01-12-2013, 01:15 PM
Late last year I realized it was time to bite the bullet and go into DCC. I'm realizing (and I'm coming at the end of a long, long line here) that this is an enormous subject, with all sorts of ins and outs, so I may as well post it as a get-off-your-duff challenge for the year.
Based on some research and some input from this forum, I went with the NCE PowerCab. Here it is, with the base station or whatever you call it, on my layout:
Here's an early loco that I've programmed with it (the one that was causing me to climb the learning curve on another thread):
You can see that the headlight is on, which is a sign it's on DCC!
Right now, only a part of my layout has the option of switching to DCC control via DPDT block switches. I understand that this is basically not a good idea, but considering the size of my roster and the likelihood that only a small minority of my locos will be DCC for the foreseeable future, I've got to muddle through.
My objectives for the period of the challenge will be:
-- extend the DCC wiring to allow all blocks on the layout to be switchable to DCC via DPDT switches
-- find out what other wiring improvements I need to carry out
-- implement radio cabs and a radio base station
-- continue to program existing locos that have dual-mode decoders
-- begin to install plug-and-play decoders on locos that have this capability
-- maybe learn to install and wire decoders on locos without plugs
-- generally climb the DCC learning curve over matters like consists and CVs.
Based on some research and some input from this forum, I went with the NCE PowerCab. Here it is, with the base station or whatever you call it, on my layout:
Here's an early loco that I've programmed with it (the one that was causing me to climb the learning curve on another thread):
You can see that the headlight is on, which is a sign it's on DCC!
Right now, only a part of my layout has the option of switching to DCC control via DPDT block switches. I understand that this is basically not a good idea, but considering the size of my roster and the likelihood that only a small minority of my locos will be DCC for the foreseeable future, I've got to muddle through.
My objectives for the period of the challenge will be:
-- extend the DCC wiring to allow all blocks on the layout to be switchable to DCC via DPDT switches
-- find out what other wiring improvements I need to carry out
-- implement radio cabs and a radio base station
-- continue to program existing locos that have dual-mode decoders
-- begin to install plug-and-play decoders on locos that have this capability
-- maybe learn to install and wire decoders on locos without plugs
-- generally climb the DCC learning curve over matters like consists and CVs.