Yard Master...Ralph...you nailed it. I received a brand new EZ Command Plus unit from Bachmann HQ on Friday, and it works perfectly. I've been able to run two locomotives and four lighted cars with no problem. Not going to lie, I was skeptical that I had gotten three defective units secondhand (two with identical problems), but that was it.

Quote from: Yard Master on April 30, 2026, 11:24:06 AMHi Erik et al,

We tested two E-Z Command Plus units and were not able to replicate the issue. I think you may have unfortunately gotten two defective units. Did you get the replacement directly from Bachmann service, or from a dealer/online store?

Also, unlike the original E-Z Command, the Plus uses a digital potentiometer instead of an analog one, so I don't believe it is an electrical contact issue. Can't say for sure without having our repair techs inspect it.

Please contact the service department if you have any more questions.

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=service

Thanks, YardMaster. I shot an email to service and look forward to whatever help they can provide.

In the meantime, I took out my crossovers and patched in some straights to get the outside loop isolated to run with my DC controller. It works perfectly:

This would seem to support the theory that I got bad EZ Command modules rather than an issue with the track or something else.

I also tried the EZ Command Plus with the isolated single loop, but it had the same issue as before (though I did not take a video).

Thanks Ralph. I did try going slower, and I was able to get some sustained running (not shown in the video), but I never got more than one green light active. Sounds like next step is to clean the track. I did buy much of it used, so perhaps I should've done that in the first place. In the long term, I will need the 5-amp booster because I hope to run 2 trains (one on each mainline) with at least 2 locos each, and likely some lighted passenger cars. However, first I want to get the basics running.

Quote from: Len on April 22, 2026, 09:53:55 AMThat's a lot of track on that layout. How many power feeders are you using?  Even with a 5 amp booster, just one is not enough for that much track.

Len

...just that one power pack with the intention of "upgrading" it to 5-amp once I figure out how to connect the 5-amp to the tracks.

I am not new to the hobby, but I am new to DCC. I recently built my first layout in my house (I previously ran on my dad's DC layout). My layout uses exclusively EZ Track, primarily the silver roadbed with some black mixed in, with EZ Command Plus. I successfully assigned channels to turnouts and a DCC locomotive (Athearn). However, when I turn the throttle to run that locomotive, I have to continuously turn the throttle--most of the time; occasionally, it will run for a few seconds without constant turning of the throttle.

I am fairly certain this is not a bad EZ Command box because I actually returned the first one I got as defective based on this issue. This issue also arises on my secondary test/programming track, so I thought it was the box. However, my newest one also has the same issue, so I doubt I received two EZ Command boxes with identical defects. Any ideas what my problem could be?

A video of the problem:
If I need more power...then I'll need help because I bought a 5-amp booster, but I cannot decipher how to actually connect the booster to the tracks. Some threads indicate that I should be able to splice the wires that came with the booster to an EZ Track clip, but I have no idea how to do that, and I couldn't find a thread explaining how to actually do it.