Iandor:
Well, I’ve been paging thru the computer sites that offer G gauge and the prices are sobering. I found a DC/RC setup for a mere $500 US. It runs 16 engines, approximately 13 more than I ever envision running. At least in the foreseeabled future. Now, I’ve found Heartland, Inc, here, and they have something promising for perhaps $100 US, a small 2-axle engine and 2-axle cars that ought to serve well to help me get a ‘feel’ for the size. The engine is DC. This isn’t much of a problem, save for the boring labor of wiring/blocks/etc. I’ve read about DCC but don’t know anything about the prices. At this point, DC plus blocks & wiring look the cheapest.
Thanks for the input.
Les Whitaker
Keep looking. Check out what Aristo-Craft has to offer with their wireless system. Don’t get discouraged, there are a lot of good deals out there. I am the self proclaimed King of “thrifty”, I don’t pay full price for nuthin’. In G scale it pays to comparative shop, you can save big bucks by looking hard at different suppliers. In HO scale it’s not so big of a difference from one place to the next, in G it could be 50% or more of the pricing. I get my Hartland trains at a deep discount from wholesale trains.com at http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Search2.asp?Search=hartland&scale=G&Submit2=++Search++
For only 3 trains block wiring would be the way to go. But again it all depends on personal style of operation and that can change as you spend more time in the hobby.
Les mate; don’t be seduced by the dark side of the force. DCC is a very complex subject and i now know enough toget myself into trouble. The number of locos you wish to run is quite by the by. What about other stuff ie operating points (switches) signals, track side lighting and of course where i am going, automation. You can get a book on the subject for free; read it, if the stuff is not to NMRA standards, as you get down the track you may regret that what you have doesn’t or in my case LGB MTS does the right stuff but not in a standard manner. For instance, now for me to do what i want to do; i regret not having Lenz gold decoders but how was i to know that when i started 3 - 4 years ago,
Rgds ian
Les i forgot, other things that are important as far as DCC is concerned is On board functions.
I went to europe last year and camre back with 3 right up to the minute locos with sucj interestiin on board functions you can control with the press of a button.
Forward or reverse or stop.
Whistle, bell. claxxon.
Injectors, generators, pantagraphs, compresseors.
Lights on and off, announce,ents ie “all aboard” etc.
Separate, you can adjust, acceloration braking and many other things to do with intertia, as well MTS well memorise your track and adjust power and speed to matchg various inclines and even dirty track.
Rgds Ian