Hi everyone.....Did anyone attend this Show & what did you think

I decided to take a ride on Sat Morning & check the show out.... OMG NOT worth the $9.00 admission fee to get into the show it was crowded A lot of older Stuff O Gauge / Lionel / S Gauge... Vendors there where trying to sell ALOT OF JUNK @ Top Prices... I am mainly a HO guy myself not interested in all the OLDER Gauges SO after walking around drinking my coffee for a 1hr -15min I left the show... I was very disappointed that there was not a lot of HO Vendors there & the few that where there was charging TOP DOLLAR for everything... Well every vendor there acted like there stuff was made of gold & a lot of them where not that friendly either.... I felt like the $ 9.00 admission price was a rip off....

Quote from: DRErb on February 29, 2016, 09:51:57 AM
Just new to model railroading purchased a Bachman GP 38-2 with Dcc on board .I have purchased a Digitrax SDH166D sound fx ,is it possible to add to my loco?

Yes it can installed in your loco... I have a GP 38-2 just like yours & I installed sound in mine...I am not sure if it's a plug & play some decoders have to be hardwired into the loco.... Lately I been buying my locos with DCC & Sound already installed from factory... I feel its a lot easer to do that than buy and engine DCC ready & than you must invest $ into a sound decoder & have it installed....

Just picked up @ my Local Train hobby shop a GE-ES44AC...I must admit very good detailed engine Put the engine on my layout flipped on the track power & engine fired up right away entered in address 3 on my cab & engine responed right away awesome sounds from engine...Very Well Pleased I think I am going to get the PENNSY GE-ES44AC.... Got to admit Bachmann did a very good job in detaling & workmanship....

Quote from: brokenrail on February 17, 2016, 01:27:18 AM
They have a Spectrum quality drive Mechanism that has a lot of metal in it .Built to last if you take a close look at their construction.It won mew over. I like to see more diesels built and detailed like this one from the Bachmann.Thumbs up .
Johnny Adam

I have to admit Bachmann products are getting better in there detailing over the last 3 or 4 years...There Loco's are more dependable better quality internal parts being installed to last... For a wile in the past I used to shy away from Bachmann Products I did not think they where that reliable in years past but I have since changed my mind ever since I got a Bachmann DCC Ready GP-38 -2 for Christmas in 2014... Added a Sound Decoder & Little Weathering & engine detail items & the engine looks & runs awesome & one of my locos that always sees work on my layout & runs awesome & great pulling power with 33 cars..I think I am going to Spring & buy 2 ES44AC's

Thinking of getting Bachmann's GE-ES44AC... Lehigh Valley Heritage edition....

This Loco has DCC & Sound I was wondering if they where programmable
Such as Throttle settings or steps / Bell - Horn / Is the decoder readable on a program track...

How reliable are the engines.... How sharp of turns will this loco handle
Does anyone else have these Locos...I plan on running loco on my layout witch is full DCC

Thanks for the help

Nice layout & buildings.... Not too sure on soldering power feeder wires to rail joiners before & how reliable that would be over time... But I give you 2 thumbs up for doing it... My power feeder wires are soldered right to the track rails themselves.... I went a bit overkill on my power feed wires more so by my crossovers I put power feeders on both sides of my crossovers I run full DCC on my layout so I wanted to make extra sure I had enough power going to my entire layout....

Try pulling up the blow parts list for the GG-1 in part & service section... maybe that might help or call the service dept

Quote from: Jhanecker2 on February 10, 2016, 08:41:38 AM
To HoModeler :   You do realize  that Acela  & HPP are fully Electric  engines  that are powered by overhead power lines . There is no reason that  smoke would be coming out of the engines since modern  passenger  cars  utilize  HEP connectors  to supply power to cars .  This results in cars and locomotives that don't make very much noise what so ever . John2.

I do understand that... I was just wondering if it could ever be done I had a regular DCC chip installed because the Loco was org from a Set & came with a DC throttle So I Run Full DCC on my layout All my other locos have DCC & Sound & I just wanted to see if I can get sound in the Acela loco.. & the smoke comes from an Loco"  PA-1 " I have that came through from factory with DCC & Sound & Smoke & I like the smoke feature & is one of my favorite locos to run @ this time.... Next to my Steam Locos I love running my UP Big Boy... " just wish Bachmann made a big boy "

Quote from: jbrock27 on February 10, 2016, 12:03:31 PM
I think you mean, Trainmanbrian, no?

How do you like Windows 10 compared to 8?

Yes that's me lol..

Quote from: jbrock27 on February 10, 2016, 06:38:31 AM
I still don't see where or how, you are providing any insight, assistance or any relevant information here "HO"

And you seem familiar...Have you posted here before, but under a different User Name by chance and for some reason?

And I disagree w/you; this hobby is not about "trial and error".  Trying things, yes certainly, but the more research and planning you do beforehand, seriously cuts down on the amount of errors and time consumed by correcting errors and leaves more time for enjoying and running trains.

Yes JB I been on the forums for a wile now I was maintrackbrian before but I forgot all my login information since I had my laptop serviced & updated to windows 10... But just forget about I.... if I was not making any sence or insight to the subject I am sorry...

Quote from: kdgrant6 on February 05, 2016, 02:19:10 PM
HoModeler, thanks for your suggestions.

Of course, one of the first things I did was check all the obvious things, which you mention.  All of those were fine, which was why I posted this thread.  It's not a power issue, either, which should be fairly obvious from previous comments on this thread.  

As for your layout, I'm glad the 16 DCC turnouts work for you, but if you're using an "air system" to operate your turnouts, then you're not using the DCC function of the turnouts unless you have some sort of interface installed, which you don't mention. Neither do you mention which DCC controller you're using.  

I can tell you that with either Bachmann or NCE, changing points is a hassle because doing so requires several buttons to be pressed before the points turn.  
What DCC system are you using?  Since you say you're operating a turnout by pressing a button that engages the Air System, what button on your DCC controller are you pressing?  

If you're pressing a button or flipping a toggle on your control panel, then you're not really operating the turnouts in DCC mode unless you're using an interface.  

If so, what interface do you have?

I did refer to an interface possibility as a possible exception on my last post.  If you really do have an answer, I--and others--would like to know the details.  

Hello KD Grant.... Thanks for the inquiry & will be happy to answer your questions better
#1. Run Full NCE DCC with 2 hand held throttles or "Cab's" in 2 different parts of my Layout 1 in the yard area "For the yardmaster" & one for the mainline areas of the layout...

#2. I do not push any buttons to activate the switches on my NCE Cab's

#3. My Air System consists of a compressor supplying 60 PSI in main tank stepped down @ a regulator to the Layout... I have over 28 switch motors "witch are nothing more than a copper tube soldered on both ends with copper caps & a spring inside with 2 little rubber gaskets with a in & out nipple to connect the surgical tubing".. installed under layout with a copper rod attached to the switch end & hooked up to the switch motor attached to that on my layout face board is a toggle air switch with in & out ports for the tubing... When I throw the toggle air actuates the switch motor compressing the spring inside & that is what makes my crossover move when I throw the toggle back to normal the air purges & the spring goes back to normal from being compressed when it was thrown.... The system was handed down to me by my grandfather...

4. I have Pictures of the my Air system if anyone is interested in seeing them I'd be gald to e-mail or picture text via cell phone to anyone that is interested...

Quote from: on30gn15 on February 10, 2016, 03:40:30 AM
Now smoke would make sense in the GG1 with its oil fired boiler for providing steam for car heat.
Acela, however, as far as I know, has all electric utilities.

LOL yes it would... I like Diesels that smoke I have a PA-1 Lehigh Valley Loco that Smokes... Must say 1 of my favorite Locos to run...But still haven't gotten an answer on what type of sound chip to install if there is one on the market...

Quote from: plint on February 07, 2016, 08:11:45 PM
Saw a you tube video about applying a graphite stick on the rail tops for better continuity.  Anyone done this?

plint.... I use a drop or two of WAHL Electric Hair Clipper Oil I buy a bottle from my local barber $5.50 I Pay...

I only apply 1-2 Drops on my Rail Tops & then run my Locos over the applied area... Works great for me My Locos keep the continuity very well...

My Grandfather used this Oil for Years on his layout & when I built mine he suggested I use the same practice & to my knowledge his Locos ran without a hitch or glitch or major issues... & has been working for me using the WAHL Clipper Oil...

Also keeping your Track Rails clean help.. I Clean my Rail's every day before Play or have a few neighbors over for an operating session...

I do believe there are a few products on the HO Market that you can try & will aid you in continuity but not 100% on there results I for 1 never tried any of those products....

I have an Acella set.. But not with the HPP Engine My Engine #is 2004... I had a DCC decoder installed but no sound the Train Tech that puts in all my DCC & Sound profiles in my locos @ my Train hobby shop said he does not know what sound profile to use So he just did a DCC decoder until I found out what is the proper sound profile... Does anyone know what Sound profile I can use & tell pass the info to the Tech & is the proper sound for the engine at question....I would like to have sound...  Oh just wondering can Smoke be added too to this engine... Thanks

Quote from: Yardmaster on February 05, 2016, 08:17:21 AM
Just curious. This is a "DCC Ready" model? What sound decoder is installed in the model? It seems that some folks are assuming that Bachmann has the wrong sound set in the model - if it is "DCC Ready" it does not come from the factory with sound installed.

Thank You for your inquire... I got the Loco for Christmas in 2013... It is in Fact a Bachmann Sliver Series Loco #2025 UP... DCC equipped BUT NO SOUND...
Out Of Box I took the Loco to my Train Shop & had Sound installed.. The Shop used a Sound profile from EMD's 645 Prime Mover the shop uses a few different decoder Brand's  Tsunami / MRC / Digitrax  & just started getting in Stock WOW Sound...I don't know witch brand decoder is in my Loco but I do know it's one that has Turbo......