I have used NCE, EasyDCC and Digitrax. I prefer EasyDCC and NCE. I own NCE, as does two or three other people in my area. Most of the rest that I am friends with use EasyDCC.
I prefer the handheld controllers of NCE and EasyDCC to those of Digitrax. NCE had (and I will use the past tense since I haven’t operated a “new” Digitrax or EasyDCC system lately) the best system for entering 4 digit loco addresses among the systems I have used. The other systems had you “double clutching” to enter a four digit engine number or else were set up for two digits which was a royal pain in the ***. The ease of 4 digit addressing was one of the primary reasons I bought NCE.
I would reccommend trying to get to radio throttles asap. They are a wonderful thing. No cords to string across aisles, no having to fight for plugs. Gives you true freedom. NCE, EasyDCC and Digitrax all have radio throttles. NCE are set up as a two way system, the throttle can recive information from the system as well as send it, but the system only has the capability of one base antenna. The other two can use multiple antennas so if you have a reaaaaalllly large layout or a really convoluted basement shape that might give you better coverage, but its one way communication. If you are going to use “dumb” throttles (forward, reverse, keypad and a knob) it doesn’t matter, if you want the capability of an interactive display on the throttle then the NCE might be better.
Also consider using what your friends have. Being able to borrow throttles, etc for op sessions, open houses is big plus and may outweigh any minor differences. It also allows a critical pool of trouble shooting talent.
Buy the biggest system you can afford. A big system with all the bells and whistles is just as easy to operate and wire as the simple system. Why spend $150 on a system now, then sell it for $50 so you can buy a $400 system a year later. Cut to the chase and buy the “good” system up front if you can afford i
"What are the factors to consider in making the DCC v. DC decision?
Right now I am in the armchair phase of modelling. I have some snap-together track with about a half dozen switches that my daughter and I play with on the floor. Plans are to start building a layout in a few months (once the basement is finished up)."
My response:
Hmmm, have been thinking about your question. So I am going to make some assumptions that will probably get me into trouble, but here goes.
I am assuming you electrical knowledge is only slightly beyound knowing how to turn out the lights in the house (this is where I was at in the hobby).
I am assuming the one area you are nervous about in the hobby is the electrical wiring if it starts to get “intricate.”
I am assuming you are in the hobby for life.
I am assuming you love the computers you own, love being on the internet and wouldn’t go back to a typewriter if they paid you too.
I am assuming that you are thinking ahead in the hobby over the next 20 years or so.
I am assuming you prefer simple over complex, but are willing to nibble away at the complex so that it becomes simple.
I am assuming you want to have a number of turnouts, sidings, passing track, etc so that you will be running more than one train at a time (maybe with your son or daughter or a buddy). Build it and they will come.
Want to impress your friends with how sophisticated electronically you are?
If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then you are an excellent DCC candidate.
The simplest wiring you can do on a more “extensive” layout is wiring for DCC with manual, not electric throw switches. David Barrow lays this system out in his “Dominoes” theory of building benchwork and electrical work. But some of the most complex wiring you can do on a layout is one run with DCC includin
Thanks for the detailed reply, and your assumptions are not too far off the mark! DCC has always sounded like more fun right from the start. I’m just trying to work myself up to spending the money on it. Since I don’t really have a layout right, that’s not really an issue.
I have a 10x10 foot layout in progress. I am planning on using Digitrax. The most operators I will have at one time is three. Probably no more than 7 locos at one time. Would the Zephyr system be a good choice for me?
Reed
Yes, just replace one of your DC throttles with the DCC system. You must have adequate wiring for this, as DCC is very sensitive to voltage loss
It depends on the locomotive. For DCC ready, you either plug in the decoder (most) or solder the correct wire to each of several solder pads (very few). For non-DCC ready, you need to electrically isolate the motor from the frame. The two wires from the motor go to the decoder, two wires with track power go to the decoder, and wires for lights, which share a common ground go to the decoder.
If you ever want to run sound equipped locomotives, neither of the above is completely capable. From: http://www.broadway-limited.com/
"Q: Which DCC command stations are compatible with BLI engines?
A: Two DCC systems, NCE and Digitrax Chief have tested to be most compatible with BLI engines. For more details, please refer to Appendix of DCC manual posted on this web site. "
Have been researching and asking questions. For beginners, ease of operation and expandability the Digitraxx Zephyr system is very popular. My closest friend just purchased one and let me operate his locomotives. I was very impressed! (I am electronically challenged!). Once you get through the basics, it’s pretty easy to understand.
For DCC questions and up to date info, check out Litchfield Station on the web. Pretty good site!
I would recommend the lenz set-100 to anyone, spend the little extra, get the best to start off. later add a LH90 to it.
Lenz gives you the best warrenty (a 10 year compared to the others 1 year), the best customer support, even has a Yahoo group that is visited daily by the US represenitive of lenz (Yahoo group ID: DigitalPlusbyLenz), she is very knowledgeble and very friendly.
The system is state of the art, built to handle future enhancesments rather than having to buy new systems (in fact their old Set-01’s from the early 90’s are still running with new software that brings them up to the current set-100’s code), occassionally a chip replacement might be needed, but that is minor and rare.
Lenz is cutting edge and pushing the envelope, Buy a lenz and be happy for life, or by another and be happy for a few years.
ZIMO offers many advantages (like powerful start sets, wireless cabs, supersonic decoders, etc.), but there are two outstanding features, which make the big difference between ZIMO systems and all other digital systems:
Both, the “signal controlled speed influence” and the “loco number identification” have been used for many years in ZIMO systems . When using the complete ZIMO system (command station, cabs, modules, decoders) you can benefit from the special ZIMO features: the “signal controlled speed influence” which stops trains in front of red signals or applies speed limits on certain track sections depending on actual circumstances of operation, the “section controlled function influence” which automatically operates selected functions of an assigned locomotive at specified places of a layout and ZIMO’s bidirectional communication for loco and accessory decoders, which is able to send back information from the decoders to the command station and modules (used for improvement of DCC bandwidth), loco number identification, and true turnout positions feedback .
Realistic railway operation with “signal controlled speed influence”
“Signal controlled speed influence” describes a method to stop trains or to apply different speed limits on certain track sections depending on actual circumstances of operation (e
But are you still in full control over your engine(s) while in a stop section? By full control, I don’t just mean all the functions but also can you drive out of the stop section without turning the light to green first? Only this feature makes it really prototypical. Think about running a shunting loco in behind a waiting train to remove a car, for example. If you first have to power down the waiting loco and then turn the signal green to enable the switcher to run on the same track that is not like the real world operates.
Or what if you want to drive your train in manual mode (being the engineer) so the loco doesn’t obey the automated signals but to your cab only? It becomes now your responsibility not to run a red light.
Yes, I know, Zimo isn’t cheap. But you do get a whole lot more. I haven’t even gone into any details yet. Everyone has to weigh the pros and cons for him/herself and decide how far to go with DCC. But if someone is serious about the features mentioned, there is no way around Zimo at this time.
ZIMO’s bi-dir is, as far as I know, the only one on the market that has been around for a little while and works.
Stop on red is only half the story; ZIMO/STP actually positions within millimeters (+/- 6mm). That has been tried out with many different engines which all have different speed configs.
As to “sub-par”: compared to what?
Who has a better bi-dir that has been functioning and proven for many years?
Compared to ZIMO many of the other systems are “plain dumb”, electronically speaking.
Expensive: when you calculate all the extras that you’re “entitled” to buy with the other systems in order to reach the same functionality, the ZIMO system is no longer expensive. If you just like to run 3 or 4 trains on a simple layout then ZIMO is probably overkill. Any other time it’s the cat’s meow.
I’ve just gone through the shopping and comparison phase of purchasing a DCC system as well. As pointed out in the first post, DCC decisions often boil down to simple user preference. In a smaller new few operator system like your’s or mine there isn’t much difference in functionality. In fact for the variables I considered there was no difference. That said I based my decision on the user interface, since that’s the device I’ll have to deal with each time I use the system. Because of that I ended up with the NCE PowerPro system. I just don’t like any of the Digitrax throttles, while I do really like the NCE throttle. For clarification, I didn’t say the Digitrax throttles were bad in any way, I just don’t like the look, feel, layout and sequencing. If you can, I’d suggest finding a shop that allows you to look at, and more importantly, handle the throttles side by side as I did, which is why I switched from Digitrax to NCE.