I am in the process of building a new N guage layout, and would like to control it with DCC
I have bought a few books on the subject, but had a discussion this morning with a guy who had a prodigy Advance system and has binned it and returned to DC. He told me that I needed an individual controller for each loco using the track. My understanding is I can control many locos on the same track with DCC equipment or is this only if they are an MU.
This seems a very simple question so forgive my ignorance.
What he meant was, you must have a DCC decoder in each engine in order to run them with a DCC system.
There are a couple of DCC systems that allow one non-decoder equipped engine to be operated using DCC address 00, but I don’t know if the MRC Prodigy Advance supports this.
In general each loco does have to have a DCC decoder installed (Some DCC systems will allow you to run a DC loco without a decoder). This is probably what your friend was indicating. There are many manufacturers of DCC decoders that can be installed in your locomotives. Prices for these decoders range from $15 to well over $100 depending on the features that you want. With a single DCC throttle you can control several decoder equipped locos. The number that you can control is limited by the power and the design of the particular system.
I received the e-mail you sent through the MR forum, but can’t respond through them…
In answer to your question, your friend is dead wrong – you can run many locomotives simultaneously with only one controller. The only limitation is, how many can you keep track of and not have collisions?
Some DCC systems allow for hundreds of locomotives to run using only one controller, but under normal circumstances you’re not very likely to want to run more than 2 or 3 at a time because you’re going to get confused and lose control of some of them.
As an aside, I even run my G-scale trains outdoors using only one AirWire900 wireless DCC transmitter and can easily jump back and forth as to which locomotive’s speed or functions I’m controlling. The rest of them keep running along on their merry way according to the last commands they received that were addressed specifically to them. DCC on an HO or N scale layout is no different.
Agreed. That’s probably why your friend “binned” his Prodigy Advance. He thought you had to buy a controller for each locomotive and calculated that it would be too expensive to “add more”. Maybe your friend will offer to sell his PA so that you can try DCC for yourself.