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Beginner question

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  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Thursday, January 29, 2015 12:38 AM

Hola, Ramon!  Welcome  Welcome aboard.

Any HO scale DCC equipped locomotive from any manufacturer will run on your DCC HO scale model railroad .  The same is true of non-powered rolling stock - if the couplers will couple, they'll all run together.  (And if the couplers don't cooperate, just change them all to Kadees.)

For a very first layout, it would probably be a good idea to lay sectional track to a published track plan.  Atlas had a plan book - I don't know if it's still available or how hard it would be to find the necessary pieces.  Later you'll learn to mix and match different products.  Like locomotives and cars, as long as the rails are 16.5 millimeters between railheads it will all work together, even if you might need to get creative about the way things join end to end.

You might want to look at the beginner books published by our generous hosts.  Click on Shop (in the top right toolbar) to see what's available.

You are sure to have lots of questions as you venture into new territory.  There's a Search Community block over there in the right column.  Entering the subject of your question (eg, reversing loops,) will bring up lots of reading.  Then you can ask a more specific question when you start a new thread.

I've been reaching 'way back in my memories.  When I was in your position Harry Truman was president.  Now I do things without conscious thought - but it took me a lot of time and work on a number of layouts to get to where I am now.  The best part - it was all fun.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - 1:80 scale, 16.5mm gage, AKA HOj)

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 1 posts
Beginner question
Posted by ramon.delgado05 on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 9:24 PM
Greetings, I just got interested in the hobby and bought my first train set I have two questions that I'm hoping you folks can help me with: 1. Can you use locomotives from a different manufacturers using the same system? My set is a dcc from Bachman, ho scale, but i was wondering if i could use an Atlas locomotive as well. 2. I'm currently researching about building my first 4x8 layout, what type of track should I consider? My set came with EZ Track. Many thanks in advance of your comments! Ramon
Tags: advice

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