Learning about DCC

[jdhunger]

Where can I go to learn about DCC? I have never tried it and know nothing about it. Any books available that could get me up to speed?

[tstage]

jdhunger,

Welcome to the forum! Good to have you aboard!

Here's a couple of direct links for you:

Tony's Train Exchange: http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm

The file is in .pdf format. You can download the entire topic and print it out. (I prefer to read it that way vs. off the monitor.)

Wiring For DCC: http://www.wiringfordcc.com/intro2dcc.htm

Both are great sources for DCC information and products. Lionel Strang's DCC Made Easy (Kalmbach Books) is another good, basic and simple explanation of how DCC works.

Jdhunger, hopefully that will fill in some of the cracks for you. It can be pretty intimidating at first but, hang with it, and it will start to make more sense. If it's any consolation, I'm still learning myself. [:)]

Tom

[Anonymous]

There is an excellent Forum Clinic on DCC as well in the "General Topics " area that keeps coming back toward the top of the postings that you may find helpful.

Try this address: http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36389

Have fun and enjoy;
Will

[Anonymous]

And, you can read online or download the owners manuals for all the DCC equipment. A web site like Tony's http://www.tonystrains.com/index.html links to all the manufacturers web sites as they describe their products for sale.

You'll soon find out that it is not rocket science.

Jim

[BRVRR]

jhunger,
Welcome to the forum. There are tons of places on the web to learn about DCC. Those already mentioned are good. Another is:
[url="http://litchfieldstation.com"]
Bruce's DCC primer is very good. There are links to other MR sources on the LINKS page on my website. Link to site is in my signature.
Good luck and again, welcome!

[jdhunger]

Thank you for the great sources of DCC info. I have checked out Tony's and DCC For Beginners. They are both great! Since I am now in the process of moving out of one house in Iowa to a new one in Minnesota and had to take apart my old DC setup, this may be a good time to try out a DCC setup on one of my plywood tables. I worry about the disadvantages, however. The old block system may be somewhat primitive, but is fairly simple. Is DCC's complexity worth the effort?

By the way, thanks for the nice welcome to the forum!

[MisterBeasley]

Complexity? What complexity? We don't need no steenking complexity!

Seriously, DCC is so much easier to work with. I'm a recent convert, and I am thrilled with how easy it is to use DCC. I'm still early in construction, and I've only got a single loop with a passing siding, and a couple of sidings to nowhere. Still, I've rapidly grown accustomed to having 3 locomotives live on the tracks. I've got a camera-car with a video unit in the front, and I love to chase another train around the loop.

With a lot of old equipment, I had planned to run both DC and DCC for a while, but within an hour, I had ripped out the DC wiring to the track and I don't regret it for a moment. As long as you're starting fresh, go with DCC all the way.