Lions and tigers and bears, oh my....What are your issues with DCC

[gregc]

narrow gauge nuclear

Assuming you are currently involved in DCC....

What is your most worrisome area of entering MR with DCC (For the new guys.)

My issue was coming into the digital technology and learning what was out there to do what task and how it was implemented before I made some bad or expensive mistakes on my new DCC layout after 15 years of being out of the hobby.  Fortunately, I read a lot and while finding the experience a bit tedious, it was not so costly in time or headaches as I first thought it would be.

When studying to be an EE in '81, I became familiar with the idea of direct locomotive control, instead of block control.   After getting back into the hobby about 5 years ago, I was impressed to see DCC.

So when building my new layout and thinking about block control, I took the easy, though more expensive route of choosing DCC.   With DCC I didn't have to worry about how to divide the layout into blocks and didn't have to worry about a control panel.  The electrical aspects were not a problem, but time was for me.   DCC would allow me to park a locomotive anywhere that I wanted, and I could operate multiple locos at the same time.

I have a small 30 sq.ft. layout with only two brass camelback engines.   I'd say I've spent $270 on DCC.   I've avoided the need/time for a block control system, I believe slow speed performance is better with DCC, and am satisfied with my choice. 

[pvrich]

I got into DCC pretty early in the game, in late 2005 with a MRC Prodigy setup. At the time I had about 18 engines mostly small narrow body diesel switchers GP9s, GP7s, SW7s etc and a few covered wagons. None of my engines were DCC ready they all had to be hard wired and the old blue box Athearn engines had to be modified to eliminate the old wiper power bars to wires. What a pain it was getting decoders to fit in those narrow body GPs and SWs just no room and the Bachman spectrum weren’t much fun either.

All in all that was my only real problem adapting to DCC. For the ease of wiring the layout and the control capabilities I would never go back to DC. But I’m glad to see that some of the manufactures are making their DCC engines DC compatible for those that want a new engine but don’t want or need DCC.

[trainnut1250]

Basically I love DCC.  It does what I want it to, and my system works quite well (CVP Easy DCC).

The issues I would mention are twofold:

First is the difficulty of fitting sound decoders in small brass.  The decoder sizes size still aren't really small enough and there is usually a plethora of things to do to make the locos DCC ready.  Part of these issues are really more about finicky brass - poor pick up , re-gearing., motor isolation etc...  Others are about shoehorning a decoder and speaker in a small tender, drilling out holes for wiring etc.

The other issue is the power hungry sound decoders cutting out on slightly dirty track.  I don't notice this nearly as much with non-sound decoders...I have tried stay alive caps in various configurations and they do help However due to limited space in the tender the caps are limited in size.  The TCS stay alive unit is way too big for most of my installs.  I do clean track often and things run very well, but this issue does crop up from time to time. 

Haven't really had time to work on the installs lately due to massive scenery construction...Am also awaiting the TCS sound decoder with a built in stay alive unit. 

Guy

[redram58]

Dc power, compared to dcc is almost free.

[gregc]

there is still the cost of the DC throttles vs the DCC system + decoders

[kbkchooch]

redram58

Dc power, compared to dcc is almost free.

True, but ya get what you pay for! 

[NevinW]

Virtually no issues for me.  Went to DCC 15 years ago.  First layout was wired with a DC-DCC switch.  From day one it was sent on DCC and never turned back.  Do I wish they decodes are smaller? Yes.  I'll never go back to DC.  When battery power is here, I'll switch to that.  -Nevin

[BroadwayLion]

The issue for the LION (besides, of course the cost) is that he still has only one operator. It seems to me that it would be more complicated for a single operator to run DCC than it would for him to run DC.

LION runs 8 trains at once. Still him has only one head (and that one rather furry at that) and big furry paws cannot push buttons on DCC remotes. LION does not even use a TV remote, if you can believe that!

LION runs railroad from CONTROL TOWER with big easy to see and handle levers. Him lets LPPs run the trains without his help.

pmr1121

[Burlington Northern #24]

cost is why I don't want to switch... at the moment my #750 is DCC equipped, GS4 #4450 & NP Lt. Mtn #1256 are DCC ready. All of my BN stuff except a few locomotives is sold and gone, I'm starting an SP&S fleet from scratch with an RS1 shell,  RS1, and E7A. 

When I get my fleet bought and painted, then I'll worry about DCC until then I'll be modeling with a chip on my shoulder because I'm out to prove quite a few misconceptions about young modelers and my modeling wrong.