What dcc unit would you buy

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davidone said:
I couldn't believe how easy it was to set up and get everything working in such a short time. Like I am much older then most here and basically not being tech savvy had me thinking I would be running dc for the rest of my life but the NCE set up changed my mind.
Btw I did go online and ordered the NCE set up, I'm sold.
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Yea! There is so much over-information out there on DCC it makes people think it is complicated.
 
I read an article that most ho scale people are 34% dcc and 66% non digital.
I myself lean towards non digital. My only issue is that I can do almost anything in ho without dcc. Besides the sound quality imo is severely lacking and of course dcc ready locomotives are cheaper.
Because of the size of N scale and ho the speaker size does hinder quality sound, of course it could be me and when sound gets better maybe then I will upgrade to sound. Dcc ready is my choice right now, they run smooth and pricing is much better.

What are your thoughts?

Dave
 
Depends on what u want 2 do. If you just run an engine around DC is fine. If you like multiple blocks or rather don’t have an issue with multiple blocks DC is fine. I operate a couple times a year on 2 layouts that are quite big and still use DC. The dispatcher not only controls the movement of the trains the dispatch also controls the rotary switches to route the power.

I like to operate and for that with multiple engines running DCC is the excellent choice. I have switching layout and run 2 diesels in a consist. I have a smallish 61’ main line. I have 3 distinct switching areas, the paper mill, the Transload facility and grain terminal. I don’t but with DCC all 3 areas plus the remaining switching spots can be worked at the same time. The limit even though my layout is small is the # of amps my power system puts out (5) so I can running probably 10-12 diesels all individually or consisted together

Like most things in model railroading though no matter what advice others give you it’s still your decision on where YOU and your budget will receive the most joy and fun.

SOUND: to me sound now is a must. I’m not an audiophile but I believe today’s sound especially with the Scale Sound System speakers and either the Soundtraxx Tsunami2 or ESU version 5 sound decoders are awesome. I have no experience with TCS decoders! Older recorders before the ESU V4 or Tsnumai2’s version were very sketchy to my ears. I thought ESU’s sugar cube speakers were great until I heard the SSS ones. If I can hear a difference, most model railroaders without hearing issues should be able to hear a difference. Again YMMV. I like good volumes though on sound. Too high is annoying to me and 2 low to me is, why bother. About 40% volume on the engine sound, 60% on the horn and 30% on the bell are fine to me. If I can hear them from 5’ away except that horn it’s too loud. IMOO the horn should be loud. With the bell and horn though the rules of when to use them should be followed.

Enjoy
 


I bought an NCE DCC system and was wowed by the functionality - speed control, speed up and slow down ramps, ability to run multiple locos at a time, etc. I spent a lot of money on decoders, stay alives, etc. Blew up a lot of decoders due to not paying attention to chassis grounds (Athearn blue box conversions).

After all this, I run DC most of the time. I find that I don't operate much like switching, building a train and adding to the mainline after all. I just run a single train around the room for hours at a time and that's good enough for me.

I don't do sound as from what I've heard so far, I think I would be more irritated than anything. My trains also would compete with my tv... :)
 
I have only ever been DCC/sound. I don't want blocks and gaps if I don't need them, and with the reversing circuits to keep things moving in blocks. I like having one contiguous track length wired for DCC and have two locomotives move toward each other, nose first, with the nose being set to forward direction in CV 29, hook up, and become consisted. Or tail to tail...whichever way I want them to be coupled. In helper service with steam, I can speed match them so that they operate a close to the same speed with each Speed Step setting dialed in.
 
Yeah, that is another advantage of DCC, speed matching. But it takes a long time to do since you cannot program one loco with the other on the same track. If you can have two long stretches of track in parallel, one being the main and the other being the programming track, that would make it easier.
 
That is not entirely accurate. Locomotives using DCC decoders and the ESU Cab Control or EcoS can program individual locomotives on-the-fly sharing the same track.
 
Dc/DCC ready for me. For now anyway. I just cant fathom spending so much on a engine, when I can get amazing looking engines used for a fraction of the DCC price. Now, that being said, I have been blessed with a Bachmann EZ DCC controller, a DCC Sound F unit, and a DCC DDA40X, which I do enjoy running. As long as I get them cheap, its not a problem.
There are other reasons I like DC besides The price. Easy to fix. I haven't had any problems with my DCC engines, but I hear sometimes things happen, and they break. Then what? As much as I would like sound in my engines (The only drawback for me with DC), I would rather have a DC engine any day, so years later, it is still fixable.
Just my two cents.
 
I purchase DCC ready only. This way I can just install a decoder if I decide to go DCC. With just me operating short trains, I don’t see a reason for sound. I’ve already speed matched the locos and have marked their cases to which ones they are closest in speed to.
 
I have not decided yet whether to go dcc/sound or primarily dc only. But I do have two scale trains dcc/sound on order. Beings I'm still building my layout I do prefer dcc/sound. Less block wireing and less wireing in general is great to use dc.

Using dc only is by far cheaper and I'm not impressed with the sound in ho so far. I'm not a very techie guy so having dcc/sound and not able to work on my own engines because of my arthritis in my hands I have issues with small parts.

So I have a conundrum, send less but do more wireing, spend more, less wireing and have dcc/sound.

Dave
 


After I went to DCC, not turning back.

With DC you run the track, DCC you run the trains.

I still buy straight DC engines when there is a great deal; with the plan of putting in a DCC only decoder. Sound is ok, but after awhile it gets turned off as it gets old.

L8r
 
I couldn't run my (modestly small) HO railroad using DC as I run it now with dcc.

Two, three, sometimes even four engines moving in relatively close proximity. You couldn't "break this up" into blocks with insulated joints and control it with toggle switches (as would be required in DC). Just not enough room.

That said, I'm a dcc, NON-sound guy.
I don't care much about sounds, and do just as well without them.
(I listened to the sounds "the big engines" made for 32 years from their cabs)

I generally buy used or new-old-stock locos that are "dcc ready", or sometimes not. I then put in a "motor only" (non-sound) decoder, usually costs about $20-25. Not really much.

A few engines came with pre-installed decoders, which I continue to use.
A few others came with pre-installed decoders that just didn't work right, so I replaced those.

For hardware, I started with a Roco z21start which I found at a good price from a German hobby supply source. For a "control surface" I got a Samsung 9.5" tablet so I can use horizontal orientation and have 2 control cabs up at once.

Without Roco's "z21 app", I couldn't have made the progress I did.
It's simply the best "control surface" there is today.

Later on, I found a Digikeijs DR5000 universal hardware controller on ebay, complete for $108. Using that now -- again, with the z21 app. My original Roco is moved upstairs for use with my test track when needed.
 
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RhB Michael said:
That is not entirely accurate. Locomotives using DCC decoders and the ESU Cab Control or EcoS can program individual locomotives on-the-fly sharing the same track.
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Cool, good to know. I guess each brand has its advantages/limitations.
 
Kusojiji said:
Cool, good to know. I guess each brand has its advantages/limitations.
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You can program nearly any engine or decoder on the layout, it's called OPS mode. Most, if not all, systems won't "read" a decoder in OPS mode. I regularly use this method to adjust speed settings, so I don't have to keep picking up an engine, putting it on a programming track, taking it off the programming track, putting it back on the layout, running it, etc...
 
bnsf971 said:
You can program nearly any engine or decoder on the layout, it's called OPS mode. Most, if not all, systems won't "read" a decoder in OPS mode. I regularly use this method to adjust speed settings, so I don't have to keep picking up an engine, putting it on a programming track, taking it off the programming track, putting it back on the layout, running it, etc...
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I'm going to have to hit the books on the NCE system. I wiped out a few configurations in the early stages to try again.

Thanks!
 
In every DCC system that operates on NMRA norms, the decoders are addressed as a human is. It's only when there are two 'Bobs' that both will answer. But there is essentially no case for having two Bobs on a DCC layout except in the case of consisting. Otherwise, you can have two unique addresses to two different locomotives, both on the same contiguous length of powered rails. You let one sit idle, or let it run, say at speed step 15, and then acquire the other loco's address and make it run at speed step 15. Not the same speed, select the slowest one and bump up it's mid-range voltage setting in CV 6. The other loco, not being asked to do anything, will continue running indefinitely until you command it to do something different. You just need to separate them by about three feet to start off with, and quickly get CV6 and add several units until that slower rear loco seems to move at the same speed. And in truth, they don't have to be matched all that carefully. Close enough is about 3-5 scale mph apart. They'll work together. If they seem to fight each other once coupled and in a consist, it's not the voltage/speed problem, it's probably BEMF setting. It's often a good idea to cancel BEMF for both locomotives PRIOR to attempting to consist them. There's a CV for that, too.
 
DCC for me. Right now all my operating is on other's railroads with at least six trains, two yards in operation at the same time.
 
Until very recently I had an old MRC power pack using DC. I didn't care since I was working during years on layout construction and scenery building.
Then I had to make the choice. With the big layout, even if it was appealing, going DCC was daunting. An efficient and powerfull system including a command station, compatible power supply (ies), throttle and decoder equiped locos would’ve been quite a budget.
So the decision was sticking to DC with the DCC advantages.
I chose Bluetooth control (Blunami). The decoders are slightly more expensive, but I don't need a command station nor any throttle.
My loco fleet being 95% DC, I would have had to install decoders anyway.
Now I purchase only DCC ready locos and add speakers if I feel like it.

So I am a DC/DCC user !
 


I went from DC, to DC Blocks, to DCC and now I'm running RailPro (which could be initially DRC - Digital Radio Control). It was an expensive conversion for my limited amount of locos (I don't recommend if you have a huge fleet, unless you're the one who drew that huge winning lottery ticket), but I'm very happy with it. I like the sound aspect, but what really drew me into RailPro was the ease of consisting locos together. No speed matching necessary, multiple manufacturers, different motors, no (few) problems.
Now that they finally have a 21 pin decoder (RailPro calls them modules), it's pretty much open to any loco whether they're DCC, DCC ready, or DC waiting to be converted.
 
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