Not really, the hardest part is being able to differentiate between old wives tales and naysayers that don't like DCC for some silly reason, and real information.
With a good system, you may NEVER use the programming track, and you could run trains for years and never know what a CV is.
When people give you information about something, ask them if it's:
With my system, I can get an out of the box decoder, change it's address to a new one (they all come at 3), do all the sound effects, and change the momentum without ever knowing what a CV is.
Kevin's points on lighting is usually the bugaboo, because DCC (and the revolution) use common positive for lights, not common negative. When a manufacturer combines lighting wires for a common and they use LEDs which are polarity sensitive, you may have to do reverse some leads. The calculation of dropping resistors is easy, there are several online "calculators" to tell you what you need based on the LED and the voltage.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
The hardest part (so I hear) is programming the CV's
Lots of help here: http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips.html
Wiring the engines really isn't terribly difficult. (It's also very much the same regardless of the specific command protocol of the control system you use, be it DCC or any of the proprietary systems.) The key wires are--as has been stated--the two wires coming from the track, and the two wires going to the motor. Locate those and you're off and running. Other wires to look into--the headlights; most systems allow for directional lighting, and wires going to the smoke unit. (Some systems control the smoke as well. Otherwise, tie that into the track power feed, preferably through a switch so you can turn it off when you don't want to run it. Most locos with smoke units have this switch already installed.)
On the headlights, you'll want to determine if they're LEDs or incandescent bulbs. If they're LEDs, you'll need to make sure that you use an appropriate dropping resistor in series with it which may or may not be right at the headlight itself. If it's an incandescent bulb, you'll want to make sure it's of sufficient voltage to not be blown out by the track voltage. Some locos use a voltage regulator to power the lights and if you take that out of the equation, bulbs tend to go "poof." When in doubt, ask on one of the forums. Someone will have installed DCC into that loco and can help you.
Some locos have "sockets" in them to accept "plug-and-play" decoders, which makes installation literally as simple as plugging in the decoder. (Aristo-Craft and Bachmann are currently the only manufacturers using such a socket, and not all locos in their product lines have said socket.) If you're using a "non-socket" decoder in those locos, the PC boards within the locomotive that hold the socket generally have solder pads or some such letting you know where to attach the appropriate wires. It's pretty simple either way.
As for which specific system to use, the sky's the limit. Each decoder has a grocery list of features it can control, so you can tailor your particular decoder to what your specific needs are. You'll most likely want one of the high-current ones (3 amps or greater), so you'll want to steer clear of the HO ones (though they're arguably sufficient for little critters and the like that don't draw much power). Popular brands include (but are not limited to) Digitrax, Lenz, Massoth, QSI and Zimo. Any control system will run them all, so you can mix brands as needed to fit specific installations. That's the inherent benefit of an open protocol such as DCC.
Good luck!
Later,
K
+1 for the previous replies.
Start with two locos you have that might be dcc ready. Get to know the decoder programming and how functions and control work. And also take into consideration retrofitting existing turnouts for dcc operation as well. The initial start up cost might be overwhelming but the pay off in control and operation is awesome.
good day.
I switched to DCC and have never regretted it. I use the same setup Greg uses. Basic wiring for a decoder is really very easy. Two wires from track power, two wires from motor. The harder part, sometimes, is keeping the other functions, like lights or smoke. But it's not that hard. I've managed to wire engines from all the major manufacturers, and if I can do it, anybody can
I run DCC, having a great time, you can do simple installs with just 4 wires to connect (and plug in the speaker!) with many decoders.
I have all kinds of locos, it's not that hard, don't let the naysayers scare you.
You can get lots of help here and on MyLargeScale.com
I'm new to DCC, would like to choose a system for my track powered G scale. Living in Hawaii there is no place or person to get advice. Biggest fear is the wiring for the engine. Have many different brands.
Mahalo and Aloha John
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