Do you see DCC for me

Chaparral

Member
I have ‘fairly good’ transformer. My engines run well. They start and they stop. Some whine like a Tasmanian Devil, some purr, some don’t.
Does any of that have anything to do with the mania over DCC?
I don’t even have an operating line yet and I’m worrying my little head about DCC!
It seems that nothing else matters, just say ‘I have, I will have, DCC’ and doors fly open for you!
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Some reasons to get DCC...


Your future layout will have many trains operating at once (regardless of size).

You like sound in your locos (although there are more and more sound locos that operate on DC)

You take your locos to some other layout to run them, and want to have a matching basic system at home for maintenance and programming.

Your friends want to bring their DCC equipped locos to your layout.

You want to run your layout with operating signals, train detection, a computer, etc...

You want an entirely "hands off" approach to turnouts (and yes, there are DCC controlled couplers now, so uncoupling can be controlled from the throttle).

You like the "techie" aspect of the hobby.

And finally (it sounds like a cliché...) you want to run the engine, not flip switches to electrify sections of track.

Hope that helps.

Andrew
 

bigsteel

Call me Mr.Tinkertrain
You want an entirely "hands off" approach to turnouts (and yes, there are DCC controlled couplers now, so uncoupling can be controlled from the throttle).

WOW!i never even heard of that,cant be very cost effective though if you have a large collection of rolling stock.

i have a digitrax zephyr at home and it pretty much works with everything compliant to nmra regulations so no trouble there either to worry about.also just about everywhere is putting DCC locos on sale so it isn't that much at the right time.i don't like hooking up DCC since i had one to many run ins with the biggest "shocker" of them all but i love controlling trains in a chair not chasing them to flip switches.besides why not go with the flow "everybody's Dion it man,like right on" it's becoming a staple in MRRing so might as well go now instead of wasting money on DC just to go DCC in a few years when thats all there selling.--josh


***EDIT*** man 91rioja you snuck up while i was typing!!LOL
 

91rioja

Member
The only thing I don't like about the Zephyr control unit is that it will not use function keys above F8. For that, you need a utility throttle. All 4 of my P2K DCC sound locos have functions above that level. Not a big issue, but something to keep in the back of your mind.
 

Nazgul

Active Member
Here's a link for dcc controlled coupler cars:

http://www.dccuncoupling.com/

According to their site, you can get cars that have 1 or both couplers under dcc control (they are priced accordingly). I guess the basic deal is this: you can put one of these cars behind your engine and use it to make up trains in the yard or put several in between cuts of cars and then drop them off at their destinations and pick them up again as wanted.
I know of no one that has used this product and I have no idea if it is a "viable" alternative to the other, more traditional, methods of coupling/uncoupling. If someone has used it or knows someone who has......we'd all like to hear about it:thumb:
 

oldtanker

Member
Chap, the question is do you see DCC for you. I got back into the hobby about a year ago. Didn't know a thing about DCC so I started reading. OK for a small layout like mine (still in planning) double main line with continuous runnin with 2 small yards, that can run 0-6 engines at one time with some of the operators being children....well DCC is just the way to go.

What are your desires and needs?

Rick
 
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