Hi guys. I got some trains a while ago and have been reading this forum. I have deciderd I want DCC. I am going to buy a digitrax zpehyr kit but I need to put in decoders. What kind of decoders should I use?
[#welcome] MAX
I think you are making a good choice going DCC. I have a zephyr, you will like it. As for decoders, I like TCS decoders ( www.tcsdcc.com ). With TCS, you get decoders that are called dual-mode. That means they will run on DCC or DC just fine. Plus they have a great warranty. If you break a decoder they will replace it for free, no matter what you did to it. If you have any more questions feel free to post them.
Thanks JPM335. Since you say it I do have another question. I dont know how to install decoders! I saw tonys trains exhcange mentioned on here but they charge so much for a decoder to install. Is there anyone that does it for cheap?
That is the wonder of DCC. Any kind you want. I would recommend the one that fits your locomotive and budget best. I keep a wide assortment of Lenz, Digitraxx, NCE, and Soundtraxx on my work bench at all times.
Installing decoders can vary from very easy to difficult. It might help if we knew more about the locos you’re planning to convert - if they have a DCC socket factory installed then adding a decoder is as simple as removing the blanking plate and plugging a suitable decoder in, then tidying the wires so they can’t become tangled in the mechanism. Locos without the socket are variable - some make it easy (like the Walthers Trainline Dash 8 - this has plastic truck mainframes so you just have to desolder the pickup wires to isolate the motor) while some are more involved (Athearn BB, for example, where you have to take the motor out and cut away the strip that provides one side of the circuit underneath it). You’ll need a multimeter to check that the motor is completely isolated and a soldering iron, along with basic soldering skills. It’s not a tricky skill to aquire and it’s well worth the effort. Hope this helps!
MAX, that depends what “cheap” means to you. There are some places that do it cheaper, tonys is very well known so they can charge a lot. The cheapest I have seen is Discount DCC. They charge about a third of what tonys charges. I sent a couple engines to them before i got to installing decoders myself and they seem to do good work. Here is thier website:
http://www.freewebs.com/discountdcc/index.htm
Are some decoders better than others or are all brands pretty much the same?
I will chek that discount DC site. Maybe I can save money and get a new engine?[:D]
I plan to eventually build a layout of my own, and when I do, I will wire it for DCC with a Digitrax Zephier system. The people at Digitrax have published a book, “The Digitrax Big Book of DCC” 175 pages @ $24.95. You should be able to order a copy of it through Walthers if your local hobby shops don’t have it in stock. This book explains a lot of things, including selecting the proper decoder and how to install it.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
The Big Book of DCC is currently out of print, supposedly they are working on a revised and updated version since there have been many new things since the book as originally published - DT300 and DT400 throttles, the Zephyr, the SE8C signalling system, Series 3 decoders, etc. The basic information is still valid, it’s just that there are many new things that didn’t exist at the time.
–Randy
Thanks for the update on this, Randy. I know that I bought my copy from our local HobbyTown dealer within the last year or two, so I don’t know for sure just how far out of date it is.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
When I help friends install decoders we have found DigiTrax decoders are low cost and have a good mix of features, I use them for size (DZ123 and DZ143) unless I need the features of the Lenz.
The new Lenz Gold (and the Gold-micro) have some nice features. I put Lenz in my own equipment.
NCE is very good also, but they dont have the tiny decoders I often want for N scale gear. But for HO and larger they are excellent.
The only sound decoders I have used so far have been LOK-SOUND, they are very nice. But I am expecting to see a handful of Soundtraxx Tsunami in the hands of friends over the next few weeks as deliveries get under way. Haven’t seen one yet, so can’t pass an opinion.
Decoders are not difficult to install, there have been plenty of articles in various magazines and many websites out there that describe how people have done it. As long as you have steady hands, good soldering skills and a good magnifer you wont have a lot of trouble but be prepared to spend and hour possibly two on particularly older loco’s.
Loco’s with DCC fitted are also readily available. Check on Kleins http://modeltrainstuff.com specials pages. They often have DCC fitted Atlas for as little as $69. I usually buy DCC fitted loco’s in the North American prototypes because they are excellent value and readilly available. This leaves more time to perform micro-surgery on friends loco’s and my own European loco’s - especially since I discovered the tiny little Lenz-Gold decoders courtesy of this forum just a few weeks ago.
I have done 16 decoders so far and not had a single ‘oops’ yet.
John
Dont forget TCS. They are what I usually use. If I want sound I go with soundtraxx now that thier prices are way down. TCS has a decoder pretty much equivalent to all the digitrax ones, and they have the sub-tiny decoders too. I use TCS because when you run the digitrax decoders on DC they tend to forget thier programming.
Great news! My zephyr came today[:D][:D][:D]. I have only been able to run DC locos on it though. Now I see what people mean about that whining sound. I belive you guys that decoders arent hard to install, but Im going to send my wathers F unit to Discount dcc. When I get it back I will see how they installed it and try to copy. Thanks again for all the great advice.
Consider having a decoder installed that has sound to see if you like it. If you do, it will be a lot easier (and cheaper) to know that at the outset and have it installed all at once than go back and re-do locos for sound later on.
I agree. Go with sound. Sound decoders these days can be had for around $45 for the cheapest one from soundtraxx. Something to consider if you have a little money to spare.
Hay MAX, welcome to the forum. That’s a great choice you’ve made. I have a Zephyr myself, and love it. It all depends on what you want to do as to which decoder you are going to use. I do alot of scratchbuilding and bashing since I model On30. Alot of times, I have to use two decoders. A motor decoder, and a sound decoder. In that case, I prefer digitrax motor decoders and Soundtraxx sound decoders. That’s just a preference. I like the Soundtraxx units if I am using an all in one motor and sound decoder. I have done MANY conversions for myself and several in our club and all of them are quite easy. The first two were my learning curve. After you see the general direction, it’s all downhill.
Got an email from Discount DCC![:D] My engine is finished and they are shipping it back tommorrow. It should get here over the thanksgiving break, YAY[:)]
I got my F7 back today[:D][:D][:D]. They put an awesome bright light in it, its very cool. I havent taken it apart yet to see how it is wired, im still having too much fun running it. I cant decide whether to send them the rest of my engines or try to do it myslef. Any thoughts?