DC or DCC

[HOscale22]

I have built my first layout now and it is DC. I want sound and to be able to use more than one engine at once. What are some good but not to expensive deconders and controlls. And are there people that I can pay to install the decoders, I don't want to mess up my engines.

[cowman]

Some decoders will give you sound in DC, but are quite limited. 

You  might want to consider a DCC starter set, most of the major brands have one.  You can just replace your current DC power pack with no special wiring necessary.  I would suggest you ask around your area and find out what others  have.  Even if you expect to operate alone most of the time, being able to join in or have someone come over and be a second operator on your layout can be fun.  Also, if you  have problems, a hands on show me is close by. 

Yes, there are folks that will put decoders in your locomotives.  You can check with your LHS to see if anyone in your area does, there are also advertisers in our hosts magazine that will do it.  DCC installation is expensive and quite a bit more to have sound installed, as a place for a speaker has to be made (tricky in some diesels), the decoders are more expensive, plus the speaker and enclosure.

If you have a small layout, an alternative is to purchase a sound system that goes under the layout.  Though probably not as desireable, one does not need to convert locos and purchase a DCC controller.

Good  luck,

Richard

[robkoz]

HOscale22

I have built my first layout now and it is DC. I want sound and to be able to use more than one engine at once. What are some good but not to expensive deconders and controlls. And are there people that I can pay to install the decoders, I don't want to mess up my engines.

 

 

As my son and I learned the Bachman EZ control is good but if you buy a loco with DCC and sound built in you will not be able to run more than one loco because you can't change the default address. Also you might no be able to access the higher sound functions as the EZ command only goes to 10.

 

I bought the NCE Power Cab last year but had to sent it back TWICE because of a defective LCD screen.  I'd like to recommend it but I have limited experience with it since it's been broken more than it's been working. On a positive note NCE's customer service has acknowledged the problem and repaired it without cost to me. (sorry for the rant)

 

In short from a noobs point of view, get a system that can reprogram your loco's and can use all of their functions if needed. And one with a good warranty as well.

[skagitrailbird]

First, I highly recommend you switch over to DCC.   There are many systems out there and, as with most things, you tend to get what you pay for.  You might want to read a brand comparison article at http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/dccbrandecisions.htm to learn more about what is available.

I am partial to NCE, although if I had gotten two defective throttles in a row, I may well have switched.  I have had my system for quite a few years without any issues and I know many others with the same excellent experience. I would avoid the low end systems, such as Bachmann and MRC, but the lack of full features and expandability detract.  Frankly, your decision would probably come down to Digitrax or NCE.  Both have entry level systems with full (or nearly so) full features and may be expanded into as much stuff as you will probably ever need.

When I was trying to decide which system to choose the most important factors to me were:

• Comfort & feel (ergonomics) of the controller.  Yes other things are important, too, but whenever and however you run trains you will be holding the controller.  Is it comfortable?  Does it require two hands just to run a train?  Until you are comfortable with which buttons do what can you see/read the labels?  The LCD screen?  Does the layout of the buttons and/or dials make sense to you?
• Other local users.  Manuals and You Tube videos are fine but sometimes it really helps to have someone stand next to you and show you how it works.  Brand X may be the "best" but if there is no nearby help...  You will probably find more Digitrax users but NCE users are generally plentiful, too.
• Ease of use.  I am not an electronics or computer guy and much of the DCC jargon was very foreign to me at the outset.  I believe NCE is hands down the most intuitive and is easier to learn than any of the full featured systems, other than perhaps CVP, an excellent but expensive system.

As for installing decoders, many locomotives were manufactured "DCC Ready" meaning the motor is isolated from the frame.  And many of these are "Plug and Play" with either an eight or nine pin plug into whch you plug the decoder directly or perhaps with the plug at the end of a harness or the decoder board directly replaces the original board.  For such decoders it is often more difficult to figure out how to get the shell off than it is to install the decoder.

If you have basic soldering equipment and skills, hardwiring a decoder in DCC ready locomotives is generally not difficult.  Train Control Systems (TCS), one of the leading decoder makers, has photo galleries on its web site showing how to install decoders in many locomotives, DCC ready or not.  (Disclaimer:  I have yet to try installing a sound decoder, speakers, etc. in any locomotives so my comments as to ease, etc. are limited to non-sound decoders.)

Good luck!

[tstage]

robkoz

As my son and I learned the Bachman EZ control is good but if you buy a loco with DCC and sound built in you will not be able to run more than one loco because you can't change the default address. Also you might no be able to access the higher sound functions as the EZ command only goes to 10.

Actually, that's not quite true on a couple of points.

First, with the E-Z Command, you have nine (9) DCC addresses and one (DC) address.  You can address any DCC (sound or non-sound) locomotive to any of those nine DCC addresses.  However, you need to keep the address "3" slot open so that you can program your loco to another address - i.e. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9.  So, if you program your 1st locomotive to address "3" (the DCC default address for a decoder) then - yes, you can't program another locomotive without having that slot open.

Operate the 1st locomotive to make sure that it runs on address "3", address it to an open slot on your E-Z Command other than "3", then you can run the 2nd locomotive on address "3" so that you can address it to another open slot.

Second, the E-Z Command will allow you to operate front and rear headlights and the first eight sound functions (F1-F8).  Anything after F8 is usually gimmick.  As long as you have bell, whistle, and horn - everything else is superfluous.

The Power Cab is a very nice starter DCC system.  It offers much more functionality than the E-Z Command.  The Digitrax Zephyr Xtra is very nice system, too.  I've been using the Power Cab since it came out in early 2006 and I like it very much.  You can't go wrong with the Zephyr either.

Tom