What can you guys out here teach me about the DCC train sets…any information will be greatly appreciated…
This set from Bachmann is a good basic beggining set at a reasonable price {$159.99:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?Scale=HO&Item=160Set&ID=200411080
It will give you 2 diesel DCC OnBoard Engines and a basic very easy to use DCC controller.
I have enjoyed both my Bachmann DCC OnBoard Locos AND my EZCommand DCC controler as a good easy to use starter outfit and this set is at the cost of just one other DCC controller, which you can always upgrade to.
Be sure to watch the DVD for better info on all the controllers uses, the book doesn’t tell you much.
{The book is worng on one count…PM when/if you get the set and I’ll tell you how to correctly change the address on your locos…the book says press 2 buttons at the SAME time… you DON’t you press one first, then the other immediately after to get into programming mode to change a loco’s address}.
Robert:
Try this link. It has a lot of basic information to get you started.
http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm
Joe
lets make the link clickable:
Thanks Galaxy. One of these days I’ll figure out how to do it in Firefox.
Joe
So, from what I’ve partially read from that information, with DCC I can computerize and automate the train setup in my Man Cave… COOL!
You can automate and computerize just as easy, (or maybe even easier) in DC than in DCC.
In DC you control the voltage the track receives. In DCC you send a coded signal superimposed on track power to a decoder in each engine, which then adjusts how much power is fed through from the track to the motor.
Automation in DC consists of controlling power to the track. Which can be triggered by various detectors and timers - basically a DC layout does not care which specific engine or train is approaching the signal - it stops whatever train is approaching a red signal.
In DCC, to automate, you need some way of at all times keeping track of where each engine is, and then send a relevant commands to the right engine(s). Certainly doable, but not necessarily all that easy.
In very simple terms, the primary advantage to DCC is where you need to or want to operate several engines in close proximity (like if you want to use one engine to add or remove cars from a train pulled by another engine), without wanting to throw switches or in some other way have to decide which section of track your throttle is controlling at any given time. And without having to segment your track into a number of electrical zones that can be controlled independently of each other.
Smile,
Stein
hi,
DCC is making some goodies possible like on-board sound, and constant lighting.
You have to understand where it is coming from. In USA the emphasis was on an engineer running a train. As long it is one at a time, no problems. But imagine 3 guys, each running their own engine over your layout; each with his own regulator. How to connect the 3 regulators with the appropriate engines.
This is different from a layout designed for a tower-man. A tower-man only sets switches and signals; trains are automatically responding to it. A regulator is not really needed here.
With DC you had to divide your layout in blocks. For an engineer type of layout each block had to be connected to each regulator. You had to set block-switches all the time, connecting the next block to your regulator and if your train had emptied a block setting it back in to the FREE-position. So beside running your train you was setting switches all the time. Some nerds were able to let a computer do it, was not easy at all.
With DCC you can run 3 trains with only one regulator, though you have to change the address to the appropriate engine all the time first if you want to change its speed. This system is heaven when more operators are present, each train with his own operator. No computers involved at all.
IMAO the tower-man layout is overlooked today. Just let trains run on the mainline by a tower-man, while an industrial district or yard is switched by an engineer with his own regulator.
The assets of DCC are being able to run two or more trains at the very same time with 2 or more operators and of course the sound mentioned earlier.
Paul