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Welcome
Aug 9, 2005 22:19:22 GMT -5
Post by Kreig Haus on Aug 9, 2005 22:19:22 GMT -5
This is the place to discuss all things model railroading related. Have fun and get this board moving!
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gman
Private 1st Class
Posts: 8
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Welcome
Aug 14, 2005 0:11:21 GMT -5
Post by gman on Aug 14, 2005 0:11:21 GMT -5
If anyone has a good understanding of DCC please let us know your thoughts about it. How to get DCC ready engines equipted, types of controllers etc.
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Welcome
Aug 14, 2005 3:47:01 GMT -5
Post by dieselholic on Aug 14, 2005 3:47:01 GMT -5
If anyone has a good understanding of DCC please let us know your thoughts about it. How to get DCC ready engines equipted, types of controllers etc.
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Welcome
Aug 14, 2005 6:32:58 GMT -5
Post by dieselholic on Aug 14, 2005 6:32:58 GMT -5
DCC runs on 16 volts AC or thereabouts for HO , the track is fully powered all the time and the DCC decoder acts as a miniature throttle in each individual engine and responds digitally to the different address numbers that are programmed into each individual loco . I've looked into it to try to understand how it works and found that it works the same way as how a telephone call puts you in contact with the person whose number you dial . Once you're dialed in to a certain programmed engine you can tell it specifically what to do digitally via pressing buttons on the commander . You actually make digital phone calls that each differently programmed loco responds to just like phoning the engineer in a real loco and telling him to throttle on or turn the lights on or stop etc . You can also tell point motors to switch tracks digitally via the rails and eliminate tons of block wiring and turnout switch wiring etc and operate 6 points at the same time from the one turnout module for specific alternative track routing around the layout . As to fitting decoders , the engine (such as Athearn blue box locos) must be made "decoder ready" by isolating the motor and lights from the track power (bogies) and routing it through a circuit board that a decoder must be wired or plugged into ! Obviously the track power has to go through the circuit board first and then through the decoder and then to the motor and lights etc in order for you to intercept it and control it via signals to the decoder from the commander (digital throttle). If the loco is DCC ready , this has already been done for you and it is a simple matter of plugging the proper decoder into the circuit board . If you can put a plug into a power point on a wall you have the skills to plug a decoder into a circuit board !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Getting the body off the loco will be the hardest part . Like a monkey scratching it's head and trying to fit square blocks into round holes in an IQ test , I always have trouble working out how to remove shells without breaking anything , ( mainly Atlas locos)! Some engines such as Atlas have a dual mode decoder where you just pull a jumper plug out of the circuit board and move it over to switch from analogue to DCC , other later model engines such as QSI equipped Broadway , P2K etc have an automatic electronic switching decoder that senses which type of power source it's being subjected to (ac or dc) and adjusts accordingly ! These latest set ups are the most convenient ! Most other locos such as Athearn RTR , Genesis , Kato and P2K have circuit boards with 8 pin or more DCC sockets that you simply pull a plug out of and plug the appropriate decoder into . If you convert most engines to DCC , they will still run in analogue but will be sluggish and unresponsive to the throttle and will need a lot more throttle to get them moving or to attain normal speed . I'm not sure if running in analogue will hurt the decoder or not ! DCC generators or transformers have to be between 15 and 16 volts AC but NOT higher because the actual track power will be higher than that and the decoders can be easily fried if you derail or get a short circuit somewhere . Most systems will have shortout protection anyway ! You can buy a Roco , Lenz or Atlas Commander , Digitrax , MRC etc and they're all OK to start with but you can also part out for a Pro Radio ----radio remote controlled DCC which is convenient but expensive ! You're best to go for a simple to use set up but as you know you'll soon get familiar with and accustomed to any system with time and patience ! Basically you'll get to the point where you can control all your trains as easily as you can handle swapping tv channels with your tv or video remote ! We all get confused and thrown out of whack when we buy a new tele with a differently configured remote control so it would be no different with DCC ! I own over 30 DCC equipped dual mode locos and an Atlas Commander , but I've never used it yet because over here in OZ the power points are 240volts and transformers are 17 VOLTS AC , too much . I've been told I need to knock the transformer back using a series of bridge rectifiers to avoid decoder damage but haven't gotten around to it yet ! Manufacturers are starting to make 15-16 VOLT ~ 240 power supplies for Aust so I'm looking at just going the hole hog and getting a complete Aust compatable Pro Radio walk around set up for DCC . I'm hoping to do all this before I reach 50 !!!!!!!!!!!! There's heaps more to DCC programming of locos but that's a whole new epic saga that's best learnt as you go with hands on experience ! You'll probably be able to tell me what's what before I get to that stage !------------John.
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gman
Private 1st Class
Posts: 8
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Welcome
Aug 14, 2005 16:38:21 GMT -5
Post by gman on Aug 14, 2005 16:38:21 GMT -5
Helpful information. Thanks
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Welcome
Aug 20, 2005 10:14:28 GMT -5
Post by Kreig Haus on Aug 20, 2005 10:14:28 GMT -5
At first glance DCC seems a bit complex and expensive. All you need to cure that view though is to look at any Railroad wiring book, and soon you discover DCC may save you many headaches. Brian Gansereit Kreig Haus Hobbies www.kreighaus.com
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