Basic DCC Question


G

Gino

Member
We got started when my older son got a Bachmann EZ-track set for Christmas (officially graduating him from Thomas wood sets). My wife's grandpa then ran into a guy who was selling everything in his basement for a hundred bucks (retiring to a sailboat headed south), and grandpa convinced me to go all in. The guy had the works: controllers, unfinished buildings, switches and more track than I knew what to do with. So it was a good deal and we had fun building.

Well now Dominic is inquiring about DCC. I am inclined to leave well enough alone, but I thought I should ask:
1) How much work would be involved in changing?
2) He already has a bunch of standard engines (every dime of his allowance is saved for ebay, HobbyTownUSA and train shows), would those go to the scrap yard?
3) Would the table be a do-over?
4) I am also worried about "little hands" damage, because it seems the electronics would be more delicate than regular engines. Justified concern?

Background info: They have several powered switches and four controllers for four separately insulated sections. You can see the overall layout at about 45 seconds in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbDJDfI7wVE

He reveres the advice doled out at "the forum", so your feedback is appreciated.
 
Gino said:
1) How much work would be involved in changing?
2) He already has a bunch of standard engines (every dime of his allowance is saved for ebay, HobbyTownUSA and train shows), would those go to the scrap yard?
3) Would the table be a do-over?
4) I am also worried about "little hands" damage, because it seems the electronics would be more delicate than regular engines. Justified concern?
Click to expand...

I'll try to address your concerns here:

1) The main job after acquiring a DCC Controller is to add DCC to your engines.
2) No there is no need for most engines to be replaced. Most can be converted to DCC. Some may be more difficult, and some may be as easy as a walk in the park.
3) You will not have to redo the table, but you may consider at some point adding in DCC turnouts.
4) Physically, the engines are no more delicate, they will be the same externally as a non-DCC engine.

Depending on the make and age of your locomotives, you may find that conversion is as easy as taking the shell off, removing a jumper from the DCC plug, and then plugging in a DCC decoder.

Even if an engine is not DCC ready (meaning it has a prewired plug but no decoder) it is not that difficult to install a decoder, i have converted 3 of my old engines already and will do a couple more as funds permit.

First, find out if they already have a plug or not, then determine the amount of space inside the shell. That gives you information to assist in choosing a decoder.

Also you need to decide if you want sound or not. If you do, you may want to get a combined decoder from the start.

What engines do you already have and how old are they?
 
Trackwise it's just replacing the current power supply with the new DCC system. You also would probably have to add a couple of feeds around the layout depending on the size. As far as engines go that would take some doing. Each one has to be treated differently but they can all be changed over. I would purchase one or 2 DCC equipped engines to get things running quickly. then over time have the others converted. If he isn't up to the task you'll have to fill in or pay to have them done one at a time. Once you go to DCC you'll never go back.
By the way depending on your budget consider an NCE powercab or the Digitrax Zephyr to start out. Both are good starter DCC units.

Good Luck
 
The engines

Of the newer stuff they have a couple of Walthers engines, a couple of Bachmann cheap 8wd and one Atlas. They have have a couple old "sparky gonzales" engines too, which would probably not be worth the effort to convert.

How much is a controller, is it more to add sound?
 
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I have purchased decoders for as little as $17, controllers with sound start around $65.

These guys are supposed to be very helpful in choosing a decoder and installing them as well.

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

There are more good helpful places around too, some may be within driving distance for you.
 
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Gino said:
what is a feed, just extra power for draw?
Click to expand...

A feed point is just a power connection. Depending on the size and design of your layout, in addition to the number of locomotives you run, you may need to have several feeds spread around your layout.
 
alot of guys (n gals) run a heavy buss wires (14awg approx) under the layout and then smaller feeder wires (18awg approx) up to the track at various places, some say every few feet but it depends on the layout size. Cost is minimal as its just more wire and some solder.

jtuder refered to $17 controllers, he meant to say decoder, thats the circuit board that fits in the loco, some are just plug in and go, others are wired in to the motor, lights etc

Ken.
 
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The feeds are to ensure that you are getting a good digital signal to each section of track. Just relying on the track connectors as your electrical link will degrade pretty fast over time and then you will have the ever annoying stopping and starting of trains were ya have to smack the table to make them go.
Be sure you have all your connections polarized correctly so ya aren't creating a short circuit.
 
Yes, the power is ac around 16volts and the DCC is sent in 'packets' of information. Each decoder has it's own address and when the controller is selected for a loco only that loco will respond, all the others will continue to do what they do!!

Ken.
 
Do you set the address when you install the decoder? Or does the decoder come with a preset address?

BTW, you guys were supposed to help me talk him out of this remember?
 
Hey Gino,

All decoders and DCC equipped locomotives come with the address set on 3. You will need to change this to be able to control each loco individually.

There will be no talking you out of this now!
 
Is the bus feed line a loop or just a line out that terminates back to near where it started to reach all parts of the layout?
 
Thanks

I appreciate all the feedback. If a thick-head like me can understand, you all obviously did a good job explaining it.

So I presented the information to Dominic & Rocco. Rocco deferred the decision completely to Dominic (who is older). Dominic is thinking about it. I will let you know what they decide.
 
The Verdict

My son informed me "I could go with DCC, but I think I need you to increase my allowance."

We will stay with analog for now.
 
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