What is DCC?

If I'm making a big mistake and DCC isn't what I think it is, I'm trying to learn how to wirelessly control more than one train at a time. Research suggests my trains can do more when certain features are activated by a fancy remote.  I need help with this!

Happy Modeling

- T

Hi TrainGoon,

DCC is a command control system developed in the late 80's by Bernd Lenz.  Mr. Lenz made his system available to the NMRA and NEMA (European equivalent of NMRA) and all other manufacturers free of charge so long as they all agreed to publish their interface protocols.  It turned out to be the right technology and idea at that moment and DCC became the "standard" command control system in all segments of model railroading except 3-rail O.

In the early 90's when DCC was becoming popular in other scales it gained little traction in 3-rail O for several good reasons.  One, 3-rail O traditionally has had very large current draw with lots of lighted passenger car, big motors, and accessories.  The cost of DCC is directly related to the amount of current that can be provided.  Even medium sized O gauge layouts would need over $1000 in DCC hardware to duplicate their power capacity.  Two, DCC requires the motor to be insulated from the frame of the locomotive.  In 3-rail O most of the locomotives ever made used a chassis ground to supply power to the motors.  Insulating the motor would require a fair amount of work to modify each locomotive and in many cases required a complete replacement.  Third, making such modifications is anathema to collectors who seeks original condition.  Collectors have always had a larger presence in 3-rail O than in other scales and are a major market driver.  An operator who modifies his locomotives has to accept that he is destroying much of his resale value.

In response to the market Lionel and MTH developed their own command control systems that were less costly with high amperage draw and backward compatible with conventional AC track power.  Lionel's original system, TMCC, used the DCC command codes but employs a different technology (low power RF) to communicate the commands.  In order to use the DCC command codes Lionel was required to publish their interface protocols.  Lionel's newer command system, Legacy, continues to use the RF transmission technology, but expands the command codes.  Legacy is not bound by the DCC regulations and Lionel has chosen not to publish the interface protocols.  MTH developed its own command control system, DCS, with unique command codes and two-way communication through the rails.  MTH has never published its interface protocols.

DCS is unique among the three systems in that it is compatible with both DC and AC track power.  MTH offers locomotives with ProtoSound 2 and/or ProtoSound 3 electronics in 3-rail O, 2-rail O, No.1 gauge, standard gauge, HO 2-rail, HO 3-rail (Marklin), and soon in S scale.  ProtoSound 3 locomotives are compatible with both DCS and DCC.

You said in your first post that your O scale layout has 3 MTH sets and one Bachmann.  To get the most out of your 3 MTH sets you will need a DCS set (#50-1001 - $280 street price).  That includes a remote control and TIU (track interface unit).  As you move into HO you could use the same DCS set to run both your O and HO layouts, but you would be limiting yourself to only MTH HO engines.  MTH makes some of the best locomotives in HO and is the only manufacturer with consistent speed control, but they are also one of the higher priced manufacturers.  If you purchase HO DCC equipped engines from other manufacturers you will want to get a DCC system.  Personally, I'm very fond of NCE's DCC systems.  You can get an entry level DCC system with wired remote for around $150 and a wireless system for about $450.

For your HO, and at an easy-to-use entry level for DCC, you might also want ot consider Bachmann's E-Z Command DCC system or their more feature-laden Dynamis system.  I just purchased the E-Z Command system for my On30 layout, and it cost me $103 from Amazon.com.

Thank you both so much for the help!  Since my O scale layout is at my Brooklyn house, and my HO layout is at my summer house in Upstate NY, I don't want one remote to be shared amongst the two layouts.  I will definetely look into the E-Z Command system.  Thank you both so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So for the Bachmann E-Z command system, does it come with everything I need?  Do I have to program trains or anything (not that i know what that means)?

Wait, just noticed that I'm not planning on using Bachmann track, I'm using Life Like Power Loc track.  

Also, I noticed something I'm worried about:  The sound my MTH subways make on my O scale layout really add life to the layout.  Sound is in the engine, not the transformer, right?  So DCC wouldn't make my trains produce sound unless they are capable of making sound.  

I just want to fact check that^^?

Hi TrainGooon,

Sound equipped engines are readily available in HO but are not as dominant as in O.  In HO most models are available with DCC "decoders" and sound or as a straight conventional DC engine without sound or command control.  Be careful when shopping to get the version you prefer.  IMHO the best sound decoders in HO are the MTH PS3, QSI Quantum, and SoundTraxx Tsunami.  The PS3 only comes in MTH products.  Tsunami and Quantum decoders come pre-installed in several brands including Athearn, Atlas, Rapido, and Walthers.  One thing that all these decoders have in common is that they support 29 "functions."  In DCC parlance functions are used to control any locomotive feature such as lighting, sound, smoke, couplers, etc.  If you purchase sound equipped engines that require 29 functions (F0-28) you will want a DCC system that will support 29 functions.

The E-Z command is a good starter system is well suited to small layouts.  However, it dose not support 29 functions.  I would suggest looking at the NCE PowerCab ($156), Digitrax Zephyr XTRA ($180), and the MRC Prodigy Express ($132).  Each of these systems supports 29 functions and has enough power to run a small layout.

All the DCC engines and systems require some amount of programming to function.  All of them will run out of the box by simply entering the default engine address (3), but few engines run well on factor defaults.  Most require programming of the speed steps (14/28/128), speed profile, and address.  The MTH PS3 engines are one of the few exceptions.  They come out of the box set to 128 speed steps with the address set to the cab number and the speed profile programmed so each speed step equals 1 smph.  You can pretty well take an MTH engine out of the box and enjoy it as is.

Programming is one of the big factors separating DCC systems.  Programming is much more involved in DCC and much more common than in O.  If you want most new HO engines to run well you will need to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours programming them.  One of the reasons I like the NCE DCC systems is that they greatly simplify the programming with fairly straight forward on-screen menus.  Most other entry level systems don't have much of a display screen and programming can get very complicated.

Don't worry about the track brand.  All the DCC systems will work with Life Like track.

Yes, it comes with everything needed.  You will need one or more DCC equipped (DCC on-board) locomotives to operate with the system.

It also does not matter which HO track system you use.  I am using Atlas HO track for my On30 trains, and will soon switch to Peco.

Here's a link to Bachmann E-Z Command FAQs.

DCC is the best thing to come along in HO, all new decoders comes preprogramed as number 3 with the Bachmann EZ Command you can run up to 10 locomotives at the same time, you can also make them look real running them front to back, I run 6 locomotives at the same time all signed to number 3.     

T,

Dave has given you a great rundown on the various command systems.

However, I get the impression in your original post that you might be saying that you are thinking of running both your present O gauge equipment and your HO layout with the same system???

I just want to emphasize part of what he and others said. The DCC systems described above will run decoder equipped HO engines and On30, but they will not run the O gauge equipment you described.

Go back over what Dave said for details, but basically, I just wanted to make it clear that you will want DCC for HO, but DCS and/or Legacy (TMCC) (different systems by different manufacturers) for O gauge command control.

Jim

You're welcome, TG.

Just wanted to check to make sure. Sometimes we answer questions here, but miss the obvious.

Good luck with both your layouts.

Jim