What does "DCC ready" really mean?

[liquidcross]

When a locomotive is solicited as "DCC ready"...does that mean it's required to have a NMRA plug or support for a drop-in decoder? Or does it just mean that there's space to wire in a decoder on your own? I'm assuming there's got to be some kind of distinction...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 DCC Ready can mean as little as the motor is isolated from the frame to as much as all you have to do is plug in a decoder.

[tstage]

Liquid,

Unfortunately, it means different things to different manufacturers.  For the most part, it means a 8-pin NMRA socket has been installed...but not always.

Tom

[richg1998]

Some come with the motor terminals isolated. Some you have to solder the decoder wires to the terminals on a PC board. Most of those now have a little plastic tab that slides over the terminal and wire and do not need soldering. My Spectrum 44 ton, 70 ton and 0-6-0T come like that. No 8 pin socket but a little hole in the center of the solder tab. You poke the wire in the hole and slip the plastic tab over that spot. I prefer soldering.

Many steamers and regular diesels have the 8 pin socket or a 9 pin JST connector. Athearn calls the 9 pin connector, a Quick plug. Many modelers are clueless and do not know how to search the 'Net for these terms and really get confused when ordering a loco.

Some decoders come with 8 pin, 9 pin, or just wires. Some like the SoundTraxx Tsunami has shrink wrap over the 9 pin connector. You have to cut back the shrink to see the connector. Unplug the wire harness and plug in a decoder with the 9 pin connector. There are also 8 pin to 9 pin adapters. I have seen some 6 pin connectors on LokSound decoders. I cut them off and hard wire.

The Micro Tsunami has no connector. You hard wire or solder the wires to an 8 pin plug.

Try to do some homework by searching. You might need a car load of Patience as DCC is quite extensive and growing daily.

Rich

[CSX Robert]

davidmbedard

..In N scale this means that either there is a plug for a decoder (proto 0-8-0) or it will receive and light-board replacement typed decoder (atlas SD60)...

OR that the motor is isolated but you will have to hardwire a decoder to install one(Bachmann 2-8-0, Model Power Steam Loco's).

[locoi1sa]

   It really means the manufacturer thought about DCC when they designed it but left it up to us to figure out how and what to install. Other than that check decoder manufacture web sites for info on what they recommend for a decoder. TCS has installation pictures for a lot of locomotives. Even if you do not use a TCS decoder other brands may come close. A multimeter is a must have for decoder installations to find out if the motor is isolated from the frames and other tests. The P2K HO scale S1 has a plug but the motor is still grounded to the frame. If you plug a decoder in and it derails and a wheel comes in contact with the frame, Poof toasted decoder. That is one example of DCC ready but not really. Some N scale decoders that I have put in HO scale locos had a 7 pin JST header on them. 8 and 9 pin decoders are more common in HO scale. Most N scale diesel locos will take a board replacement decoder.

        Pete

[liquidcross]

 Thanks for all of the help, folks. I appreciate it! I might just have to hedge my bets; I've got my eyes on this Spectrum SD-45. It's DCC-ready, but I've been unable to find any information on what that means specific to this model.

[CSX Robert]

liquidcross

I've got my eyes on this Spectrum SD-45

That's another one that requires a hardwired decoder. Here is an example decoder install for that engine.

[retsignalmtr]

If it's like Atlas locos the light board is removed and the decoder drops in. But I recently bought an N scale Spectrum 2-8-0 advertised as DCC ready and all that meant was that there is room for a decoder somewhere inside.

[mfm37]

 In N scale "DCC ready" means that the motor brushes can be easily isolated from the track pick up. From there it's up to the manufacturer how "easy" that will be. Some will use a plug, others have a replacement circuitboard, still others will just have the connection up top where it can be easily cut. For the most part though, it will mean a plug in for steam or a replacement board for diesels.

BTW, I like the Bachmann SD45 installation. IMHO, their hard wire technique is better than the Atlas replacement boards. The whole installation takes less than 20 minutes.

Martin Myers

[liquidcross]

mfm37

BTW, I like the Bachmann SD45 installation. IMHO, their hard wire technique is better than the Atlas replacement boards. The whole installation takes less than 20 minutes.

Martin Myers

Which decoder did you use?

davidmbedard

For that price, spend 5 bucks more and get the Kato version.  A whole different league when it comes to quality and reliability.

David B

 

True, but I've found the SD-45 in question for a lot less than MSRP. No such luck with the Kato. ;)

[CSX Robert]

The Kato is definitely much, much better quality. One bad thing about the Kato, however, is it is not DCC ready, so the decoder install would be more difficult.