I’m in the development process of building a 4.5x10 layout for my garage and thus being small and mainly a branchline, I plan on running a single lash-up of 2 Santa Fe GEEPs. I just bought the Bachmann E-Z DCC and I’m debating if I want to use it. my knowledge of DCC is at the same level as my knowledge of Quantum Physics but DCC is the future and I have to start somewhere.
Should I keep with what I know for this layout and run DC or try DCC but really don’t benefit from it by running one train?
Unless your two engines run at exactly the same speed now, you would benefit from being able to adjust them under DCC to allow them to run together better. Actually, you could argue DCC is even more usefull on a small layout, as you have engines working in closer quarters to each other. Plus if you are only going to run a couple of engines, you might as well pay a little extra and get ones with DCC/Sound, or add it to your existing engines. Yes you can operate most sound engines under DC but it’s a lot easier under command control.
I resisted DCC for a year, but just bought one so I could run multiple trains, including lashups. I am glad I did. My layout was wired for DC and I just hooked the DCC up to the main feed and it worked. The learing curve to just run a few trains was easy. If I were starting over, the wiring for DCC would have been 10% the work as for DC. I used DC wiring just because it was already in and working(Mostly). Hook it up and have fun.
wjstix, you have brought up a very good point about my engines running together. I guess I’ve forgotten that aspect. I do have two Atlas engines that have decoders installed by the manufacture but I also have to P2K GEEPs that don’t. So I didn’t know which way to go. I will only have one lash-up and at the most it would be three engines so its either two P2Ks and one Atlas or 2Atlas with one P2K.
Aslo, if you are the least bit representative of about 90% of us, you will grow…, or, at least, your layout and desire for trains will evolve. That usually means “accumulating” locomotives.
I have Digitax and it runs ALL my DC locos at code 00. The only problem is I can run only one DC at a time, until I install decoders, but maybe there is a way to get around that as well. I can easily double head my brass Seirra as 00 with my BLI that is still at 03. I just keep my brass Shay on a block I can turn off.
Okay, you’ve got a two engine MU and it drops a few cars into a switching area. Oops–out comes that switcher to set the cars and set out the empties.
I have DCC on a 5 x 8. I’ve run 5 trains on it, but the real beauty of it is just working layout the without worrying about blocks. And then there’s sound…
Short answer, absolutely! You’ve already got the DCC system, why let it sit on the shelf. For all the reasons already mentioned, hook up that DCC and run your train(s).
Z,
DCC has been made to seem over-complicated because of all the possibilities it offers and the things it can do. The truth is, for initial set-up it is absolutely NOT complicated. Since you already have some locomotives with decoders, remove the shells, change the jumper as Atlas recommends in the sheet that came with them. Then, you can hook two wires to your track and run.