DCC?

[Anonymous]

Someone please explainDCC/non DCC to me. And what is the big hype of all the digitrax truff, im not understanding this concept quite yet.

[simon1966]

http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm

or http://www.litchfieldstation.com/ and click on the University Link

Simply stated, in DCC your locomotives respond independently to commands sent thru the tracks to the installed DCC decoder. In DC (traditional non DCC control) you are controlling the track power and any locomotive on the same section of track will speed up and slow down together. DCC allows for much more realistic opperation.

I am not sure that there is a lot of hype about Digitrax. Digitrax is one of several manufacturers of DCC systems. You probably see and hear more about Digitrax since they seem to have the largest installed base. I am a happy Digitrax user, but you will find that there are a number of alternatives that might better serve you needs, depending on your requirements.

[ereimer]

DC : if you want to run more than 1 train on your layout it has to be divided into electrical blocks , each block has a switch that is used to asign the block to a throttle . as your train moves around the layout you have to throw the switches to choose your throttle

DCC : the layout can be (but usually isn't) 1 big electrical block because each loco has a decoder (receiver) in it . you set your throttle to the address of the decoder in the loco you want to run and it's the only one that will move

DIGITRAX : one of the earliest and largest manufacturers of DCC equipment


EDIT : hehe simon types faster than i do [:)]

[Anonymous]

Hmm, let me see. Ok i understand that DCC is probably going to be my best bet since i will be running anywhere from 8-12 locos on my layout, plus i have 2 big yards on it that require switchers and all that fun stuff. So with that said, who can help me out with some sites that have good instruction on wiring electrical block sections like Simon had talked about in the above. And if im not mistaken, most locos come with a decoder built in correct? SO how does the whole decoder process work?

[scubaterry]

I am not an expert but I found the following web sites to be very benificial: www.Loystoys.com, www.tonystrains.com and www.wiringfordcc.com. I am fairly recent to the MRR so all I know is DCC. It enables me to control several Locos at the same time and I thought was pretty straight forward as far as wiring the layout. I don't have block detection so that made it even simpler to wire. I can also control my layout from my laptop which is kind of neat. Hope this helps. You came to the right place this forum is loaded with people that are on the leading edge of DCC and are happy to help us all out.
Terry

[cacole]

Most simply stated:

DC -- you wind up playing with a bunch of toggle switches instead of running trains.

DCC -- you run trains realistically. Two or more trains can be on the same track going at different speeds or even in opposite directions at the same time, depending on your ability to keep track of them. Even your turnouts can be controlled through DCC. You can have sound effects that are better with DCC than with DC.

Cons: DC requires a lot of complicated blocking, wiring, and control panels.
DCC requires a decoder in every locomotive.

[tstage]

Texansoldier,

Welcome to the forum! And, on behalf of all of us here at the forum - THANK YOU for serving our country!!! [:)] (Please thank as many of your buddies for us, too!)

Texansoldier, you already have been given some good basic explanations about the differences between DC and DCC. In my opinion, DCC is the way to go.

To answer some of your other questions. No, not all locomotives have decoders in them. Only the ones that have "DCC-equipped" stamped on the outside of the box will have the decoder already installed in it. "DCC-ready" merely means that the locomotive is wired and ready for you or someone to install a decoder into it. Sometimes this is pretty straight-forward: just plug-n-play. On occasion, it's not - but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Depending on the locomotives you have or are going to purchase, you may need to purchase and install decoders, too. Texansoldier, do you have any locomotives yet? Or, are you just starting out?

Some (already mentioned) handy websites for info on DCC/decoders and the purchasing thereof:

http://www.WiringForDCC.com
(in your particular case, http://www.wiringfordcc.com/intro2dcc.htm)

http://www.tonystrains.com

http://www.loystoys.com

http://www.nmra.org/#beginner

Hope that's helpful for you. Please feel free to ask all the questions you need to. BTW, are things warming up a little more for you in Alaska?

Tom

[Adelie]

If you haven't already been following this thread, follow this thread:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36389

[RedGrey62]

Texansoldier, I'll add my comments here even though you've gotten some very good advice already. DCC will cost more up front, but I feel it costs less in the long run since you won't have to buy all the wiring, toggles, and other goodies, plus less aggrevation!

I've dealt with Loys Toys and I've been told that the other big dealers in DCC are VERY helpful when you're trying to set your system up. Loys even offers week long clinics if you so desire. DCC can be intimidating but don't let that stop you, use this forum and the dealer you get the system from and you'll do fine.

Rick

[loathar]

I also am a little fuzzy on this DCC thing. I was told by Digitrax that I still had to block out my layout as I would for DC operation. Other than to avoid a reverse loop short.(Which I always avoid like the plauge) I don't see any reason to block out my layout. I wouldn't see running any analog stuff on it. Any thoughts on why I would need to do this?
Thanx

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by loathar

I also am a little fuzzy on this DCC thing. I was told by Digitrax that I still had to block out my layout as I would for DC operation. Other than to avoid a reverse loop short.(Which I always avoid like the plauge) I don't see any reason to block out my layout. I wouldn't see running any analog stuff on it. Any thoughts on why I would need to do this?
Thanx

Uhm....... NO! The only thing that would have to be isolated into a block by itself is the reverse loop. You simply wire the reversing loop as you would for DC or (much, much, much better option) add an AR1 automatic reversing unit and forget it is a reversing section. Trains just run through it with no problem. If you are retro wiring an existing layout, you can use the wiring you already have. I decided to yank out the tons of switches, wires, etc. and use a good main bus with sub bus wiring and new track feeders for DCC and I haven't regretted it. DCC is awsome!

[Anonymous]

Whoops.

[Anonymous]

Loathar- You don't have to wire your layout in blocks. DCC will run without them. There are three reasons to do this to use block wiring.
1. Depending on the size of your layout it might provide a more even distrubution of power. Since it would be done in blocks you would have a whole bunch of short sections to power instead of one big block so there are going to be no areas that power is lower at. This is also helpful if you add boosters.

2. To make trouble shooting easier. Since you have a smaller block if you do have a problem wiring it ie. a short or reversed wire, there will be a smaller amount of wires to check. Take my layout I'm building. it's about 100 plus feet of track, with feeder wires ever 3 feet. I accidently switch polarity of two wires. If I don't do blocks i have about 33 wires to check. If I put in blocks I may only have three wires to check.

3. The last reason is even though you may have all DCC loco's a friend may still be on DC so if he brings his new shiny engine to run it wouldn't work on your layout. Also if you buy a new DC locomotive and want to run it before taking the time to install a decoder you can do this. Som systems will allow you to run a DC loco with your DCC system but a lot are getting rid of this function because it causes to many problems. I use MRC'S prodigy advanced and it doesn't have this feature.

None of these are laws however and there arer different ways to get around them. They are just things to think about while planning your layout. it would be a pain to rewire a layout in Block form once you have finished laying track. Like anything you plan for every problem but once you get working on it the pans change. Don't be discourage and feel free to ask questions and remember this is a hobby it's ok to have fun everyonce in a while
Andrew

[loathar]

Thanks guys!
I'm sold now. It's DCC for Me!
I've learned more about layouts in the two weeks I've been a member on these message boards than I have in the past 20 years!
Thanx again
loathar

[RedGrey62]

Another reason to still use blocks with DCC is signals. I'm not sure if the entire layout is a single block if realistic signals could be used. Of course, if you're not going to use block signals, it doesn't matter. However, I always thought that was one of the coolest parts of some layouts I've seen, the block signals changing from green to yellow to red.

Rick

[rrinker]

Detection blocks are a bit differnent. You can have them all powered by a common power source, and downstream split into smaller short wiring bus sections that go through each detector. The rails of course need to be gapped, or at least one of them, depending on the detector circuit.
In reality on a large complex layout you will probably have two kinds of gaps. Short sections for detection purpose, and larger ones which may or may not coincide with a detection gap to divide the layout into multiple power districts for short protection and/or to install more than one booster to meet hte load of multiple trains.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Well i appreciate the help, and no i dont have any locos yet, just the layout that im slowly working on. So what is the best place to get encoder equipped locos? Im looking at running diesels, if that helps any, Thanks again guys

[jfugate]

Good answers so far, but there's another reason to use lots of small train length blocks on a DCC layout, and that's for short management. If you protect the track feeders to each train length block with it's own 1156 bulb, you actually get a DCC layout that can absorb shorts and keep right on running!

Here's a demo video (play the video at the top of the page):

http://mymemoirs.net/preview.php

We also discuss all about using the bulbs to protect shorts at length in my DCC FORUM CLINIC on here:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=4&TOPIC_ID=36389

[tstage]

Texansoldier,

Bachmann makes some inexpensive decoder-equipped locos. They're around $50 MSRP but you can find them on discount. (I've seen them as cheap as $30.) Keep in mind that they are Bachmann's "Standard" line so they won't be the best quality. But that would be an inexpensive way to get into DCC.

Here's another idea. (I'm sure I'll get a few whinces from the DCC "pros" in the audience.) Bachmann makes their own DCC system called EZ Command System. It's a very basic but decent system. It's inexpensive because it doesn't have all the "bells and whistles" (pun intend) that come with the other more sophisticated DCC systems.

They sell the EZ Command AND a DCC-equipped locomotives together in one box. (NO TRACK is included in the kit so you'll need to purchase that separately.) This can also be had at a heavy discount, too. I've seen it as cheap as $79. So, for under $100, you could pick up a DCC-equipped locomotive and DCC system together, plus a few pieces of track, and have yourself a fairly basic and inexpensive layout. Something to think about.

Again, the Bachmann EZ Command System isn't the greatest but it works. You can assign it an address, turn lights on and off, and consist locomotives together and run them as one multi-locomotive. I bought mine a few months ago to get my DCC "feet wet" and I've been fairly happy with it. Eventually, I'd like to graduate to something more sophisticated. (The price at the time was right.)

Texansoldier, if you'd like more details, I'll be glad to pass that along to you. Hope that helps...

Tom