Hello gang,
I have many locos ranging from 15 to 40 years old.Time has allowed me to tear down the proverbial 4x8 layout and replace it with a 3 wall cookie cutter consisting of 2 main lines(45 feet long joined with a shinohara double crossover)150 total feet and growing including yards.
I like the idea of DCC mostly for sound.I run 2 DC cabs and have no problem running 3 trains on the layout now.
Will I be able to utilize my old units if I make the jump to this newfangled technology?I will add some new DCC loco's of course.
Can I safely run a switched DC/DCC combination to run old units on existing DC?
14 ga buss/20 ga feeders.Will I feed both mains with one buss if DCC?
Thanks for the help.Paul
The front tires on the Chevelle have lasted forever.
The rears,not so good.!!
Paul, if all you are looking for is sound, just buy a dual sound decoder engine. My first sound engine was a BLI Class J. I had no idea it had sound, turned on the DC power pack and there was sound! BLI and others make a box that you hook to your DC set up so you can control the sound effects and they cost around $30.00 to $40.00 range.
If you want to change sounds and other control items (CV) then going DCC may be the way to go.
DCC track can take more cleaning than DC track.
On adding decoders to older engines, sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. You need low draw motors so you don't cook the decoders. Old Athearns with Rocket Motors will eat decoders like Hemi's eat Bowie Ties. (sorry but I am weak) Proto 1000 and 2000's will take a decoder with no problem.
My motto, if its not broke don't fix it.
You gear head friend, Cuda Ken and sorry for the cheap shoot. Well, to a point!
I hate Rust
Paul
Where on the Cape are you? Next Wednesday at 7:00 at DJs wings in Hyannis is a meeting of the Cape Cod Model RR club. You are welcome to come and meet. Bring a list of locomotives and I can help you decide on potential conversions to DCC. I do a lot of decoder installations for the club. Plus one of our members works for Traintek.
http://www.traintekllc.com/
PM me if you can make it or not.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Some DCC systems allow you to run one non-decoder equipped locomotive on address 0, but this can cause the motor to make a buzzing noise and overheat.
The NMRA allowed for this when they adopted their DCC Standards and Recommended Practices because a decoder cost as much as $75 each back then. Today you can get a decoder for as little as $12 to $15, so it's not worth burning up a motor to save the cost of a decoder.
If your DC engines run well on DC, then they will, in all likelihood, run well if you add a decoder for DCC. If they run poorly on DC, well, DCC isn't going to cure that.
I've got a Lenz DCC System 100. It does allow DC engines to operate. However, you can't select the engine like you can with DCC locomotives. In fact, while the literature says you can operate one DC engine, in fact, you can operate several, but they will all run at once, just like they do with DC. In this mode, you are effectively back to "running the track" while the DCC portion of the system is "running the trains."
If you have a reverse loop or a reversing wye on your layout, you'll discover that DCC lets you use auto-reverse modules that makes the polarity-switching completely automatic. However, these auto-reversers won't work for DC engines running on a DCC system.
You won't like the way DC engines perform in this mode, by the way. It's really more of a stopgap, just a way to let you run those locomotives before you put decoders in them. They make a lot of noise, and generally run slower than you would expect. It would be pretty much impossible to consist DC and DCC engines together.
If you're thinking of running part of your layout on DC and part on DCC, please stop that train of thought right now. There is just too much danger of destroying decoders and even your whole DCC system if you accidentally cross the boundry with both systems hot.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
glassman396 Will I be able to utilize my old units if I make the jump to this newfangled technology?I will add some new DCC loco's of course.
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
Thanks again for the info.My oldest loco's will be lightly used,several Protos will get decoders,non sentimental units will be sold/gifted to buddies kid.I will not mix dc/dcc.Now for the mfg.Early lead goes to NCE powercab but open to all recommendations.
Ken,I drive to Arizona(land in Seligman overlooks Rt 66 and the trains running along I40)enough that i might have to stop sometime and check out that nice Mopar and your impressive layout.
Pete,I'm in brewster.(small world)I will look for you on weds.I've known Nelson at Centerline Hobbies since he first opened at old address.25 yrs or so(hardcore into R/C also)
This internet deal has made gathering info just amazing.30 years ago it took me years to find others racing R/C boats.
Thanks to you all again...Paul
I am in Brewster also. Very small Cape. I believe I have seen your Chevelle around. That isn't your tire marks on Freemans is it? Impressive.