VERY beginners post

[Prowler7]

 Heya!

I am new to the hobby and have been reading what I can at the library and here on the boards. I most likely wont get to start building my RR until next year, but I will be well read and hopefully well planned out when the time comes.

I have decided on DCC for my planned N scale layout. Right now I am undecided on which DCC system to go for, my funds will most likely limit me to one of the basic sets. My question is this -

On DCC locomotives, I have noticed that there are several different manufacturer of decoders, is it better to match up locomotive decoder with your DCC system or is it generally OK to mix and match?

[JoeinPA]

 Welcome to the hobby and to this forum!  Decoder manufacturers comply with basic NMRA standards so their decoders are compatible with all the available DCC systems.   You can mix and match decoders and DCC systems as much as you like.  That is part of the fun of DCC.  Enjoy!

Joe

[Prowler7]

 Thanks!

Glad to hear that, it will make locomotive shopping a little easier.

[rrinker]

 Mix and matcha ll you want. It's more critical with N scale because fitting decoders is not always easy. Various manufacturers make differenct decoders for different locos, there is some overlap, but often NCE will have a decoder to fit a line of N scale locos that Digitrax does not have a decoder for, or maybe it's TCS has the one for your particular loco. The beauty of NMRA DCC is that the signal on the track is what's standardized, so anyone's decoders work with anyone's DCC system. I use a Digitrax system but at the moment don;t have a single Digitrax decoder - mine are all TCS and NCE.

                                                  --Randy

 

[Texas Zepher]

Prowler7

On DCC locomotives, I have noticed that there are several different manufacturer of decoders, is it better to match up locomotive decoder with your DCC system or is it generally OK to mix and match?

Mix and match.  That is the whole point of having standards.

[Prowler7]

 I had to ask and make sure, cause "standards" arent always standard, know what I mean? I am VERY glad to hear that isnt the case here.