[Brian]

Hi all
I'm a total novice where DCC is concerned, so please be gentle with me!

The last time I had anything to do with DCC was in the 1970, when Hornby introduced their Zero One system. While this worked reasonably it did suffer from large chip size, motor incompatibility (Some motors overheated) and high resistance rails to wheel connections causing loss of data signal.
I am about to start wiring my new layout and until now I had only thought about a conventional common return DC system. However, I can see the advantages of DCC - two or more loco's running on same track etc.
If I decided to go down the DCC route what would you DCC experts suggest…
1) Do I buy two of everything - one setup (DCControl system) for the down line and the another for the up line etc or is one control system only needed? If one system how do you control up and down trains together without separate controllers or being a multitasker? My brain only works in 'slow mode' these days, so knowing which loco has what address is mind-blowing to me when perhaps four or more trains could be thundering around the layout on two tracks in differing directions!
2) Would my stock (some early 1990's locos - Hornby, Lima, Bachmann etc) run on these newer systems of DCC ok.
3) Are there still problems of 'loss of signal' due to high resistance connection (wheels to rail) which causes poor performance?
4) What general information - Web based, DVD or book form do you suggest for an electrically sound, but novice DCC beginner?

 

[Brian]

Thanks all for your replies
I have now ordered the book from Amazon at an amazing £4.99 plus p&p.

So I'll soon be reading all about DCC once it arrives and be back with more questions no doubt!

Hi TVBG - In answer to Point 3 and your question, I already have laid a 1.5mm bare copper wire all around the layout in ring fashion (as a bus bar)which was going to be used for the DC systems common return, but now with the possibility of using DCC I might run a second 1.5 ring too. Your views if this is correct/ideal etc?
BTW assuming I continue to use conventional point and signal operation (Non DCC) can one of these DCC bus bar command ring wires be common to the conventional system?

 

[Brian]

Now extremely serious about taking this huge step and changing over to DCC.
But I don't have a fortune available, so I'm looking for something around the £200 mark as a start.

I have seen the new Gaugemaster Prodigy set and rather like the look of this, but I also know all this really is, is an imported MRC Prodigy Advanced system from the USA with a Gaugemaster label stuck on it! I can buy, direct from the USA, a Prodigy Advanced set up for around £160 with four decoders thrown in.
So my question is...Does anyone own an imported Prodigy Advanced system and what are their views on it?? Is it worth the money Does it work well etc etc?
(BTW in case anyone looked, this question has also been asked on the MSD forum too - though over there they do seem to suffer from a lack of forum input!)

Cheers

 

[Brian]

HI TVBG
Not 100% sure what you mean by "Ashford site" Yes I live in Ashford Kent and Yes again, I used my electrical knowledge to try an unravel LiseP4's diagram. But I may be totally off course here?

I am sound electrically in DC systems but DCC is new to me (other than many years ago a short encounter with Hornby's Zero 1!)

I still like the Prodigy Advanced (Especially the price!) but I would really like to hear from someone who's already using it.
I hadn't considered import tax! though shipping costs are included in the final price shown. Not sure what to do now?

Take care.
Brian