I still see threads and comments from modelers that are still DC only. It got me thinking.
What percent of modelers are still using DC vs DCC or other operating systems?
Pete Steinmetz
Dead Rail Society
www.deadrailsociety.com
On30 Modeler
Encinitas, CA
Strangely enough, it seems like nobody in the industry has done the research to answer that question. If they have, they aren't saying. You will get other answers, but I seriously doubt if anybody has any solid data that supports anything more specific than somewhere between 25% and 75%.
Most of those threads will provide you with the information you require to help you determine which is best for you. You'll just have to sort through the "other" posts to find it.
Whichever you choose, there are plenty of folks here that can and will help you.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
I'm way past DC and DCC. I'm doing Dead Rail. I was just curious as I saw references to guys still using DC on some other threads on the Model Railroad Forums.
I don't see much DC on the other sites I visit.
Suffice it to say MRC made a high tech DC power pack and locomotives comes DCC ready..
I don't know the answer to your question and the manufacturers is not saying one way or the other.
As far as dead rail that might be a better choice? (shrugs)
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Can someone explain what "dead rail" is,please?
A system that uses onboard batteries for motor power so that no power is required from the rails.
Joe
You could get a rough idea by going thru a recent edition of Model Railroader and counting up the number of ads for DCC equipped locomotives vs the number of ads for plain DC locomotives.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
dstarr You could get a rough idea by going thru a recent edition of Model Railroader and counting up the number of ads for DCC equipped locomotives vs the number of ads for plain DC locomotives.
Shouldn't that be DCC/Sound,DCC only and DCC ready? Seems that's the way the majority of the locomotives comes. A very nice choice IMHO.
Why not start a pole?
I'm using DCC for nine years. No DC whatsoever anymore.
retsignalmtrWhy not start a pole?
dcc
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Can you do both? Or is it one or the other?
I use Dcc. For now.
T e d
I had a version of dead rail back in the early 1950s - 1:192 scale powered by the 0-5-0...
As for percentages, it might be somewhat age specific. Kids get train sets which are almost certain to be DC. Somewhere around the second month of paid employment they might venture into DCC if they haven't shelved the hobby.
Trains with the kids or empty-nest returnees are probably majority DCC players.
Some analog DC holdouts have large rosters of 'not ready for DCC' locomotives and have learned to do tricks with cheap resistors and diodes that need dedicated black boxes to accomplish in DCC. Some may go to DCC if they ever have to start a new layout from the ground up. Some are perfectly content and see no advantage to making a change. Many such people are retired, or of an age where retirement is an option.
So, where do I fall? Read my signature.
Chuck (Retiree modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - analog DC, MZL)
Converted to DCC ~2008. Switched from Digitrax to NCE in 2015.
South Penn
That has no bearing on what control system people are using. Why you ask?
Many who are still using DC have most or all of the locos they need/want - they are no longer heavy loco buyers.
New people in the hobby are likely to go DCC for a number of reasons - new people have not yet accumulated a loco roster, and are therefor the target of current offerings.
Many non sound DCC locos are easily back converted to DC, and the prices are low enough that a DC modeler would not be opposed to buying it and removing the decoder. For some 15-20 years now Bachmann has sold non sound DCC equiped locos and included jumpers to remove the decoder and return them to straight DC.
So we have no way to know how many DCC locos have been purchased by DC users.
Not to mention the fact that nearly every DCC equiped loco is dual mode - works on DC - even if performance is not perfect.
So again, DC users who are still in the loco market are simply buying DCC locos and running them on the dual mode decoders or removing the decoders.
Sound - there is a reasonable following of those using the MRC Tech6 or even straight DC, but who are buying sound equiped dual mode decoder DCC locos.
And, even a few crazy people like me, who if they get the right deal, buy a sound equiped loco like a BLI Pacific and remove the sound decoder - or in my case - replace the tender completely with a non DCC tender.
I have a roster of about 130 locos. Easily 1/3 of them came with decoders, five came with sound. They all are straight DC now. Basic Bachmann decoders sell rather well on Ebay.
Based on the many DC/DCC conversations on this forum since I have been here, and other people I know, including some shop owners, I would guess that in HO and N scale it is roughly 50/50, with a slight edge to DCC as new people enter the hobby.
I am inclined to think that most who have not switched by now never will.
In other scales, DCC is without question a very small percentage.
Direct radio/battery power dominates large scale and is making headway into the smaller scales. O scale has two proprietary systems for high rail in addition to both straight DC and original AC. Two rail O scale and S scale may well have a strong DCC following, but they are very small groups compared to the whole of model trains.
If we could count everyone with a fixed layout or regularly active in a club or modular group, in every scale, I would be surprised if DCC useage was more than 40% total.
I still run DC, and while direct radio with or without dead rail is interesting, I don't see it as worth the time or trouble for my modeling goals.
Now if my modeling goals changed, or I changed scales, I might be all in for something new.
Sheldon
PS - I consider wireless throttles, even with a trackside base station, to be a much more "necessary" feature than the general features of DCC. I use wireless radio throttles on an advanced cab control DC system with signaling and CTC.
I'm straddling the great divide!
My HO stuff is DCC but my HOn30 stuff is DC. If there was space to install a decoder in my HOn30 critters then I would definately do it.
Theoretically, a decoder could be mounted in a following car, but the locomotives already have a gondola permanently affixed which contains the motor. (You can see one of the critters in my avatar.) That's because I used Bachmann N scale 4-4-0s as the drive units. I think the biggest problem with adding a third car with a decoder would be the amount of wiring that would have to run between each of the cars plus the locomotive. The wiring would have to be very flexible in order to keep the cars from derailing on the curves.
Maybe some day I will give it a try, but the HOn30 part of the layout is so simple that DCC is hardly worth the effort. The only benefit would be the ability to add sound.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter My HO stuff is DCC but my HOn30 stuff is DC. . Dave
My HO stuff is DCC but my HOn30 stuff is DC. .
This is how I want to do dc.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
I use DC for now but planning on DCC.
I'm getting an BLI E8 Amtrak Phase I A/B set, and four Atlas Conrail locomotives in DCC.
I hadn't bought a DCC system yet. When I do I'm going to convert some Kato F40phs to DCC.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
I buy DCC locomotives now but Run DC. I have a bunch of earlier locomotives that are just DC but I love the sound and smoke of items made today.
DCC (Digitrax) here on my N scale layout. Though I'm a relative late-bloomer (DCC-ing since 2013).
I can't answer the OP's question but for me it's DCC all the way. I use the Lenz system with Lenz decoders and I love it. No sound though; I can't stand the constant noise which really starts to irritate me after a short period of time. The normal sound of the locomotive drive assemblies and wheels on rails is enough for me. I model HO scale.
Well, as I've noted on other threads, I use different ones. My main scale is S and that is DCC. But I use AC with my Lionels. When I set up and run HO or Sn2 I use DC although some HO is dual mode decoders. My O scale stuff is DC. My MTH O gauge diesel has a decoder that runs on AC, DC, DCC, and DCS - I've run it on AC and DCC. My On30 stuff is DCC maybe dual mode since it is Bachmann.
I'm not sure why there seems to be so much concern over this topic. Each system has it's different strengths and weaknesses. Just use whichever one best meets your needs.
Enjoy
Paul
IRONROOSTER I'm not sure why there seems to be so much concern over this topic. Each system has it's different strengths and weaknesses. Just use whichever one best meets your needs.
What he said... I couldn't agree more. I have no idea why this is such an enduring controversial topic in this hobby (or maybe it's just this forum?).
(P.S. - whatever happened to that "ditto" smiley? )
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
Dan:
Where is the controversy in the question that the OP asked?
I don't recall him saying that one was right and the other was wrong. He just asked a simple question about percentages.
Sorry, I mean no offense. I just don't think its fair to the OP to read more into his question than what he asked.
IRONROOSTEREach system has it's different strengths and weaknesses. Just use whichever one best meets your needs. Enjoy Paul
I couldn't agree more and for me its a MRC Tech 6..The T-6 allows me to run DCC,DCC/Sound or my older DC locomotives on my ISL by a simple push of a button..
I don´t think there is any secure data available that would answer the OP´s question sufficiently. The only statement seeming to be secure is that the vast majority of HO scale and N scale model railroaders either use DCC or DC, all other systems like DCS, 3-rail AC , Dead Rail and steam being "condemned" to a niche role. Yes, there are HO scale live steam locos... I have yet to see a live Diesel loco, though.
European manufacturers have long responded to this, marketing their locos either as DCC ready (meaning equipped with a standardized socket to plug in a decoder) or DCC equipped (with or w/o sound).
Only Marklin continues to insist on its proprietary mfx system, based on the old Motorola format.
Anyway, what´s the value in knowing the share of DCC users?
DAVID FORTNEY I buy DCC locomotives now but Run DC. I have a bunch of earlier locomotives that are just DC but I love the sound and smoke of items made today.
If you are running your DCC locos with a Tech 6 in "dual mode", then you are running them on DCC, not DC.
CSX RobertIf you are running your DCC locos with a Tech 6 in "dual mode", then you are running them on DCC, not DC.
The T-6 dual mode is for DCC operation as you say.The "Std" button is for plain DC operation even though you can still set start voltage,brake and momentum for DC engines..
Sir Madog I don´t think there is any secure data available that would answer the OP´s question sufficiently. The only statement seeming to be secure is that the vast majority of HO scale and N scale model railroaders either use DCC or DC, all other systems like DCS, 3-rail AC , Dead Rail and steam being "condemned" to a niche role. Yes, there are HO scale live steam locos... I have yet to see a live Diesel loco, though. European manufacturers have long responded to this, marketing their locos either as DCC ready (meaning equipped with a standardized socket to plug in a decoder) or DCC equipped (with or w/o sound). Only Marklin continues to insist on its proprietary mfx system, based on the old Motorola format. Anyway, what´s the value in knowing the share of DCC users?
Secure data - agreed, but every informal poll on this forum in the last five years has suggested something close to my 50/50 ratio between DC and DCC in HO and N.
And I find it interesting how many simply exclude the other scales from this discussion as if those other scales "don't count" as model railroading.
And a number of dealers I know personally, here in the US, indicate they still have strong DC customer bases.
I think the info in my earlier post is pretty spot on about why and how DC modelers have "adapted" to the products being offered. So what is being sold has little correlation to how people are running their trains.