I recently posted a message about DCC. There were a lot of helpful responses. But, more than a few people were upset that this subject had been done too many times already. Well, guess what? Not all of us spend time reading these postings every day, week, or even month. If someone has a question or wants an opinion on some particular subject, let them ask!! I have not been that active on the Model Railroader Forum as much as a several people. So, when I ask about something that others have read/written about several times, give me the courtesy of letting others respond. I do not appreciate hearing that I am "beating a dead horse".
If you do not like the posting, don't respond. And do not suggest that one of the individuals from Model Railroader Forum put an end to this or that particular subject.
Craig North Carolina
As I see it, the issue was the title of your post, "which DCC system is best". That particular subject has been about beaten to death.
A much better title might have been something like "having trouble programming with my DCC system".
Craig, it is very simple, a thread entitled "Which DCC system is the best?" will get groans of derision. It is asked all the time. A thread entitled "I am having problems programming my DCC locomotives" would have received lots of help with no derisory comments.
The fact that the thread title did not really apply to the questions or issues that you have, did not help, And the fact that we still don't really have enough information to assist with the first of the problems, let alone the other two mentioned in the original post, does not help either.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
Thank you for the suggestion about using a different title for the posting. I think the title came more from frustration with my lack of progress with the Digitrax system than anything else. Being in my 50's, I want a system that works for me and gets my layout going. I don't want to be "too old" to get trains running and having operating sessions. If needs be, I would be willing to change to another product (of DCC) if it was more user friendly (for me). So, again, I appreciate Help not criticism or boring other people.
Well Craig, I am 2 months from joining you in the 50's and I love my Digitrax and would not trade it for anything. I am not convinced that your issues are actually a Digitrax problem that would be resolved simply with a change of DCC system. Hence the barrage of follow up questions from me and others. I suspect that once we get all the pieces of the puzzle some clear direction can be provided and that you will move on to other challenges.
Simon1966,
Thanks. I am going to try and program a locomotive in the next 2-3 weeks. I will start a new posting and as problems arise, I will ask questions and follow the thread. By the way, I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Graduated high school there, went to medical school and did my residency in St. Louis at Washington University.
(ahem) I take it from your resume of sorts, and comparing it to your screen name, you don't have many complaints about your bill?
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Craig,
I have to agree with the others that the title did you in.
I went back and reviewed my reply to your post and it was something like, "Oh no, not again".
You then went on to wonder if there is a more user friendly system than Digitrax, so I answered with NCE, my user friendly system of choice.
But the gist of your initial post was to ask about better DCC systems than Digitrax, not specific problems that you were experiencing with your system.
It seems to me that most of the replies, including mine, tried to respond to your question which was extremely general.
Rich
Alton Junction
Aikidomaster Simon1966, Thanks. I am going to try and program a locomotive in the next 2-3 weeks. I will start a new posting and as problems arise, I will ask questions and follow the thread. By the way, I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Graduated high school there, went to medical school and did my residency in St. Louis at Washington University.
Me on the other hand started life on the other side of the world and settled in the STL area after marrying a lab director from St Louis University Hospital. I am in the medical field now and count Wash U, BJC and Children's amongst my good customers. Good place to have graduated from.
Some of us have trouble with manuals, some have trouble distancing ourselves from the natural tendency to know why we have to push button X before button Y. I think this is at the root of why some folks admit, often angrily or with some embarrassment, that they are confounded by Digitrax and its manuals, instructions, or user-interface.
It's a fact, and not any the easier for those who have experienced that anxiety or frustration, a fact I have come to accept. I can't, however, say that I am familiar with that feeling because it all seemed to work okay for me. Oh, trust me, there were some expasperating moments in the first two weeks when decoders wouldn't wake up for me, and I truly did have all sorts of other gut-wrenching feelings where I thought I had destroyed......something...... I did have to call each of Soundtraxx once and Digitrax once. That was five years ago, and I haven't had to even think about a call to them since then. If you persist, try repetitions, including repowering, re-reading the manual for missed key words or phrases, something will click and you get the blessed pressure-realeasing sigh as your decoders begin to make noise.
There's a lot to be said for DC operations sometimes.
Crandell
selector There's a lot to be said for DC operations sometimes.
There you go again, Crandell, beating another dead horse.
I always push button X instead of button Y...nothing new here...
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
I have also learned, after being prompted by several posters, using the search feature on the right side of the main screen yields a lot of pre-information before starting a new thread. I have found useful answers to my questions from 3-5 years old in the archives. Since I don't run DCC I can't help at all with your problem but it may have been answered already without having to read every post ever made.
Hi!
Well, by now you realize your title on the original post got all those "horse beaters" out in full force. Don't feel bad, for we all had to find out sooner or later that the title line (in the correct forum) will get you the most relevant and useful responses.
But for the record, Digitrax is by far the best DCC system out there!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
simon1966 Aikidomaster: Simon1966, Thanks. I am going to try and program a locomotive in the next 2-3 weeks. I will start a new posting and as problems arise, I will ask questions and follow the thread. By the way, I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Graduated high school there, went to medical school and did my residency in St. Louis at Washington University. Me on the other hand started life on the other side of the world and settled in the STL area after marrying a lab director from St Louis University Hospital. I am in the medical field now and count Wash U, BJC and Children's amongst my good customers. Good place to have graduated from.
Aikidomaster: Simon1966, Thanks. I am going to try and program a locomotive in the next 2-3 weeks. I will start a new posting and as problems arise, I will ask questions and follow the thread. By the way, I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Graduated high school there, went to medical school and did my residency in St. Louis at Washington University.
Simon, you gave yourself away as an immigrant to StL when you failed to ask "THE QUESTION"
to a native of StL ":where'd you go to high school?"
Failure by one native to ask another when talking for the first time can result in ones Imos privileges being suspended. Repeat offenses lead to a revoked toasted ravioli license, and up to a Ted Drew's banishment as a maximum penalty. Fortunately as an immigrant you are exempt.
I went to Ladue High School. Went to undergraduate school in Dallas, Texas at Southern Methodist University.
Ladue? was your first car a BMW or Mercedes? Just joking. Banishment from Ted Drews?NOOOOOOOO!!!!!
davidmbedard Sometimes we need to grow thicker skin. David B
Sometimes we need to grow thicker skin.
David B
fiiinnnffft...
Uhhh... what's DCC??
Craig,There has been many DCC questions asked and answered on these forums a quick search would have saved you the "dead horsey" thing.
For deeper questions Google can become your best friend since they are thousands of possible answers..YouTube can help with installing a decoder-some step by step,adjusting sound etc.
Also know and understand some questions get asked 2-3 times per month and that can be one reason the horse thing comes up.
In years past trolls would ask "Which DCC system is better?" and start one large riot.Thankfully I believe we have advanced beyond that stage.
And some times certain subjects should be shut down before a full fledged riot breaks out.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Let us know if you need some Ott's, Maull's, Vess, or Gus's pretzels, sent to you.
I-64 will always be Hwy Fardy to me!
davidmbedard dexterdog: Uhhh... what's DCC?? It is a train-control technology that only the brightest and wealthiest people on these forums can use.... David B
dexterdog: Uhhh... what's DCC??
It is a train-control technology that only the brightest and wealthiest people on these forums can use....
"Beating a dead horse" huh? - http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2007-02-24/
Some topics have been beaten to death. But sometimes, it's easier to ask again than to use the search function.
_________________________________________________________________
Maybe some see weekends as perfect opportunities for setting off stinker threads..
Darth Santa Fe"Beating a dead horse" huh? - http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2007-02-24/ Some topics have been beaten to death. But sometimes, it's easier to ask again than to use the search function.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
Hi Aikido,
I TRY to answer each post I respond to as important to the OP and with moderate temperance in my written tone.
I won't bring up the "beating a dead horse thing" that has pervaded page 2 here.I do hope you have gotten past those threads to read mine here.
I DID respond to your post. The TITLE is what did you in. I did a "search our community" and came up with several hundred psots with "what is the best DCC system". Perhaps A better title would have been "I am having trouble with DCC porgramming..."
With a question about DCC systems, you will get as many answers as their are systems availble.Each user has their favorite and love the one they use. It's like asking "which is the best car to buy?" with over 200 models in the USA {I think it is} everyone will favor the one they bought as "best".
I always encourage new poster or joiners to post any question, no question is too dumb...that said, I know a lot of newcomers get scared off by such responses. You have been around here a while, and should have seen how some posts take on a hostile tone towards a "beaten subject" like "which coupler is best", or "which loco is best", or "what track is best"., or "how do I ballast my track".
Often answers can be found in t he "search our community" search tool at the right side margin. If not, then feel to psot a question...but so it gets the proper response select a title worthy of your real question.
SOrry if you felt "dissed", I am sure many of them who responded with words instead of images of "dead horse beating" meant well in their respinses.
Smile
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
YES and it is a great way to spend a lot of time reading and answering these questions
INSTEAD of working on your layout!
At times - it seems that I read complaints that some posters are not getting much done to their layouts -
YET
they have thousands of responses credited to their name!
WHY - not go work on YOUR LAYOUT?
BOB H - Clarion, PA (with only 1000 responses since 2001)!
Craig, I have not been to the DCC section for a while now so I missed your post. I all so run Digitrax and find the manual hard to follow.
I only use my Digitrax for programing when I speed match. For all other CV programing I use the Digitrax PR 3 with Decoder Pro software. It makes programing a snap. PR 3 is a computer interfaces so you can use your home computer read, write and save engine CV's.
To date, it is the best $65.00 I have spent after going DCC.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
It has been a long time since I have been back to St. Louis. Most all of my family lived there but most have passed on. Did not have any brothers or sisters. My father lives in Creve Coeur. I have one cousin who is still alive and lives in St. Louis County. I still remember going to a hobby shop on Clayton Road near East Ladue Junior High. I think it was called "Tinker Town". I bought my first brass locomotive there. It was an N&W 2-8-0 W2. This was 28-30 years ago. Which was before I fell in love with N&W and Southern Railway.
My first car was a Ford Mustang. I paid for it myself with money I earned bagging groceries and cutting lawns.