Bachmann DCC-Equipped GE 70 Ton

AS skriver:

Can you read out CV 7 and 8 ?

Then perhaps you can finde decoder manufacturer (CV8) and decoder version (CV7) in this list:

Klaus

Yes, CV8 = 101

This is built in Bachmann original decoder. Loko is new, but wihout any document about number of CV and programming .

AS

AS: unlike most other DCC decoder manufacturers (who provide over- abundance of documentations and features in their decoders), Bachmann takes the minimalistic route. :-)

This can be both bad and good. Bad if you are technically inclined and you want to customize the decoder's settings. Hovever, there isn't much to customize... Good, if you are a non-computer inclined guy who just wants to put the loco on the track and just program its address so it can run on the Bachmann's simple DCC system.

In any case, this is the most info I've ever found on those decoders:

Peteski

If a non-computer inclined model railroader just wants to put the loco on the track and run it on Bachmann's DCC system, can you explain why it is a GOOD thing that Bachmann has minimal documentation?

If a model railroader is in that category, it doesn't seem like it would matter what sort of documentation is supplied.

... it is strange that you see a possible GOOD outcome from this ...

____ Mark

Thanks guys for reply,

Hmmm, skinny, missing CV9 (PWM). Bad, Bad. :-(

AS

Mark, I agree with you because I fit more into a "computer geek" profile rather than a computer illiterate model railroader. But there are plenty of the latter type out there. And they really don't need to know all the CV specs when they use the Bachmann E-Z Command DCC system. All they have to do is to program the loco's address and they're off and running. And many people would rather do this than research how to set CV29 or how to enable some special lighting effect or back-EMF motor control. All they want to do is to run trains, not to read bunch of manuals. BTW, Bachmann decoders are just bare-bones basic decoders with just a simple motor and headlight control. Perfect for the "train runner" crowd.

While that is not me, I'm only acknowledging that people like that exist and that there is room in this hobby for all of us. OTOH, sometimes even I marvel at all the functionality included in some premium decoders from companies like Digitrax. I don't utilize many of those features and I'm still quite happy with the way my models run. I suspect that quite a few DCC users do not use many of the functions included in those DCC decoders. How many times have you seen anybody utilize the speed tables (and not just the Vmin,mid and max CVs)? Sometimes I think that the computer geeks who design the DCC decoders just include some features only to say that they have done it.

My Holy Grail is the miniature size of a decoder. I would like one of the DCC manufacturers to come up with sub-miniature decoder. Small size would be the primary design consideration. All it needs to do is to control the motor and front headlight. Such a decoder could be easily installed into tiny N scale steamers such as the Atlas/MicroAce

2-6-0 loco (without sacrificing much of the loco's ballast). That would really make my day.

Peteski

Yup, those are bare-bones decoders. Don't expect too much. Peteski

"Peter W." wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@d27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

*snip*

Give them time, and hopefully they'll get that done. Right now, I think the biggest enemy will be the 1 AMP @ 12V many motors require.

Otherwise we'd have something the size of a MicroSD card... Talk about plug and play, the whole decoder could just slide in to a slot in the locomotive.

Puckdropper

innews: snipped-for-privacy@d27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

I mentioned my request to Digitrax couple of times but I don't think they were too interested. They rather make larger advanced decoders rather than simple micro-sized ones. I know that Digitrax DZ143, Lenz LE077XF and Silver MINI W are pretty small already but I'm still hoping for something even smaller.

I like your idea - a micro card sized decoder for an easy plug-n-play conversion. But by the time such a decoder will be viable, all the model locos will probably already come DCC equiped.

Peteski