Suggestions on beginning DCC starter set

[BigDaddy]

MacTrom

engine was active but unresponsive. I removed my DC pack from the equation,

We've seen that in the forum before.  I don't understand why, but even turned off, a DC power pack is a problem.  You can run one or the other with a DPDT center off switch.

[MacTrom]

What I read here was that even if the DC pack is off but still wired in, it will interfere with the DCC. Once I removed it completely, my DCC worked. If I decide to run DC for my little dockside, I’ll isolate the industries completely for that reason. 

[rrinker]

 You need to keep the two completely isolate. If you want to be able to switch between DC and DCC, you cna use a DPDT CENTER OFF toggle (MUST be center off) and connect the DCC to one side, the DC to the other, and the center to the rails. Or find an old-fashioned knife switch. 

 If it's any sort of modern DC power pack, it will be transistorized, and likely there is a capacitor near the output, which will swallow up the DCC signal. Or the output transistor, getting power fed back in that half the time is the wrong polarity, could be shorting things out. Definitely do not want to do that for long. And running the DC supply with the DCC conencted will feed significnat current back in to the outptu drivers of the DCC system and likely damage something. This is why you NEVER want to have any chance for DC and DCC power to come together - like alternating blocks, even with gaps in both rails. A loco or a lighted car crossing the gaps would connect the two together. And Bad Thing would happen.

                                 --Randy