--- jwestkohl <kohlj@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>
> I'm very tempted to go to DCC. It just seems
> smarter to run my layout
> that way.
>
> All my locomotives are non-DCC. I know that they
> How much are DCC controllers per locomotive (and
> does anyone have any
> spares they want to sell)?
I've had DCC now for 7 years. Take it from experience,
the cheapest decoders are not always the ones you
want. Many times problems will show up eventually and
you'll have to toss them aside. Granted all the DCC
decocder manufacturers back up their product, but the
cost they charge to replace a bad one is about what
you would pay for a new one.
I like the Digitrax 163 series. It's not their
cheapest, but they are good solid decoders. I can tell
the performance difference between the older decoders
and them. NCE also makes some nice decoders. I have a
friend who now swears by Lenz. The only ones to stay
away from are the MRC decoders as they have a history
of problems. The MRC decoders are hard to find because
of this.
> Can you DCC ANY non-DCC locomotive?
> Do you need different controllers per different type
> of loco?
> What's the teeth-knashing factor of rewiring the
> locomotives myself?
> What would it cost to have someone do it (and is
> there anyplace/anyone
> here on the list who would be interested in doing
> it)?
Any loco can have DCC put in it. Many of the newer
locos have DCC plugs, so they are simple. You just
plug in the decoder, program the address, and go.
You'll also find that the various decoder
manufacturers have produced decoders for specific
locos. For example, both NCE and Digitrax have a
decoder specific for Life-Like Geeps. There are
decoder boards specific for Kato and Stewart's.
If you can use a soldering iron and follow
instructions, you can do most of the installs
yourself. If hunt around the web (especially on
Digitrax's site), you can find a number of notes on
installing decoders in different locos. The biggest
loco I have not tackled yet is an Athearn Genesis F
unit. They didn't make it particularly DCC friendly to
wire and all those 1.5v bulbs need to have resistors
on them. There are people who do decoder installs as a
sideline business. If your local hobby shop sells DCC
systems, they probably know someone who is doing this
and can direct you to them.
Bill
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