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New to DCC and need some help

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  • Member since
    December 2009
  • 3 posts
New to DCC and need some help
Posted by nywi6100 on Saturday, December 26, 2009 8:38 PM

Hi there everyone. I am very new to the Model Railroading scene. I found an old locomotive in my mother's house, and it was the start of a hobby a few months back. My kids have fallen in love with it, and it is great to have this kind of tihng togehter. For Christmas I recieved a new Atlas Loco form a famliy member. It is a DCC loco. I had only run analog to this point. I was able to get a new Bachmann EZ command control center, but am having issue making it work. I know the track is wired right. I have a new Bachmann loco with DCC besides the Atlas. I can get them both to run on the command center in the tenth channel (the analog channel). But, when i assign them to a another digital channel, neither of them will do a thing. Not sure what i am doing wrong. Bachmann doesn't have really anything by means of trouble shooting. What are the decoders? Sorry this is all really new to me. Thanks for any help you can lend. My kids thnak you too...

Tags: DCC
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Saturday, December 26, 2009 9:06 PM

Bachmann does have quite a lot for trouble shooting.

Go to the below link and scroll down a little. On the left side you will see EZ Command. There are documents there. There is also a General discussion forum and HO forum for asking questions. There are some members there who use the EZ Command.

I use the NCE Power Cab so no help from me there.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: K.I.S.S- Keep it simple stupid
  • 676 posts
Posted by teen steam fan on Saturday, December 26, 2009 10:13 PM

check the address of the loco

If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran

When in doubt. grab a hammer. 

If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer

If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer

If it's broken, get a hammer

If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Sunday, December 27, 2009 6:58 PM

 All decoders come from the factory set to DCC address 3.  That's what the Atlas decoder should be set on unless you have tried to change it.  With the Bachmann EZ Command I think you can go only up to address 10.

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Sunday, December 27, 2009 9:28 PM

 The EZ Command is pretty limited. All you can do it set the loco address to 1-9, depending on which button you press. Carefully follow the instructions, as it will set all locos on the track to whichever button you press. The Bachmann loco should not be a problem, the Atlas has a QSI decoder and might not program, although it should run at 3 out of the box. If you've foold around with it, use the magnetic wand and perform the reset procedure.

 #10 on the EZ Command is reserved for running an analo gloco, one with no decoder,. Neither loco with a decoder should run on 10, they should be seeing the DCC signal and defulting to DCC operation. Even if they are configured to run on DC, they should not run on a DCC system using hte analog loco option (for those systems that have it)

                               --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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