First of all I am not working for any train manufacturer! Second I am a union steward and I am used to trying to figure out the truth when a lot of people are complaining and saying different things! I used to be a sound engineer. I loved trains since I was a kid. If you care to read on these are my opinions based on my tests with the equipment I could get my hands on.
Track power vs battery: I was not willing to pull a battery car behind each loco lash up and install air transmitters in each. I felt this would limit my operating sessions. Great concept for smaller numbers of engines. Much higher investment to run the number of locos I was planning. I hooked up a 9v makita lithium drill battery to test pulling power and longevity: very nice.
DC Track power: how most of us start. Very limited flexibility. Limited number of amps available on track unless you divide it and buy more transformers. Low independent control of high number of engines and you can't access features easily.
DCC: I have a prodigy ho system ( my first dcc) and now a digitrax 8a super chief. Most everyone claims this signal is stronger than DCS so I just spent about two hours connecting DCC to the rails. I had a NCE 4amp decoder in the sd 40 and the engine performed ok.
I purchased and installed a new Locksound 3.5XL sound decoder in a USA sd40-2. The engine sounds great. The operation is very picky about track signal. Several spots on the layout popped up where the sound would garble and the engine would slow. How do some claim this signal is stronger? I will add more jumpers and clamps if I were to keep this system hooked up.
You can remember addresses easy if you program them to the engine #. The problems seems for me to remember each decoders funtion number gives different results. I would not care to function remap, customise speed tables, and all the consist problems multiply. So I'll have to buy all the same decoder and spend hours installing each. I am looking for QSI new decoder that will work on multiple systems.
DCS: was my choice because of the value and features. several engines controlled independently. Very easy programing. The MTH engines all match without any changes. I lash up anything ( challenger to a dash 8!). I can drop cars off by pushing a button and the coupler opens. Sound is already in each engine and I look for that although I find myself always turning the volume down? The smoke system on the challenger is amazing. oh yeah, I power 400' of track and four engines (so far) with one lionel 180 watt brick. I run consists and change them easily.
I ran into the problems I was warned about with track signal. The same problems are worse with my dcc test. The QSI decoders ( in the MTH) seem to handle dirty track as good or better than the NCE and surpase the Locksound. I solved signal problems with light bulbs cleaning up the track signal for DCS. It did not help the DCC. More track feeders would be necessary and clamps are a must.
My effort is to give answers to anyone who needs to choose which system is for them BEFORE they buy! I wish all manufacturers had each engine compatable so I could run them all. I wish I had not wandered down so many different paths and purchased things that did not pan out. My digitrax works great and I'll keep it on my HO layout. The prodigy is outdated and will serve to trouble shoot only (boat anchor). I've updated the MTH DCS twice now online and it was easy. I want to purchase a USA sd70 but can't run it on my track yet without a compatable decoder.
I welcome your testimony on your favorite system. Maybe it works better for you. One guy ( initials MC) has the best looking trains and seems to be a train master and he runs battery. I was tempted to switch till I priced out all I would need.
If this is supposed to be posted in another column why don't they list DCS? Maybe they did not consider to list it but you should consider buying it if you want to expand your operations. Joe P.
What is 'DCS'?
I am going to track power when I start laying track. First, it's cheapest and I understand it. Second, it's cheapest compared to battery and DCC, especially since I've found a method of cladding my rails with flattened copper wire. Haven't tested any yet but can't see how it could not work. I've spent a year and about 1/3 of what a low-end Airwire system would've cost buying books, surfing the web for hours, trying to scratchbuild my own TX/RX. I have determined to my satisfaction that it cannot be done cheaply enough to warrant the labor of constructing the modules. I'd thought it could but I was mistaken.
For my particular situation (a small indoor layout for one operator) RC + Battery would be the best choice, but the up-front cost of RC is presently beyond my means, and there are more interesting areas of the G-gauge world I'd rather explore. And, I'm not sure batteries would fit in my proposed 0-4-0 & 0-6-0 tank engines.
I just spent $30 on two MR DCC magazines. They sure emphasized Digitrax. I am no booster for any brand. But now I understand a whole lot that I wasn't able to get off the Web. What I now know I don't like: there are noise issues (RFI--radio frequency interference) for one. Signal strength loss for another: Brass track seems to have a lot more resistance than I'd imagined, and I knew it was worse than copper. It is sold as being 'simpler' than old-fashioned block wiring, and for anything above a small layout, I suspect that's probably true.
"Go with what you know" is my plan for wiring. For track power I'm going to investigate a battery charger plus big capacitors, a rheostat or semiconductor voltage divider and a linear potentiometer. And a reversing switch. This cheap stuff I'll be starting with will do for that. I do intend to install noise bypass filters if I encounter a 'dithering' problem. (Caused by AC ripple and/or induced noise, highly unlikely in trackwork with stub switches.)
I trekked a 50 mile round trip thru Saturday traffic to a hobby store. I now have samples of glues, 2-part epoxies, Squadron Green (at last!) Plastruct pieces in all available shapes, and an LGB smoke generator to investigate. I was surprised: the NIB smoker unit cost me $20, less than the going price on Evilbay & no shipping. (Not counting approximately 3 gallons of gas @ $3.38).
But now I have materials common to the hobby though unfamiliar to me. I'm getting my education in this hobby about like I've gotten the rest of what I know: lay down your money and find out.
Les W.
hoofe116 wrote: But now I have materials common to the hobby though unfamiliar to me. I'm getting my education in this hobby about like I've gotten the rest of what I know: lay down your money and find out.Les W.
Les,
That is the best statement I have seen! Good luck in your hobby!!!
Toad
Thanx, Toad, I'll need a lot!
hoofe116 wrote: Thanx, Toad, I'll need a lot! Les W.
Yes you will Les, so hate to tell ya, can't look to me or the Freaky Frog Toad for any !!!
Byron
I'm an old time "O" Gauge Collector, but I operate in "G" gauge only.
I prefer the MTH/DCS system as it digitly encodes the locomotive speed in Scale MPH and is Software upgradeable for free. I own 18 locomotives that I can run 510 feet of track. 10 of the locomotives are MTH with DCS control. I have also converted 3 AristoCraft locomotives to DCS with Protosound II using the MTH Diesel Upgrade Kit. I will upgrade my Aristo Club Engine when comes in this summer, already have the upgrade kit. (remember to tell them it's for "G" scale)
As for size, MTH builds to 1/32 scale and looks good along side Aristo and USA Trains which builds to 1/29th. Next to an LGB locomotive built to 1/22nd or 1/24th, MTH does look a little small. BUT, how small is a 28" Dash-8, 37" Hudson, and a 50" Challenger?
BELOW - on the left MTH Dash-8 - on the Right AristoCraft RS-3 - Aristo Switch Tower & Track
Don U. TCA 73-5735
DMUinCT wrote: I'm an old time "O" Gauge Collector, but I operate in "G" gauge only. I prefer the MTH/DCS system as it digitly encodes the locomotive speed in Scale MPH and is Software upgradeable for free. I own 18 locomotives that I can run 510 feet of track. 10 of the locomotives are MTH with DCS control. I have also converted 3 AristoCraft locomotives to DCS with Protosound II using the MTH Diesel Upgrade Kit. I will upgrade my Aristo Club Engine when comes in this summer, already have the upgrade kit. (remember to tell them it's for "G" scale) As for size, MTH builds to 1/32 scale and looks good along side Aristo and USA Trains which builds to 1/29th. Next to an LGB locomotive built to 1/22nd or 1/24th, MTH does look a little small. BUT, how small is a 28" Dash-8, 37" Hudson, and a 50" Challenger?BELOW - on the left MTH Dash-8 - on the Right AristoCraft RS-3 - Aristo Switch Tower & Track
Say Don,
Appriciate your input here, I am one who likes to talk one-on-one, about specifics, I get more out of it.
As to the DCS, I'd like to E-mail ya personally, let me know, OK....
Been trying to drum up a conversation with Joe, calls himself "engineer" here on this Forum, doesn't seem ta wanna talk though.......
I'm a hands on, tell me about it, tell it to me, kinda person. Just Read'en about it, just causes it to loose, an confuse me a good bit'a the time....Don't know if too many of ya have that problem here, but I DO to an extent......OH WELL.....I get by though....
Thanks, Byron
Sorry about "not wanting to talk". Someone hacked my computer and I'm still struggling to maintain control. I'm involved in arbitration, trying to win my "union" job back from a company that feels they can make an example of me. And when I "retreat" to the cellar to run trains, my engines seem to defy logic daily.
Upgraded my usa sd40 to locksound. I had a nce 4 amp decoder that ran well but cooked the dallee system ( speaker only but changed everything). I figured I'd try an upgrade to the esu but it's complicated to program and to rewire the track ( more feeders ) for one engine.
I cooked the sound chip in my MTH challenger somehow. About everything that could have gone wrong did. Did I mention the roof started leaking. So when or if you email me again I'll try to answer your questions, but when I sent you the pictures you requested, I had no idea they would be too small for your use. I did not see another question from you. maybe I missed it. Funny everyone at work used to say I could not stop talking?
Dude, sorry to hear!!!!! You shooting -100 sounds like it.
Look at the bright side they can not steal your Jack Armstrong ring!
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