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I NEED HELP

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  • Member since
    December 2014
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I NEED HELP
Posted by Dig1980 on Monday, December 1, 2014 10:08 PM

I just bought a bachmann Santa fe flyer.  Set it up, put the train on the track.  The light come on when I turn up the speed but it does not move for me.  I also have the steel alloy track and the nickel silver track can I use both of the together.

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 8:46 AM

Sounds like a repeat of that I did as a kid, I bought a train set with a Santa Fe F7 and got it home and the engine wouldn't move.  It went back to the store .

The issue is probably with the engine, might be a loose wire inside.  But a new engine should work so I would exchange or return it.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 9:33 AM

Is this a DC set? Or is it DCC?

Yes, you can use different kinds of track together, so long as they physically mate up. Most older HO track can do that. The newer snap-together track that has plastic roadbed attached tends to only work with the same brand track.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 10:26 AM

Do train sets come DCC?  Like boxed train sets?  Even now in the present, I don't think I've seen a DCC train set, only DC.

It sounds like the issue is the engine won't run/move.  Defective - just return/exchange.

You can mix steel, Nickle Silver, brass track - it all conducts electricity.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 10:34 AM

Bachmann sells DCC starter sets...

To the OP - take the set back and get another one. Test it before leaving the store!

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 10:38 AM

riogrande5761
Do train sets come DCC? Like boxed train sets? Even now in the present, I don't think I've seen a DCC train set, only DC.

I know I've seen them in ads. I believe I saw at least one at Hobby Lobby the other day, but will recheck that next time I'm out there.

Yep, DCC for the masses is here.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 11:11 AM

I've seen DCC starter sets, but not every thing in one box that includes Engine, DDC contoller, track and freight cars etc.  Not all that in a DCC starter box.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 11:12 AM

Yes, train sets definately come in DCC, but the Bachmann Santa fe flyer isn't one of them. It is DC.  Bachmann puts "DCC on board" in large letter on the box sets that are DCC.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 5:42 PM

Swung by HL on my store run this afternoon. Can confirm the Santa Fe Flyer is DC. All N sets were DC, as were most HO. They had one DCC-equipped set, sound onboard, too, but otherwise marked as PV indicated. Must be what I'm remembering seeing earlier. I tend to surf over the trains sets myself, no harm no foul, so no reason to really know this except the actual model RR section in HL is so small they're a little hard to miss.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by bogp40 on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 5:51 PM

It probably won't be long before you decide to upgrade from that "trainset" loco. Newer Bachman diesels are far better quality and running over the simplified trainset version. The GP40 or the new GP38 are rather decent for quality and value. You also could look into Athearn RTR locos.

Modeling B&O- Chessie  Bob K.  www.ssmrc.org

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Posted by Baggio on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 6:16 PM

Do not give up on this set!

My Walthers start set with a CP loco, wagons, powerpack and track was an excellent buy. Big Smile. I bought a Santa Fe loco (as in my avatar) and really like how the locos go. Not thrilled about the couplers, though. THAT is a problem.

The problem with DCC I found is the cost. Usually well over USD$200.00. For pure and simple fun, the DC locos are great values for the money. 

Here is my club - started recently - we had one nice "Marklin" show at a senior citizens' home last fall (2015) and it went well:

 https://sites.google.com/site/modeltrainslovers/toronto-model-trains-fun-club

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Posted by Dig1980 on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 9:19 PM

Thank you all for replying to my post.  I look forward to more help from you all.  I will have to look at that other engine.

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Posted by mlehman on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 12:30 AM

I checked over at Bachmann to see what they were offering in DCC sets. Looks like a diesel and a steam set, with a F7 and 2-6-0 respectively. If they're the same locos as in recent releases, people seemed to consider them viable models, which would set them above typical train set fare.

HL had the steam set, the Echo Valley Express, apparently a Southern-affliated line.Wink although I'm not sure what the caboose was. IIRC HL had it at $100 off the $350 list today. Most of us could probably put together a better batch of model rail goodness at very comparable cost. I mean, if I was a kid, I'd rather get a NCE PowerCab and a decent Atlas Classic loco with a decoder for me to install myself than an entire train set from B-Mann. But some other kid would probably be happier with the RTR, all-in-one nature of a train set. Give 'em what they want.Gift

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by steemtrayn on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 2:26 AM

Was it bought at a store? Online retailer? Ebay seller with no return policy? 

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