# Newbie with DCC questions and layout



## Resqnu (Aug 31, 2014)

Hi guys, I’m new on the forum and new to MRR. I purchased 2 Bachmann kits for me and my 5 year old 3 weeks ago. I’m 47 years old and I’ve always wanted a nice HO train setup, so now that my son is an train fanatic, I can easily justify it…lol. I have read a lot and learned quickly as I want to convert from the current DC systems to DCC. I just built 2-4x8 tables and will be putting them in a L shape which will give me a 30 inch tall 12ft x 4ft and a 4ft x 4ft jut out in the basement. I am currently designing the track layout. I want an outside and inner track. The outside will be a more long flowing run for my son and and have some roadway on the outer most edge of the layout, so my son can interact with vehicles/crossings with one train. The inner track would have more turns and turnouts with a rail yard for moving trains around for myself 2-3 trains. I wouldn’t mind the 2 tracks crossing or starting with keeping them separate. I will be using Atlas 100 flex track. 

Any layout ideas would be greatly appreciated. Once the layout is decided on the scenery and landscape will be designed. 
I currently have 3 new Bachmann Kit dc locos that, if possible need to be converted to DCC. I have decent soldering skills from 6 years of building and racing 1/10 scale RC cars and building RC helicopters. Can this be done? Any recommendations on the decoders? I also plan to buy a few DCC locos with at least one with sound. 
Now the big question, What DCC system would you recommend for me and my son? I’m looking for easy setup, easy programming and be able to be expanded. Like adding more power, if needed. Not looking to start a war, (just looking for experience with ease of starting out with some expansion nothing for club stuff). I want a controller for my 5 year old and a more advanced controller for myself. I’m open to any recommendations. After lots of reading on here a few recommendations I have seen are :

NCE DCC Twin starter set with power supply (for son) and a NCE PowerCab (for me) $270

NCE Powercab (for me) and NCE led Engineer throttle (for son) $230

Digitrax Zephyr DCC syste (for son) and Digitax full feature throttle (for me) $320

Any help and info is greatly appreciated. My budget is not unlimited, but have learned from being in RC hobbies for a while, that to buy good stuff the first time. But don’t want to go crazy until I make sure this will be around for a while. 
My apologizes for the long post.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The longer the post the more information that is needed
to be of help. No apologies needed. Keep 'em coming.

I have not used any of the DCC systems you have listed but
our members who have should be chiming in with their
recommendations. They are all quality products.

I would say that the system you need should have a main DCC
controller (for you) and a hand held throttle (cable or wireless)
(for son). All, including Bachmann offer these. Either controller
could run several trains at the same time. (Wireless requires
a Wireless receiver to work). All are expandable by adding
boosters to power larger layouts and more locos with sound.
Several fascia mounted jacks can be located around the
layout. The hand held throttle can be moved from jack to
jack without interrupting any locos it is controlling.

A dual oval on a 4 foot width is going to mean some
tight radius curves which would limit the size of your
locos and length of your cars. There, are, however,
many 4 wheel truck locos that can easily run on radius
as small as 18". Any Passenger cars of the typical 70 or
80 foot length would have tough going though.

I urge you to plan on using Flex track. Most HO layouts
use code 100. I am a big fan of Peco INSULFROG turnouts.
They are a tad more expensive but you'll avoid derailments
with them. Insulfrog means that no special wiring is required
for the frog power. A thin insulator separates the diverging
rails so there is no short circuit.

You might want to consider isolating the inner oval from
the outer one. That way if son should derail and short
his oval yours could still be running. The same system
would power both but an individual 'breaker' would
be used. That could be as simple as an auto tail light
bulb in series with the track circuit. Even with this
dual oval set up both
controllers would be able to control any loco on either
oval. You should plan on installing a DCC power buss
with a dead end on the end of each L leg and fed by
the controller about mid point. You would
want a power drop from the track to the buss about every 5 or 6
feet on both ovals connected to the buss. The spurs and
sidings usually do not require drops.

There are decoders available to convert most locos
to DCC. Some locos require more work than others
to install DCC. Some of our members have 'done
it all' and can be of much help on this.

Since you have soldering experience the conversions
would be a piece of cake for many locos.

Don


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## Resqnu (Aug 31, 2014)

Thanks for the info.
I plan on using flex track and keeping the larger cars on the outside track.
Peco INSULFROG turnouts, seems like a good idea. I will look into these. 
Can you explain the isolation of the 2 tracks a little more.


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

DonR is usually spot on with his answers and provides valuable information.

I do want to point out one thing he mentioned about passenger cars and 4 foot wide layouts. I have 72 foot Athearn streamline passenger cars that I run on 18 inch radius curves with no problem. But I will say these have truck mounted couplers and not body mounted couplers.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Resqnu said:


> Thanks for the info.
> I plan on using flex track and keeping the larger cars on the outside track.
> Peco INSULFROG turnouts, seems like a good idea. I will look into these.
> Can you explain the isolation of the 2 tracks a little more.


I suggest isolating the oval likely to be used by son from the oval that
you expect to operate on. This is done very simply by using insulated
joiners any where that you join the two ovals through turnouts.

You would power each of these ovals and their associated
spur tracks with one wire of the source in series with
a 12 volt vehicle tail light bulb. What happens is when there is a short circuit
instead of tripping the controller 'breaker' the light bulb will light and stay
lighted until the short is cleared. The short is effectively a light switch.
If it happened on your son's oval yours
would not be affected. 

This would also require that you run a separate buss for each oval. The
bulbs in series with one wire of it, near the main controller. 

There are commercially available breakers that do the same thing but
at more expense.

Both of you would continue to have full DCC control of your locos anywhere
on the layout even with this arrangement since the main controller would
be the power source for both ovals.

Don


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## Resqnu (Aug 31, 2014)

Dave- Good to know. I can see where that would make a difference.

Don- Got it, makes since now and sounds like the thing to do.


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