Rob, The lack of flywheels  is also the reason I have not bought and Bachmann diesel engines. 
I agree that it does not make any sense to not include them. It can't add more then a dollar or two to the retail price.

Oh, well it's their company.

ACY, I do order most of my purchases online and mostly from brick and mortar shops. That is the only choice I have. I have made very few purchases that have been from a web store only. Only 5 times that I can remember.

It would be nice if it could be otherwise. 

Albert, Same here. I never understood why a company that wants to sell their products would not give a clear and up to date description and picture of those items.

When most sales were made from a store where you could look at the item, then a general description was kind of OK. But now with many of the sales being made from a on- line retailer a clear and up to date description and picture is of the utmost.

This pertains to the manufactures as well as the retailers web site.

It's as if they want people to buy a competitors product.  

I would like to know what Bachmann's take on this is?

Bruce, the one thing that no one has mentioned is that with any of these systems you must read the manual.

We who have been doing this awhile hear about problems that could have been avoided if the person with their new DCC system had read the manual thoroughly.

Have fun!

Tbone, Rich's reply  pretty much says it all.

wtierce
Thank you for coming back with updates as I was interested in your Digitrax decoder problem. I use them in 9 of my 11 engines.
So many original posters never do reply the the responses.

I would not call them weird. More like interesting to me.
There are still plenty of SF and BN engines that have not been painted in to the BNSF colors.

Many of these will be repainted to BNSF colors when they go in for maintenance work.
Others that are older and may be scrap in a few years will just be left painted as they are.
It's still neat though to see the paint of the merged railroads on the engines.

Quote from: Len on March 20, 2011, 09:13:16 PM
I'm really curious about this, as I've been using DH123's in my old Athearn locos for years and never had a problem. If you find out what happened please let us know.

Len

I really don't expect this person to answer. I think he just wanted to let off a rant.

Cessna101
There is a long learning curve to model railroading.
Before I bought my first DCC system and first engines I spent close to six months researching the systems. Then about an other year planing the layout.
What you need to do for every N scale thing you now buy is ask questions on the forums, in books and read what others have experienced with the items.

Don't be in a rush and don't buy the least expensive item unless you know it will work as you want it to. I waited a long time and saved up money to get what I needed.
Not to say that there are not  inexpensive stuff that is good, as there are many.
Be it engines, rolling stock, or control system items.
Good luck and have fun.

These look like the McHenery couplers that are coming on Athearn cars and engines. They should there fore be compatible with Accumates and MicroTrain couplers. 

This is good for the Bachmann cars as I have been switching the couplers to MicroTrains or putting on Accumate trucks with couplers.  When future cars come with these I will then buy the rest of the Bachmann cars I need.

I have no idea other then maybe an auto reverse unit. Was this from a DCC powered layout or DC?

sp4449lover, thanks for the info.

rrtreerat, Thank you for the video, cool!  

Ram, Did you misread Vahoman's post. 
I hope so as the information you gave is not even close to the mark.

OK! what is the difference between a 1,2 3,4, function decoder?
Al of mine are the Atlas Lenz or Digitrak decoders. I just use them and never thought about a number of functions.

ACY, the way you have described it is the way that I found the easiest.
I have some sets of mainline engines that always run MUed so I just program them so they run the same and use the largest numbered engine as the engine number.
Some locals are also this way and it varies with the yard switchers. Simple and easy. 

Running two or more engines together also eliminates dead track spots as the engines push one another over these areas. Then I can clean these spots when I get to them.