OK I am one month back into HO Rail after 35 year absence half day of track cleaning and old twin train dual loop, twin passing siding, industrial switching zone and staging yard with a total of 30 blocks normally running 3 trains at a time (outbound inbound and switching or staging loads) are all up and running fine (Ok so a couple of my old loco’s need a trip to the Yard but its only 3 out of the 80 or so I have tested so far)
That completed Went out and got a couple of the NEW (to me anyway) DCC units and a handful of the DCC conversion mod’s (only installed one engine so far) with a NCE Power Cab Got that all setup and seems to work just fine little extra work needed to work the blocks but that is just some wiring work.
Now here is my question before I move onto building a new layout, converting my favorite engines to DCC why is it that everyone keeps saying I should not run DC & DCC on a blocked multi train layout (And yep I get it reversing loops could be an issue but don’t have any) in general it actually seems easier for me to run multiple trains especially the switchers on DCC & DC than it was in a blocked pure DC system.
Because if you have one block switched to DCC and the next block is set to DC< it's far too easy to overrun the block gaps which would link DC to DCC and most certainly fry something.
What IS fine to do is wire things up so the entire layout is DCC, or the entire layout is DC, never both at the same time.
When it's all DCC, it IS easier than a blocked DC system, you can run any loco, anywhere, at any time., the only limitation being two locos cannot occupy the same physical space at the same time. There are no limitations on where you cna run a loco, right up to and couple on to a second loco if you want.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Randy nailed it. Add a DPDT switch so the whole layout is either running DC or DCC. If the wiring works well in DC, you don't need to change anything re block wiring etc., it'll work fine for DCC.
BTW if you do add a reverse loop, you can get a DCC automated reverser that works "automagically" to reverse polarity.
Hello All,
Here we go again...
DC & DCC
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
But, a DCC autoreverser will not work on DC, or with a DC loco running on a DCC layout.
When I switched to DCC, I never connected the DC supply again, and my old DC engines became shelf queens until I got to putting in decoders.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
ANother BTW:
You probably know that you can run your DCC locos on DC power with your DC locos (unless you have set a particular CV to "analog off". But do not leave your DC locos on tracks seeing DCC power, as that can be bad for at least some DC loco motors. That's because the full DCC power is always on the track when the DCC system is connected.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Some years our club did that when we switched from DC to DCC. We had a NCE Power Pro five amp DCC system.
Four DC throttles capable of 2.5 amps and fourteen blocks controlled by a guy on a control panel. Two rooms. A driver would call out the block he wanted. We would set one throttle to DCC.
A couple people got to gabbing and the DCC loco crossed into a DC block too long which wiped out the DCC booster.
When we ran DC only, a common cry was, who has my loco?
After that, no more DC and DCC.
At my house, I can unplug the DC and plug in DCC. Switch locos.
I have the NCE Power Cab but do not run it anymore.
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.
The point where the brushes contact the armature get quite hot, hotter when the loco is stopped and DCC still on. I have measured with an infra red temp scanner with the loco on a test stand. I use to run with an MRC2K but gave it away. Possible to damage a loco motor especially a coreless. The buzz can be annoying after a while.
The first post my be a different situation.
https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/home/technical-discussions/dc-loco-on-dcc
jrpjimwhy is it that everyone keeps saying I should not run DC & DCC on a blocked multi train layout
Quick answer: what Randy says..
I can run my layout either/or DCC, & DC, BUT never both at the same time. I wired it with "blocks", but gapped both rails, and ran feeders from a bus, to each block.
I disconnect/unplug the Digitrax power(DCC) and plug in the MRC 2500 (DC)
Mike.
My You Tube