switching between DC and DCC operation

[Anonymous]

my analog DC layout is now waiting for the MRC prodigy advance I ordered at Tonystrains. I have a lot of analog DC locos (Roco, Fleischmann) and a couple of DCC locos. Since the prodigy does not support conventional analog locos, is there a way I can retain my analog wiring, add dcc wiring and then somehow shuffle between DC and DCC operation? I use Fleischmann controllers.

Thanks for the advice.

[Anonymous]

I recently read an article about a club doing this, They had a modular setup with basically three separate loops and wanted to be able to run each loop on either DC or DCC. They were going to use DPDT w/center off switches. Where the loops joined, it was suggested that a section between the two be isolated to prevent anything bridging a gap with DC on one side and Dcc on the other. If you simply wanted the whole layout to be able to change from one to the other, you could use the DPDT switch to change. When you get your DCC system, you can use the existing wiring. You just switch all of your blocks on so power is going to all of your track.

[cought]

I have an MRC Prodigy System on my layout, and it has worked out very well. You can mix DCC locos and analog locos on a prodigy system in two ways:

#1 Use channel 1 on the DCC controller as your analog loco channel. Don't program any of your DCC locos to it, just save it for the straight DC engines. The typical DCC signal is actually an AC signal which the decoder converts into DCC within your loco's wiring, running your trains. You can still use channel 1 to run the non-DCC locos on. The AC current makes them buzz lightly (the motor is vibating but not moving with the AC current. I am told this does ot harm the DC motor.) Then, when you use Channel 1 on a regular DC locomotive, it superimposes a DC current ontop of the AC current, allowing the regular locomotive to run independently from your DCC locomotives. I think I have the electronics down on this.

#2 My layout is about 15 years old, older than most DCC. My wiring is set up for old fashioned cab control, with a A, B, and C throttles. I use the C throttle now for the DCC, and if I want to run my older locos without decoders, I switch over to the older throttles. This is the same as your DPDT switch, it's just electrically isolated from the DCC throttle. That's the trick -- you cannot have the DC throttle and the DCC system on the same circuit.

Hope this helps.

[cacole]

I wired the Cochise & Western Model Railroad Club's 20x40 foot HO scale layout for dual operation. We have a toggle switch on each control panel that can be set to "BLOCK" or "DCC" to switch between the two. In block mode, the layout is controlled with hand-held Cooler Crawler throttles, and in DCC mode there is a Cat 5 LAN around the entire layout with sockets every 6 feet or so for hand-held DCC controllers.

The only limitation is that you cannot mix modes and run both block and DCC simultaneously -- it must be exclusively one or the other, because the entire layout is switched from one mode to the other.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. I get the idea.

Cought, are you sure the prodigy advance can support analog on channel#1? All the available literature says it can not.

[cought]

modeltrain, I have the original prodigy [about 2 years old], so what works on mine may not work on yours if you have the best & latest. Looking at the new pictures of the Prodigy advance on the MRC website, I don't see the analog enable switch on it that the original Prodigy had.

You could probably email MRC's technical types directly at: [e-mail] They've given me straight answers in the past...

[rrinker]

Prodigy Advanced does not run an analog loco. I guess they figured if you are going to be 'advanced' then you would already have decoders in all your locos [;)]

--Randy

[cacole]

I think all DCC equipment manufacturers are eventually going to eliminate the operation of a non-decoder locomotive because doing so causes a DC motor to overheat. A friend of mine swears that trying to run a non-DCC equipped engine on his layout destroyed the locomotive motor by demagnetizing the motor's magnets.

[rrinker]

Maybe, but I really think the urban legend stuff is starting to kick in with this topic.

I'll admit, i do not run them for HOURS at a time. But ai hev run all sorts of locos on address 00 with my Zephyr and not had a single one even get WARM (feeling the motor body immediately after stopping one). 2 Things. One, I do not leave them sit ont he track buzzing away but not turning, and two, I keep themmoving when they'r eon the track. Oh, I'll stop, back up, cut some cars off, etc. But I NEVER leave a DC loco just sit there.
I fully agree that to do this with a coreless motor will pretty much instantly destroy the motor - so will a DCC decoder that doesn't have a high frequency drive (luckily most every one does these days). But I have had no problems with Athearn (should NEVER have a problem with those massive things), no problems with the DC-70 or whatever are in Bowser kits, no problems with Atlas/Kato diesels, no problems with Atlas/Roco diesels, no problems with Rivarossi locos, no problems with the IHC/Pemco GG1's, both single and dual motor - they have some sort of REALLY tiny cheap motor in them, no problems with GEM, PFM, or NJ Custom brass locos of various vintages, etc. Ran a bunch of P2K locos too.
These will all get decoders eventually, but for the most part they belong to my father in law and he can't afford to buy 40-50 decoders at one shot. So we do about 4 a month.
The noise is more objectionable than any heating of the motor that I've noticed. I hae an Athearn S12 that is pretty much useless to me, maybe I will do some more scientific testing with that unit since I don't care too much if the motor burns up in it.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

I received today my prodigy advance and wasted no time unpacking it. And I tell you, it was a bit frustrating; not because of any fault or anything but simply that I live in a 230V Ac mains power worldand the supplied trafo is 120VAC. Now there is always the option of using a stepdown trafo of 230/120vAC but here is my question. The base unit says it can take input power as 16-18VDC. But I am not sure of the polarity of the plug on the trafo. Is it importantto watch for polarity? I mean will I blow off anything if I connect the wrong polarity?

This is a long post so thanks in advance for being patient.

vilas -modelltrain

[Anonymous]

I checked with the support team at MRC. They insist that one should use only AC power to the prodigy advance base station.

Vilas - modelltrain