Looking at buying some new locomotives and diesel engines. Currently I put up a train layout at Thanksgiving for Xmas and tear down week before superbowl. sizeable area at about 12’ X 14’. I have been thinking about doing a some DCC on it for next year so it can be a bit more realistic and different. Can run a DCC engine on a straight DC track? What about vice versa?
Thanks
It depends. Most, if not all decoders will operate in a fashion on straight DC, and some DCC systems allow you to run one analog loco.
However, other than some occasional testing and/or break-in, it’s not really the best way to do things. You’re sort of crippling each method, so you don’t get the best of either.
HTH,
Steve
The best way is to set up a selector switch to switch between your dc power pack & your dcc controler. When you switch to dc you can run your analog engines & vica-versa. Don’t run ypur analog engines on a dcc powered track, even if the instructions say you can. Don’t even use it to test an engine, they may run eratic,so you won’t get a true test anyway.
Its pretty simple really…
If you don’t like that DC engine then by all means run it on your DCC track.
And conversely, If you like that DCC engine then do not run it on DC
There are of course exceptions and your mileage may vary… But the above rules work in all the scenarios I have manages so far…
Steve’s response is spot-on.
Most DCC systems allow you to run a single DC loco using address 00, but the performance is only okay, and the loco motor makes harmonic sounds as you change the speed.
You can set most any decoder to “analog on” and it will run on straight DC.
While these options do work, I consider them mostly a stunt and you do not get the best performance from your locos doing this.
With DCC decoders down to $15 each for a basic “fleet” decoder, and with good DCC starter systems that have a computer interface and are expandable into nearly any sized operation later priced at under $200 – there’s little reason to not go with DCC.
DCC allows independent loco tuning and lets you get the very best performance from your locos, not to mention independent headlight function control and sound.
If you get yourself a really nice power pack with momentum for $50 you can run one train at a time. Spend another $50 for a second nice power pack and for a total outlay of $100 you can now run two trains … except now you need to probably spend another $25 to build a cab control panel with toggles. If you want to run three trains at once, get yourself a third power pack for another $50.
But to run three trains with cab control you will need more expensive multiposition switches for each block … maybe $50 worth of multiposition switches now. So to run three trains with cab control, you are up to $200 and will be throwing control panel switches all the time … you will
Thanks for the input all…