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Been out of the hobby for a long time and wondering about DCC
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[quote user="Nightshade"] <P>Hello all,</P> <P>This is my first time with this forum. Hopefully I don't bother you with a bunch of redundent threads.</P> <P>I have all old HO Atlas brass sectional track and trains from the 70's and 80's. I have quite a bit of diorama experience and also grew up in Omaha. After WWII my dad worked the mail car on the Chicago - Cheyenne leg of the UP "City of Everywhere". I guess that tells a little about me and my experience with trains...but I was going to build a layout on an approx. 6 x 13 foot 'L' girder/cookie cutter style table (Linn Westcott's book). My layout will be patterned after something around the Chattanooga area ( I live just south of Memphis now) and the layout will be more rural and resemble the Blue Ridge Mts. a bit, so not a whole lot of turn-outs, rail yards, etc.. Just something that I can work on with my 5 year old....but can expand upon as he grows up.</P> <P>I would like to ask a few questions if I may.....</P> <P>1. I would like to make one layout and run multiple locomotives (2 - 3) on it vs. two separate tracks. I understand DCC will allow this?</P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>Yes it will. My Digitrax Super Chief allows me to run up to 99 locos. However, I have a consist of 4 Broadway F units with power and sound that requires big ampheres and the Chief is a good fit. My road is not much bigger than yours in the space I was given.</FONT></P> <P>2. Is DCC tried and true or a new invention that hasn't quite been tested yet?</P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>It is not a new invention but there is a constant "Bleeding edge" of new features and goodies coming out every year. Some of which works, others is not so good. Overall DCC allows us to network small computers on-board locomotives so they can accept commands just for that specific loco.</FONT></P> <P>3. I know my brass is probably not as good as silver nickel...is flex track the right way to go these days or should I stay with sectional?</P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>I stopped using brass as a child and demanded NS track. As an adult I use a combination of sectional and flextrack. The key is to keep as few track joints as possible. The flextrack is very good for that.</FONT></P> <P>4. Can my old locos work on DCC? Is there a chip or something to make them work?</P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>I think you are seeking a way to run the old "Analog" engines on a DCC system. If I remember right, you can set up the DCC throttle to Address 00 and it will "Talk" to the old engine on the track with voltage instead of data.</FONT></P> <P>5. If I go DCC, what is a good economical system that seems to be the common one people get?</P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>DCC is a world where it will cost money the more and bigger you go. The Digitrax Zephyer is a good system for just one or two engines up to a total of about 10 in it's data base. But it's 2.5 amp power capacity is rather limited. The good thing is you can use other accessories to add on.</FONT></P> <P>I am anxious to read your thoughts based on all of your numerous experiences.</P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>I use both DC and DCC technology where it fits on my line. It is not much right now but I spent some extra dollars to purchase a top shelf system so I dont have to add on or upgrade for at least a few years.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>I am seeing improvements in Locomotives both in DCC and DC. I think eventually DCC will be standard equiptment everywhere but not just yet.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>DC is still a VERY good way to control one or two trains without decoders and computers. Has been around since the hobby started and will be around for a long time. However we must not get an attitude that if someone has a DCC system that they are somehow superior to the one who runs DC.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>We all enjoy trains and to buy a DCC simply because the "Joneses" have DCC is not a good reason. There is many things to learn and I expect my DCC Manual to be open for at least a few months to a year or more while I digest the new world of CV's Consists, Commands, Programming modes etc etc etc....</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>Another thing I learned is that the Motive Power on my railroad is very expensive because they are already equippted with DCC and Sound by the factory. I chose to buy my engines (Usually big steam) that way to avoid personal issues with nerves and fumes trying to build a seperate decoder and speaker into an analog engine. I usually try to carefully choose which engine to purchase.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>I did, however, purchase a small number of analog engines that are good candidates for Sound/DCC conversion in the future. I expect prices to drop and perhaps an affordable reputable installer will do the work with quality. Since I see dual-mode decoders for both DC and DCC I have to pay a little more for them and prefer factory installed units.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>Bottom line, DCC has become a large part of the budget and takes away from other things. In the past I was able to buy many of an item for X dollars. But now, because of technology, I can only get one or two items for the same X dollars.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>Consider the NS Atlas sectional track switch.... it's what? 12 dollars now? Ok, add a few wires, plastic base, velcro and then a Torquorise (Spelling??) switch motor to it and connect THAT to a DCC decoder for switches. That 12 dollar switch has zoomed up in cost to what... 35 dollars?</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>At those prices KATO sectional track and PECO switches look attractive. But if you want to motorize them for DCC you will have to spend money to do so.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>For my railroad I choose Manual throws instead. Once everything is settled and all the bugs ironed out I can slowly convert to torquoriste and DCC decoders for each switch.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#0000ff>Good Luck!</FONT></P> <P> </P> <P>Mike/Nightshade</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>[/quote]
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