DC or DCC

[Toenail]

I have heard conflicting accounts on the quality of N scale DCC.

Does it work with the light weight engines?

 I have also been told the track is a constant chore to keep clean enough for the N scale wheels (contact points)?

I have 100 older engines through an inheritance, and either I sell these and get recent DCC models or I just go with DC. My desire is DCC but not if the engines stall constantly.

Another added delemma is I want to focus on steam engines more than deisel. DCC and steam at this point looks like only a few models that are not behemoths, like Athearns Challenger. Am I misstaken?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Toenail

 

[tstage]

Toenail

Another added delemma is I want to focus on steam engines more than deisel. DCC and steam at this point looks like only a few models that are not behemoths, like Athearns Challenger. Am I misstaken?

Toenail

Toenail,

It's funny you should mention that because I was just contemplating that issue yesterday and trying to remember what was available in N-scale steam.  I can think of three good ones "non-behemoths" right off the bat:

• KATO 2-8-2 Mikado
• PROTO 2000 2-8-4 Berkshire
• PROTO 2000 0-8-0 switcher

Toenail, have you thought about switching to HO.  Although you reduce your layout size by ~1/2, the steam selection is much better.  And so is the sound, if you're interested in that.

Tom

[rrinker]

 If your locos run fine on DC, they'll run fine on DCC. With DCC the voltage ont he track is constant - when you run on DC, unless you always run your trains at full throttle warp speed, the voltage is usually well less than maximum. So if power pickup is maintanined while the loco runs slow, it won;t have a problem with DCC. The bigger problem with N scale is decoder fitment. There are very few that are plug and play, and those are mostly newer diesels. Even then, sometimes modifications are needed as the loco manufacturers modify the shell or frame slightly and the decoder that used to fit in doesn't make proper contact anymore. Steam locos aren;t too bad because unless it's a tank engine or a very small one with tender drive, you have space int he tender to install a decoder - but most of them are strictly solder the wires types of installs. I don;t have any pictures but a friend of mine scratchbuilds small 1900's locos in N scale, puts the motor int he tender (even a small slope-backed tender!) so the boiler cna be stuffed with weight so it can pull more than 2 cars, and still manages to get a tiny decoder in there with it - the smallest ones are smaller than Roosevelt's head on a dime. So it CAN be done.

 Digitrax's in-house demo/display layout is N scale, and has been around for years. Before these micro decoders were available.

                            --Randy

[mobilman44]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I did a stint in N in the '80s, but otherwise have always been in HO.  There is a plethora of arguements over "which is better", and they both have their attributes.

That being said, while you can get about twice the layout with N as with HO, N can be particularly difficult to work with - especially with the locos and their workings.   I take my hat off to those that can install decoders and sound in N scale equipment, and congratulate them.

But for the average guy, HO is much more suitable to work on, and the selection of steamers is significantly greater - as is the case for trackage, structures, rolling stock, etc. 

 

[simon1966]

I am an HO'er, sounds bad!  My youngest son is in the process of constructing a small N scale layout and has picked up a few older N scale locos which run just fine with the current DC setup.  I have been looking at them with a view to converting to DCC and am frankly a little daunted by the size and some of the modifications that are needed, frame milling etc.  So I understand what your concern is.  Having run DCC for so long in HO, I have not been all that concerned about pickup issues for DCC in N scale.  As far as I am concerned the same wheels are picking up power in DC so if they run well in DC I am confident that they will run well in DCC.   I can't even imagine putting sound into them!!!

[DigitalGriffin]

DCC decoders (in the engine) are very sensitive to power drops.   Most modern decoders use a small capacitor to buffer these momentary power drops.  My most reliable decoder is a lenz silver with excellent BEMF (steady speed control at low speeds).  But this doesn't have sound.  The smallest decoders are NCE, TCS, and Digitrax.  Soundtraxx micro-Tsunami is your best bet for sound.  But it is still considerably larger than the smallest decoders AND you have to heat sink them and find a place for the capacitor (as sound decoders are even MORE sensitive to power drops)

DCC boosters (the power supplies) are very sensitive to shorts.  Breakers will help with this situation.  Some even give a little extra reserve power (ie: Tony's PSX) to keep the system from shorting (shutting down)

[tstage]

DigitalGriffin

My most reliable decoder is a lenz silver with excellent BEMF (steady speed control at low speeds).  But this doesn't have sound.

That is a terrific decoder.  I have one in a Blueline Niagara and that baby really crawls at low speed.

Tom

[rrinker]

Actually the smallest decoders come from companies like CT Elektronic and Zimo. Those things are so small, if one of the wires came loose, I'd have to figure out a way to clamp a pin in my soldering iron to use as the tip.

                --Randy

 

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

Toenail,

A few thoughts to consider:

First, as others have said DCC works fine in N scale, but unless you have the skills and patience to do the work yourself, installing all those decoders will be expensive.

And while I'm sure most if not all can be converted, the ability to install sound may be a bigger question - do you want sound? Personally in that small a size I am very unimpressed with sound. I don't even care for it in HO. It takes an O scale sized speaker before I am interested in sound.

If you like the selection of equipment you have, and sound is not important, you may want to stay with DC.

AND, if you stay with DC you should learn about the various forms of advanced cab control that make DC easier to use and that can give it many features similar to DCC. Including wireless radio throttles, signaling, and much more. I am in HO but still use DC with Aristo Craft Train Engineer wireless radio throttles. They work great and can be used with N scale as well.

OR you can just sell it all on Ebay and start over.

Sheldon 

[wm3798]

DCC in N scale does require a little more attention than it does in those big bumbling scales, but if you go for it, you'll find it's not that big a deal, so you get to model more of the railroad, and still have the advantages of DCC.  There are even sound decoders that are small enough bring that to life as well, if that's what floats your boat.

Lee