# issues.



## minime27 (Jan 11, 2013)

Afternoon all.

I have a question I have a DCC engine steam. Daylight flyer 4-6-2 from international B
Hobby Corp and a SP daylight steam engin4-8-4 DCC compatable with these both work on a standard spectrum tranformer from Bachman? And will they work both on any new DCC tranformers? And or older transformers?

Greg


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

minime27 said:


> Afternoon all.
> 
> I have a question I have a DCC engine steam. Daylight flyer 4-6-2 from international B
> Hobby Corp and a SP daylight steam engin4-8-4 DCC compatable with these both work on a standard spectrum tranformer from Bachman? And will they work both on any new DCC tranformers? And or older transformers?
> ...


Greg,
I think you are getting a little confused or overrun with terms.
DCC is a control system different than a Transformer or DC powerpack.
Yes some DCC systems use a transformer but there is more to it than that.
The engine will require a decoder to work with a DCC system.


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## minime27 (Jan 11, 2013)

What if you have a DCC coded engine and a old transformer. Say a Bachman Spectrum. The engine does not seem to work. I have checked all connection dirt ect.
Greg


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

DCC decodered engines can be DCC (digital) only or they can be dual mode DCC (Digital) and DC (Analog).
It's also possible that you have a dual mode decoder that has had the DC support turned off.


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## feldon30 (Dec 30, 2012)

If you mean that you have a *Bachmann Spectrum Magnum* controller, then that is a standard DC (analog power) system. It will not speak DCC at all.


By the way, there are a lot of terms out there like DCC Ready and DCC Compatible which don't mean that the locomotive actually has DCC. It simply has a socket where you can add a DCC decoder chip for $20-100 depending on features and sound.

The more you can tell us about your setup, exact model numbers on trains, controllers, the better.


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## timlange3 (Jan 16, 2013)

From what I understand the DCC spec says DDC decoders (what goes in the loco), should work with a DC only system. Though locos usually run slower than without a decoder. I believe though a decoder can be set to ignore DC only (no DCC signal) and they would not work then.

And locos without a decoder should work on a DCC system, but only one loco without a decoder can be controlled at one time (or all not decoder locos get controlled as one).


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

timlange3 said:


> From what I understand the DCC spec says DDC decoders (what goes in the loco), should work with a DC only system. Though locos usually run slower than without a decoder. I believe though a decoder can be set to ignore DC only (no DCC signal) and they would not work then.


Yes your 1/2 right, it's called "dual mode" or "analog conversion" but not "All" DCC decoders can do it.
And a DCC decoder working on DC is doing "Analog conversion" and most DCC decoders have a selection to turn on/off "analog conversion" or "dual mode".


timlange3 said:


> And locos without a decoder should work on a DCC system, but only one loco without a decoder can be controlled at one time (or all not decoder locos get controlled as one).


This is called "Zero stretching" it works but is highly frowned on because it can do some serious damage to an engines electrical motor and componets.


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