[odiaz]

Hi David...

In Spain the majority of layouts that i know, have the rolling stock in digital and the layout (points, lights, etc) in analogue. All of advantages of the digital world in your locos and the manual control funny in your layout

Regards from Spain,
Oscar

 

[odiaz]

Adding to the exposed by Brian and Neil, the wiring will be more easy than an analogue layout.

In the basics, you only need two wires to control all the locomotives. You only have to isolate sectors in the case that you need more than one booster (one per sector).

The digital control makes the layout traffic more realistic. Not only with the lights on the locomotives. You can add a BM1 module by lenz in the signal lights (or semaphores.... I don't know where the correct expression in english). With the BM1, when the red light is on, it is generated a signal that the locomotive decoder starts a deceleration to stop within a desired section of line (only with gold and silver lenz decoders or anyone that supports the ABC signals). This is a little example......

Regards from Spain,
Oscar

 

[odiaz]

Fit a decoder in some locos, are hard but not impossible. You can buy a very, very small decoders. Some can be fitted in a z scale locomotives (not in all of course).

Now i'm working to fit a ct electronic decoder into a small shunting loco. The heavy work are to cut to part of the chassis and electronic circuit to fit it.

Best regards from Spain,
Oscar

 

[odiaz]

All the locos are convertibles to digital. Any of my locos have Nem socket for the decoder. If you know how to solder 4 wires you can digitalize the loco. The big problem is the space to fit the decoder

The cost? it depends. I recommend to you maintain the layout in analogue and digitize the locos little by little (sorry, but any expressions are difficult to translate to me). Hornby and bachman have a low cost decoders mades by lenz.

In the digital control in spain we have the idea of we need a very big central (great donkey, walks or it does not walk). In my modest opinion, with a multimouse by roco, Bachmann dinamys or hornby elite it is sufficient and are good options. I have a Bachmann EZ-Command and i'm very happy with it.

Best regards from Spain,
Oscar