# Converting DC layouts to DCC



## igmuska

Recently I've added an HO locomotive Athearn SD45 Great Northern as I'm new to the art and plan on moving up to DCC. But as you know, there are not very many actual full DCC layout diagrams; I've only seen partial diagrams illustrating turnouts, reverse loops and wyes.
My question is how would I convert DC layouts found in these books to DCC?
























By the way, I found these at a local rummage sale. And any help especially links showing DCC layouts other than Alan Gartner and the main names.
Thanks


----------



## T-Man

You naturallly go to whoever makes your DCC system. They all have plenty to read. Ho has always been DC, can't be too difficult.


----------



## tankist

the shape of layout matters little here. for most part its just instead of DC power pack you plug in a DCC station. any reverse sections of track can be dealt with installation of auto-reversing modules.


----------



## igmuska

The layouts in the books I listed are relatively easy to diagram using my planning software. The DCC conversion items confusing me are wiring the turnouts. While DC layouts are less expensive than are their DCC counterparts, reading these books almost makes me want to keep my HO layout in full DC mode until the prices drop on the stationary decoders.
Y
et to be one of the cook kids is motivating me to continue as well as the lack of full DCC layout diagrams being hosted on the Internet. This makes me feel sad but again as in the open source software world where the big corporations said they'd fail in giving away free software and free as in free beer.

Back to my topic, although I don't know think that there'd be copyright issues, especially if the new DCC layouts were giving proper attribution to the respective reference. Then they could be slightly modified or mirrored or adapted to upgrade the layouts to DCC.

The other perspective I have on the model train hobby is the impact that PS3, XBOX and other gaming consoles have on the hobby. I keep thinking about the open source software world, how they've made their business model successful; I feel that this can be followed in the model train world and be even more successful in bringing back family-oriented real-world non-digital entertainment.

I guess I've been lucky to be finding resources that help me participate in this wonderful hobby; then I think about fishing lures that seem to catch more fishermen than fish.


----------



## tankist

there is no such thing as DCC layout. its just how a given layout powered.

DCC system is more expensive , yes, but if you read carefully about DCC topic you'd immediately see how wiring of complicated layout is in fact significantly simpler. and nothing about it is being cool kid - running multiple trains simpler tenfold. if you need that functionality.

perhaps you looking in the wrong spot but internet is swimming with info about DCC. look at DCC wiki, http://www.wiringfordcc.com to think of a few. 
if you want opens source then there is openDCC and of cource JMRI project . and bunch of others.

you feeling sad prematurely. DCC is a beautiful world


----------



## igmuska

Thanks for the encouragement.
For now I'll keep my 3' by 8' double oval running DC. But soon I do plan on ramping up to DCC.
The part that confuses me are the turnouts. For example, first we run two bus wires to electrify each power district using droppers which are approximately 36 inches apart. Each power district is separate by insulating both rails with plastic joiners.
Then to use turnouts, I'd have to connect them to a stationary decoder. What confused me is that I was still thinking in DC terms where the track power also powers the turnouts. With DCC, the track is powered separately from the turnouts although they are within a power district. Now my confusion is gone.
I'll get on with converting the layouts within the above listed books.


----------



## tankist

igmuska, incorrect

first of all , apart from reverse loos, you don't need to isolate sections anymore, which is the first "oohhh! nice" part of DCC. unless you looking to do computer controlled automatic signalling and such you can do occupancy detection by section current draw. 

as far as your turnouts, why are you saying you need to connect them to decoder?? they powered exactly as DC (one thing to watch - DCC friendly turnouts). its operating them that can be made more elaborate by connecting the electric switch machine to accessory decoder (usually 4 turnouts to one decoder). then you can program macros for route selection throwing multiple turnouts with one button press. or do that automatically upon detection.

but yo are correct, 3x8 oval probably doesn't need DCC as only one engine runs at a time. then again even in that scenario DCC makes sound and effects possible. but it is obviously more expence. up to you .

good luck!

ADD:
non dcc specific but i don't see why use power leads as close as 36' apart. i was running entire layout with one drop just fine


----------



## igmuska

One of the main layout diagrams I've seen freely available is at:
www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/DCClayoutwiringdrawings.htm
The image is about half-way down the page. It illustrates the gaps, droppers and a reverse loop.
But in almost every article I've read so far says that droppers and insulating gaps composing the power districts should be placed in areas over 36" which, to me, means every four 9" track piece. As I am slowly wrapping my head around DCC and how I can "upgrade" the DC layouts to DCC in the above listed books.
In this discussion, I've picked up that I can keep my turnouts on DC power with their control panels wired to the accessory terminals on my DC power pack. Then once our move to DCC won't be too expensive until we roll up to DCC turnout control.


----------

