Learn more about model railroading and digital command control (DCC) from Model Railroader magazine contributing editor Larry Puckett.
Although this channel provides a lot of information on DCC I also do videos on all subjects related to model railroading. I have been a serious model railroader since around 1980 and began working with and writing about DCC in 1994. I was a contributing editor for Model Railroading magazine from 1991-2006 where I wrote general feature articles, product reviews and columns on computer applications and DCC. Since 2015 I have been a contributing editor for Model Railroader magazine and also wrote the monthly DCC Corner column from 2015 until 2020. I have written over 250 articles and 4 books; Practical Guide to Digital Command Control, Wiring Your Model Railroad, Wiring Projects for Your Model Railroad, and DCC Projects and Applications vol. 4.
With the small size of them, and the size of the plate you glued in, you may be able to pkace a second, or a third next to the first, just to exspand the capacitor size
Been using Oxi for three and my trains runs great. I rub on with my finger then I wipe with clean cloth . Bout every 4 to 5 months I clean with alcohol Then rub Oxi on the track and then I wipe! My trains smooth
I've designed a much safer way of using DC & DCC on the same layout. It's a wiring design so any power system can be used on any track. Anyone interested?
I'm confused. My retailer sold me very thin wire for Viessmann DCC and confirmed DCC needed thinner wire than DC! I'm from the old school of DC with 'speaker' wire. Not today's but yesteryear stuff, much like you showed. Regardless, I will use Australian household lighting wire (minimum 10 amp) 1.5mm for my bus lines. Thicker than old 'speaker' wire. In sections / blocks of course. From the ends of each section bus, about 5 - 6 meters back to the controller. I'll also be wiring so I can use DC, DCC or anything else. I've designed a socket and plug arrangement which will allow that WITHOUT the traditional risks. Eg it will be impossible to to back DC into opposite pole DC or DCC. Tip - Do NOT power point motors from track power. Use an accessory power supply. Many reasons, including costs.
Anyone have a solder-less way to connect track to droppers? I've looked at a few options. Peco(and other brand) pre-wired rail joiners. Home made version of those. Spades fixed to track (conductive glue? Solder? Weld?) and power connectors (two pole slip into track). Got all types of other connectors for dropper to bus and all the way to the controller.
Larry forgot to post this after watching your video. Have been watching you for years and all through those years you have helped me personally through some difficult and easy DCC solutions. For me and probably countless others, thank you for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
Cork for cleaning rails ..BIG thumbs up!! A little piece of Masonite hardboard also. There are "track cleaning cars" out there that have sandpaper stuck to a weight? Use the Masonite or cork.
Larry, I have Peco Electrofrog turnouts and connected above ground Peco switch machines. However, they don't seem to have enough power to throw the points as the turnouts come out of the box. Does that mean I must removed the Peco turnouts and take out the srping the lets them finger flick?
That’s a possible solution. But you don’t always need to remove the turnout to take out the spring. I have just used a #17 chisel knife blade slipped between the ties to push the spring out. Another possible issue is the unifrog has a continuous rail instead of a jointed connection between the closure and point rails. This creates a slightly stiffer rail which may also be more than the Peco machine can handle. If that’s the case then you may need a Tortoise or iP Digital switch motor.
@@TheDCCGuythese are code 100 electro frog so the don't have continuous rail. I did try using the above ground peco switch machines but they failed to throw the points so I'm assuming the built in spring is too much to overcome. I'll take a look tomorrow since I'm off from work. Thanks for answering!
Have you used the throttle before or are you totally new to DCC? I have been thinking about doing a series “Beginners Guide to DCC” so this may be a good place to start. Unfortunately with the hurricane and 5-8” of rain headed this way I doubt I will get a video,out this week as planned.
Thanks for your opinion - backed with heaps of experience and good analysis. I'm happy to trust it. I don't have enough personal experience, except to say most of my DCC is factory fitted and seems Ok. I could not tell you what brand decoders! Recently I've been told of LoKSound on a certain model made in Australia burning out quickly. No-one seems to know why. Apparently the model maker and LokSound have replaced with no argument and have tried but still miffed. They were factory fitted. I've since found out the maker is switching to DCC power only decoders. No dual power options in future.
Yes, Rapido had a similar issue a few years ago where LokSound decoders burned out motors. Cost them a bundle to refit motors, decoders, and pay for shipping to and from.
Pretty sure Lenz invented the DCC system. But made it available to all. Hence significant compatibility across DCC. WiFi, radio and Bluetooth are proprietary. In some cases that's not a big issue because free software is provided for phone and pads.
I'm having trouble sinking the digitrax controller. to the engines that I have. Do you have any videos that show exactly what? to do with the controller to program in the engines
Sorry but no, it depends on which throttle you are using and there have been about a dozen different ones. The instructions are pretty straightforward on this so I suggest you mist follow the steps one by one exactly as written.
I've used DeOxit for decades on my audio system. It definitely makes a difference. An audiophile from Japan came over for a listen and commented that he thought the right channel sounded better, clearer. I had only gotten around to cleaning all the right channel connections with DeOxit. I've used DeOxit in my model railroad too, although I was using it straight out of the bottle, which did build up some gunk over time (years), and ironically, seemed to actually improve traction even though the gunk was there. Electrical conductivity was still excellent however. I've never tried diluting it. I would also be careful what kind of isopropyl alcohol is used for dilution. Many isopropyl alcohol products are "rubbing" alcohol and contain some lubricants which we don't want on the tracks. Isopropyl alcohol is also highly flammable.
Interesting, have you contact their tech support to see if you may have a defective mechanism? Although I have not opened up the enclosure it appears to have either a multi-contact DPDT switch inside that reverses the LED, SPDT, and frog circuits simultaneously. I’ll test the one I have as soon as I get time to dig it out of the box again but if you are in the UK a quick call should get you an answer faster.
Those are pretty neat, i am building a small layout and my plan is to use bachmann ez track dcc switches with dcc already built in. I decided this due to footprint, i can blend and cut the plastic roadbed to match my atlas but it gives me a working self contained switch. Even cooler is they have a metal frog that can be powered or unpowered, or you can wire in a frog juicer. I might look into these though for a future build, but what i really want is a extremely small working switch stand.
Really appreciate your videos, especially those on signaling. Every one is valuable even though we model in different scales. In 1:64 we need to do a great deal more scratch building than other scales and your videos a full of useful ideas and circuits.
DCC track oxidation is caused between 'powered wheeled locomotives' and the 'track', causing micro arcing sparks leaving behind a "black residue" a 'carbon build up'. Due to flammable dangers you omitted: * Odorless Mineral Spirits. * Lacquer Thinner. Facts: * Lacquer Thinner --> Melts plastic. * Odorless Mineral Spirits --> Safe with most plastics. * First Aid Antiseptic --> WARNING: Isopropanol = Fumes are very powerful. Lets look at the science of metal conductivity: Odorless mineral spirits, none conductive, not pollard that will 'Not' cause that micro arcing, excellent removing track grime, in (1) to (2) passes.
Talk about being disingenuous. Ron had to clean his track after treating it with NO-OX-ID a whole TWO YEARS after applying it because he was doing RENOVATIONS which created a LOT of dust, and had a bit of trouble with SOME track. He still wholeheartedly recommends using NO-OX-ID. Bottom line is you will ALWAYS have to clean your track, eventually. Two years without having to do so sounds like a win to me.
Actually these have been installed in many Bachmann models due to international requirements for suppression of TV and radio interference so you may find them in some of their US models. However it is recommended that these be removed because they can interfere with the DCC signal and create problems. Some manufacturers even include this recommendation in the instructions included with those models that have them!
Thanks for this one and others that give a much needed review of new products. I really enjoy your how to build videos and these product reviews. Glad you able to do them and I wish you well and good health that is more important. Happy Railroading Larry from an old retired train dispatcher TWS.
You can’t tell anything from colors, my lights are not really color balanced and I don’t both the adjust color so it is what it is. You can actually see the color shift as I go from one scene to another in the videos since the camera takes a few seconds to adjust to light shifts.Because of the bright lights I use I am a little bit darker than what appears on the videos.
