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Model Railroading 101: DC and DCC for Beginners
In this episode we talk about DC and DCC. If these things seem confusing to you, watch this video as we show you what they’re all about.
DCC is explained in plain English for complete beginners to understand. In the next video we show how to go from DC to DCC for your model train layouts. Converting your model railroad to DCC is not that hard. DCC is definitely something you should look into before building your next model railroad. If your layout is all ready DCC you can still convert your model train stock from DC to DCC.
DCC systems have their ratings of what to get and what should be avoided If you are a beginner buy a NCE Powercab this is the recommended system if you are doing the Bachmann Ntrack system or the Kato/Atlas T-Track system if you are advanced go up to an Easy DCC system what not to buy a Lenz Bachmann EZ Command the reason EZ command is for larger locomotives those that are O scale or S which run on an AC power pack also if you use an EZ Command with HO, N Scale, or Z Scale you will blow up your motors and decoders because the motors used in Z HO and N are not designed for voltages over 12 volts also Bachmanns instructions are misleading, thy don't support CVs none of them support JMRI, and Bachman uses the Address 3 while other decoders are set at 2 or zero at the factory and have to be programmed by the user. for clubs go with a Digitrax Zephyr or an Easy DCC system that is fasha mounted what not to get any MRC products these are massive, they don't support JMRI, and you need breakers installed or they will overload.
Suppose you want more like 6 tracks. What kind of control should I get, to hook up to all track power
I got big dreams like making a dcc layout
difference between procab and powercab??
Very informative video. I'm just getting back to the hobby after a lot of years that I want to admit. Lol. I really like your explanation on the NCE. The mini controller can be bought seperately?
I've already commented on your great video. I have another question that I'd love you to give me some guidance with. I'm just getting back into railroading again as I said in my earlier
comment. It's very frustrating to me because I'm very concerned as to what I spend my money on first. I know that I'm not going to finish this layout over night, so if you could give me a little insight
as to what I should focus on from the start. !: I've decided to go with Kato N gauge because doing a layout on a 4×8 plywood top would not give me the realistic look that I'm looking for.
2: I also kind of found a layout that would fit nicely on a 36×80 hollow core door. 3: The hollow core door would give me an expansion possibility into an L layout later. So, as you can see I'm
putting some heavy thinking into a very expensive hobby. Hope you can give me some advise so I don't go out and spend all my money first on a costly engine, which I kind of figure
would be not the thing to do! Thanks so much if you've read this far. Your ever grateful Trainman. Mark
ThANKS ANYWAY.I GUESS IT'S A LITTLE BIT MUCH TO ASK SOMETHING THAT'S OTHER THAN YOUR VIDEO!
Simple explanation. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks
1 bell 2horn 3 lkjhgfdsa
DCC explained in plain english for the complete beginner
🔴DC to DCC – Understanding digital command control how DCC works – DCC explained – dcc train control
Does the digitrax controller work with pick track?
Can you use normal DC engines on a track setup for DCC. I know you wouldn't be able to control just certain engines like you can with DCC but would they still work?
DCC RULES!!! 1/2 of my locomotives are DCC!!!
After a 40 year hiatus and working to get back into reliving a childhood pastime, DCC is a new evolution to that past fun hobby
If you have a layout that has different loops/sections on a single track that can be isolated or combined with switches, can you make 1 train stay on one loop and a different train stay on another loop with dcc controlling everything like the switches and stuff? Imma rookie, had a HO scale train as a kid in the early 80s and never appreciated it, I want to make a frozen mountain for my N scale Bachman Xmas train, that’s why I’m watching train videos…but man, dcc intrigues me. I subscribed, hopefully you got an answer to my questions I posted here and another video of yours. Thanks for making them.
Thank you. for talking about DCC I've always had AC now. I'm thinking about upgrading mine to DCC. I have a 10 foot layout as a DC. I've have problems all the time with my wiring. THANK YOU
Please you don’t need the color guy!!!!!!
What I can't understand is the pure short sitedness of DCC standard. That it's a one way system. Meaning, commands come from your throttle and are received by the train's dcc decoder (or accessory decoder). There is no feedback control, no way, at least in the standard, for a decoder to send information back.
We can do better than this. I would love to have a new standard perhaps based on CAN bus or CAN-FD.
I build my own DCC decoders using PIC microcontrollers.
The signals are superimposed on the track by a DCC throttle or command station. Digitrax, for example, in their super chief system has two protocols. The protocol between their throttle and the base station is called loconet and is proprietary to digitrax. The command station converts loconet communications to a DCC signal that is superimposed onto the track.
The superimposed DCC signal consists, at a very low level, a varing PWM (pulse width modulated) signal. A short pulse is a 1 and a larger pulse width is a 0. The 0s and 1s combine to make up a value (ex: 0011 = 3 in binary). The NMRA DCC standard has a table of what all these values refer too such as CV values, ditection, throttle, etc…
Hope this helps anyone wondering. I did all this research on DCC after trying to return to the hobby as an adult and trying to see what current state of the art is in the hobby….
How hard would it be to convert a locomotive (DC) from the 1990’s, to a DCC with all the bells, lights, horns, air brakes, engine sounds, etc…?
So let me ask this. Since the voltage is constant in the rails, how many engines can be run at one time and is there a voltage drop in the rails?
Can I run a dcc engine on a dc set up?
This was really helpful! Thanks! I am interested in how the whole keyboard and mouse with the monitor system will help me. I am building a small layout in order to learn all these things.
Nicely done……
Very succinct and easy to understand explanation of DCC,
From someone brought up with the standard DC from childhood and long before DCC was invented.
James Hennighan
Yorkshire, England
what about older trains made before dcc? can they be converted?
Great video. Easy to understand. I'd like to see a basic wiring O'Gauge video. How to run the bus wire around your layout and how to connect the operating accessories to the bus wire. I've watched some videos on other channels about this but they are not that easy to understand.
Can you run DC And DCC engines on DC power???
W.O.W.
Wow! I started this railroading hobby by buying a very old layout for $50 knowing NOTHING about model railroading. 1 year later the original set is almost scrapped, I got the Bachmann EZ track, a DCC controller and found out I was even less intelligent than I thought! I have 4 DC engines (beats me if they are DCC compatible) I didn’t’t even know what that meant until watching this video! OmG.. I have a long way to go..BUT at least I know what DCC compatible means now😊
The Larry King of model RR.
Great explained…