to DCC or not to DCC

[Anonymous]

right now i'm building my first layout and the only powersurply i have is the mrc tech that came with the walthers trainline set. my dad and pupup had modelrailroad's of their own before, but the last time they modled i don't think dcc was widely used or as cheap as it is now, but i'm not shure. I didn't know much about mrring when i was 3or 4 back in the early 90's, but anyway they both thought i was crazy for thinking of using dcc on my layout, but now when reading these forums there seems to be tons of teens building their first layouts like myself but their using dcc. now i was thinking about getting the zephyer if i used dcc, but i don't have much money. I'm getting a bagging job making $5.25 an hour so i can buld my railroad but i don't know if i should save some money to get it. or save money over the time untill i'm ready to begin some operating. since i have the 1 powerpack i could use that while i'm saving, but i don't know what i should do at all.
any suggestions

Andrew

[tstage]

Andrew,

That sounds like a good way to go. If you only have one locomotive, then I would stick with the DC power pack for now and save up your pennies for a good DCC system and decoder. A good starter system will run you around $150. Decoders are as cheap as $12. Depending on the age and quality of your locomotive, you may have/want to save up for a better one, too.

I picked up the Bachmann EZ Command for around $53, about 1/2 of list price. It's limited with only 1 amp of max. output but it works great on my 4 x 8 layout. I can run 3 newer locomotives simultaneously - all running in different directions...and diffenert speeds...on the SAME track.

Now, don't start getting worried. You can pick up a decent, basic DCC-equipped locomotive for around $40 ($25-$30, discounted). It won't be the greatest quality but it will run. Better ones can be purchased at heavy discounts from places like Trainworld.com (http://www.trainworld.com). Particularly look at their "blowout" locos. If you find a particular model you like, bounce it across the members here on the forum to get their imput BEFORE you buy. There are good bargains; then there's BAD bargains.

Also, while you are saving that big paycheck every week baggin' groceries (did that myself to help pay for college), you can start reading, learning, and designing your layout and what you'd like to include on it. There's a lot of things to consider. Andrew, take your time and learn what you can. You library may also have some good references and/or back issues of MR that you can peruse through for ideas. That'll save you money, too.

Andrew, you're a wise young man to consider going the DCC route. Where else can you run locomotives more prototypically. Hey, please keep us informed how things are coming along with the layout. [:)]

Hope this is a help to you...

Tom

[selector]

[#ditto] Congratulations for even knowing to ask us what the best way is for you to go. We can help you with the answer, but not tell you what it is..and I think you knew that, so good for you.

Enjoy what you have, and wring everything out of it that you can. Fiddle with track arrangements as you are able, and learn what arrangement gives you satisfaction. That will be a big first step towards your first real layout. Also, by reading and planning, as Tom gently urges, you are so much ahead of the game. Then, when you decide that you have the funds you need to do all of the important things to come, and still have some left for pleasure, you will know what to do.

And yes, DCC is where it's at right now. I feel that it lets me enjoy running my trains that much more. Because you are young, I am pretty sure that throwing switches to open and close blocks of track the old-fashioned way will not be particularly alluring....or fun.

Best of luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Andrew, I would recommend that you go to the website of Tony's Train Exchange and download the DCC for beginners handbook. It is full of valuable information that you can learn about DCC. Once you are familiar with the wiring of your layout for DCC, you can wire it up for DC control with the intent of later going to DCC. That way, you are not duplicating your efforts in wiring your layout. As Selector said, you can get a fair amount of use out of your DC equipment before you need to go to DCC. I would recommend that you do go to DCC when you are ready, but for now you can still have fun with what you have and can make the migration to DCC when you are more able to afford it.

You are doing the right thing by asking these questions on this forum. You will receive a lot of good information. Here's the link to the DCC for Beginners handbook I mentioned:

http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm

Check it out and find out what you need in order to keep your layout being DCC ready. Do this and the switch, when you're ready to make it, will be painless. Basically, all you'll need to do then is to unplug the DC power pack and plug in the DCC system.

Above all else: Have fun!
-Joe

[rolleiman]

Andrew, You are not crazy for considering DCC. 10 years ago I would have said you were but not today. If you have the space to run more than one locomotive you are going to want to do it. At that point you'll be considering block cab control and another power supply.. Even on the most modest layout that can run you well over $50 for the power supply and switches. Save your coin to buy a decent DCC starter set. I don't have experience with the zephyr but I can tell you that digitrax Is top rate from personal knowlage. Tonys Train Exchange is a great place to find information.. This may be the same one mentioned earlier but

http://loystoys.com/dcc-topics.html

is full of information.. Probably more than you want..

And if you Really want to get flooded with info...

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/

Good luck
Jeff

http://www.rolleiman.com/trains/index.html

[simon1966]

Hi Andrew, I think the Zephyr is an excellent goal for your savings. Since you have an MRC power pack now, you will still be able to use the MRC when you have the Zephyr. The Zephyr has this excellent feature called a Jump Port. You can connect your MRC to this Jump port and then assign a DCC equipped locomotive to the MRC and use it as a throttle for a 2nd locomotive. This makes an excellent 2nd controller for any guests that you might like to run trains. Further more, as your hobby grows, the Zephyr is an excellent platform upon which to build and add new features. Another good web site to look at is www.litchfieldstation.com

Good luck

[Adelie]

Andrew, I agree with the excellent advice provided by the others. The Zephyr is a good goal for for you. Like the others said, read up. Depending on how large a layout is in your future and your funds situation, you are probably a little ways away from having to decide between DC or DCC, anyway. As you know, you can really install DCC anytime.

I designed my empire around DCC and did the initial wiring for that (based on a power bus and feeders with track broken into blocks for detection), then hooked up an MRC power pack to test my marvelous (cough, cough) construction, tracklaying and wiring job. That gave me a chance to work out trackage problems (bad joints, potential derailment spots, etc), find poor electrical joints and test the whole thing to death before I plugged in the DCC. My goal was to have the portion of that portion of the layout built (which was my staging level) and completely "debugged" before I converted it.

So, my advice is to take this one step at a time. Arrive at a plan, focus on building solid benchwork, then subroadbed/roadbed, then laying track. When you get to track laying you will need to concern yourself with how to wire it, but DC and DCC are interchangeable enough that one does not rule out the other.

Squirreling away money between now and then for a possible DCC purchase makes a lot of sense, even if you eventually decide against it. The worst that can happen is you decide against DCC and you have a little money saved up. The key now is to select locomotives that can easily be converted to DCC should you go that route. At this point, keep your options open.

Good luck, and enjoy yourself!

[Anonymous]

thanks everyone for all the info [:D] i'll make shure i read and use all the info and websites you gave me, now i'm deffinaltly shure that iwant to do dcc, and if my dad still thinks i'm crazy i'll just print out all of your posts[:D] once again thanks, and on the subject, does anyone know how hard it is to convert this Alco FA-1 loco http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/931-48 to DCC

Thanks
Andrew

[Anonymous]

also looks like it will save me a ton of money on turnouts, i think, well i hope it does cause i will probably have alot of switching

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by prr67

thanks everyone for all the info [:D] i'll make shure i read and use all the info and websites you gave me, now i'm deffinaltly shure that iwant to do dcc, and if my dad still thinks i'm crazy i'll just print out all of your posts[:D] once again thanks, and on the subject, does anyone know how hard it is to convert this Alco FA-1 loco http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/931-48 to DCC

Thanks
Andrew

That's the beauty of coming into DCC when you are.. 10 or so years ago when it was really getting started, trains weren't built with DCC in mind.. I'm still DCC'ing some of my fleet which involves nearly dismantling the entire locomotive. Chances are pretty good that your FA is DCC ready. That is, you buy the decoder you want and plug it in. Ready to go. Sometimes you have to change a light bulb or add a dropping resistor but it may already be there.. Just pull the shell off of the loco and look for a plug (usually on top somewhere).. Most often it'll be a piece of PC board material with some pins soldered on to it acting as a jumper board in place of a decoder. Simply pop that plug out and replace it with the harness on your decoder (make sure to buy a decoder with the plug on the harness). -OR- it may have a harness with a thin 9 pin plug on the end of it (the PC board type plug will have 8 pins). Any of the HO scale Digitrax or NCE decoders will fit the 9 pin (last time I bought any that is).. If neither is there, the LoysToys website is pretty good at explaining how to wire it..

Good luck,
Jeff
[8D]

[rrinker]

The Walther's FA requires a soldered-in decoder, but it's pretty easy, since there are wires connected to everything. Do NOT match colors - the colors of the Walthers wires do not match the colors of standard decoder wires. With the front of the loco facing up, the two wires on the right side of the trucks go to the RED decoder wire, the two wires on the left sides of the trucks go to the BLACK decoder wire. The RED wire on the motor goes to the ORANGE wire on the decoder, and the BLUE motor wire goes to the GREY decoder wire. The headlight wires connect tot he BLUE and WHITE decoder wires, order does not matter. I replaced my light bulb with an LED and resistor, but you don't have to do that.
Before starting, remove the circuit board that comes in the loco and clip off all the wires. I cut off a short section of the rear of the circuit board (the end that has the screw in it) and taped the decoder to that as a way to mount the decoder and keep the wires from getting tangled in the drive.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

cool thanks, i forgot to say it doesn't have a harness

[Anonymous]

hey everyone,
thanks again
justt letten you all know that i finally got to order my zephyer yesterday, and im getting it on xmas

[Janafam]

The best news is you are moving into a good direction. Until a new invention comes along, DCC is where the manufacturers are going. Read MR and you can quickly see where the market has gone, and competition is forcing price pressure which is good for all of us.

[jecorbett]

If I were just starting out, there is no question that I would go DCC. It is here to stay and will soon be the hobby standard if it is not already. I think it is only a tough choice for someone who has an older layout with non-DCC equipment. Retrofitting older equipment and rewiring an older layout has issues that make it a tough call, but if you are buying new, go with DCC. The sooner you get comfortable with it, the happier you will be.