DCC vs my old layout

[TurboOne]

Ok I snuck out to my new store, 1 hour away, but great help, a very excited person who enjoyed working with us returning to our hobby. I spent a few wonderful hours there and found a Bachmann DCC with a loco for $100. Then he offered 15% off that. So I own a DCC with the option to upgrade or return.

[:p] Positives: I hooked it up to my sons eztrack to try it out. 1 minute of directions, and 8 seconds to hook up. I was a DCC operator. 1 minute later I had changed the id of my loco 3 times. EASY. I even turned on my lights when I wanted them off or on. Cool. The DVD included is cool, and shows a lot of neat multi train options you can do.

[:(] Negitives: No sound and nobody could tell me if it was suppossed to have it. I don't believe it is built in. I am still not sure how to add it yet but hopefully someone here can tell me. Also I don't know how excited I am to be able to run multi trains on one track. It is cool that I can have a train approach a section and wait for the main to go by, but not sure how this saves me wiring if I have to wire the whole layout to have trains wait for another to go by.

For those that owned, tried DCC, what do you think of DCC on a 6 x 10 basic two loop layout?

The most engines I think I will run on this layout will be 3. Unless my son wants to run his Thomas engines, and I don't think I can DCC them.

If I return it, all is not lost. They have some nice steam engines, and all my old ones have bad gears, so I run a couple of deisel, a trolley, and a hand car for now.

Waiting for a nice SP daylight steamer or a BLI sound loco.

Tim

[Anonymous]

I think starting out DCC is a great start because all is going towards that way anyway.. It is the best investment and you will enjoy it very much. As for the loco you bought I am sure it was not a sound equipped one. DCC will simplify operations and you will enjoy that in the future. I would not have built my layout the way I did if I did not have DCC as an option. I rememebr the day I went to the springfield train show. I saw a booth there for Digitrax. I said to myself what the hell is that?!! And kept walking when I saw the price and said I do not need that. One month later I new quite a bit about Digitrax, NCE, and Lenz. I ended up purchasing the LEnz system and I am happy. Good luck with that system and I must add that you got a good deal at $85 right?

[Anonymous]

Right now the only factory installed sound equipped locos are broadway Limited Imports,Atlas,Proto 2000,Lionel had 2 ho scale engines and Atheren just released a Challenger.All the above except the Atheren use QSI sound systems,Atheren uses a MRC sound system.There are a couple of manf selling sound equipped decoders as after market add ons Soundtraxx and MRC.I read yesterday on one of the yahoo news groups that Life Like Proto 2000 might be selling qsi sound systems as after market add ons for their line of engines. As far as wiring if your turnout is connected to a reverse loop you will have to isolate the track ,wire power feeders seperately ,and either change the polarity manually like with an old atlas switch controller,or wire in a power reverser that does this for you.If it is on a dead end siding there are no other wiring other than the normall track powerSince you are using ez track i have no experience with this and if possible i'm sure someone will reply with the answer..There was just another post about this topic should be page two or three, dcc and shelf layout,you might want to read thru it got alot of good info and comments on all the advantages and disadvantages as seen by the users here in the forum.Good Luck Have FUN Terry.

[TurboOne]

Hey Terry, I only use EZ track on my Christmas part for my son. I figure he can take it to his room and have a circle or square layout in minutes that way. The garage layout is on plywood with regular track. But I love how ez the ez track is. Wi***hey had it when I was a kid. Thanks for all the info etc....

Tim

[TurboOne]

Hey Big Al, yes I think I got a heck of a deal at $85 with the loco. Locos sell for $43 at list, so I got the controller for $42. Hard to return even if it doesn't do everything. BTW how long have you been working on your layout ? Impressive pictures.

Tim

[Fergmiester]

You'ld be surprised what you can jam in a Loco and tender. I went DCC and have 4 Engines switched over, two with sound and another sound system redy to install. I know from my perspective it has made the layout all that much better. Check out decoders on the internet or when in the LHS next time. You'ld be surprised as to the compactness, Try Loys Toys or Tony's Train Exchange


Fergie

[Anonymous]

TurboOne

I started my layout February 12, 2004. Thanks for the compliment. I enjoy doing work on it thats all. If I can do that I know anyone can do it.

[grayfox1119]

TurboOne, with one locomotive, you will really appreciate DCC. When you add more, running on the same main line, THEN you will see and really appreciate what DCC can offer. I had a dept 56 village set up for Christmas in our family room for my wife. I tried to run two trains at once, DC, but no matter how I tried to control the speeds, one train always caught up to the other eventually. I have not installed DCC yet on these locos, hence my problem.
BTW, you might want to edit your profile Tim, it left me a little "confused".

***, Cherry Valley, Massachusetts

[Charles D. Carter]

I admire the new technology and the new dimension that it has added to this fine hobby. While I myself still favor the old DC power - no frills motive power, there is something to be said for the new technology.
On the plus side, it enhances realism - tremendously. Sight and sound, bells, whistles, auxilliary lighting are fantastic.
On the down side is the cost which makes entry level for younger modelers out of reach. Then there is the learning curve which on a club layout can prove frustrating when visitors expect to see action instead of five guys trying to interpret what appears to be a miniature laptop computer while the engine lies motionless on the mainline.
I myself take the Tim Allen Binford approach. Give me a Hobbytown engine, stuff in the largest can motor and flywheels that you can, add lots of weight, and lets go pull down some partitions!