CALVINJR,
I believe a lot of Forum members,,,myself included,,would not be so reluctant in answering your threads that you start,,if you would participate once in a while,,,at least reply,with a Thank You,,for them taking their time to answer your questions.......We all,,try to be helpful and friendly...
Cheers,
Frank
There's no reason it can't.
However, if you're starting from a basic Lionel engine, you'd have to do a lot of rework. And, you need to choose decoders carefully, as the power requirements for O-gauge are much higher.
You should probably ask this question on the Classic Toy Trains forum. That's where the O-gauge modelers hang out.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I don't know the answer, but I thought 3-rail O-gauge was not a viable candidate for DCC.
Rich
Alton Junction
Lionel used to use AC current, and DCC cannot be used with them. I don't know about modern-day Lionel products.
Best to ask your question on the Classic Toy Trains forum.
You need to do some research about how DCC works and O scale, Lionel trains work.
It is also called, home work. Remember that term.
If you need to be led by the hand, it will be more of a challenge.
Google is you best friend and can help you find a tremendous amount of info on many subjects.Yes, I know there are a few here who want a following and don't like someone telling them to Google it.
You can build a good size list of links in Favorites and have all kinds of info right in your PC for reference.
Since you know how to use a PC, Google it. That is also a learning process.
Also, put more detail into your questions. I have to assume you are really into model railroading and not just looking to start conversations.
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I would like to THANK anyone who has given me any suggestions, or help, and apologize to anybody if I've ever failed to say THANK-YOU. I'm still doing HOMEWORK reading, Practical Guide to DCC, (just started) Scratchbuilding for Modelrailroaders, Model Guide Steel Mills, How to Kitbash Structures, every Model Railroader Magazine i can get my hands on.
cacole Lionel used to use AC current, and DCC cannot be used with them. I don't know about modern-day Lionel products.
This is an erroneous belief that gets a lot of circulation.
The motors used by Lionel in the days before can motors were universal motors, which run on AC or DC. Early HO motors were also universal type with a wound field instead of a permanent magnet (Marklin still uses universal motors and AC in some of their HO equipment).
The problem with running older Lionel on DC instead of AC is that things like whistles and horns and bells use DC super-imposed on AC to activate. Accessories with the "vibration motors" also depend upon AC to set up the vibration action. But the motors in the locomotives run better on DC than on AC.
Today's electronic 3 rail engines use DC can motors with a rectifier in front. These also work fine on DC, the rectfier passes DC as well as AC. But the electronics for the reversing and sound may or may not work on DC instead of AC.
Back to the DCC question - since the DCC signal is neither traditional AC or DC in its characteristics, the internal electronics in modern 3 rail engines would need be bypassed (at the very least) or ripped out (much better). A DCC decoder with sufficient current capacity for the motor(s) would be installed, taking great care to ensure the brushes are insulated from the locomotive frame, which is almost always grounded to the 2 outside rails. Electrical pickup is from the center rail for one leg, and both of the outside rails for the other leg.
None of the installed electronic features of the locomotives would be usable - the features of the decoder would be used instead. This would likely mean understanding the bulbs and LEDs used for lighting, and rewiring them to the function outputs of the decoder with appropriate resistors added where needed. If sound was wanted - I don't know of very many DCC 3 amp sound decoders - the speaker(s) would have to be rewired to the sound decoder.
Operating cars and accessories will not likely operate correctly, if at all, on DCC.
The obvious question is "why?" when Lionel and MTH have their own command control systems that feature much better compatiblity with the traditional AC transformers and systems. Locomotives are readily available with TMCC (Lionel) and DCS (MTH) decoders pre-installed.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Then there's that period of time when the low-end Lionel locos all just had a DC can motor, no rectifier. Standard DC power pack came with those sets, a cheapy one like came in Life Like and Bachmann train sets. Same sort fo thing came in the Lionel Large Scale Thomas I got my son for Christmas one year, too. I bought a basic Lionel set back then to put around the tree, all DC, just like HO, except with a third rail. The cheapy power pack sort of ran my Dad's old late 40's Lionel loco, but really didn't have enough power - it wasn't a whistle equipped loco so putting it on DC wasn't a problem.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have visited a LARGE three-rail Lionel O-scale layout, a commercial display open to the public. I was told that the locos were fitted with DCC, since that was simpler than breaking the layout into about a gazillion blocks for any more conventional control. IIRC, it was in Bryson City, NC, right next to the tracks of the Smoky Mountain Railroad.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
calvinjr I would like to THANK anyone who has given me any suggestions, or help, and apologize to anybody if I've ever failed to say THANK-YOU. I'm still doing HOMEWORK reading, Practical Guide to DCC, (just started) Scratchbuilding for Modelrailroaders, Model Guide Steel Mills, How to Kitbash Structures, every Model Railroader Magazine i can get my hands on.
Now,,,I would like to,Thank You,,,,,,For that is what I meant,,,,A little interaction,goes a long way..
zstripe calvinjr I would like to THANK anyone who has given me any suggestions, or help, and apologize to anybody if I've ever failed to say THANK-YOU. I'm still doing HOMEWORK reading, Practical Guide to DCC, (just started) Scratchbuilding for Modelrailroaders, Model Guide Steel Mills, How to Kitbash Structures, every Model Railroader Magazine i can get my hands on. CALVINJR, Now,,,I would like to,Thank You,,,,,,For that is what I meant,,,,A little interaction,goes a long way.. Cheers, Frank
Poor Calvin seems to be taking a bit of a beating here.
I don't think that Thanks You's are as important as just maintaining a dialog.
I am not directing this specifically at Calvin but, rather, in general to those who post a question but then never follow up with replies to suggestions, advice and comments. That is what annoys and frustrates me.
Rich,
I did not put that in,,,but that is what I meant...
As being a previous O scaler I can tell you that DCC wil not work with O scale. I had posted this exact same question in the CTT forum and was told that it was not possible. I had asked this question as a way of cutting costs and maybe a simpler install. I am unfamiliar with Lionel's TMCC but installing a Protosound 2 or 3 unit is very complicated, one wrong connection and your Proto 2 board is fried. DCC seems to be more cost effective and installation more user friendly. I know this doen't help your plight but I thought I may save you some time.
Kev
Can't stop working on the railroad!
RRaddict As being a previous O scaler I can tell you that DCC wil not work with O scale. I had posted this exact same question in the CTT forum and was told that it was not possible. I had asked this question as a way of cutting costs and maybe a simpler install. I am unfamiliar with Lionel's TMCC but installing a Protosound 2 or 3 unit is very complicated, one wrong connection and your Proto 2 board is fried. DCC seems to be more cost effective and installation more user friendly. I know this doen't help your plight but I thought I may save you some time. Kev
As a previous O gauger, I can tell you that DCC is possible. It's a lot more practical for the 2 rail scale O (which is all-DC to begin with) than the 3 rail O, which has AC, DCS, and/or TMCC systems already in place to contend with.
My information is that MTH will not sell DCS boards (decoders) separately, that they are only available pre-installed in locomotives. I have heard of Proto 1 boards having their "brains" scrambled when the backup battery died (which requires reprogramming the board). But I haven't heard of boards being fried.
Installing a DCS system is not trivial (but neither is a club-size DCC system), although the folks on the CTT forum have a much better feel for what works and what doesn't than I do. When it doesn't work right, apparently the comms link is the first part to go. Again, this doesn't "fry" anything, but it does make the system unusable.
just my experiences