# Bachmann EZ couplers Qs



## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Dear friends,

I just got back into HO trains recently after a 26 year hiatus. I started out with lifelike and Tyco trains when I was a boy in the 1980s and these trains still run on my new layout today.

I got a new life-like train set (just for the loco and power pack, my rolling stocks are still intact) as a trial re-entry to the old hobby and now I am considering "upgrading" to Bachmann or something more serious (my LHS in Singapore sells Hornby, but I know US and British couplers don't match)

I noticed that Bachmann has different shaped magnetic couplers (EZ couplers, EZ couplers II they call it, what are they?). One thing I noticed, Bachmann couplers look different from the horn couplers from Tyco and life-like. 

Question- Are Bachmann couplers compatible with the horn couplers from life-like and Tyco? I am thinking of purchasing the Bachmann Digital commander or overland limited trainset. 

Please advise.

Cheers
Kiong


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Most Bachman cars/engines also come with hook/horn couplers and can easily be converted if that's what you're asking. Actually almost all manufacturers also include a set of hook/horns with the cars/engines.

Your older cars could also mostly be updated to the new knuckle style coupler for better operational performance. (My preference are Kadee as they are a metal, not plastic knuckle.) Knuckle couplers don't work in conjunction with hook/horn style.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

the couplers are not compatable but you can make an adaptor car. This car will have horn hooks on one end and some type of knuckle on the other so you can use both but the adaptor car will always be in the middle. As a general rule all horn hooks are compatable with other horn hooks and knuckles are compatable with other knuckles but as usual there are always exceptions. 

As for the Bachmann EZcommand or Dynamis I would not recomend buying either of those systems. They are EXTREMELY limited in what they can do and are not expandable. NCE and Digitrax both offer entry level systems that can grow as your layout grows and they dont cost much more than the Bachmann systems do. Also the NCE and Digitrax systems are 98% compliant with NMRA recomended practices for DCC functions.

Massey


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

*Thanks for reply*

Dear all,

Thanks for the replies. I have found that life like does produce cheap knuckle couplers for upgrading I suppose.

Massey, with regards to Digitrax, suppose I can purchase hornby dcc command centre from my LHS, will that be able to control and run the bachmann digital commander sets, perhaps with more functions and flexibility? (I.e. It depends on the dcc system control, not the locomotive itself, any dcc locomotives can run on dcc systems by major brands?

The reason I asked was nobody sells american model trains in Singapore.

Thanks in advance

Cheers
Kiong


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Any NMRA compliant DCC loco can run on any NMRA Comliant DCC system. The NMRA is not a universal group the NMRA is in the US and other countries may have their own similar comittee and or modeling body. That does not mean that NMRA is not Available in other places, or that the standards are not followed but I cant say that ALL DCC systems will work with all DCC locos. 

The NMRA DCC standards are based on the first DCC system developed by Lenz. It has changed little since it came out and it is still a good system today. Make sure what ever system you buy is compatable with which ever decoders you buy. NMRA comliant is going to offer the widest selection possible.

Massey


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

musicwerks said:


> nobody sells american model trains in Singapore


That's just messed up!!!!! They are all made there!


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