37. Introduction to DCC for your Model Railway, Decoder install and DCC Basics 

DCC was designed by a British Electrical Engineer back in the early 1980's, and was itself a spin off from work he was doing for the Government. However he wasn't a Railway Engineer, and had no idea that real railways have what are called "Block signalling systems" to totally control the movement of ALL trains. So the basic electrical methods created for DCC were locked in stone, before it was realised there is a gaping hole in this system. The "gapping hole" being that DCC has no provision to cope with the moving interface between trains and signals, such as a modern computer power signalbox. Indeed because many manufacturers now make DCC equipment they are obliged to use the "agreed" basics or their products would not interface with other manufacturers DCC products. What all this means is that DCC is admirably suitable for a persons home Toy Train Set, where you drive your model trains wherever you like, irrespective of any real life rule prohibiting such movements. But if you understand real railways and want to operate your "Model Railway" layout as per real life, this is currently impossible, no matter how many DCC accessories you might add !!! To turn DCC into an effective "Computer Signalbox" is possible. But would need the capacity of a PC, and a CD Rom for the signalling software applicable to your chosen countries signalling rules. Into the computer you would have to put YOUR layouts trackplan. So the software could then devise the complex "Interlocking" to suit the position of points, signals, & trains. In other words the system also needs to know the exact location of all trains, or it cannot function. Until such a system is devised, DCC is currently unsuited to realistic type Model Railways. Fleischmann the German RTR company tried to do just this 20 years ago. But it was killed stone dead by the Huge American model train club (The NMRA with near 1 Million members) who refused to give the new system their seal of approval, so killing sales in the large US market before they could even start ! Therefore if realistic operation in line with real signalling & movement rules is desired. You have two choices. The first being "MERGE" a computer method of controlling layouts, the technology and details available from the Merge Club/Society. Or Option Two: You use a traditional 12v DC wiring system and add the real life "Interlocking" between signals, points & trains, using cheap relays and track circuits yourself. (All my exhibition layouts for nearly 40 years have done just this, although maybe I should add, I'm a qualified ex BR Railway Engineer, so understand how to figure out complex "Interlocking"). Happy Modelling 😝.

Finally someone has put a DCC tutorial with no hi tech jargon that beginners can understand 👍

This was a great introduction. I can’t wait to help my nephew start his own layout. Thank you so much. 👍

I’ve been looking in to DCC for a month or so as my children want to get in to model railways. This is by far the most understandable and beginner friendly introduction & explanation I’ve found so far. Thank you very much.

Thanks for going through the DCC system. You made it easier to understand.

Very clear, simple explanation with no gimmicks. Well done. Congratulations. An object lesson for others!

I don't know? I've been a DC runner since my first electric trainset (HO/OO),when I was 7. It was a VR rail (Australia,Vic. Rail), Spirit of Progress engine with 3 passenger cars, dining,sleeper car and baggage car . I still have this to this day!! Although unfortunately the engine stopped working when I was 8 , when I was messing around with the wires on the (Hornby) transformer and shorted out the motor by putting the two wires together on the same rail!! I was a curious kid back then. My parents bought me another diesel loco that Christmas, a Lima brand , Italian made , with another passenger car( a British buffet car), some Australian rolling stock container cars,an Ampol fuel tank car ,a passenger overpass,a train platform,BP trackside diesel bowser(these of course were model kits mostly by Heljan), and some figures!! That was a good Christmas that year!! Probably didn't deserve it all but parents being parents have that unconditional love for their own that I realised when I became a parent. I know I'm raving on a bit (I don't go out much anymore.... sorry.. joke that) What I want to say is that even though I ran on DC

That was helpful. I been working on a 4x8 N scale layout. I was given a shitload of N scale trains with 8 dcc locos. And other locos that are DC, but Included was 5 new decoders for the other locos. Digitrax super chief Xtra. Brand new. I do not have a clue what to do with this stuff.

As somebody who has no knowledge of model railways, I found this very educational and interesting.

great, you made this very easy to understand and now want to do.. thanks!..

That was very well done Dad! I've almost got it!

Thank you for your helpful video!!!!! I am new in train modelling , since my chlidhood i loved it but never i had practice on it. but its never too late! greetings from athens

Many thanks for a truly simple explanation of how to go dcc. You may have just converted me to change my dc layout over. I do think that James Smiths comment just confuses the hell out of it all so I just dismissed everything he wrote. This is a video for beginners not purist idiots.

Thank you for this easy to understand tutorial.

Easily explained, thank you. Just deciding whether to go to dcc or not. Cheers

Awesome video - you explained all the aspects of DCC that I’d never really understood. I’ll definitely be switching to DCC now. Been avoiding it for years, but it’ll give me easy operation running multiple trains in different directions from the same platform just like I see at Birmingham New Street every day.

Superb clear explanation...

Great tutorial for beginners. Simple and uncomplicated. Thanks!

Thanks for this “starter” video - most helpful 😊👍🏼

That was interesting Mark - I was unaware you could have two locos going in the opposite direction on the same loop. Very useful tutoria cheers Euan

Thanks, that’s a great intro to DCC! Very helpful!

Great intro to DCC

Only a few days left I am sure until get on television about the reopening the Western Rail Corridor.

Very well done and brilliant first-steps education! A1 Mark!

Thx Marc that was a great insight in to DCC I always wondered how it worked and how difficult it would be to set up thx again 👍

Nice one Mark, Im currently on DC but maybe thinking of going DCC at some point in the future, stay safe mate :)

Very helpful advice, nice and clear description too. Thank you. Just starting to venture into DCC so appreciated this video.

Thank you

Great intro and explanation Mark 👍

Very good and easy to understand! I Keep looking for information because I am brand new to the hobby. Thank you for your help!

Thank you very much just what I've been looking for very well explained by the way I love the intro music sounded like clanad cheers

thank you for your introduction to DCC simple and informative keep them coming

Great introduction to DCC. My layout is DC as are all of my locos and nanybif them are old Tri ang Hornby and I am now looking at fitting isolation fish plates as it is getting complicated given I have two main tracks with four tracks going through a station and at the other end, I have two sidings in each direction so that I can have two trains in each direction waiting. I might start to cull my collection and while doing that I might begin the swap over. I have a digital controller like the one you have and one chip. A big leap but it might be the best way forward. Thanks for sharing👍

that was very informative and well explained and this will be very helpful for anyone who is getting into DCC.

Great video.

Thanks.

Well explained, thank you.

Great video for those of us who had model railways decades ago and are now considering getting back into the hobby (realizing just how much DCC has changed things!) But my question is - how do DCC trains handle reverse loops, especially when the locos come back on to the "main line" that, in the DC world, would have to have its polarity switched while the loco was on the reverse loop?

very interesting to know Mark

On that later video can you speak to the topic of which decider iWork’s best with the various older locos ? Thanks

That was really good Mark, thank you. You've got me thinking now! I am modelling in very old Hornby Dublo 3 rail. I wonder if I can go down the route of DCC?

Nice! Thanks for making this so clear to understand. Are there dcc starter kits for o scale trains?

Hi, Great video. I have just picked up my old 009 layout from my parents house after 25 years. I need some new loco's can you run an DCC loco in a DC layout and do i need to do anything? thanks

If I have mix of older DC engines and DCC, can I switch controller to DC and then run only DC engines? I guess if I would use DC engines when using DCC controller would make them go at high constant speed? Am a bit new to there things 😊

Hi Donegal Dad. I've been building a model railway over the past couple years using a standard Hornby R8250 DC controller. I'm looking into changing to the Hornby R8213 you show here, but some that I come across online say that you can only access functions F0 - F8. What does this mean? I cant find any info on what this even means. If you or anybody knows I'd appreciate it a lot. Thank you and thanks for all the informative videos.

Thanks for making this, very clear and easy to understand. Only thing I wasn’t sure on is the “DCC Sound” trains. Does that mean it has all the normal DCC control features, plus the speaker for sound output?

I have the DCC Select Digital controller but I am missing the power chord. I have tried a few different laptop battery chords but have not found one to fit correctly. Is there a specific number for that wire?

Eggggggggggggggggggggcellent !

I also have a Lenz decoder, is this unit limited to use on a particular model?

I have a small shunting layout with one main line and multiple sidings I only run one loco at a time but want dcc just for the sounds as I want a class 37 to roar up next to the colliery on the layout would it be worth getting dcc just for sound ? It adds detail I guess

On that particular controller how many line outputs does it have? I plan on run a double loop with a few extras, will I need to hardwire any link wires in? How many lines can you run from this controller?

Hi, I need some help. So for DCC I only need 1 bus wire (connected to any of the 2 loops) in order to power both loops of track?

What controller do you recommend for the 0-4-0 Hornby Thomas? Because I've just started with Hornby and I've got the Hornby flying Scotsman starter set 2023 And when ever I run the Hornby 0-40 Thomas on it with the controller from the flying Scotsman starter set it is always jittering and sometimes I see it's wheels spark. Is that a bad think or do I need a older controller?

Hi I’m doing a basic layout in N gauge which will have 2 tracks for 2 separate trains is that all the wires I need to have from controller to track or do I need to solder lots of wires under each track thanks can you recommend me a basic dcc controller that works with N gauge train set thanks

Is that train set 00 scale in the video

With DCC do you have to connect wires to every loop of track? Say if you have three main loops, is that 3 x lots of connections?

If I have already run my train as a DC locomotive and upgrade it to a DCC locomotive will it still work?

Can I use this controller for N scale layout

Can dc trains run on a dcc line without being chipped? Thanks

I’ve a we dongeal 009 loco I was gona put Alice name plates on her but I mite sell it

Some day someone will put a WiFi module inside a loco plus either a battery or super capacitor and hey presto, all bad connections will disappear.

I guess this is what happens when land is more expensive than steel.

FOR ONCE A PERSON WHO EXPLAINS WITHOUT 'WAFFLEING' ALONG THANKSAND GETS ON WITH IT

That Hornsby DCC is a piece of CRAP!