Hey, can anyone tell me if a dual Walthers Proto DC/DCC 0-8-0 locomotive and the Alco DC/DCC demo locomotive can be operated with a DCC controller or must I purchase a decoder?
Where are you reading, or what do you have that says "Walthers Proto DC/DCC 0-8-0 Locomotive?
It either has factory installed DCC, or it doesn't.
Mike.
My You Tube
If a loco is sold as DCC, you don't need to buy a decoder. It may or may not have sound.
If a currently manufactured loco is DCC ready, it means it has a socket that an appropriate (there are different pin configurations) aftermarket plug DCC decoder will plug in.
In the early days of DCC (used market on Ebay) DCC ready wasn't so ready and soldering was required.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Sounds like you have duel mode locos. They can be run on DC or DCC.
I just looked at the Walthers site. I'm looking at the Proto 2000 0-8-0, with DCC and sound, (discountinued) it doesn't say it will also run on DC, BUT it does say the sound will work on DC ??
I dunno. If the OP bought it from Walthers, it should have the paper work and instructions
EDIT: I just looked at mine, mine is NOT a P2K, mine is a Bachmann Spectrum, and it Does have a dual mode decoder.
So, never mind!
The loco info stated dual mode and not DCC ready. I could control sound with an add on controller that attached between the DC transformer and the track. It took alot of power to get the loco to work and activate sound when using my DC controller.
If it worked like that on DC, it has a decoder and will run on DCC as is, nothing else needed.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
onrman3The loco info stated dual mode and not DCC ready. I could control sound with an add on controller that attached between the DC transformer and the track. It took alot of power to get the loco to work and activate sound when using my DC controller.
That info is what we could have used in the first post.
Yes, it takes alot of power to get the sound, it probably tells all about in the literature that came with the loco.
True Mike.
The literature was lost when our basement was flooded and I only managed to save my locos.
onrman3 The loco info stated dual mode and not DCC ready. I could control sound with an add on controller that attached between the DC transformer and the track. It took alot of power to get the loco to work and activate sound when using my DC controller.
Sounds like you’ve got a dual-mode DCC loco that will run in both DC and DCC. The loco must have a DCC sound decoder if you got sound on DC track. DCC locos with sound do take a lot of power to get started, that is normal.
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
I imagine there's some exception somewhere, but for all practical purposes all DCC decoders are "dual mode" in that they allow you to run the engine on DC or on DCC. There is a CV (control value) you can set on the decoder to have it not work on DC, and only respond to DCC commands.
So yes, you can run two 'dual mode' engines without needing to buy decoders; they already have decoders. However, they may not 'out of the box' run at the same speed. One may need to have it's CVs for speed (2,5,6) and momentum (3,4) adjusted so the engines start, run, and stop the same.
onrman3The literature was lost when our basement was flooded and I only managed to save my locos.
Sorry about that, that is NO fun.
A dual mode loco does not require more power, just more voltage, There is a difference. Maybe a couple volts to move a DC loco. Actually the power required by the loco will be about the same.
The decoder microprocessor will not wake up until the voltage is at about five volts DC and the loco will start to move at about seven volts DC.
I did some measurements some years ago. Decoder logic runs at about five volts DC. Everything else is at about 12 to 14 vdc. Some have 5vdc for lighting.
Rich
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.