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 Posted - March 31 2016 : 7:01:09 PM
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I have been contemplating starting this thread for sometime given that DCC is not everyone's cup of Joe. However, going through a substantial dcc conversion process has taught me alot and I figured i would start a thread to help folks who are either considering a conversion to DCC or are simply curious as to how it works. I will start with some obvious stuff and post pics of my work.
Why DCC? Wave of the future? Well not necessarily. There are plently of reasons why you don't need it and for most folks who have run trains for a long time can attest to, setting up a layout with blocks gives you an adequate level of control. That said, DCC simplifies things to where the block system is not necessary. You can park as many dcc engines on the layout as you want and they will not move until you plug in that cab number and assign it a job.
Sound- This may be the biggest selling point. Sound is a luxury of course and to be honest, it can get annoying (says the guy with over 20 sound locos). That said it can be fun during operating sessions.
Lighting- ditch lights, blinkers strobes etc, you can add any of them to a loco and wire each function into your decoder and control them all. Mars light, alternating ditch lights etc are just a program away.
Speedmatching- Ever run a consist where the trailing loco was pushing the lead loco or vice versa. DCC programing makes this an issue of the past. Consists are now fun.
Well im glad I went DCC but if you haven't made the jump yet, or are not planning to, I find it a bit difficult to recommend unless you are brand new to the hobby. Having tons of engines to convert. (Well over 100) its an expense that is hard to swallow. I currently am ina position to do so but even then, i look to cut corners and buy decoders on the cheap. I also in the process of finding new homes for alot of locos that are either too hard or not worth a conversion or have no place on the layout. That makes a conversion hard to recommend. To each their owna nd I have no regrets but if I had to do it all over again, I may chose to stay with DC. That said I will post pics of my conversions shortly.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - March 31 2016 : 7:08:05 PM
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Up first is a good candidate for DCC. Its a Stewart/ Kato (Kato Drive) F3 In Rock Island. It received a NCE DEcoder and leds. Paid 30 for the loco, 11 for the decoder and 2 for the LED. (Buying in bulk helps) 3 for the replacement number boards. For nder 50, you get a great running DCC unit.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - March 31 2016 : 7:16:50 PM
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Two diffrent era Athearn RTR locos. One of them came DCC ready while the other one was closer to Blue Box Standards. Currentl RTR are simple plug and play locomotives. I didnt replace the lights and they are easy to convert to dcc. Just unscrew the coupler boxes, remove the shells and plug in your decoder.
The NdeM was a bit more work. The decoder was hardwired in and the motor was isolated. I have yet to update the lights but it will get LEDs in the near future.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
Edited by - raysouthernpac on March 31 2016 7:17:36 PM
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Posted - April 02 2016 : 3:02:32 PM
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| Nice bit of work there, Ray. Nice line side detail, as well.
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Posted - April 30 2016 : 7:32:40 PM
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quote:Up first is a good candidate for DCC. Its a Stewart/ Kato (Kato Drive) F3 In Rock Island. It received a NCE DEcoder and leds. Paid 30 for the loco, 11 for the decoder and 2 for the LED. (Buying in bulk helps) 3 for the replacement number boards. For nder 50, you get a great running DCC unit.
Originally posted by raysouthernpac - March 31 2016 : 7:08:05 PM
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Wow, $30 for that loco? Great deal!
Yes, I also have DCC. The problem with DCC is that to most beginners, its to complicated to hardwire DCC to tyco/mantua locos. Yes, you could buy DCC ready locos, but keep in mind, this is TYCO forums, afterall. Most people here like the older DC, and since TYCO/Manuta(not Model power mantua) aren't DCC ready, people dont want to hard wire everyone of their engines. Its just too much work/money, and plus TYCO/Mantua locos dont run well under DCC because their locos use so many ampers.
All in all, encouraging DCC in TYCO forums wont be that usefull, because most people here wont make the change. Try another forum..
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed.
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Posted - April 30 2016 : 10:23:07 PM
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quote:All in all, encouraging DCC in TYCO forums wont be that usefull, because most people here wont make the change. Try another forum..
Originally posted by trainman280Â -Â April 30 2016Â :Â 7:32:40 PM
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Most things shown on most forums won't be done by most people on the forum, but you can never tell what someone might find useful, so err in favor of posting. Those who are interested will read it. Others are more than free to ignore it.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - May 01 2016 : 12:50:37 PM
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Looking to buy one of those Maersk locos!
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Posted - May 01 2016 : 6:44:24 PM
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i pretty much run DCC at the club I joined, and DC at home. With no room currently for a big home layout, there's no point, although I DID buy a Digitrax system to set up DCC to do address changes, although now BLI has out a simple reprogrammer for engines.  But at least I can run DCC if I wanted to at home, once I get it set up.
There's plenty of room for DC operations at home, but doing shows and public venues, you just can't do that with DC, which is why train shows with mobile layouts didn't exist 20 years ago, but are way more common now due to DCC. There's a place for everything. I won't or probably would not run multiple trains on the same line at home, even if I had a 4,000 sq ft home. Maybe, but not likely. While I love DCC for the sounds and operational ease, running at home I"m good with vintage DC engines. Since many can not be converted due to design or motor issues, they will run just fine on a power pack, and that's alright with me. 
Jerry
DC / DCC personality
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - May 04 2016 : 1:53:17 PM
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quote: quote:Up first is a good candidate for DCC. Its a Stewart/ Kato (Kato Drive) F3 In Rock Island. It received a NCE DEcoder and leds. Paid 30 for the loco, 11 for the decoder and 2 for the LED. (Buying in bulk helps) 3 for the replacement number boards. For nder 50, you get a great running DCC unit.
Originally posted by raysouthernpac - March 31 2016 : 7:08:05 PM
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Wow, $30 for that loco? Great deal!
Yes, I also have DCC. The problem with DCC is that to most beginners, its to complicated to hardwire DCC to tyco/mantua locos. Yes, you could buy DCC ready locos, but keep in mind, this is TYCO forums, afterall. Most people here like the older DC, and since TYCO/Manuta(not Model power mantua) aren't DCC ready, people dont want to hard wire everyone of their engines. Its just too much work/money, and plus TYCO/Mantua locos dont run well under DCC because their locos use so many ampers.
All in all, encouraging DCC in TYCO forums wont be that usefull, because most people here wont make the change. Try another forum..
Originally posted by trainman280Â -Â April 30 2016Â :Â 7:32:40 PM
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Well I think I covered that in my original post. I was not advocating or encouraging DCC, I was mostly offering the pros and cons of the systed. I like many others here started with Tyco/Mantua. Some move on to other brands, quality, some don't. I chose to do so and don't regret it one bit. We all start somewhere.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - May 14 2016 : 9:52:56 PM
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Oh yea and just to prove my earlier post,
http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16572&results=1
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed.
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Posted - May 14 2016 : 10:23:41 PM
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quote:Oh yea and just to prove my earlier post.
Originally posted by trainman280Â -Â May 14 2016Â :Â 9:52:56 PM
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Oh yeah?
Yeah!
Nuh-uh!
Uh huh!
By the way, there were 8 people in that poll who had DCC. That seems to disprove your earlier post. The larger point, though, is that you share the world with other people and they have every right to occasionally discuss something that fails to interest you.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - May 15 2016 : 4:19:44 PM
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quote: quote:Oh yea and just to prove my earlier post.
Originally posted by trainman280Â -Â May 14 2016Â :Â 9:52:56 PM
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Oh yeah?
Yeah!
Nuh-uh!
Uh huh!
By the way, there were 8 people in that poll who had DCC. That seems to disprove your earlier post. The larger point, though, is that you share the world with other people and they have every right to occasionally discuss something that fails to interest you.
Originally posted by scsshaggy - May 14 2016 : 10:23:41 PM
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Was I being rude? I am truly sorry. 
Anyways, I never said that no one here HAS DCC. I'm just saying that not a lot of people here want to CONVERT to DCC. Its nice that you're encouraging it here, all Im just trying to say is, it would be more productive if you said these words in another forum(Big Blue Trains, MRR, etc) because this forum has wayy more people who prefer DCC than in other forums...
^^^That was what I was trying to say in the OP
Hopefully you understand
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed.
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Posted - May 15 2016 : 5:14:11 PM
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quote:
Was I being rude? I am truly sorry.
Anyways, I never said that no one here HAS DCC. I'm just saying that not a lot of people here want to CONVERT to DCC. Its nice that you're encouraging it here, all Im just trying to say is, it would be more productive if you said these words in another forum(Big Blue Trains, MRR, etc) because this forum has wayy more people who prefer DCC than in other forums...
^^^That was what I was trying to say in the OP
Hopefully you understand
Originally posted by trainman280Â -Â May 15 2016Â :Â 4:19:44 PM
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So you are saying that Ray should preach to the choir?
Personally I have no plans to convert to DCC "ever"... but I do find Ray's thoughts on the matter quite interesting. Interesting because I am curious why someone who has a similar background in the hobby would find it worthwhile to make the conversion from DC to DCC.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - May 17 2016 : 11:28:50 AM
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quote:
What is your point? Perhaps you missed when I made the following conclusion,
"Well im glad I went DCC but if you haven't made the jump yet, or are not planning to, I find it a bit difficult to recommend unless you are brand new to the hobby."
That dear boy is what is usually called an opinion.You can either agree or disagree with it. Simple as that. I don't know what is is about the young posters on this forum that they seem act like know it all j>>ks.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
Edited by - raysouthernpac on May 17 2016 11:30:23 AM
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Posted - May 17 2016 : 11:38:20 AM
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Well back on track, Here is a recent convert to DCC. This is a Blue Box from the final run right before they went strictly RTR. It had plastic handrails, dogbone drives and runds excellent. I upgraded the lighting to LED and have since added numberboards. not to hard to convert, once you isolate the motor.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - May 18 2016 : 10:49:33 AM
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I always liked ATSF in blue and yellow. I didn't know they made blue box kits with plastic handrails. Nicely done! 
quote:Well back on track, Here is a recent convert to DCC. This is a Blue Box from the final run right before they went strictly RTR. It had plastic handrails, dogbone drives and runds excellent. I upgraded the lighting to LED and have since added numberboards. not to hard to convert, once you isolate the motor.
Originally posted by raysouthernpac - May 17 2016 : 11:38:20 AM
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Posted - June 27 2016 : 12:11:45 PM
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I have been totally swamped at work so I have not really done a whole lot of work on the layout or workbench. I also had some construction work at home and that required that I move alot of stuff into the train room for the time being. As things get back to normal, I will be working on the layout a bit. I will start with two recent aquisitions:
Both Geeps are Proto 2000 and both are new old stock engines. As expected, these suffered from cracked axle syndrome. I always keep extra axles at hand so fixing them was really not a big deal. Once fixed, I added DCC to these locos. 1 was DCC ready but chose to hardwire a decoder in regardless. I added LEDs and herea re the end product.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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