DC on DCC ~ Or Why Did I Wait So Long?

[rrinker]

Randy is right about the ability to “run” more than one DC loco, but not independently “control” more than one DC loco. This mode is back to “running the track,” our old description of DC vs. “running the trains” on DCC.

One DCC feature that will not work with DC engines is autoreversers. They will enter the loop, get to the other end and ping-pong back, because the autoreverser flips the polarity of the loop. As often as not, this won’t happen fast enough and the engine will sit at the gap and generate a short.

I’ve got a Lenz system, which does support running a DC engine. I’ve tried it and I didn’t like it one bit.

If you look at the text accompanying the scope waveforms Rich posted, it may explain why running a DC loco on Digitrax actually works pretty well. It hints that Digitrax may throw in some extra 0 bits when running DC. instead of stretching the 0 out to the NMRA allowed limit. One long stretched 0 will make for a much more harsh ‘buzz’ in the DC motor than multiple shorter 0 bits. Sort of a variation on the high frequency motor drive from the decoder. Long low frequency vs shorter higher frequency. Net DC voltage is the same.

–Randy