DCC???

[Virginian]

OK you electronic 'freaks' or 'KN2BCA' type experts( that's probably the wrong sequence of letters and numbers for a Ham operator's call sign, but I'm not one, so please forgive..

)
Any way, I'd like to find out about DCC, specifically for N scale, but radio control is radio control, size shouldn't matter in this age of 'micro' everything , right??
So..
Can anyone recommend books,magazines, articles in magazines,etc. dealing with the basics? Or post any info.,opinions or experiences re: DCC?

My first Locomotive is DCC ready. (an Atlas Trainmaster, undecorated. I bought that particular engine because it was the only one locally available that is prototypically correct for my chosen Roads, VGN andN&W).
I don't have the bucks to devote to building a DCC layout from the start, but I'd like to start learning about the technology and the market...there are a lot of "DCC ready" products on the market, it seems.
Thanks for any info.
Virginian

[This message has been edited by Virginian (edited 02-20-2001).]

 

[shamus]

Hi Virginian
Sorry friend never used DDC, doubt very much if I ever will. All my loco are DCC ready, and they will just have to stay like that. It's too costly for me.

 

[Dave Flinn]

All my motive power is also DCC ready, and I intend to use DCC when I get around to building my layout. Problem is, I've got lots of rolling stock; but the Housatonic and Cayuga RR is only in my mind, at the moment. One of these days (soon) I'm going to start putting track plan to paper and go from there. From the DCC demonstrations I've seen and what I've read, I think it is the way to go. I can also understand the cost aspect of converting an existing layout, however. My local club and NRHS Chapter is converting at least a part of their modular layouts to DCC, however.

------------------
Dave Flinn, Northeast Regional Vice President, NRHS
National Director, Cornell Chapter, NRHS
Life Member NMRA, NER, NFR,
Danbury Railway Museum

 

[Virginian]

This is great!
But What Is It???? (I know radio control, but I mean, how does it work, and just what do 'ya hafta have' to make it go??? .(besides the engines, wise guy)
Hey Dave, drawing 'the plan' is becoming my favorite evening during-the-commercial passtime!!!
Love that Road Name!!
VGN

 

[Dave Flinn]

Hi VGN:

Not sure this is quite the right forum for this; but since you mentioned my road name, I'll tell you how it came about. I grew up along the New Haven and have particularly fond memories of the Housatonic branch (Danbury to Pittsfield). I now live in the finger lakes area of New York, on Lake Cayuga. Hence the name. I've even made up a little "history" of my road, even though it doesn't exist yet. I'd be happy to send it to you or anyone who is interested; but I don't think it is appropriate to post on The Guage. If Dave Hagan says ok, I will, however.

------------------
Dave Flinn, Northeast Regional Vice President, NRHS
National Director, Cornell Chapter, NRHS
Life Member NMRA, NER, NFR,
Danbury Railway Museum

 

[Virginian]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for your reply. If you'd like to tell the whole 'story', you can email it to me, if you want. I'm definitely interested.
psiharis@msn.com is our address.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Virginian

 

[shamus]

Hi Dave Flinn
Quote:
I've even made up a little "history" of my road, even though it doesn't exist yet. I'd be happy to send it to you or anyone who is interested; but I don't think it is appropriate to post on The Guage. If Dave Hagan says ok, I will, however.
-------------------------
I'll give you permission to post it, might even put it into the Academy/Archive for future ref.

shamus

 

[Dave Flinn]

Virginian & Shamus:

Ok. I'll do both. I'll send it privately to VGN and I'll also post it here (since this is where the subject came up). If you think it should be posted somewhere else on The Gauge, please feel free to move it (but let me know where you put it).

------------------
Dave Flinn, Northeast Regional Vice President, NRHS
National Director, Cornell Chapter, NRHS
Life Member NMRA, NER, NFR,
Danbury Railway Museum

 

[Dave Flinn]

For those interested, here is the "story" of the Housatonic & Cayuga RR. If you don't care, please feel free to just pass it by.

THE HOUSATONIC AND CAYUGA RAILROAD

The Time Warp Line


The Housatonic and Cayuga Railroad is an imaginary model railroad that has some basis in fact on the Berkshire (Housatonic) line of the former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The H&C runs from Somewhere, in the Housatonic River valley, to Elsewhere, in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, in the vicinity of Cayuga Lake. How it crosses the Hudson River and passes through the Catskill Mountains is left to the imagination; but, along the way, it serves the town of Pigsville, which is situated on the state line between Connyork and Newecticut.

The era of this railroad is basically the nineteen fifties; but occasionally one glimpses modern motive power and rolling stock, hence the “time warp.”

At this time, the H&C owns only two 0-6-0 switch engines; but additional motive power is provided by assorted New Haven RR locos and Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 Number 261, along with a “leased” Atlas RS-3 and a “leased” MRC C44-9W (our most modern power to date)! For other rolling stock, the “Brass” of the road recently acquired two deluxe passenger cars from Pullman for executive use: Piker, a short sleeper-parlor-business car and Oscar, a short open platform observation car. We also have our own “Big Hook” with its accompanying boom car, along with some other “borrowed” MOW equipment. From time to time, we acquire additional rolling stock, right now a stock car and a drop center flat car.

Regular traffic is primarily mixed freight, but some passenger service is provided, usually with New Haven RDC units. There is also an occasional business train or railfan special, using a modern full-length deluxe dome car and an open platform observation car, along with assorted NH equipment, pulled either by the 261, an Alco RS-1 (NH #0673, whose prototype can be found operating at the Danbury Railway Museum) or an eclectic assortment of whatever other NH locos are sitting around the yard.

Control will be by DCC; but, at this time, there is no running trackage, just some “portable” storage tracks. As this is written there isn’t even any right of way, although “land acquisition” is in process.

Draft 4 12/10/00 dgf




------------------
Dave Flinn, Northeast Regional Vice President, NRHS
National Director, Cornell Chapter, NRHS
Life Member NMRA, NER, NFR,
Danbury Railway Museum

 

[George]

It is unfortunate that the manufacturers do not drop the price of the chips, and slightly jack up the system cost to make up for it Surely they would ultimately make even more money selling more systems and chips. Gee, these 27 year old MBA's are sharp, aren't they?

The manufacturers have shot themselves in the foot once more with over pricing. Were these chips US$10 each per locomotive, my curiosity might convince me to purchase a system and go in that direction. At US$30 per unit, I feel it's cost prohibitive at this point.

Do you remember the Hornby Zero-One system? I think it was the first effort at DCC. I have read some interesting articles about it but I heard too many stories about people frying locomotives (particularly "N" units), and I believe that was what killed it. That was in 1980.

George.

 

[Virginian]

Hi y'all
Does anybody remember 'ASTRAC' RF control from the mid 60s? I was given "The Complete Book of Model Railroading" by David Sutton (1964) as a gift. (Looks like some good stuff for foundational information and tecniques; it might make up for my long delay in getting going in the craft!!) Anyway, there's a whole chapter on ASTRAC. I'm wondering, wouldn't that be the fore-runner of DCC, with transistors instead of silicon chip circuits and using much bulkier controler units???
VGN

[This message has been edited by Virginian (edited 02-26-2001).]