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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bachmann Dose it again! with this highqulity dcc ho train set!, October 22, 2008
Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars
Bachmann has always had a name for making products, that were better quality then the competition as well as, bringing products, like high quality locomotives, that were out of the price rage of the masses to the masses! they have also been know for innovation, like their patented track plug that makes wiring the transformer to the track, very easy and very safe! This particular set is no exception to those rules!
This particular set features Bachmanns EZ command DCC system. DCC is a system that allows two trains to operate completely independently form each other on the same track. This is to say, you can have, one train and one running revers on the same track with out having to worry about blocks or separately powered sections of tracks. Basically! the model trains can now completely duplicate the behaver of the real things!
The EZ command system is a complete self contained unit! there are no other parts to buy! the device features 10 addresses to program locomotives to respond to. Switching between locomotive is easy! just press the button that corresponds to the locomotive you want to control, and you have control of it!
Programing the locomotives is so easy, a child could quite literally do it! just push a few buttons and you are done! If only all things were this easy to understand. You can even easily program two locomotives to run together as a pare! For those of you out there that already have and lament letting go of a none dcc locomotive, Bachmann has you covered! Button 10 can be used to operate such a locomotive. I prefer to hook up one of Bachman's more modern power packs, see the instructions for the proper model, to the EZ command system. This frees up button ten to control anther DCC locomotive and lets you control the analog with the power pack, independently of the dcc locomotives!
The set uses Bachmanns standard setting, but now somewhat dated EZ track. While it looks special at first glance, all it really is however, is standard Ho track that has been attached to interlocking peaces of plastic. This meas those infamous rail joints or connectors, little peaces of mettle that transfer the power from track to track, are retained. the track does its job, in terms of making sure that what ever is in the carpet or on the floor, dose not get into you locomotives motor! However, the connectors have to be adjusted every once and a while, to maintain good power contact! The track features a simple wire that quite literally plugs into the EZ command system! No worry's about shorts caused by crossed wires here!
The freight cars the set includes are well built and roll very smoothly! You can actually back them around a curve with out them derailing! They are all equipped with mettle wheels and Bachmann's spring loaded mark 2 couplers! these, unlike Bachmann's previous attempts, these will easily get around the track with out disconnecting! If you want to disengaged them, and do some switching on the included siding, just install and use Bachman's uncoupling device!
The 2 locomotives, An EMD FT and EMD GP, resemble some of Bachmans offering of long past! But that however, is were the similarity's end! The locomotives are all wheel drive and, of course, DCC equipped! they run pretty smooth although, there are better locomotives out there,these more then do the job!
The price of this item may case some parents, that had model trains as kids to faint. But we have to remember, that $100 may have bought you a top of the line set, 20 or 30 years ago, we have seen some inflation since then! We also must consider the quality of this product and what it is capable of and it includes for that price! add in the educational value and the fact that a video game system will cost more if not twice as much and teach you nothing, and this set looks like the real bargain it is! It puts a well equipped dcc starter set in your kids or your hands for a fraction of the price!
Buy this set for you kid(s) and spend the money saved on games, on some more track and or accessory's you have the perfect Christmas gift!
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