# DC or DCC - I know, asked a thousand times. But...



## TheSnake (3 mo ago)

A quick question - for those of you who are usinc DC and not DCC, if you have multiple tracks (which I'm assuming, being new to the hobby, don't intersect - for current issues), do you have a separate DC controller for each one? So, if as I am thinking, I'll probably have 4 tracks, meaning 4 controllers to deal with, lined up next to one another, if I don't look into DCC (my main issue is I can't find Shinkansen 'N' trains that are DCC equipped, or ready to take a chip). Thanks, Mike


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

For me dcc is the way to go. I have a 10x 16 layout with a double track main line that has crossovers. About any model can be converted to dcc the question is how far are you willing to go to make it dcc equipped. I also find dcc to be simpler because you can use just one controller without any possible confusion or mistake of using the incorrect one


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

The answer to your primary question is, yes. 
One controller per track.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

In DC, you are constrained by the polarity in the two rails, and that applies to all individual loops, whether linked or not. If you don't mind all your DC engines moving in concert around concentric loops, meaning the same direction, then yes, you can run them all with the one (suitably powered and appointed) power pack. On the other hand, if you want one engine to run the other way, say counterclockwise, and the others on the outer rings to run clockwise, you must use a different power pack or wire the loop that runs backwards....ummm....backwards.

In DCC, you tell the engine which way you would like it to move, and it does exactly that. It can crawl at switching speed while others whiz around it at limited track speeds. Or, they can be made to nose up to each other on the same contiguously powered length of track and couple to each other. Can't do that on DC, unless you are doing it across a gap.


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## TheSnake (3 mo ago)

kilowatt62 said:


> The answer to your primary question is, yes.
> One controller per track.


Thank you. Direct and to the point. Mike


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

TheSnake said:


> Thank you. Direct and to the point. Mike


UM...Not exactly!!!! They do make duel cab controllers too!!! 
You could break that down to 1/2!


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

My layout is too simple to run more than one engine at a time.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

DC control is much more flexible than represented. Way back in caveman days (long before DCC) I had HO and even an N gauge layout in between my American Flyer layouts. What we did was buy a few DPDT center off switches and run the power from the DC pack through them to the track. The track was separated into several blocks. This allowed selecting which train to run or not run and select its direction independently with a single power pack. Unfortunately each engine had a drastically different speed vs Voltage curve so running two engines at once was not practical.
One of our friends used a lead acid car battery and potentiometers with the DPDT switches to run 3 trains at once independently with one battery. We thought he was nuts putting the vented lead acid battery in his bedroom to run the trains but nothing bad ever happened.
Were I in HO today I would use DCC because of the fantastic sound sets and great speed control, even if it was just one engine.


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

And; its still one controller per train. Regardless of packaging. 😉


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## TheSnake (3 mo ago)

SF Gal said:


> UM...Not exactly!!!! They do make duel cab controllers too!!!
> You could break that down to 1/2!


There's always one.


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## Chaostrain (Jan 27, 2015)

Correct, I'll have one controller per loop.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

1001


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

AmFlyer said:


> DC control is much more flexible than represented. Way back in caveman days (long before DCC) I had HO and even an N gauge layout in between my American Flyer layouts. What we did was buy a few DPDT center off switches and run the power from the DC pack through them to the track. The track was separated into several blocks. This allowed selecting which train to run or not run and select its direction independently with a single power pack. Unfortunately each engine had a drastically different speed vs Voltage curve so running two engines at once was not practical.
> One of our friends used a lead acid car battery and potentiometers with the DPDT switches to run 3 trains at once independently with one battery. We thought he was nuts putting the vented lead acid battery in his bedroom to run the trains but nothing bad ever happened.
> Were I in HO today I would use DCC because of the fantastic sound sets and great speed control, even if it was just one engine.


Yes, and they actually made computers during WWII that used vacuum tubes and physical on / off switches to create the binary impulses to do the calculations. Then we had large, room sized machines. Now you can hold that much computting power in the palm of your hand. But those old computers still work...

The point is that you CAN achieve many of the same effects using DC, but it is much more cost effective (not cheaper) and efficient to use DCC. The wiring is infinitely simpler, with less room for error, and you don't have to pay attention to what switch / block is set which way. You just run trains.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Dennis461 said:


> My layout is too simple to run more than one engine at a time.


That's what I thought, too. Until I realized that rather than put them into an isolated siding and throwing a cutoff switch, or removing them all together, DCC allowed me to park my trains at any convenient spot and run another one. It ended up being a lot more convenient, even though only one engine was in motion at a time.


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## Tigger (Dec 19, 2021)

I run both DC and DCC. DCC is really nice. I have an old Spirit of 76 Loco from Tyco that was my first ever train so I kinda have a soft spot for it. The outer most loop is DC. My son jumped into trains when I got back into it , only he uses my track. Which is fine with me. He likes old style steam engines and long lighted passenger cars which are DCC. Those long cars aren't turnout or 18 inch radius friendly. So the outer most loop is 22 inch radius and no turnouts. So I flip a switch and he can run his BLi monster on that loop. I like the DCC better, sound and ditch lights etc... Once in awhile Ill hook 2 DC loco's together, 1 facing forward and one backwards and pull 30 of so cars. Old style DC loco's pull more cars with those traction bands on the wheels. i have one new DC CSX loco that doesnt use those rubber traction bands, just steel wheels and 14 cars is about all she will pull w/o spinning/losing traction. All I can say is that I'm having fun with trains. Keeps me busy in the winter months.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

You can do it with two controllers even if the tracks are connected. I built a layout for my granddaughter that has two loops that are connected by a cross-over track (I use Kato Unitrack and they have a single track that is formed out of four turnouts to get the X cross-over). I use one controller for each track. The cross-over is set to power routing so there is no problem with it.

If you have the tracks set to go in two different directions, the train will switch back and forth between the two tracks as it hits the center of the cross-over, as my daughter found out by playing with it. I quickly put a stop to that for her, but it was funny to see at first.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Snake, my record is six trains at once: 5 DC HO and 1 DC N. I had six controllers in three locations, and everything ran fine.


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## TheSnake (3 mo ago)

Vincent said:


> Snake, my record is six trains at once: 5 DC HO and 1 DC N. I had six controllers in three locations, and everything ran fine.


Must keep you busy, running that layout!


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

It did, but it was a lot of fun.


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## TheSnake (3 mo ago)

Well, I went the DCC route and got a starter set from Digitrax. Much on order right now from Plaza Japan, best source I've found so far for in stock, affordable items. Shipping is reasonable and fast, too. You guys probably know about them already.


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