I am building a waterfront /industrial layout and have taken the plunge into DCC. It allows us to run two or even three switchers in just 30 inches by six feet. This would not be possible with DC. The control and realism is wonderful.
Plus, I have scraped up the loose change for months, combined Christmas and birthday gifts,prayed, and pleaded special psychological need in order to finance the purchase of two Sound Trax decoders. They are now installed in my 0-8-0 and 0-6-0 switchers. The addition of sound to the railroad is so dramatic that these are now the only locos that I run.
Despite the expense(I am retired and living on a fixed income), despite the learning curve, I am sold on DCC. It changes the model railroading experience.
I converted to DCC over four years ago and its totally changed the way I model. even my son is now intrested, yes I had a lot of locos to convert and wiring the layout was so easy. All I can say is, for any one thinking of going DCC try it if you can, even in its simplest form it great fun!
DCC - NCE. Once you try it, you’ll never go back. And I do have 150 locos, convert not all at once. So if you have a lot of locos, don’t let that stop you. Do a few at a time.
i went to dcc back in 1995 and i think it is great. i was able to put a decoder in a old athearn gp 40
and it runs great but the other athearn engines i will give to youth in model railroading
I have a primary DC layout and also have many Locos. I have found that I only seem to run a few of my favorite, or best (least trouble free) Locos and am starting to convert over to DCC. I absolutely love DCC, the things one can do with it is only up to one’s imagination (imagineering) :-). If I upgrade a little at a time, the cost is negible and of course a lot of fun.
Wow, trouble shooting and operation is now a breeze!!
Your poll is invalid because you didn’t include the option of BOTH. Both as in multiple layouts with multiple command systems. I am also certain there are still a considerable number of people out there still running one of the older command systems such as CTC-80, LYNX, and probably mostly Railcommand.
I have been using DCC since 1994. What I found was that I converted the engines that I used to ‘operate’ my layout. I too have a lot of engines, but for the most part, some are never run, and do not run as good as they look. I have 16 engines ‘on the layout’ and really could operate the railroad with maybe 6-10 engines.
One thing that I have noticed is that I have replaced a lot of engines since 1992. At that time I had a nice fleet of detailed/painted Athearn GP9’s & SD7’s. Since then, I have purchased P2K GP9’s, SD7’s and have picked up BLI/Spectrum steamers. All of this new stuff is basically DCC ready or quite simple to convert. With all of the new engines available(and somebody must be buying them), I suspect DCC ready engines will slowly start tilting the poll to DCC over the next few years.
If I were starting from scratch, I would go with DCC. BUT, since my layout is only 5x8 with
a sigle track mainline, my existing DC equipment does everything I need it to do.
I have a small 4x8 layout, but can’t even imagine trying to run it without DCC! It is a triple oval with spurs, sidings and a reversing loop so any train can go anywhere in any direction, just like the real thing!
I have converted all but one of my locos, and am going to install sound in that one (hopefully right after xmas!!)
The cost can be substantial, but once you run DCC you’ll never turn back. (I bought a ten pack of DH123’s from Tony’s for $15.50 each ) Even on my small layout, I frequently run 5 consists at a time and with switching cars, etc. DCC makes it totally realistic.
I have 11 locos with decoders installed and one waiting. Several are MU’d and are great with DCC
DC. I’ve got a lot of old brass and the thought of conversion makes me cringe in the pocketbook. And don’t tell me to do a few at a time, okay? I’m the guy that would do a few, and then realize that I did the wrong ones for what I wanted at the time–actually, if I were just starting out, I’d probably opt for DCC, since I have a fairly large layout, and I could certainly run more than two trains at a time. But oboy, the thought of re-doing ALL of my brass, and then realizing that with a garage layout I’d be spending most of my operating time running the track-cleaning train instead of the reefer blocks–well, I think I’ll just stay where I am. Besides, I have a whole bunch of new BLI’s that I can run either way, assuming a friend with a DCC layout will let me.
Tom
I am planning to stick to DC. Well, I have tried DCC and don’t see where it will do anything for me and the way I am set up, and the way I like to run trains. And, with the way pricing has gone, I don’t really see the need to do anything to add to the expense either. To all of you who love it; that’s great and more power to you.
Without a dought DCC/ I have a lenz set 100 with the cordless phone adapter for wireless control.Being able to walk around the layout with my trains ,unteathered is by far the coolest thing in model railroading to me.