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E_Z App with Spectrum

Started by collectors, August 26, 2018, 05:55:25 AM

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collectors

Hi, i'm very new to all this, so bear with me for some Q&A's
1. I have a on3o Spectrum DCC ready Whitcomb 50 ton Diesel & a American outside frame steam loco on30 DCC. will these have
    DCC fitted. Model NO: # 29204 & 28321
2. My twin track is around 35m long on each track & goes through 2 rooms. Now i know my bluetooth headphones can break up
    when i go into the other room, so i assume this might happen as well with the E_Z app? Could i use a bluetooth
    repeater/extender.

Many thanks

collectors

Hi, just to add to the above post. If the above trains dont have bluetooth? do Bachmann's do a bluetooth converter for their other trains?

Thanks

ACY

#2
Quote from: collectors on August 26, 2018, 05:55:25 AM
Hi, i'm very new to all this, so bear with me for some Q&A's
1. I have a on3o Spectrum DCC ready Whitcomb 50 ton Diesel & a American outside frame steam loco on30 DCC. will these have
   DCC fitted. Model NO: # 29204 & 28321
2. My twin track is around 35m long on each track & goes through 2 rooms. Now i know my bluetooth headphones can break up
   when i go into the other room, so i assume this might happen as well with the E_Z app? Could i use a bluetooth
   repeater/extender.
Quote from: collectors on August 26, 2018, 09:11:30 AM
Hi, just to add to the above post. If the above trains dont have bluetooth? do Bachmann's do a bluetooth converter for their other trains?
Hello,
Bachmann offers the following HO scale locomotives with E-Z App installed
FT-A with Lackawanna, NYC, AT&SF, Southern, & WP liveries
RS-3 with B&M, NYNH&H, PRR, DRG&W, & AT&SF liveries
GP-35 with BNSF, CN, GN, PRR, & DRG&W liveries
Alco 2-6-0 Mogul with AT&SF, L&N, NYC, PRR & UP liveries
F7-A with special Boy Scouts of America livery

They also offer 3 HO scale train sets with E-Z App locomotives, that include one of the locomotives listed above.

Bachmann does not sell E-Z App products for any other scales.

The Whitcomb 50 ton diesel and the outside frame steam locomotive do not have E-Z App functionality. The former does not have a DCC decoder installed and the later may or may not have one depending on the specific model you have.
Bachmann does not sell any separate sale E-Z App products. You may want to contact the company patterning with Bachmann for more information concerning your specific needs (Blue Rail). However, Bachmann will be unable to assist you at this time, but keep your eye out for future product offerings that may interest you.

collectors

Ah! Thanks for getting back. I must of misinterpreted another post by yardmaster that said all Bachmann trains came with bluetooth.

Thanks 

KB5JCX

I had to go to work in education in 1992 and boxed all my DC train stuff.  Now I am retired, but with a very limited pension.  I calculated the requirements for my now DC Point Marion, PA railroad I built (my home town) and have about 129 cars and 7 locos.  One of them, a K-4, doesn't work and you cannot fix it.  It is now on permanent display on the mantle.  I don't want to lose any more but I fear as the years go, so will DC and I cannot the fifteen hundred dollars your company told me would have to spend to switch from DC to DCC.  I am  71 years old.  What are the chances, not counting disasters, of DC going away forever?
Namnuuquum draco consequiit

jonathan

DC probably won't go away, in the foreseeable future anyway. I built all my home layouts DC. My next layout will be DC. DCC is handy for large layouts, club layouts, and portable/modular layouts.  There are still locomotives available that are DC or DCC ready (without decoders).  I like to keep things simple at home.  I only use DCC when running with the club.  You are not alone.  Approaching retirement age and will be playing with trains on a tight budget.

Regards,

Jonathan

KB5JCX

Thanks.  I am a bit relieved.  :)
Namnuuquum draco consequiit

jward

$1500 to convert to DCC?  You could do it for under $500 and have a fully functioning command station.

Digitrax Zephyr $250 or so. Others have comparable entry level systems with full programming capabilities.

Decoders for 7 locomotives @ $25-30 a pop = $175-210.

Switches remain controlled by pushbuttons from your old DC power pack.

Total outlay $425-460.

Note, with the Digitrax unit, you can add two DC power packs (which you probably already have) as additional throttles giving you a 3 cab DCC system for the price i stated.


Also note: you posted this under EZ App. This is NOT the same as DCC. With DCC your control signals pass through the rails to your locomotive. With EZ App they are transmitted by Bluetooth to your locomotive from a cell phone or tablet running EZ App software. Thus, with EZ App, you don't have to buy seperate controllers to run your trains. Hopefully, Bachmann will make an EZ App board available as a seperate item to convert your existing locomotives.
Jeffery S Ward Sr
Pittsburgh, PA