I currently don’t have an HO layout as I’m in the planning stage. When I’m finished “tweaking” the locomotive fleet (simple maintenance or complete remotoring), the decoders and their special lighting effects are going in! [swg][tup]
These include my older Atlas with the Roco drives as well as my Athearns. The Athearn Cowls and the U-Boats will be the first ones with sound. Any new units will have decoders “dropped in”. I’ve decided to wait for the Soundtraxx’s “Tsunami” release [;)]
For those of you (including me) on a budget [2c] ; many local model railroad shops still offer “LAYAWAY”. If you really do want to explore DCC, go for it! DCC is becoming more and more user friendly and costs are not so high, especially if buying from Litchfield Station or Tony’s Trains! [:D][8D][:)][8)][^][:P]
My layout will be controlled using Bachmann EZ DCC command, but until I can get that, I’ll stick to DC. DC is just fine, DCC does seem a appealing, but with all the lights and sounds, ugh! Sound is great in one or two locomotives but after a while, IT BECOMES NOISE. Bachmann’s DCC is the only DCC that’s easy to hook up to EZ track. I don’t plan on having more than 12 locos anytime soon, anyway.
Whether I’ll have an option in a few years is erelavent. I’ll stay with DC cab control as long as I can. I have only so many dollars available and do not feel obliged to cave to the “You must Have This” Gurus. There are more important things to buy then DCC chips for $50s.
I converted my DC layout to DCC back in January, since then I’ve converted all my engines over (total of 12) and I’d never go back.
I use Digitrax empire builder and to be honest the hardest part was installing a decoder in a P2K SW9. Digitrax doesn’t make a true-plug and play decoder for them so I tried a decoder from NCE (which wasn’t plugin play either) 2 hours and a bunch of soldering later it worked fine. Digitrax does make a GREAT (true plug and play) decoder for P2K GP7’s & 9’s “DH163LO” no bulb replacment what so ever, takes the better part of 2 minutes to install, program and get rolling
So to sum it up, converting was EASY. If you have blocks set up then it will make signaling all the easier in the future. Installing the decoders into the SW9’s was the hardest most time consuming project yet. Beyond that I’d reccomend it to anyone.
After seeing how well DCC worked at my LHS, I knew that was the way I was going to go. I have one HO layout that has cab-control, and while it’s nice, I would like to make my layouts all DCC, from the locomotives, right down to the signalling devices. It would be nice if I had the bucks (and the space) to computerize the system so that when I send a train down a particular track for a particular destination, I can let the computer handle the switches.
I’m not “pressured” into wanting DCC, I see it as a great way for me to control more than one operation at a time. I am somewhat frustrated at times by the lack of DCC-friendly locomotives out there, but I’m glad that there are ‘workarounds’ for all of them.
I’ve run DCC in N-scale, I have a very beautiful (in MY eyes!) Norfolk Southern SD80MAC from Kato in HO. I lack the decoder for that, but it’s a simple drop-in decoder that’s not all that expensive even for the full-features of the decoder (Digitrax, by the way.)
I plan to buy a Digitrax Empire Builder from my LHS, not because he’s cheaper, but because he’s generally given me good advice on my purchases and he’s been extremely generous with his layaway policy. He has offered my choice of freight car from his “premium” display case, all because I helped with a computer problem at his shop. The help I gave certainly wasn’t worth the cost of the car, so I declined his offer because he operates on a shoestring budget, anyway. He’s helped me, so I figured it wasn’t too much for me to help him.
Why Digitrax? I like the design of the controllers, plus, I have the software and cabling for my Palm PDA that enables it to function just like a Digitrax UT2 throttle. I’m not putting down the other manufacturers, I just prefer to go with what I already have.
You’re right, no need to feel obligated other than to have fun! [;)][swg][tup]
Don’t feel that this poll is about “Gestapo-Like” pressure to cave in to.
No “Got to Have It” gurus here! I also find them annoying!
As I’ve indicated in other polls, most of our budgets are tight. (By the way, basic DCC decoders are now available for $18! Prices are dropping like flies! )
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with traditional DC cabs. The Suncoast Model Railroad Club in Largo, Florida operates successfully with DC cabs, though the club will be switching over to DCC in the next year. Impressive layout! 70 car HO unit trains with 5 locomotives pulling are among the spectacles! Worth visiting if you’re ever in Florida. Go to: www.suncoastmrrc.com
Basically DCC is doing today what DC cab did for model railroading decades back, opening new doors for creativity and operation on a different field. That’s all.
As I stated on another thread, I was 100% anti-DCC! I felt no need for it and it was too pricey! A simple demonstration by a no pressure TCS rep, a gentleman in his late 50s won me over! He let me run locomotives on his DCC demo layout. Totally independent control, turning lights on and off, total control of sound effects, and three head on collisions!!! [;)][:D][:)][:p]
I only have 5X9ft with a couple of extensions. I have never considered going to DCC. If someday I get the room to build a bigger layout then I’ll consider going to DCC.
Having read the above replies, I have to say I agree with 99.9% of them. Am I going to convert to DCC? won’t say never, but no intentions of doing so now. Hopefully the price will come down to be more affordable in the future. A statement was made that comparing DCC to cab control years ago. I disagree only in that cab control didn’t drive the price up of the rest of the equipment. I’m not anti-DCC by no means and welcome all the new technology being developed today and have little doubt DCC will be replaced by something newer years from now. It seems the aim of manufacturers is to produce “DCC ready” products and this is where I have problem. DCC people say, and rightfuly so, that they are not forcing DCC onto us that by choice, choose not to use it. They are being completely honest in saying that, but we non-DCC people are being forced to spend the extra money to buy locomotives with the extra electonics installed, that we won’t use at what cost?? Thats my only “beef” about DCC. In this sense, yes DCC has influenced my model railroading.
I have no intentions of going DCC. Unless I win the lottery.
The layout I’m presently building & re-inventing as I go, I don’t have the need for DCC.
I have 35 locomotives & the list is growing. To convert to DCC would break the bank account.
I know of the bonuses of DCC, I also know that I don’t have the patience to solder boards into Athearn locomotives.
I have 6 locomotives out of 97 DCC/Sound equipped…The other 91 units will remain DC for club use…
I am just wondering how long DCC will last before a new and improve method comes a long that will replace DCC and one will sooner or later as technology improves.
Talk about a tyically DCC biased poll! Nine choices for replies but not one for the guy with a DC layout that thinks DC is just fine and plans to stick with it.
I’ve had DC layouts for a quarter century. I’ve seen several DCC layouts in operation. I have no plans whatever to change over. And the way the poll is rigged I am unable to cast any meaningful vote.
CNJ831, There certainly is an option for you up there: “Keeping my layout DC, but I’ll keep the DCC option open”. An option can remain open until the end of time! I have the “option” of running both on my layout and plan to keep it that way. You could have cast a meaning full vote by simply stating DCC SUCKS! That’s what you’d want the poll to say anyway, right?
I like my DCC! It’s much less expensive then you uninformed folks seem to think.
I’ll have a 4 by 8 foot layout with a small extension within a year. All locomotives are going to be DCC equipped and evetually Soundtraxx equipped. I’m thinking about using the Digitrax Zephyr system. (nice name to go along with my favorite road, Digitrax!)
As soon as my wife removes a few items from the room, I’ll be starting on an L-shaped 8x12 layout. The majority of it will be DCC (DigiTraxx) with a route that I can isolate and switch between DCC and DC (I’m still trying to work out the details). That will allow me to run any of my locos whether DCC equiped or not.
I am really impressed with the engineering in my two BLI E-7’s and I’m looking forward to getting the switchers soon. The hard part for me is deciding how many of my existing DC locos to sell to put the money into converting the others to DCC/sound. I know I will keep my Stewart FT foursome and maybe one or two others, the GP-7’s. I am modelling GN in the late '40’s/early '50’s. Most of my locos that I part with will be later than that period, so that helps me choose. The biggest thing I have found is that DCC and sound make me want to operate realistically instead of just throttle-jockeying.
Thanks for the input. [swg][tup] There is a category I’ve added that you might feel comfortable with voting now.
As for bias? I am pro-DCC but it’s not my intention to try and "shove anyone’s face into it. The intention is to see what WE; a cross section of modelers, feel about getting into DCC. Plain and simple. We’re all still modelers. There should be no more friction between DC and DCC modelers as there is between N scale and O scale modelers; virtually none! [:p][:)]
In essence; there’s plenty of room in the basket for Apples and Oranges! Both taste great! [:D][^][8D][8)][:)][;)][C=:-)][C):-)][swg][tup]
AntonioFD45 - Thanks for reworking the choices and providing one that fits my take on the situation.
Unlike what deschane wants to infer from my earlier response, I have nothing against DCC. If you like it, that’s fine with me. However, and in spite of the fact that I am quite familiar with DCC, I find no particular advantage for its application on my layout and I am certainly not alone in feeling so. I would remind readers that DC remains the choice of around 80% of all hobbyists and MR itself has indicated that Cab Control is likely to remain the hobby’s chief operating system for quite some time to come.