# DCC Loco on DC?



## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Can anyone tell me if a locomotive described as "DCC-equipped for speed, direction, and lighting" having a "dual-mode NMRA-compliant decoder" will work on old-school DC? It's an N scale Bachmann Spectrum GE 70-tonner. Thanks.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

yes, it will work okay, if cV29 is set to allow DC operation ...
you will need to put it on a DCC system to set it [if it's not already set]..
you can just try it to find out ...


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Thank you. But since I don't have access to a DCC system, that makes the answer "maybe, or maybe not". I guess I'll keep looking.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

yep, that's the correct answer, maybe / maybe not ....
it depends on how CV29 is set ....
you can always just try it, lol


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Sometimes when I get bored with moving little houses, cabins, trailers, etc. around trying to decide how to stick them to a scenery mat on a Masonite board; I think about what kind of train I want to watch chase it's caboose around a loop of Bachmann track. I had earlier considered an unlettered Bachmann 0-6-0, my "old-time" wooden reefers, and an Athearn SP&S caboose at Thw Western Depot - but I realized the tender with the 0-6-0 was wrong for the SP&S. There are non-DCC Kato Northern Pacific NW2's at hobbylinc, but I'd have to go thru ebay for an NP caboose. So I guess I'd do this. The loco is an Atlas MP15DC, and the caboose is Micro-trains. ~$130 at hobbylinc. The local short line has a pair of MP15AC's I used to watch all of the time.


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## dd1228 (Jan 26, 2015)

I just got a dual mode steam loco from Broadway Ltd and it runs great right out of the box on old DC. Im sure the Bachman will too if its advertised as dual mode receiver. Good luck!


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## Severn (May 13, 2016)

A walthers sd70 ace runs quite well with a good sound selection on DC out of the box. Another retrofit dcc project of my own doing also works that way with the right CV settings.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

A lot of DCC on board locos will run great out of the box on DC power. All (or almost all) new production decoders have that ability.

The problem is that the decoder has to be programmed from the factory to do so. If the CV isn't set to allow it, then it won't run, even though it has the capability built in.

So if you're unwilling to receive a loco that isn't set to run in dual mode from the factory, then you're better off not risking it.


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## Akoustic (May 6, 2019)

Just ran into a similar scenario "DCC on a DC Track" a little over a month ago. Purchased a DCC ready engine that would not run on my DC track only to find out it had a DCC decoder installed. Check here and got help and was steered to a Dummy plug. Popped out the decoder and inserted the the dummy plug and all worked fine. I did not have ability to reprogram the decoder to operate in DC mode.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

yes, if it has the 'dummy plug' it can be reverted to a DC system by removing the DCC decoder ... although more cost is involved [the cost of the dummy plug] , it can be done without access to a DCC system ..


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