I know this question is a bit like asking what's your favorite football team, everybody has a favorite and they tend to be passionate about it. Well here goes. After recently reading the DCC primer at Tony's Train Exchange I would like to purchase a book on DCC. The problem is, I have no idea which book to buy. Some things that I am looking for are:- It is currently in circulation.- It does a really good job discussing installing the track components (power supplies, command stations, boosters, etc.).- The big one, it discusses how to install decoders into non-DCC ready locomotives. I have some older locomotives that will need to be converted to DCC and they do not have plugs in them. Thanks in advance for the help.
I know this question is a bit like asking what's your favorite football team, everybody has a favorite and they tend to be passionate about it. Well here goes.
After recently reading the DCC primer at Tony's Train Exchange I would like to purchase a book on DCC. The problem is, I have no idea which book to buy. Some things that I am looking for are:
- It is currently in circulation.
- It does a really good job discussing installing the track components (power supplies, command stations, boosters, etc.).
- The big one, it discusses how to install decoders into non-DCC ready locomotives. I have some older locomotives that will need to be converted to DCC and they do not have plugs in them.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Have you tried the MR store? They have several published books available that discuss several DCC topics. I have DCC Made Easy by Lionel Strang. It offers a basic approach to setting up a DCC layout. You should check it out.
Will
Take note, some of the books that have comparisions between brands are out of date. I got one by Kalmach and then realized it was "updated" in 2005. Alot has changed in 4 years.
We like to say that, but how much has REALLY changed? Great, now we have systems with 28 functions so out locos can go "moo", "baaaa", and "oink", and make car honking noises, plus make passenger station stop calls on freight engines. Big deal. The concepts are still all the same. There's few newer decoders, but for the most part they are just to accomodate new loco releases, particualrly in N scale. With the exception of MRC, none of the major manufacturers has released a significantly new system in that time.
The DCC world, though high tech, is more like the rest of model railroading - it doesn't change at the lightning pace of consumer electronics.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
For info on installing decoders, I think the internet is a better source then most books. For example, Rick Bell's Group on Yahoo has many clinics on installing sound decoders. Some of the manufacturers and vendors also have lots of good information.
I agree the internet is probably a better resource for installation information. If you are using Train Control Systems decoders, TCS's website, http://www.tcsdcc.com/ , has installation photos for a plethora of locomotives.
As for books, I've found Mike Polsgrove's DCC Projects & Applications (a compilation of MR articles) and Don Fiehmann's The DCC Guide (original material) to be very helpful.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
I don't know if you encountered this thread in your searches on this site, but it is a very informative one from a master modeller. This gentleman is a careful analyst and really knows his stuff!
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/36389/467552.aspx#467552
-Crandell
I know the basics havent changed in 4 years, I meant that the systems have and if your going to do a comparision of systems, its nice to have an up to date list. Im interested in the Prodigy Advanced Sq. and it is not mentioned in the book I referenced. I know the info is available on the www, but I bought the book and expected it to be there too.
Unfortunately, they write books about DCC less frequently than new systems are introduced. The internet is your most up to date source and the manufacturers will uodate the info there first. It's easier and more economical to just upload the document than publish a paper document.
One rule that I've found to be true is to not try to read between the lines on manufacturer's specs.If it doesn't say it will do something, it won't do it.
Martin Myers