The SPH Gandy Dancers are bulding (on a shoesring budget) a layout for the residents of a retirement community. At the present, we are planning to run on DC, but with hopes (and prayers!) that we may either be gifted with a DCC system or accummulate enough funds to purchase such a system. What help can anyone give us?
SPH Gandy Dancer
If you wire for DC (electrically-isolated track blocks, cab selector switches on the panels, etc) you can convert to DCC without heartburn.
If the layout is wired for DCC and you connect a DC pack instead of a master control station, you can run ONE locomotive (or lashup.) A separate train would end up slaved to the one available controller - not a good thing.
Wiring a layout for simultaneous DC and DCC operation has an element of danger. If the two systems are not completely isolated from each other, a moment's inattention could let the magic smoke out of something - anything from a motor or decoder to an entire DCC base station.
If I ever go off the rails sufficiently to allow a DCC locomotive onto my layout, I could provide for the beastie in an otherwise all-analog DC environment. Due to the peculiarities of the MZL operating system, it is possible to keep a block of dead track between DC and DCC powered rails. Given that, I could allow an electronic marvel to invade the land of open-frame motors, diode-controlled headlights and sound restricted to gear whine - but only if it's a Japanese prototype locomotive that could have operated in (read my signature)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - analog DC, MZL system)
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
jeffrey-wimberly wrote:You could have both the DC and DCC system connected to the layout through a DPDT center-off switch. If the switch is thrown one way the DC pack is connected to the layout, if it's thrown the other way the DCC system is connected to the layout. If the switch is set to the center position neither power source is connected. Never will both systems be connected to the tracks at the same time.
That will work just fine, as long as you are using one DC cab. If the layouts wired for multiple cabs, it will be a little more complicated.
This was discussed further here: http://cs.trains.com/forums/1435314/ShowPost.aspx
Rotor
Jake: How often does the train go by? Elwood: So often you won't even notice ...
Jay
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