Who's Online

We have 30 guests and no members online

DCC systems, how to decide?

 

Which system to use?

This is, of course, a subject of endless debate.

Every system has it's strengths and weaknesses.

I'll present some of my thoughts here.

Starting the decision process

First, you really need to think about how you want your layout to operate when it's "finished".

If you are sure you will use just a few locos, and limited use of advanced functions, maybe you should reconsider if you want DCC at all. Wireless battery operation has a lot going for it. No track power, no worrying about cleaning track, relatively low cost if you have just a few locos, or run a trailing car with batteries and a receiver.

OK, now my opinion: if you are going to run DCC, do NOT get a limited system, entry system, or components you will stop using when your layout grows towards completion.

(in my opinion, this leaves out LGB, CVP, Bachmann, etc.)

Also, think long and hard about systems that are not really 100% DCC. There are many systems out there that are half and half.

I would recommend you choose from NCE, Zimo, Digitrax, Lenz, or Massoth.

These are the big boys, and these are the companies where the next great set of features will come from.

Which one?

Remember that your decoder selection is pretty much independent of the control system you use.

What was NOT important to me:

  1. I am not into transponding in an outdoor layout. On a large club layout indoors, with multiple blocks, etc, transponding is fun, but I walk alongside the trains, or run them where I can see them at all times, so there is no big benefit for me.
  2. I am not wanting automated remote control built into the DCC system. In my opinion that is somewhat limited, I will JMRI software if I want this, and it supports most DCC systems.
  3. Many DCC systems also provide "streamlined" methods of programming THEIR decoders. Again, I want the freedom to choose, and all the systems listed above program easily, and also again, I can get a free software that supports everything from a computer.

That helped me eliminate "false advantages" from various systems. Often the advantages touted of systems are unique features for only their hardware.

Now that I have leveled the playing field, what is important to me were the things I would use most of the time:

  1. Selecting a train
  2. Easily consisting multiple locomotives into one train (MU diesels, doubleheading steam, adding helpers)
  3. Controlling accessories (mostly turnouts)
  4. Operating the sound systems' features.
  5. Reliable and extensible wireless control
  6. Throttles that are easy to see and operate
  7. Good feature list

In addition:

  1. History of updates for features or bugs or enhancements
  2. Good customer service record
  3. Good support on forums, i.e. user base

Basically, using the system will be centered around the throttle, how easy it is to use, i.e. the user interface. (Each of the major systems has a bus that connects the throttles/radio base stations to the controller (which transmits the DCC commands), and they are pretty much equal, no big differences in terms of implementation.

  1. From my long experience with software, I know that the fastest way to operate a system is a bunch of dedicated "buttons", as opposed to multiple levels of menus).
  2. The display should be large, not just the size of the display, but the information on it. A large display with teeny characters is no good.
  3. Extra"fluff" in the information screen is of no real utility to me. I don't really care to know the voltage or current at the expense of smaller characters on the speed or function status.
  4. I surely do not need "cutesy" pictures of trains or graphic symbols that don't mean anything to most people

For me, the NCE pro cab won hands down.

An additional consideration was wireless operation. The NCE wireless controller works and looks exactly like the wired one. Also, I liked the fact that it is a duplex system, i.e. when you press a button, you get confirmation that the command was received. If you send a command and do not know if it was received, then it's difficult to tell what the problem is.