I melted my 4th and last snap switch about a month ago, and it also took out an Atlas Relay due to stuck Atlas slide switch's.  No more I installed a Capcitive Discharge Unit. I have converted some (12) to Tortoise within the last year, but I have a total of 48 turnouts. The last picture is the unit I purchased for under $35.00 delivered in 3 days and can throw 10 switch's at once. That's a lot of power and it works great easy hook up. Here's the company I purchased from:

http://www.miniatronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=PDC-1&Category_Code=B_4&Product_Count=1

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I purchased this loco new, Spectrum GE Dash 8-40CW, and it runs DC however I took the shell off and on the light board is a 8 pin plug and lots of electronic capacitators, resistors, coils, transistors, etc, sure seems a lot of stuff for just the motor and leds. Is this for upgrade to DCC or is it for sound. I would like to upgrade it to DCC. The board # is HB50XP01B if anybody has had experieince with this loco, the directions don't say anything about DCC ready, but it sure looks like it. The motor is definitely isolated when I tested it with my meter. The item # on the box is: 86018

After 4+years finally got the courage to take the shells of some locos to see if they can be upgraded either with sound and especially DCC.

Thank You in advance. Jim

Bridgeport...Rt 79 to Bridgeport exit 121. Look up the hill as you come off the exit ramp Meadowbrook Mall, that's where it is!

Hi y'all I'm new to the forum but on occasion have come by and snooped. I am a member of the other forum but they don't particularly like Bachmann products. I on the other hand have had very little, next to nothing, problems with any Bachmann purchase including the Easy Digital Command System along with the 5 amp booster, no frills, which I like. I live in West Virginia. I have purchased several DCC equipped loco's and EZ track and switches in the past 3 years and am in the process of building my pike. I am retired (1 year) and have been working on my layout since. I built a
subway beneath my layout out of all Bachmann products including the EZ track and switch's and wyes. The top, however is a mixture of every other maker of track and switches. Some laid track, most flex track, some brass, but most n/s most code 100 but have some code 83 and some code 83 turnouts. Some of this stuff is 40 years old, but after cleaning it up and using polish on the tracks all is fine. This is my 4th and last layout, so I do have some experience. I have so far broken every rule of Model Railroading, and I love it. I would probably be arrested by the Model Railroad Police and put away for a long time if I fessed up, so I won't incriminate myself any further.
My question is this. I read somewhere yesterday, on this forum, about problems with Bachmann EZ track switches and turnouts (crossovers) burning out and failures. I was wondering if anyone has been operating these with sucess for a period of time. I don't run my switches off DC, I only use the ACC side of cheap, but still working transformer's. I have been running the subway since January every day and have had to replace one crossover due to the piece of track that moves, it broke at the rivet. But before I close this up with the walls and platforms and stairs and plexiglas in the front I want to be sure I won't have to tear it apart 6 months from now. My layout is easy to work on from underneath, It is 4 feet to the top of the frame, experience taught me to build it high, (chuckle). Any comments about those that use or have used EZ track Switches and crossovers or wyes would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post, but wanted to fill in the gaps. Jim Bresett