on many loco packages I’ve seen it says “DCC ready”. Does this mean that it is ready to be used on a DCC system right now, or that it is ready to have a decoder installed? Can anyone help me out here? May sound like a dumb question, but I’m kinda stumped, don’t want to order the loco, then find out I needed to buy a decoder too. I’m specifically taking about Bavhmann locos and using them with their DCC thing. Thanks for your help, please let me know if you have ANY info!
DCC ready means that it is pre-wired to accept the plug in decoders. Usually via a 9 pin NMRA plug. These engines will run on a DC system. If you wi***o change over to DCC operations, then yes you have to go out and buy a decoder and plug it in to the loco.
In HO it generally means it has a plug, like Ed and Pennsy said. In N, it usually means there is a replacement lightboard available with a decoder built in (i.e. Kato, some Atlas). I know you’re in HO, but to compound matters in N, Atlas is releasing new locos that have a “DCC Ready Frame” which means they have a drop in lightboard/decoder on the drawing board, but nobody can tell you when it will actually hit the market.
Most of the time it does mean that it is ready to accept a plug-in decoder. Once in a while, though, you may still have to isolate the motor from the frame to keep from blowing the decoder. Case in point: Proto 2000’s Alco S1 switcher.
The P2K S1 does NOT have a plug-in type decoder but they have it listed as being “DCC-ready”. This is actually a misnomer. The motor has to be isolated from the frame first BEFORE installing the decoder. Otherwise, your decoder goes “poof”. Matt, this is the exception rather than the rule. It’s always good to check with a place like Tony’s Train Exchange to see if there are any issues about your particular locomotive that you are interested in.
I think that’s a good idea. You know how some web sites have a FAQ link/page? I think it would be a great to have one for this forum for those who are just starting out in the hobby. I don’t think it has to be real involved but it would help answer some of the most basic questions that keep coming up regularly. Sadly, I don’t think the idea will ever get off the ground.