Hi Dave - I'm certainly no expert at any of this game but I speak as someone who's currently going through the change from DC to DCC.
By the sounds of it your present layout is a little more advanced than mine - I've decided to take the plunge just after having laid the track on my layout and prior to starting any wiring.
The original plan was to operate on DC with three sections and many isolating sections. I umm'd and ahh'd for a long time, but like you wanted to explore the possibilities that DCC has to offer and didn't want to limit myself and not be able to take advantage of future advances (I'm an N gauger obviously, so sound is a little way off for me I think!)
After consulting this forum (see here) I settled on designing the layout for DC and DCC operation. Richard's advice on my thread has been particularly helpful.
To answer your question I wouldn't say that your work to date has been a waste at all. The fundamental ideas of DCC and DC wiring seem to me to be the same, good wiring practices should be employed and you won't go far wrong. Aside from using thicker wire, I've so far wired the layout exactly for DCC as I would have done for DC.
Oh and finally - I'm electrically challenged and not only am I not finding it difficult, but I'm loving doing it.
By the sounds of it your present layout is a little more advanced than mine - I've decided to take the plunge just after having laid the track on my layout and prior to starting any wiring.
The original plan was to operate on DC with three sections and many isolating sections. I umm'd and ahh'd for a long time, but like you wanted to explore the possibilities that DCC has to offer and didn't want to limit myself and not be able to take advantage of future advances (I'm an N gauger obviously, so sound is a little way off for me I think!)
After consulting this forum (see here) I settled on designing the layout for DC and DCC operation. Richard's advice on my thread has been particularly helpful.
To answer your question I wouldn't say that your work to date has been a waste at all. The fundamental ideas of DCC and DC wiring seem to me to be the same, good wiring practices should be employed and you won't go far wrong. Aside from using thicker wire, I've so far wired the layout exactly for DCC as I would have done for DC.
Oh and finally - I'm electrically challenged and not only am I not finding it difficult, but I'm loving doing it.
