jalajoie railroadman1: I wouldn't advise running a DC engine on DCC. It can be done on some systems (Digitrax) by using a DCC address of 00, but only for 1 analog engine on the layout. Prolonged running of DC engines on DCC will result in a burned out motor. If you are running a DCC engine on DC be sure the CV is programmed for DC. Railroadman1 I read/hear this often, while I don't run any engines at address 00, a member of our club has been running all his locos on address 00 for at least 10 years. In fact none of his locos are decoder equiped and he never had any problem or overheated a loco.
railroadman1:
I wouldn't advise running a DC engine on DCC. It can be done on some systems (Digitrax) by using a DCC address of 00, but only for 1 analog engine on the layout. Prolonged running of DC engines on DCC will result in a burned out motor. If you are running a DCC engine on DC be sure the CV is programmed for DC.
Railroadman1
I read/hear this often, while I don't run any engines at address 00, a member of our club has been running all his locos on address 00 for at least 10 years. In fact none of his locos are decoder equiped and he never had any problem or overheated a loco.
I started years ago with the Atlas DCC system and as my layout grew and I wanted a system that would handle more functions I switched to a Lenz system since it was compatible with my Atlas controllers. If I was starting out today though I would either go with an NCE system or the MRC system as they seem to be the most user friendly. I would recommend purchasing one of the DCC books made by Kalmbach before purchasing any system so you can see the difference of each.
Happy Model Railroading!
Tim
simon1966 railroadman1: I wouldn't advise running a DC engine on DCC. It can be done on some systems (Digitrax) by using a DCC address of 00, but only for 1 analog engine on the layout. Prolonged running of DC engines on DCC will result in a burned out motor. If you are running a DCC engine on DC be sure the CV is programmed for DC. Railroadman1 My DCC system is best part of a decade old. We regularly run DC locos on our Digitrax system and I have never had a burned out motor. There are enough postings warning about it, that one must assume that it can happen, but in my experience it is not the case. I have never actually met or spoken to anyone who has actually had this happen to them either. I am not sure if there is a real risk of this, or if it has become urban legend worthy of a Myth Busters episode?
railroadman1: I wouldn't advise running a DC engine on DCC. It can be done on some systems (Digitrax) by using a DCC address of 00, but only for 1 analog engine on the layout. Prolonged running of DC engines on DCC will result in a burned out motor. If you are running a DCC engine on DC be sure the CV is programmed for DC. Railroadman1
My DCC system is best part of a decade old. We regularly run DC locos on our Digitrax system and I have never had a burned out motor.
There are enough postings warning about it, that one must assume that it can happen, but in my experience it is not the case. I have never actually met or spoken to anyone who has actually had this happen to them either. I am not sure if there is a real risk of this, or if it has become urban legend worthy of a Myth Busters episode?
Didn't Jeffrey W. do an experiment on this some time ago?
Joe
railroadman1 I wouldn't advise running a DC engine on DCC. It can be done on some systems (Digitrax) by using a DCC address of 00, but only for 1 analog engine on the layout. Prolonged running of DC engines on DCC will result in a burned out motor. If you are running a DCC engine on DC be sure the CV is programmed for DC. Railroadman1
I have a Digitrax Super Chief. All my locos are now DCC, even the grandchildren's Thomas the Tank Engine and Hogwarts Express, but during the transition I ran DC units on DCC address 0 for years and never hurt one.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
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
The Bachmann engine has DCC On Board. but the instructions don' t list the default settings for the CV's.
Jack W.
My son started out when about 6 using a Digitrax UT4R. It's really very user friendly as far as throttles go. To me, the best thing about Digitrax is the loco net. We have easily hook up the computer to the loco net and expanded the system in a number of different ways. It also has a great universal consisting feature.
I agree with the poster about reading the manual. We just finished an operating session with a newbie and he was using a DT400R. It took him about an hour to start getting comfortable with all of what the functions did for the Soundtraxx chip, how to handle trains with momentum and braking, etc As you know there are 2 throttles on that unit and so he was just getting started to run 2 trains when we quit. He also was learning how easy the consisting is.
Richard
I bought a Bachmann DCC On Board engine and want to use it with the Prodigy DCC System. What are the default settings for the CV's? There were none programmed into the engine and the paperwork doesn't give any programming info.
Our club does much the same, we even have Junior Engineer certificates we give the kids. Also a Digitrax club, using UT4's. Even the youngest kids can handle the throttle, they have to be a little bit older to get the idea of blowing the horn for the crossings and paying attention to the signals - most of our layout is fully signaled with Digitrax and RRCirKits components.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
What does a kid want to do with a throttle? Run trains, blow the horn, have fun.
Any of the systems will allow them to do that. Kids who have never run a model train in their lives show up every month at the K-10 layout in Maryville Illinois, have a throttle placed in their hands and off they go having a blast. The amazing thing is that they are all handed DIGITRAX throttles. The UT4 throttle could not be simpler for a kid to operate. Here is a video taken at one of these events, the focus is on the trains, but there are usually at least 20 kids running at the same time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hK4Jh70Ek My two are now 11 and 14 and have grown up with Digitrax, they prefer the DT402 throttles as they are constantly making and breaking consists. I don't remember the last time anyone in our family cracked a manual for the system.
Here is my take on the EZ Command it is not worth full retail, but at $50 off the web it is hard to beat for a very basic DCC system that lets you run a few trains. You would probably out-grow it after a while and then go and list it on eBay and get back most of the $50 you spent on it. The better starter sets from Digitrax and NCE are going to cost you best part of $100 more. The EZ command is trivially easy because it does not do a great deal and is not in anyway sophisticated, but it does not claim to be. Many obviously dismiss it out-right, but I think it has a place, especially for a beginner that is uncertain of what DCC is about and is on a budget.
thanks,i was glad to see everyone{ brag} if you will,about how much better there dcc was.hearing what they like about one and didnt like about another is verry helpful to make a choise.
thank you for your responce it was very helpful
thanks for the advice,ive tried reading up on dccbut honestly got confused,i talked to diffrent hobby shop owners,knowelegible gentlemen not after school help.but they want me to buy there merchandice.one was bachmann the other mth,they could tell me how good there stuff worked but not how compatible it would be with another system.my question may have sounded basic but i wanted to hear the truth from people who own dcc units and dont want me to buy from them,i got alot of usefull info to more questions i had,thank you
thanks for the info its very helpful
thanks for the info...especially about bachmann,i was going to get one cuz thats what the local hobby shop has,thanks for saving me some money.
gandydancer19 Others may disagree with me on this, but between the two better DCC systems - Digitrax and NCE - I think the NCE system is going to be easier for a five-year old to learn.
Others may disagree with me on this, but between the two better DCC systems - Digitrax and NCE - I think the NCE system is going to be easier for a five-year old to learn.
My four year old grandson has no difficulty operating my Digitrax Super Chief,and I have never met a decoder that it will not program. I ran my subway cars on it for two years before I converted them to DCC with absolutely no problems other than that annoying buzz if the were powered but not moving.
I am not comparing it to NCE, I have never used that system and have no idea how easy it is to work. I have read most of the threads with questions about Digitrax problems and most of them seem to have been reluctant to read the book. The answers are all there.
It's already been answered, don't want a dead-end system, get Digitrax or NCE, skip the Bachmann EZ. And any system will run any decoder. I use Digitrax but all my decoders are TCS, and they don;t even make a DCC system, just decoders.
This is starting to develop into a mine's better than your's thread.
How's about getting back to the OP's question?
What a shock, I am 72 years old user of an NCE Power Cab and now you come along telling me that system is made for babies. This is rather hard on the ego.
The 5 year old will probably have no problem learning either system. Dad's and grand-dads will need a little more time.
rrinker Basic operation of all systems is almost identical - as far as selecting a loco to run, and actually running it. None is really any harder or easier than the other to learn basic operation. --Randy
Basic operation of all systems is almost identical - as far as selecting a loco to run, and actually running it. None is really any harder or easier than the other to learn basic operation.
That's true, but once you get past selecting address "3" and want to program some "CVs" in my opinion the NCE is easer to learn. I have had both. In the back of the NCE manual it shows you how the programing is laid out in the format of a computer "tree". This was useful to me.
Have fun.
Lee
When shopping for a system, it would be a good idea to get one that can be upgraded/expanded on without having to buy a whole new system as your layout grows. Digitrax and NCE both have that ability so you can start off small and cheaper and as your layout grows you can add boosters and throttles.
PennCentral99 Heck, you can even run a DC loco on a DCC layout ...
Heck, you can even run a DC loco on a DCC layout ...
As a matter of clarification, I think we should be more clear when making this statement to beginners. Not all DCC systems have this capability, and from what I've read one needs to use caution when using those that do.
Regards
I second the suggestion, I'm happy with my Power Cab. Also don't take this the wrong way, but there seems to be a lot of how do I do this or that with the Digatrax zephyr and I can't program a Tsunami sound decoder with out a booster. I suppose after one learns how to use the Digatrax it works well enough, but for a beginner maybe not so well. Look back through the posts at how often the problems come up.
Just my observations. Again, I don't mean to step on any toes are start a flame war.
Happy railroading.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
The E-Z Command is what it is: It's a very simple and basic DCC system but it's very limited. It will work lights and functions F1-F8 and run one (1) locomotive on DC. Locomotive addresses is limited to the 9 address buttons. There is no CV adjustment capabilities.
If you can find and E-Z Command for $50 and under, it could be an inexpensive introduction in DCC. You'll have to work within it's limitations though.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.