Customer Reviews

Bachmann Trains E-Z Command Digital Command Control Turnout - Right

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I'm using this turnout with basic Bachmann's DCC controller. I've both the left and the right turnout, and this review applies to both of them.

No problems with operation of turnout so far. Operation was relatively easy, once I actually read the instructions.

It seems that turnout is hard-coded at address 9. Looking at instructions, there doesn't seem to be a way to assign it to a different address. I'm rather new to DCC world, so I have no idea if this is standard for all DCC turnouts or limitation of Bachmann's turnouts. By default, the turnout is toggled by pressing function key 3 on the controller. The function key that toggles the controller, as well as default direction on power on (factory default is straight) is easy to change to any function key between F1 and F8. If more then one turnout is assigned to the same function key, they will be all toggled at the same time (meaning, you can setup up to 8 turnout groups).

Depending on DCC controller, it's more complicated to operate then old turnouts with dedicated control switch. On my simple entry-level DCC controller, I need to switch from locomotive's address (e.g. 1) to turnout's address (hard-coded to 9), then press another button to switch to function mode, operate turnouts, press function button again to switch to selecting address mode, select locomotive's address to be able to control it again, then do the procedure all over again when I want to operate turnout. I wouldn't know if this is limitation of the basic DCC controller that I have, or if better (more expensive) DCC controllers allow operating turnouts in a more efficient way (e.g. without loosing control of the locomotive). On the plus side, there are no additional wires like with the old-style turnouts. The turnout can be operated manually as well.

Unlike Bachmann's manual turnout that's packaged with their train sets, train will not derail if turnout is switched the "wrong way" when train goes over it.