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Wow. Like rebooting a computer. Its amazing how many problems you can fix that way. Glad you got it sorted out. :D:D:D

The Athearn AC4400 DOES NOT have a decoder in it. It is a DC directional lighting board. You can unplug it, and then plug in a decoder with a JST plug on it. I use a DH123D in my AC4400, and it works great. Note that a JST plug IS NOT an NMRA 8-pin plug-in decoder. It is a totally different type...

Nice looking! What is the wiring and control for this setup? How many other modules have the Green Line?

Yep, thats pretty much it. A transponding layout can run with both types of decoders at the same time, Digitrax and non Digitrax, but only the Digitrax ones can be transponded with.

Avoid EZ-Track if you are able. If Not, use DCC. Use DCC anyways. The Digitrax Zpehyr is an awesome system, it is only $160, it is expandable, and you can avoid all the hassles of block wiring.

I much prefer HO, but Ntrak is pretty impressive in terms of long trains in small venues. Other than in the modular space, HO is four times as popular.

As for sound, many people do not install sound decoders, as they are hard in HO, but get locos new with them. For decoders and such, call Tony's and ask them about them. You can order right over the phone. Tony's is great. Kato's AC4400 has provisions for installing sound, like a place for the...

If you want to learn about wiring DC blocks, which was the "standard" way of wiring a model railroad form the beginning of DC trains to the late '90's when DCC took over, check out Andy Sperandeo's Easy Model Railroad Wiring. It starts assuming no knowledge of anything, and builds up to crazy...

I soldered my joints, and I am not terribly pleased with the looks. They are sort of ugly. unsoldered rail joiners are terrible conductors of electricity, so dropping a 24 gauge feeder to every rail off of an 18 guage bus is the way to go, for smaller layouts. Larger layouts will need 14 or 12...

Cork is easy except for the turnouts, but you can get turnout pads. DCC is the best way to control scale model trains, as you control the train not the track. DC wiring is a nightmare, basically you cann only run one train at a time, and even then storing other trains with shutoffs and stuff is...

The more expensive decdoer probably has a lot more features and whatnot, most of which are probably not of much use for most people. Most HO locos do 150-200ma, n scale less. Unless you have a real powerhog, anything that can handle an amp is plenty. If the decoder is too small, it will...

it sounds like you are not using the MRC walkaround panels. Check to make sure no pins are revsersed. I would recommend using manufacturer- recommended cab bus panels, so you are guaranteed compatibility.

The 00 thing may not work, as I don't think the PE/ PA has zero stretching, but not sure. Sound like you didn't put decoders in your locos. If they are DCC ready, you will need decoders for them. Either that or the signal is so screwed up, that the decoder is not recognizing it as DCC, and...

railwaybob, thanks for the info. CAS, I called Digitrax support, and talked to Howard. He told me to change opsw #7. This enabled "Blast Programming". I then hooked a program track up to the mainline output of the Zephyr, and programmed the Bachman decoder with limited success. Be sure to only...

railwaybob, thanks for the info. CAS, You can't use the programming track. You can change opsw #7, and thus use Blast Mode programming in Ops mode. Basically, you hook your programming track to the mainline output of the Zephyr, and use ops mode. Note that changing this option switch and using...

As far as transponding, you do need to have Digitrax decdoers. I am not sure if you can remove the Atlas decoders that come with the locomotives, and put a Digitrax one in. If a decoder does not do transponding (like it is not made by Digitrax), then you can still detect that something is in the...

Buy the UP5s and cables pre-made if you want an easy intall. Plug and play. Doing the quarter test will ensure that your bus wiring has plenty of capacity for detecting shorts.

When are you going to have them in a show? I am looking forward to seeing those in person.

Oh yeah, if you don't want the EZ-Track, you could probably sell it to a dealer for a few $$ anyways, or you can use it for the under the Christmas tree! Look at the different track codes, code 100 is very big, but easy and reliable, where code 83 is more realistic and just about as easy...

Are either of those available in HO? It just seems that any widecab with four axles looks very awkward. Like it got chopped off or something. There are some Alcos as well, I think, that also look pretty strange. Like C424 or something. :D