# DCC Do I want it?



## Big_Steve (Feb 21, 2016)

My layout is three independent DC loops, with 3 controllers. My layout is "out and back." I don't have switches or yards, just track and scenery. 1 of my locos is DCC equipped, the other 5 are DCC ready.

I'm in a position to upgrade to DCC. I like the idea of sound. But I'm kind of scratching my head as to what someone with my type of layout would need with all the other features. Maybe I'm not aware of what else a decoder can do. Can anyone tell me why I need it, or confirm that I don't? I can just buy a Kato sound box for a little less money, and a lot less work.

What am I missing? 

Thanks.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Connecting the loops together and not worrying about what block switches to throw or what throttle to mess with. As has been said before drive the trains, not the track! Sound traveling with the loc is also nice. What's not so neat is trying to figure out what DCC system. My choice would be a Digitrax DCS240 (get it on sale). It seems expensive but you get a PR3 programmer/computer interface with it. Power with a power supply from Jamco. The DCC choices are myriad.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Lemonhawk is right, you do get more choices, sound, no more blocks, constant lighting, better running and many more but do you want to make those choices? Only you know. I sort of get the feeling from your post that you're kind of wanting to change but you want permission.
With your sort of layout I'd say you don't really need it but you may want it. It would also be nice to have a 21st century system instead of one mired in the nineteenth!
If you did decide to go digital I wouldn't recommend the DCS240, not because its a bad system but you don't need 5amps and all those features for starters. For your layout the NCE Powercab is all you need at half the price, or the Zephyr if you wanted Digitrax.
For me I love messing with sound settings on my enabled locos which I would say is almost a hobby in itself.
Good luck whatever you decide.


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## Big_Steve (Feb 21, 2016)

Thanks for the input. LOL, no I don't need permission. I really don't understand what all DCC can do for me, and am trying to figure out with my layout if it's really needed. It sounds like it would be overkill for me. 




Cycleops said:


> Lemonhawk is right, you do get more choices, sound, no more blocks, constant lighting, better running and many more but do you want to make those choices? Only you know. I sort of get the feeling from your post that you're kind of wanting to change but you want permission.
> With your sort of layout I'd say you don't really need it but you may want it. It would also be nice to have a 21st century system instead of one mired in the nineteenth!
> If you did decide to go digital I wouldn't recommend the DCS240, not because its a bad system but you don't need 5amps and all those features for starters. For your layout the NCE Powercab is all you need at half the price, or the Zephyr if you wanted Digitrax.
> For me I love messing with sound settings on my enabled locos which I would say is almost a hobby in itself.
> Good luck whatever you decide.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

If you're operating 3 completely independent loops that never interconnect, and don't need to park locos (or put one in the pocket while a second passes it), then DCC is an unnecessary expense.

Kato and MRC both make DC sound controllers. Sounds like that may be a better option for you.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Tiz true. You don't NEED DCC. How some ever,
DCC is something that
does make wiring and running trains easier though.

With your 3 non connected ovals you could control 3 trains
running at the same time individually using your ONE
DCC controller. You can start and stop a train on track A,
for example, while trains continue to roll on tracks
B and C. AND, at any time in the future you
could connect the ovals with turnouts and still continue
running 3 trains, but without complex wiring and
panel switches. 

Another possibility. Since your ovals are not connected, you could run a DCC train on tracks A & B and keep your DC power
pack to run trains on track C...or any other combination.
Only one caution: Don't ever connect DCC track to
a DC track. Damage will ensure.

You won't want to go for the expensive DCC controllers.
For what you have an economical Bachmann EZ would
do fine. You can probably find one used on our For Sale
forum or on Ebay or Amazon.

Don


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## Big_Steve (Feb 21, 2016)

*Hmmm*

I just discovered that 2 of my locos are not DCC ready. And while I repair things for a living, my fat butcher like fingers are not going to tear them apart and mill the frames and start soldering tiny wires nope, ain't gonna happen. BUT, this throws an interesting twist into the mix. Those two locos run together. So I can leave them off a DCC bus, and continue to use them independently on DC.. So, for around the same money as a Kato soundbox, I can get a DCC controller and decoders for the ABA consist. The Kato can only provide sound for one train anyway, and this way I'll have sound for one train, with something to build on.

Hmmm starting to look like DCC might be a good way to go now.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Steve

It would be unusual that you would have need
of any milling to install a DCC non sound decoder.
They are actually about the size of a plastic enclosed
postage stanp and small enuf to fit in most locos.

Each non sound decoder will have 8 color coded
wires. The manual that comes with them will tell
you where each goes on the loco. You would need
to solder them in. It's about an hour or two to get
done. 

The DCC ready locos simply require you to plug
in the decoder.

Don


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

I was under the impression that the gentleman is in N and fitting decoders is a bit of a different proposition to HO. Most of the modern Kato and Atlas have one which just clips in to replace the light board, but as I understand him he has a quite a few old locos, although he didn't say how old. I have some too and they just used to fill the shell up with metal. So some, perhaps not all will need milling, even for non sound in certain cases.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Maybe I missed the reference to N scale but if so
there are decoders made for Z scale so one should
fit in an N somewhere.

Don


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## Big_Steve (Feb 21, 2016)

First off, who are you calling a "gentleman??" Take that back!

Yes, I'm in "N" I've been hanging in N groups, so maybe I forgot to mention it. A web page I saw said it had to be milled. Dunno. But as I said above DCC is starting to make sense even for my modest layout. For only a little more than a Kato soundbox, I can get a controller and set up a consist with sound, and much more. The loco on my 3rd loop is already dcc equipped, so I save money there.

I could just run the non DCC ones on DC until I convert them, or replace them later.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Big_Steve said:


> First off, who are you calling a "gentleman??" Take that back!
> 
> Yes, I'm in "N" I've been hanging in N groups, so maybe I forgot to mention it. A web page I saw said it had to be milled. Dunno. But as I said above DCC is starting to make sense even for my modest layout. For only a little more than a Kato soundbox, I can get a controller and set up a consist with sound, and much more. The loco on my 3rd loop is already dcc equipped, so I save money there.
> 
> I could just run the non DCC ones on DC until I convert them, or replace them later.


I just jumped off of DC and purchased a NCE PowerCab last week. I had also purchased a Model Power 2-6-0 Mogul with sound before that. All I can say is, why did I wait so long! I cannot believe how smooth and how much prototypical the controlled slower speeds are. I can easily magnetically uncouple where as before, I just didn't have the control. I even get almost no derailments because I have slowed down to scale speeds. I also had seriously considered the Kato Sound Box, but for not too much more money I now have DCC with sound on one locomotive. As time, and money and of course "She who must be obeyed!" will allow, I will upgrade or buy new locomotives. Don't hesitate as you should be much happier! :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

When I decided to go DCC I bought the Digitrax Zephyr, and have since bought two diesels and got cheap sound decoders for them, and a steamer with DCC (no sound) on board.

I tried installing the decoders in one of the diesels, and managed to burn up two of them! It's pretty small work for old fingers! I ended up sending them to Mike Fifer of Fifer Hobbies, and he installed them for me. They run and sound great although I haven't yet fiddled with any of the CVs.

Yes, the control, especially slow speed, is awesome. While he had them, I also had Mike replace the silly yellow headlights with white ones...much nicer.

If you decide to go DCC, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*DCC?*



Big_Steve said:


> My layout is three independent DC loops, with 3 controllers. My layout is "out and back." I don't have switches or yards, just track and scenery. 1 of my locos is DCC equipped, the other 5 are DCC ready.
> 
> I'm in a position to upgrade to DCC. I like the idea of sound. But I'm kind of scratching my head as to what someone with my type of layout would need with all the other features. Maybe I'm not aware of what else a decoder can do. Can anyone tell me why I need it, or confirm that I don't? I can just buy a Kato sound box for a little less money, and a lot less work.
> 
> ...


Big_Steve;

If you are happy with your present 3 loop set up, and don't plan to change it, then no; you don't need DCC. The biggest advantage of DCC is independent control, of several trains, on one track. You already have independent control of 3 trains, as long as each one stays on its own loop. As you have discovered, there are other ways to get sound. Speaking of sound, you might want to look at the April issue of Model Railroader. It has an article titled, "The future of model railroading." In that article, they talk about having one, or two (1 steam/ 1 diesel) sound decoders under the layout, not mounted inside the locomotives. These decoders would be wired to the transmitter of a set of wireless headphones. The sound would be greatly better than with a tiny speaker inside a loco. This method would also have more room for your fingers, and only one or two decoders needed.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Big_Steve said:


> First off, who are you calling a "gentleman??" Take that back!
> 
> Yes, I'm in "N" I've been hanging in N groups, so maybe I forgot to mention it. A web page I saw said it had to be milled. Dunno. But as I said above DCC is starting to make sense even for my modest layout. For only a little more than a Kato soundbox, I can get a controller and set up a consist with sound, and much more. The loco on my 3rd loop is already dcc equipped, so I save money there.
> 
> I could just run the non DCC ones on DC until I convert them, or replace them later.


Cycleops is British; they think every male is a gentleman, so you'll have to excuse him. 

I was another holdout (mistakenly thinking it would be too expensive to buy into), and when I went to DCC, I also said, "Why did I wait?". For me, it's the ability to slip a train into a siding and have another pass it without having to worry about isolating the siding electrically to keep the train moving.

Now, on "just run non-DCC locos on DC", if you keep a dedicated track, yes. But while a DCC loco can be run on a DC track, the reverse is generally not true. You can also use DPDT switch to select DC vs. DCC power supplies.

As others have said, unless you enjoy acrid smell of frying electronics, do not directly connect DC and DCC circuits.


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## Big_Steve (Feb 21, 2016)

Thanks for all the input. I decided to order an NCE powercab, a sound decoder for the lead loco in my consist, and 2 more basic ones for the other two locos. The Kato Soundbox only has sound for one train anyway, and the DCC setup I bought doesn't cost much more than the Soundbox. This will give me sound and control of 1 line to start. But now I can build on the DCC system. Tonys trains says it will be here on Monday, so look for a gazillion question starting Monday night.


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