Ok I’m back again with a question just to get a general idea of what others think.
Some of you know already that I am starting a new RR. I haven’t made up my mind yet but I am leaning toward Analog control. I really don’t think DCC is necessary, the cost would be much more than the purchase for a system, decoders could cost a ton of cash. I wouldn’t need sound for all of them but I could expect to spend no less than $35 ea, with approximatly 25 that comes too BAM! $875.00 and then another 5 with sound at about $70 ea is $350. so it looks like alot of cash. Since I will be the only operator %95% of the time running no more than 3 or (4 when my son visits)trains it looks like I am staying with analog. So, what do you think?? Is it worth the almost $1,500.00 investment??? Maybe later.
Its all up to you. I went DCC a long time ago and would never go back. Its infinitely more realistic to me being able to run trains wherever I want to even right up to another train. Lighting and sound is the icing on the cake but it is great. Now how do you figure each loco is going to cost you $35? You are using some nice decoders there. The majority of my locos are equipped with a TCS T1 which costs about $15 at tonys. If there isnt room than go with an MC2 for about $20. If you need more light functions the decoder cost goes up. But usually I only need 2 functions (headlight, backup light).
Sound is awesome but you are right about it being expensive. If you are just looking for basic sound though, Soundtraxx DSD100LC will run you about $40 and add about $10 for the speaker and enclosure. I think you are overestimating the real expense, but it is up to you whether to make the switch. If you are totally happy with analog I dont see any reason to spend the money. But if you have ever run a layout with DCC and want it, you buy a DCC system and convert engines as you can.
joeyegarner
Better not add up what a car cost’s you - or a wife. Wham, bam, thank you mam.
DCC is a different ‘Delivery system’ period. It adds ‘commands’ to the engine to read, insead of just running the motor from a power pak…
Principal advantage is running 2 (or more) trains at the same time, without ‘Blocks’.
Principal appeal is easier elecrical wiring.
Principal disadvantage to DCC is cost.
When EASE of wiring overcomes fear of COST, newbies buy DCC.
When the opportunity of running MULTIPLE TRAINS prevails, old timers buy DCC.
(block control is mostly Cab A and Cab B)
There are of course other advantages ) but this is #1.
DCC allows you to turn on and off headlights, throw switches, and combine speeds - all at extra cost
Go dcc. Much better than block control.
[4:-)] Major [#ditto]
I switched, and I’ll never go back!
I was just checking the price difference alone for 25 4 function decoders (NCE D13SR, $19.95 retail) and the 850 you allotted for decoders would still leave over just over 352 dollars,enough to buy a pile of sound decoders OR an NCE PH-Pro system to run them with! [:D] You gotta shop around!!
. Its YOUR railroad, so as long as you are happy with it, so be it. But consider this. If you are entertaining any thought about DCC in the future, build your layout with DCC in mind. DCC friendly turnouts, buss wiring, auto reversers in loops and wye’s, etc can go a looooooong way into making a future conversion to DCC almost painless. Maybe even a toggle between DCC and DC control, so that you can run both systems until the entire fleet is refitted.[
OK I’ll say it again for the millionth time, LOL. My generic decoder of choice is the NCE D13SRJ, which I can get for $12 eac in quantities of 10 from Tim and Empire Northern. Hard to beat, they work well, and have 4 function outputs. Definitely keeps the costs down.
–Randy
So , looks like i’ve over estimated some of the cost. Time to reconsider. Thanks for the input everyone.
I’m a convert, too. The first time I ran one of my trains with DCC, I was completely hooked, grinning from ear to ear like a 58-year-old little kid. I almost always run my layout alone, too. It’s 5x12 feet, HO, and for many of us that’s classified as “small.” I find that DCC really adds a lot to a small layout, because I couldn’t realistically block-wire it and run in DC the way I can with DCC. On this layout, I can run 5 trains all by myself. Yes, they’re all chasing each other’s tails, but I can maintain that spacing and even intersperse some switching.
If you do have a lot of engines already, though, that’s an important consideration. I have a bunch of golden-oldies from the 50’s and 60’s (that’s their real age) which didn’t make the transition to DCC. They would run on DC, but they were just too old to upgrade. I got a couple of them to work well enough to join the fleet, and turned a couple more to dummies. The rest sit in boxes under the layout.
Shop around. The costs between DC and DCC are surprisingly close when starting a new layout from scratch. The ease of wiring and simplicity of reverse loops and turntable wiring make up for the difference in my book.
I use TCS T1 and Digitrax DH123 decoders for most of my locos without sound. Both cost less than $20.00 and give me the functions I need. Many of the sound locos have Soundtraxx DSD100LC sound decoders. Recent purchases of these decoders have been for $36.00 and if you total bill is over $50.00, shipping is free from Bruce at Litchfield Station.
If you are going to venture into sound, DCC is the best way to go. It is the only way you can really use sound decoders to their full capability.
I converted to DCC about 5 years ago and never looked back. Because I have a Digitrax Zephyr I even got to recycle 2-MRC power packs as throttles on the ‘jump ports.’
If you are like most modelers, you have ‘favorite locos’ that you run most of the time. Convert those first and then convert the rest as time, money and desire dictate.
It is your railroad. But you will never regret investing in a good, expandable DCC system.
Well, Digitrax Zephyr $160, 25 mobil decoders @ $12, = $460.
Nothing says it all has to be done at once. I’ve been on various command control systems for years and have never converted my entire fleet. As others have stated, I have never spent that much for a DCC mobil decoder. $12 for most, $9 when I buy in bulk. Now back 20 years it was a different story and I was spending $50 per decoder (not adjusted for inflation) but that is how much the prices have come down. When I started sound decoders were $300 each - that’s with no locomotive, and once again not adjusted for inflation…
One. It isn’t an investment. Investments are things that appricate in value. It is an expenditure, you should expect nothing in return except for trains that are a whole lot more fun to run for a whole lot less work to install the wiring for.
Two. I think with the state of the technology it would be foolish not to go to DCC from the start. It will only cost more if you wait. Not to mention the extra expenditures in time and materials for doing block wiring.
As I implied above, I started with command control on the old CTC-16 system when that was very expensive (more like $3000) for those 16 locomotives. I have never regretted it from the first day. It is so much more fun to run the locomotive rather than controlling the power to the tracks. I have gone through two other command control systems (PNP-112 and Railcommand) and no
The other thing to consider is with DCC you get the ability to individually tune loco performance to a degree you can’t even touch with straight DC. If you have decent running power now, it will run oh so nice under DCC.
You can even speed match differently performing locos to run together with DCC.
If you like really nicely running locos, and great slow speed operation, it’s hard to beat DCC.
The only comparison is to price the best DC power pack out there ($60?), and then multiply it by the number of loco lashups you plan to run at a time (3 or 4?), to get what, $240?
Shoot, that will buy you a nice DCC starter system (NCE PowerCab), with enough left over for 8 fleet decoders at $12 each. Throw in another $24 bucks and you can get 10 of the fleet decoders for very little more than the cost of the 4 really nice power packs you will need to get if you want to compare apples to apples.
And we haven’t even discussed the cost of all the 4-way switches you will need for cab control, or all the extra wiring that cab control makes you install.
With what you save in wirng, you can probably go get another 10 decoders and phooey, you’re practically there!
Now you will be all set to expand into sound if you want, or to run locos in any combination you want, anywhere you want, without having to worry about throwing block toggles all over the place.
If you truly count the cost, comparing apples to apples, you will find the price difference is not that great for what you get with DCC. [swg]
I’m pondering this move as well. We have a fairly large fleet (around 40 IIRC, when I get back home I’ll check the roster) and we’re DC now. We’re going to tear down the current layout, and make a newer, bigger layout. Probably 300 feet of mainline, and 500 yard, siding, etc. I’m liking Digitrax, since I’ve heard great things about it. I’m also concerned about cost. What would everyone reccommend doing? Biting the bullet now, and what set should we get?
Thanks!
Andy
EDIT- Took out a question with an obvious answer. (the brain and fingers aren’t cooperating right now)
For me, running two trains at once is doable, and fun, but more than that would just be silly, because there isn’t room. When the layout grows, I might look at DCC.
If I do, I’ll buy one or two DCC locomotives that can be jumpered to regular DC and run them in. I’ll also split the power pack leads and run one side through a DPDT switch and out to a pair of bare wires ready to attach to a DCC system.
After looking through the DCC threads to figure out what I want, I’ll beg borrom or rent one on a Friday, and it see what it does for the layout over the weekend. If it doesn’t add to the train experience at least as much as it costs, I’ll just be out the price of the unused decoders in the new locos.
Don’t know about you Andy but this string done it for me, I will go DCC. Thanks so much for all the help everyone. All I needed was a little push. I now have no reservations at all. DCC.
Perhaps you can part with some of your locos to cover the cost. Just an Idea.
David
Good for you, Joey. [:)][tup] Remember: You don’t have to convert ALL of your locomotives at once. A couple at a time as the monies are there and you’ll have your fleet swapped out in a short while. After you’ve mulled over which DCC system to buy and have a chance to use it, please report back.
Tom
One last shot from a late convert, get a radio unit to begin with. You don’t know what you’re missing until you have it, but the ability to walk around with a couple trains is wonderful. Plug ins work and IR sort of works, but radio is the best toy in the train room.
BLI has Lomotives that will run on what ever the power they discover in the tracks.
Yes that means the locomotives and lights/sounds ect. can be controlled by either a DC power pack or a DCC power system. Not wired for DCC yet ? run on DC now with sound etc. Later when wired for DCC the Locomotive will detect the change and respond.
(BLI is Broadway Limited Imports.)
http://www.broadway-limited.com
or Walthers
http://www.walthers.com
That was the first thought of the day. I am giving it serious consideration.
Once again, Thanks everyone.
I have a non radio DCC system coming because I dont mind the cord. I think in the future it will not be too difficult to convert to Radio. I purchased the Super Chief for the railroad because it will meet my needs for at least 10 years if not longer.
Analog will always have a place in my home; because I remember the only “Fancy” equiptment was driven by Vacumn tubes and took color broadcasts with a AM/FM radio carrying the stereo at the same time. (Ballgames etc)