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DCC in Z scale

Special Considerations in Z Scale

Voltage is the prime concern, you need to keep the voltage down to avoid melting motors and sometimes lamps. If your supply cannot be turned down enough, make one or more full wave bridges using "fast recovery" diodes and put in series with the power to the track. The fast diodes will keep from messing up the DCC signal (rounding off the "corners").Here's an exampleFR601DICT-ND from Digikey

Some Z is fine on 8 volts, some 10. Many systems will only go down to 12v. Remember that the voltage to the motor is NOT the same as the track voltage, but usually a couple of volts lower. My PowerCab puts just about 13v DCC to the rails, so I have standardized on that voltage. This should supply 10-11 volts to the motor after the decoder "drop".

Decoders for Z scale

There are some "drop in" decoders for Micro-Trains locos, I believe only ones in current production are TCS. Digitrax used to make one.

Z scale DCC notes from Jeff Merrill

You can improve the speed in the SD70's. One issue with all the locos, from MTL's early F7s to the GP and AZL's SD's: the two halves of the motor housing exert pressure on the internal parts causing slight binding. As anyone that has had an MTL F7 knows, simply loosening the screws on the motor housing (ever so little) can make a big difference. Same with the GPs and somewhat with the SD's.

There are some other issues with the AZL SD's that Robert Ray discovered. They drive the axle worm gear through a flexible plastic tube. This is not always perfectly 'slid' on the motor shaft or worm gear, creating a sort of binding. More significant it seems is the worm gear bushings are swivelling balls with through holes. These are held in place by a black plastic block. The block has a tapered shape and fits tight into the motor halves. It appears that this compresses enough to hold the brass bushing too tight so it does not freely move with the gear flexing. I have filed mine down (removed the taper) so that it fits more freely in the motor halves. I got about a 30% speed improvement with a bit less current demand. Rob got at least a 50% improvement, at least as fast as the GP.

Of course, with any loco, there are a lot of gears so make sure they run freely too. Check the lubrication (thin, viscous, plastic compatible oil like Labelle 108) and frequently clean and re lube, not just re lube as it will get gummy over time, especially the motor bearings in a Marklin engine (NOT a GP or SD !)

What's available in decoders:

TCS (Train Control Systems)

• Z2 - 12.95 x 6.65 x 2.79 mm - 1 amp cont / 2 amp peak / 2 function 60 ma total / wired
• MZA4 - 1 amp cont / 2 amp peak / 4 function 80 ma total / drop in for MT GP9, GP35, SD40

Uhlenbrock

• 73400 - 10.8 x 7.5 x 2.4 - has SUSI interface

Zimo

• MX621 - 12 x 6.5 x 2 - motor and function - 4 function outputs, .7 amp continuous - SECOND SMALLEST DECODER MADE
• MX646 - 28 x 10.5 x 4 - motor, function and sound - 4 function outputs - servo control,  1 amp continuous
• MX642 - 30 x 15 x 4.5 - motor, function and sound -
• MX648 - 20 x 11 x 4 - motor, function, sound, susi, servos -  SMALLEST SOUND DECODER MADE

CT Electronik

• DCX76zD - 6.9 x 6.1 x 1.7 mm - 4 function - SMALLEST DECODER MADE
• DCX75 - 11 x 7.2 x 1.4 - 6 wire -
• DCX75/N - 6 pin NEM 651 interface
• DCX74D - 13 x 9 x 1.5 mm - 7 wire version - 2 function outputs
• DCX74DV - 13 x 9 x 1.5 - 9 wire"full"version - 4 function outputs
• GE70 - 24 x 9 x 3.5 mm- sound and xx function decoder 
• SL75 - 24 x 9 x 3.5 mm - sound, motor and xx function

Lenz

• Gold Mini "Plus" - 11 x 9 x 2.6

NCE - (North Coast Engineering)

• Z14SR - 14.2 x 8.6 x 3.2 mm -

Digitrax

• DZ125 - 10.6 x 8.7 x 2.86 mm -
• DZ123M0 - drop in work

ESU

• Loksound Micro v3.5 - 28 mm x 10mm x 5mm sound and motor and 2 functions
• Loksound Micro v4.0 - 25mm x 10.6mm x 3.8mm - sound, motor, 4 functions
• Lokpilot micro v3.0 - 13.5 x 9.0 x 3.5 mm - motor and 4 function
• LokPilot Fx - 13.5 x 9.0 x 3.5mm -function only - 6 functions

Soundtraxx

• Micro Tsunami 25.4 x 12.7 x 5.6 mm

Ngineering

• N8031B - not really a decoder, but super mars light simulator, uses 3 LEDs, up to 18v supply.   7.9 x 7.9 x 3 mm

DCC Manufacturer ID table:

• 001 CML Electronics Limited UK
• 002 Train Technology
• 011 NCE Corporation (formerly North Coast Engineering) US
• 012 Wangrow Electronics US
• 013 Public Domain & Do-It-Yourself Decoders
• 014 PSI – Dynatrol US
• 015 Ramfixx Technologies (Wangrow) CA/US
• 017 Advanced IC Engineering, Inc.
• 018 JMRI
• 019 AMW
• 062 Tams Elektronik GmbH
• 066 Railnet Solutions, LLC
• 068 MAWE Elektronik
• 071 New York Byano Limited
• 073 The Electric Railroad Company
• 085 Uhlenbrock GmbH DE
• 087 RR-CirKits
• 095 Sanda Kan Industrial (1981) Ltd.
• 097 Doehler & Haas DE
• 099 Lenz Elektronik GmbH DE
• 101 Bachmann Industries US
• 103 Nagasue System Design Office JP
• 105 Computer Dialysis France FR
• 109 Viessmann Modellspielwaren GmbH DE
• 111 Haber & Koenig Electronics GmbH (HKE) AT
• 113 QS Industries (QSI) US
• 115 Dietz Modellbahntechnik DE
• 117 cT Elektronik AT
• 119 W. S. Ataras Engineering US
• 121 ECCO GmbH (Tentative)
• 123 Massoth Elektronik, GmbH DE
• 125 ProfiLok Modellbahntechnik GmbH DE
• 127 Atlas Model Railroad Products US
• 129 Digitrax US
• 131 TRIX Modelleisenbahn DE
• 132 ZTC UK
• 133 Intelligent Command Control US
• 135 CVP Products US
• 137 A-Train Electronics US
• 139 RealRail Effects US
• 141 Throttle-Up (Soundtrax) US
• 143 Model Rectifier Corp. US
• 145 Zimo Elektronik AT
• 147 Umelec Ing. Buero CH
• 149 Rock Junction Controls US
• 151 Electronic Solutions Ulm GmbH DE
• 153 Train Control Systems US
• 155 Gebr. Fleischmann GmbH & Co. DE
• 157 Kuehen Ing. DE
• 159 LGB (Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk) DE
• 161 ROCO Modellspielwaren AT
• 163 WP Railshops CA
• 165 Model Electronic Railway Group
• 170 AuroTrains US/IT
• 173 Arnold – Rivarossi DE
• 186 Brawa Modellspielwaren GmbH DE
• 204 Con-com CH
• 238 NMRA reserved