# Short & Long Addresses in DCC



## Russell (Dec 11, 2009)

This weekend my son came over and asked me if there is a functional difference between the short and long address for locomotives? Is there?

Is it that the long name can be the actual number of the locomotive as seen on its body, and hence easier to remember?

Does anyone know?

The advantage of the sort name is that it's, well ... it's short. My five year old grandson can remember it. Maybe there's something else?

Cheers, Russell


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Truthfully I think that is the only reason. I started with the 4 digit address to correspond with road numbers. Then as you said, kids remember 2 digits better. So that is all we do, use the first 2 numbers. I guess it would become an issue if one has a lot of engines. Plus it is faster to call up that extra engine when only entering 2 numbers :laugh:


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Nope no difference at all in the workings!
It just became an issue with the guys or more so the clubs that needed more #'s Difference of 99 or 9999.
I started DCC way back in the stone age and it was only 1-9, that was all the controller could do!
You can program an engine to have 2 addresses now, short (2 digit) and Long (4 digit). and pick how you want to control it.


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## Russell (Dec 11, 2009)

Thanks guys. I was just wondering if there was something going on that was escaping me, like the DCC secret to winning lottery numbers .
Cheers.


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