DC or DCC?

[railfan]

Originally Posted by inspec25

Well from what you guys are saying... DCC is the way to go; even now that I know the speed can be preset!!!

Scratch building aircraft has given me pleanty of exprience with same materials you guys use (more or less). That also means I have major of the tools, too (razor, foam, razor, etc..).

I do have go admit, as I do more and more research, the more this project is turning something I want to do too!!!

Good to find out you're one of us N scale people.....we have a great group of N-heads here.

Show us some pictures of your train set when it comes. Did you order it yet?


Mike

[inspec25]

i havent ordered it yet. We are in the very early stages of planning. Not sure if we want a mountain, industrial or town setting. We cant seem to pull the trigger on it yet... We will keep you guys informed as progress happens.
Thank you for welcoming us into the N Scale forum and we cant wait to lose our minds and go overboard with this hobby!

[Sir Robbins]

I do N scale and just started back on an HO project as well. I got a pair of glasses so N scale is fine now lol... As mentioned before, modeltrainstuff is GREAT! I would recommend the Digitrax Zephyr Xtra DCC system if you go DCC. It is $170 and programming is easy. Most locos are between $55 and $85 w/o decoders and upwards of $110 and $120 with decoders. A drop in decoder is usually between $23 and $35 depending on brand (TCS is great!) so you actually will save $20-$40 doing it yourself and it is easy to install. Welcome to N scale and have fun!

[OnTheRightTrack]

Originally Posted by inspec25

Well from what you guys are saying... DCC is the way to go; even now that I know the speed can be preset!!!

Scratch building aircraft has given me pleanty of exprience with same materials you guys use (more or less). That also means I have major of the tools, too (razor, foam, razor, etc..).

I do have go admit, as I do more and more research, the more this project is turning something I want to do too!!!

You can get a good starter system for about $140 and Bachmann engines w/ DCC for about $60

See the links below;

http://www.blwnscale.com/NCE%20Systems.htm

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachm.../bac-62453.htm

[Iron Horseman]

Originally Posted by inspec25

If anyone see a kit that includes a DCC controller and engine; please let me know.

The only company that I know of that makes a DCC controller and locomotive in the same package is Bachmann. Less so in N-scale as HO so you might have to shop around. However, going with a set is not necessarily the best way.

Buying the pieces separately gives one more options and customization possibilities. All DCC controllers will control All DCC locomotives regardless of brands - that is the point of having it the standard.

[videobruce]

In the mid 90's you could get a fair N scale engine for $30 which is just the cost of a average decoder.

[cmaceeepc]

For what it is worth I have a NCE powerCab and have used it for a total of 1.5 hours and found it so much more satisfying to actually run trains instead of running the layout
as in my 2 previous DC layouts

BUT to each his own

cmaceeepc

[railnut49]

Well, the model railroad magazines have been pushing DCC real hard, I think because of the money involved in advertising. Poles show DC is still going strong despite the magazines ads. I'll stick with DC personally, but I'm an old dinosaur anyway. It would cost me thousands to buy over a hundred decoders. If I can wire a DC layout, anyone can. ha ha
All the young guys want DCC. Not an easy choice, good luck.

[videobruce]

the model railroad magazines have been pushing DCC real hard, I think because of the money involved in advertising.

+1

All the young guys want DCC.

It's the easy, lazy to do things. They can do it from their idiot phone.

[John P]

I'm not so sure. With DC power, if you get two trains on the same track, they'll run in the same direction and at about the same speed. With DCC, you can do what you want, up to and including full-speed head on collisions.

This setup is going to be operated by a 10-year-old. Your call.