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midnightchief

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So ive been looking around online for some nice N scale engines, and being a noob I have Questions, when it says DCC ready that mean drop it on the layout and go remote or do you have to put a decoder chip in it, Also would it have sound on it or are those again separate decoders, And after all that Does anybody have some good online shops to purchase from?
 
I'm not going to be too big of help with my general answers but here goes. The "DCC ready" could mean it has a decoder or simply that it's ready for a decoder as in it has the NMRA plugs. From what I've read "DCC ready" means different things from different manufacturers.
As for it having sound it would have to be a sound decoder. I believe if it does have sound the advertisement would mention it as a selling point.
I hope this helps a little bit. Someone with far more knowledge than myself will be along shortly.
 
Cool ill take a look into it, i really wanted to go O scale but as i am laid off and on limit money "doing chores and all that to get some mula" i figured i might put a small N scale together, its cheaper and it will keep me busy :D
 
N scale really isn't any cheaper than HO, and if you already have space for O then you have space for HO.
 
I agree with Dameon, at the moment there appears to be more variety and price range inthe HO than the N. Also the DCC decoders are very limited in the N scale and not too many have sound as yet as the speakers are quite large compared to the size of the locos. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
my N scale wont take up any space on my O scale board, im making a smaller separate bored to keep my busy while i slowly "very slowly" build up my O scale stock
 
To answer your very first question (shame on you guys that know, and didn't answer), DCC ready means it has a spot to install a decoder. it does not have a decoder installed. Either a plug, or a milled spot in the frame.
Also, Rio Grande Hobbies is now defunct, but I can add Tex N Rails to the list of places to buy from.
 
DCC Ready means that the engine is capable of accepting a DCC chip whereas DCC equipped means all the heavy lifting has been done for you. You should see a difference in cost for a DCC ready (cheaper) than DCC Equipped. This reflects the cost of the DCC chip being added to the cost of the engine.

As to suppliers, you cannot beat nscalesupply.com, modeltrainstuff.com (MB Klein) or BLW (Brooklyn Locomotives Works).

After 40 years in N Scale, I always pay more for higher quality items that will run without a lot of tweaking, run without constant maintenance, and look good (not toy like) while doing it. That means MTL, Atlas, Intermountain/Red Caboose, Athearn, Fox River Valley for cars and Kato or Atlas on the motive power side of the street.

Nick
 
Hold it. "DCC Ready" is a completely generic term. It can mean anything from the motor being isolated from the frame to a circuit board already installed with an eight or nine pin plug so you just plug in a decoder and you're done. You should know exactly what "DCC Ready" means for any particular locomotive since it's the difference between plugging a decoder in or soldering six to eight wires and changing out the headlights.
 
Sorry about that. I have only heard the phrase in regard to has DCC in it or does not. Did not think about the excitement of having to soldering wires. I thought the original question was about "Does this thing already have DCC in it and I can start programming an address or do I have to do something to make that happen". I personally do not use DCC as this would require converting well in excess of 100 engines. Including some that would need a fair amount of work to get to the ready stage. I may look nuts but that's just genetics.
 
No problem. I've been burned by a couple of engines that were "DCC Ready" and all it meant was I didn't have to isolate the motor from the frame. For older locomotives like the BB Athearns, there's a fair bit of soldering but nothing compared to having to get a motor isolated. :eek:
 
In the early days, all you could really count on "DCC ready" meaning was that the motor was isolated from the frame. Things have gotten much better, and on anything new, this means that there will usually be a plug or socket for the decoder. It still pays to look though, especially of you hit the swap meets. There's lots of "old new" stock out there, like tons of Proto 2000 E units and such that have the old boards with no plug, and so on.

Just a couple of thoughts:

No big deal not doing DCC. Something like 60-70% of the hobby still does not.

Have to convert 100 engines? Well there's no rule that says you have to do them all at once, is there? I have the same problem, but I've found that of those 100 engines I actually run a dozen or so regularly. I started with the favorites and went as the wallet (& spouse ;)) permitted. Still not done! :eek: The real tough one is sound! Those little stinkers are expensive!

You can also consider this: if you have anything with QSI sound in it, you need one of those QSI controllers to access all the functions available. They cost about 50% of the price of an entry level DCC system of you shop carefully.

Most modelers who stay with DC do so because it's what they're comfortable with. I have several friends who have completed layouts that run well, & they just plain don't want to be bothered. I can understand their reasons. Some are bothered by the technology. Some say the cost is too high. These same guys usually have a bunch of engines though, and you can get a starter system and a fist full of non sound decoders for the price of an A-B set of F units (sound) or an ABBA set non sound.

It's a personal choice, but the hobby is headed that way, and with all the new stuff hitting the market, it looks to me like modelers are going to need DCC to get their money's worth out of the latest generation of sound equipped RTR models. I've done that "flip the direction switch on the power pack to blow the horn" thing. What a pain! :rolleyes:

Cheers!:)
 
I guess the DCC decision for me is a combination money and time consideration. I have a growing business to watch (so if I do that right the money side of things should take care of itself) but the time issue... My son right now is my shop force. He likes to remind me that without my glasses I can't find the train room let alone work on the engines.

I also am part owner of two sets of Alco road units. The only complete sets of their kind on the planet. (Those I can actually see without the glasses and wire correctly). This takes up time as well.

Add in an extensive N Scale Kadee collection and there goes some more (a lot of) money too.

So I guess it's been easier to look at the mountain (100+ engines) rather than try to convert them in the manner that they were acquired (a few at a time). So now a question which will probably sound as bright as a senate subcommitte hearing. Can you have DCC and non-DCC trains running on the same track? I would never put them in the same consist but can one operator have a DCC train and one a non DCC train in the same block?

Nick
 
Depends on the system. Digitrax has an analog channel for non decoder operation. NCE does not. Those are the two systems I own. I'm not sure about others, you'd have to do a little research. Also, with DCC, "blocks" in the DC sense go away. You can run a 4 x 8 layout consisting of one block depending on the track plan. It isn't always as simple as connect two wires and you're done, but there is just about always less wiring than with block control.
 
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