Good choice. You can run you DC engimes by a mere push of a button or your DCC engines by a push of the button.
I have 34 DC engines and 7 DCC ( 3 with sound) engines thus the T-6 fills the bill to a T.
On my ISLs I hook two wires to a Atlas snap terminal track and simply plug the hand held into the T-6.
Why the terminal track? Its fast and easy and I hate soldering.
If the only DC locos are 3 old Bachmann N scale locos - well - are they really worth running? I had some Bachmann locos from the mlate 70’s when I was last in N scale - frankly, compared to anything made since, they really aren’t woth messing with. Yes, I am somewhat bitter, as my dream loco at the time was the Bachmann Santa Fe Northern. I saved up my chore money to finally buy one - and it was a complete piece of junk. Parts fell ovv, and it wouldn’t even run on straight track. It was claimed to run on 9 3/4" radius (which is probably wishful thinking), but my layout had greater than 11" radius curves.
I still have some HO that is very impractical to put DCC in, I keep them for sentimental reasons, along with some cars to go with them (all of which have horn-hook couplers). I’ll eventually make a display case for them to hang near the layout. They’ve been unused but in their original boxes for close to 40 years now, but I’m sure they will still run with some cleaning - but I’m not going to put DCC in them. At this point, they are just reminders of childhood and my Dad.
–Randy
Randy, I will agree with that to a point. I had a Bachmann F7 A-A consist that last the 10 years( 77-87) I had my N Scale door layout as did two AHM RSD15s!
Oddly the only engines I had that gave me issuses was all six of my beloved Atlas/Kato RS-3s. They love to stall on Atlas overly large rubber switch frogs. I replaced the switches with IIRC Peco switches then all was well.
Mornin Larry
I feel the same way about soldering. When I last model railroaded before now I was known as the Tie Melter. I’m good at so many things, soldering is not one of them.
I planed ahead this time, these were ordered with my track. No Ox ID continuity grease will be put in each track joiner with a toothpick.
Randy, I normally wouldn’t be too concerned about the Bachmann’s but the Spirit of 76 Bicentennial locomotive was a replacement of the one my grandfather gave me when I was 11. I have since bought another one and I’m replacing my childhood locomotives. The only one of my five locomotives that was remanufactured is the BN GP40.
I have more recently found all the cars that came in that Spirit of 76 Bachmann set on eBay and finding all the other cars I had back then. I must see these trains run again. Dont know, …Must be a what’s left of the little kid left in me sorta thing I guess.
They say you can never go back but I’m gonna to give it a shot[(-D]
TF
I have been collecting the Tyco cars I remember from my youth for the same reason. They get up-fitted with weight, kadee trucks, and body mounted couplers so they will run well.
I have yet to pay more than $3.00 for any of them. It is cheap nostalgia.
This is my latest addition. The condition of this one is nearly perfect.
-Kevin
“Someone suggested just make sure my wiring is DCC ready for when I upgrade in the future. I’m quite lost with that one.”
The most important wiring difference between DC and DCC is peak amperage draw. DC amperage draw is basically the number of locomotives pulling power from the same block. So, your common rail wire, common ground or common power whichever you like to call it, commonly red or white coloured, needs to be big enough to handle all the locomotives drawing power on the layout no matter which block they are in. That’s the same for DC and DCC. There are various recommended gauges for this side of both types of wiring. As far as I can tell 16 gauge is recommended for HO unless the layout is quite large and then 14 gauge may work better.
For the other rail in DC you only need wire gauge capable of handling the aforesaid maximum number of locomotives drawing power from the block they are in. Even 22 gauge will likely be enough.
There is no “other rail” in DCC (which leads to fascinating debates about what type of AC this is) as both rails carry power and control signal at the same voltage effectively all of the time over the whole layout. That means both wires for what DCC guys call “the main bus” need to be the same gauge, I,e. 16 gauge for HO. They don’t have to be it just makes no sense to have a lighter gauge feeding one rail.
So to wire a DC layout to be DCC ready you are best to run two main wires of 16 gauge or larger for both sides of the track. Now the feeder wires can be small gauge if your DCC is split into enough blocks because feeder wires feed current only to the locomotives in that block if you are using DC style blocks. Splitting the power feed to each block is normally done with terminal blocks and jumpers for common power. Running 16 gauge wire through all your terminal strips effectively makes up your two wire bus as DCC ready even though the other side of a feeder from that terminal stri
I also recommend the tech 6 by MRC. I plan on a dcc system by mrc , most likely the MRC prodigy advance. But I have used the tech 6 for years with never a problem.
Dave
Thanks for all the advice and help here as it has been appreciated
It looks like Dave added another recommendation for the MRC Tech 6. I think that’s three or four now.
I’m not sure if I should look for one of these used or not. I don’t know how solid-state these electronic devices are. Maybe I should buy a new one unless I’m told differently.
I have a similar piggyback from the 70’s parked in my cart Kevin. The seller claims brand new. I’m not lucking out with the $3 price but intend to do the same upgrades.
Thanks
TF
If you’re looking at used ones MRC made a version 6.0 which has a different separate power supply capable of 6 amp output. I don’t know how long ago they stopped making this version.
Looks like MRC has just stopped manufacturing the 2.0 amp version also. If you want a new one maybe don’t delay.
I would say in general, for a 4x8 N scale layout, 2 amps is plenty and 6 is WAY more than you will ever need. I wouldn’t be worried about power. Though MRC has always had a tendency to overstate their power pack ratings, but not so much that a 2 amp rated system can’t power 4-5 running trains in N scale - if not more. The Tech 6 2.0 only allows one handheld though, so while it says you can run 6 locos, you can’t actively control more than 2 anyway. Never would have a power problem with that in N scale.
–Randy