piece of "sprue" from old building or modeling kits. The "sprue" is what all the parts are attached to in kits. File it flat after the glue dries and flush with the bolster, drill and tap for a 4/40 hole #43 drill bit, purchase 1/2" 4/40 screws and attach your screws or you can use a sheet metal self taping #4 screw without tapping but you will need the #43 drill bit and a pin vise. Now they're adjustable. Jim

Most problems are poor track laying techniques, switch's/turnouts that have been tossed about or twisted from being put together and taken down a lot.

Are you running your train on carpet or do you have a permanent layout with the track attached to plywood or other kind of framework? Laying track and alining turnouts/switch's is the most important key to trouble free operation, BE A PERFECTIONIST when laying track, then work on the other problems with fine tuning coupler height, trip pin height (nobody seems to mention that too much and it is a major cause for deraiment), truck/wheel adjustments and adding weight. There are so many varibles that cause poor train performance, but can be fixed. Jim

You know as I sat here thinking about this and looking at the assembly, you can probably carefully drill out the led and secure the new one with silicone adheasive, I think that's what I would do. I certainly wouldn't care to take it apart again for any reason, what a job! Jim

Hope somebody from bachmann will respond to this thread with their technical experience, for I would like to know the proper way too! Jim