I have a DC layout at home and belong to a club with a DCC layout, so I have some Atlas locomotives (SD60, B30-7, SD35) equipped with Lenz decoders that are programmed to run on both layouts (DC & DCC). These locomotives seem to require a lot of power to run on the DC layout, whereas my other Atlas locomotives without the decoders run great at low power on DC. Is this normal? Would it be better if the decoders were setup and used on only DCC? Appreciate any and all feedback.
Right now I’m strictly DC and have quite a few dual-mode steamers. They DO take more voltage to get everything going, but a lot of them have defaults that can be set to make them start moving at a lower voltage. I don’t know if your power-pack has a ‘nudge’ switch, but I was told by MRC to use the Nudge on my Controller 20, and it would give a lot better control (which it does). My only problem is that I cannot run one of my straight DC locos at the same time, because the increased voltage turns the DC loco into a race-horse. So right now, until I can switch all of my brass locos to DCC (which I am NOT looking forward to!), I either run just straight DC locos, or straight dual-mode.
Dual mode DCC locomotives need a basic voltage to “Fill up” to a certain level before everything boots up and starts to work. This is why you need to advance throttle quite a bit before you get moving.
On DCC throttles, the electronics already know what voltage to send to the engine so when you open the throttle on speed step one, you will begin to move.
A word of caution, if you run more than two Dualmode engines on DC power you risk over-drawing the pack unless you have plenty of amperage.
It is better to go ahead and get into a purchase of a DCC control system.
It’s not all that bad. It is a lot more noticeable when your straight DC locos are good quality ones that start on a low voltage. Whent he DCC decoder fails to see the DCC signal, it bascally opens up the H bridge transistors that drive the motor. What you end up with is about 2 diode’s drop worth of voltage lost in passing through those transistors compared to having the motor connected directly to the track. That’s about 1.2 volts. So if you have two otherwise identical locos, one with a decoder, one without, and the motor will start turning at 1 volt, you need 1 volt to start the non-decoder loco, and 2.2 volts to start the decodered one. Definitely a difference in speed. And you can see why you want to design track busses to have less than 1 volt of drop - becaue you can see the speed difference with a 1 volt difference from one point of the layout to another.
Dual mode sound decoders liek QSI are an entirely different animal. The CPU on the board needs about 5 volts to start generating sounds, plus there is a ‘dead band’ so you can have it making sounds without actually moving. Thus actual control of the speed of the loco only occurs int he upper half of the throttle band. You can tune that somewhat but you cannot eliminate the need for the basic minimum voltage to the decoder.
Thanks for all the feedback. Good to know that there’s nothing wrong w/ my railroad. Now I’ll just have to get the board of directors to approve a capital expenditure to upgrade the railroad to DCC.
Nothing wrong with your railroad, Mudekk. Unfortunately, right now, with all of my operating brass steamers, a Capital Expenditure to upgrade my layout to DCC would amount to something like the National Debt, LOL! One BIG reason why I am cautiously sticking to DC.
It is perfectly normal, because in DC the voltage needs to get up to a certain level to power the electronics, and as long as you recognize what is going on you do not need to mortgage everything to go to DCC right this instant. I have considered going to DCC on my next new layout, mainly for the playable whistle function. Everything else I have found a way around. I can doublehead a BLI Class A with QSI sound and a brass J with no problems.
Some engines are a recorded whistle loop and are not very playable. My Reading T1 from the PCM has a minimum length whistle sound regardless of how short of a “toot” you do on the button.
On the other hand the BLI NW has a wonderful whistle even if it is a “BLAAAT!”
Some whistles sound like they are recorded in a hurricane and I feel that they need to be changed for a cleaner, better sound but that is beyond the focus of this thread.
Hmm, I don;t have that problem with my PCM T-1. But I did swap the sounds so F2 sounds the freight whistle, since I have an in-service unit. That’s the sound that’s on F4 by default - you can;t operate a whistle very well with F4 since it’s a latching function normally, so the whistle sounds until you hit F4 again. I used the function remapping capability to put that sound on F2. I cna get some pretty short peeps by just tapping F2, or hold it down and let it scream as long as I want.
Well, it depends on which one you have - I have 2111 which is an in-service unit, not an excursion one, so it wouldn;t have had a multi-chime whistle. Actually, if you know someone or have access to the Loksound Programmer, and want even better sounds, Nick Kulp has created a project for the Loksound decoder using some actually recordings he got from a real T-1. I believe there is a link to download the files on Tony’s site.
I dont know of anyone with a programmer for loksound and may send this engine to Tony’s for re-programming. I have an undec version that came with two whistles, neither of which really worked very well for me.
I am a little put off by the reference to the N&W’s J sounds being used in the T1. I think that both engines are different and that PCM should have used the T1 files if this is true.
I did start to research Decoder Pro and look into getting a Digitrax Programmer for the Computer but dont think it will reprogram this particular engine for the money. I have a bunch of engines that probably will respond to commands from such a Computer unit.
Thank you for this tidbit, who knows? It might actually lead to a better engine.