Smokin on OO: You gonna fry your loco?

[Anonymous]

I think it would be a problem if you left a loco parked for a long time on a live track. I've run a few locos using channel 00, though only for testing purposes - I removed them from the live rails shortly after and no harm seems to have resulted. This is with a Lenz Compact system which seems to be ok - locos make a noticable high-pitched hum constantly on channel 00 but this doesn't seem to do any harm. I do recall hearing that you should never attempt to run a loco equipped with a Coreless Motor without a decoder under DCC though - this apparently will kill motors very rapidly.

[underworld]

It's the first I've heard of it.

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Straight DC Locomotives that do burn up on DCC are Athearn Blue Boxes. My friends lost 5 of them to his DCC system.

[Anonymous]

We use the Easy DCC system at our club, You NEVER want to run 00 on that. We were running trains after a meeting one time, everybody had thier BLIs out there, it was great. Somebody brought in a non decodered engine and tried to run it on 00, suddenly everything took off full speed, even engines parked in yards. No engines were seriously damaged luckily, but we spent hours picking up cars. I run 00 at home on my zephyr sometimes to test out a new engine, never with anything else on the track though.

[Anonymous]

I think providing the "00" option is part of the specs for obtaining an NMRA conformance Warrent for a DCC system. If so, then the manufacturers are not likely to stop providing for it. My system contains a warning about it in the manual cautioning the operator about potential damange to motors, etc.

[Anonymous]

Our club can run DCC and DC without any trouble. We haven't seen any slow down in commands or responces to the throttles and we are using radio control. The "singing" of the DC motor is the AC voltage that's in the track (the DCC carrier). I haven't SEEN a motor that's burned up yet, but I don't leave my DC locos on the track very long in idle. Usually they are just out for a "memory run". Most of them are old brass pieces that need to be remotored anyway.

Have a good day
Bob

[cmrproducts]

Spacemouse

Running on 00 really does slow down the DCC system especially when running radio. On my big layout we sometimes run 00 when showing off the layout but NEVER during and OPs session.

And knowing the Indiana Club and the problems they had I can see why the Pres wants to stop using 00.

I have Thomas (Bachmann) for my granddaughter to run and as long as it is moving it seems ok. With it being an inexpensive unit and if the motor goes we will just remoter it.

I have a Hogwarts Express engine now that needs a remoter job from another modeler. He uses DC and just wore out the brushes in the motor.

BOB H Clarion, PA

[TurboOne]

Hey Chip,

my non DCC make lots of noise. I run them but don't let them sit idle on track. haven't had problems either way. Just added two more DCC to layout and had blast making all three the same id so they could run as a consist. Actually had to read directions to get them working in different directions. It was cool and fun to go different directions and watch the lights on them change as the direction changed.

Still learning but Teffy will know more and be able to explain better.

Tim

[SpaceMouse]

Last night the president of our club made an announcement. He said that a person had sent him an article saying that non DCC were damaged by use on DCC tracks, not just when they sit idly, but when they are running as well. The quality of the loco determined how long they would last on the DCC track.

Not only that, but running non-DCC trains on DCC harmed the ones with decoders causing them to behave irradically, etc.

In addition, all but two manufacturers, one being Digitrax, were going to stop, or had stopped setting up an OO channel.

I had heard differently. Non-decoded trains are now banned from our club.

What say you?