RCC operated layouts

[Anonymous]

Can anyone tell me the advantages / disadvantages of RCC over DCC?

[CP5170]

Interesting enough, I was having a conversation with a fellow on Thursday night and he was singing the praises of RCC. Since I use DCC I learned a few new things.

First difference is that you do not wire the track; consequently, you will not have any electrical problems with derailments. Your engines are battery powered so you can run them as close together as possible. I don't believe that you will be able to create consists as you can in DCC. Because your engines are battery powered you must recharge them after a period of time. My friend was saying that he gets 3 hours run-time on his G-scale units. I have no idea of the cost of batteries and their life expectancy.

Second difference is that with DCC you will be able create blocks for a signal system. You could do this with RCC but you would have to wire the tracks and that would make DCC more practical.

You will have to run an electrical bus to power your turnouts in both systems.

Your RCC engines will run on normal layouts (DCC or DC) but not vice versa.

You will have to determine the cost factors for both systems. I suspect that when all is tallied up that there will not be any savings by using RCC. Personally, I can see the advantages of RCC for outdoor G-scale layout but for HO or N , I think that DCC is the way to go.

Hope this helps.

Lets us know what you find out.

Ken

[Anonymous]

It seems everyone is against RCC.

[nfmisso]

Ken has not go everything entirely correct. There is an RCC system for HO, it requires power on the track - in fact they'll run just fine on a DCC equipped layout. The difference is that each locomotive has a radio control receiver that plugs in like a DCC decoder. It gets instructions via radio, and not the track, to control the power to the motor, lights, etc.

Goto: http://www.aristocraft.com/ and then search for HO TRAIN ENGINEER CRE-55000

[Anonymous]

I recall a friend of mine tried a RC system for HO and it didn't work. Buyer beware!

[Anonymous]

There is a system for HO scale which uses infared signals from the handheld throttles to the locomotives. Either DC or a wired DCC signal can be on the rails so it can be used WITH OR INSTEAD OF a regular DCC system.
see:
http://www.rail-lynx.com