i am after some advice i refcently got rid of my 00 gauge track trains etc etc and had run DCC as personally i found it so much easier as i am hopeless at soldering and didnt want to mess around with loads of wires etc like you do on normal DC
the layout i am planning on N gauge is in the PECO N gauge track plan booklet cannot remember what page i thinkg its near the middle however i LOVE the fact that on DCC you can run more than one train at different speeds on the same section of track as with dcc its one train per sections and one speed.
I was in my local model shop yesterday and spoke to the lady about my intentions off now going N gauge and she seemed determined to talk me out of going DCC on N gauge i was kind of put off this as she has giving me false information before and was just wondering if this was her way of doing it again. I kept my Bachmann Dynamiss DCC controller as i know this works on the n gauge by simply connecting the track wires into the controller and hey presto the track is lived up.
I also noticed that there are not any HST'S in DCC which is a real disapointment as this is a 8ft long x 6ft wide layout it would be excellent to see a HST speeding along that length with a rake of coaches
sorry for the long winded question but i was wondering what your opinion of using the bachmann dynmis is on N gauge as a controller and should i go ahed with the DCC plans or should i advert back to trailing wires and just going plain DC
many thanks in advance
also forgot to ask when i st arted out on n gauge i got the very basic graham farish starter kit where you get the controller the little green steam tank engine and 3 wagons with the 8 bits of curved track
what i ment to ask was the curves that you get in the graham farish starter track what make of peco st track do the match is it the ST-12's ?????????? anyone know just so i know what track i have what i dont as my friend gave me lots of N gauge to help my layout but not any curves mainly straights and the small points
I also got the same starter pack because I could use the controller to run locos in on DC before putting a decoder in.
I also bought the set track starter set,this was a mistake really because all the curves are radius one and some locos don't like it.If you've got room it seems better to use medium or large radius points and bigger radius curves,in fact I vowed to use just lengths of code 80 flexitrack for my next layout after I've finished making all the newby mistakes with the present one,also means less droppers to solder in.
Personally I think DCC is the way to go and makes the track wiring really simple especially if all the points are manually operated.
Allan
Hi Londonboi
If i were you,first off i would find another model shop were they will give you good,positive advice about N Gauge.
You already have the Dynamis which is a good system to begin learning about DCC so why go back to DC.If you look here http://www.ehattons.com/stocklist/prodlist.aspx?ManID=24&PrTyID=47&ScID=2
you will find HSTs that are DCC ready which means you only need to fit a NEM 6pin decoder.
Seems to me you are all set to discover the wonderful world of N Gauge....and you only have to ask here,
on the forum for good advice......... :thumbsup:
I've used DC N Gauge loco's for almost 20 years, but I love my four DCC loco's.. Once you get going there'll no stopping you! :)
Hi Londonboi
I agree that you should disregard the rather shortsighted advice given at your local model shop.
N gauge is eminently suitable for DCC and is getting better all the time. Like you I started off in DCC with the Bachmann Dynamis shortly after it was released, after running DC systems on and off for about forty years. (previous to that I modelled in that 00 gauge) I found the Dynamis a good start into the wonderful world of digital control, but soon realised it's limitations. I now use a Gaugemaster Advance 2, but keep my Dynamis as backup and for testing and runining in locos off the layout.
You will make lots of mistakes, we all have, which of course is a learning curve towards efficiently running DCC locomotives and accessories. You do have an advantage over us olduns though, as you have the experience and advice from genuine N gauge enthusiasts within this Forum.
I wish you well in your modelling
Bill
thanks for the advice this is not the 1st time i have been giving duff advice from that shop so me thinkgs i will be pestering you lot for a while lol,
i have used dcc for over a year on 00 gauge and it was so so simple to set up tracks using the track joiner things like staples and absoloutly loved it so much better well thansk for that all i need now is to get my track and start laying and playing lol pics will follow peeps
oh did any of you get my questions about that oval of track that you get with that graham farish oval starter set what track is the same in peco ST track is it the ST-12 ?????????
:Class414:
Been DC for all my modelling life until last September (2010) when I was at a presentation given by a bloke who, while not an expert, had been DCC for a while and rather than talking it up, merely talked about his experiences. I was sufficiently interested in what he said I had a long chat after the presentation, went to the hobby shop he had got his starter set from the next day and did like wise. Brought it back here to Longreach and sent off to Hatton's for a pair of Bachmann DCC chips (cheap as which is why I got them - no point in spending too much to see and I figured if the basics had me hooked then I could upgrade!). When they arrived I dropped them into my pair of Class 24's and had a play. Converted. Since then done a few others and even did my first conversion job (which you can read about here: http://sithlordsrailwayblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/dcc-conversion.html (http://sithlordsrailwayblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/dcc-conversion.html). While I haven't done much since (lack of time!) I have plans for converting my fleet of BR Blue diesels starting in October (when the self imposed purchase ban is lifted and my hobby bank balance has recovered from the last round of spending :D)
From my limited experience - it is easy as and well worth the effort, especially if starting. Since you have the OO experience, I would imagine you would have a much shallower learning curve than I did.
Quote from: londonboi1985 on August 13, 2011, 10:42:24 AM
oh did any of you get my questions about that oval of track that you get with that graham farish oval starter set what track is the same in peco ST track is it the ST-12 ?????????
:Class414:
It's the smallest radius that Peco do approx 9",look in the front of the Set track plans book and you'll see which it is.
It's standard Code 80 track so you can use any Peco Code 80 stuff.
Allan.
Sorry to sound ddumb but would them curvess not work with peco st track then??? On dcc
Quote from: londonboi1985 on August 13, 2011, 02:25:40 PM
Sorry to sound ddumb but would them curvess not work with peco st track then??? On dcc
They are st track if st means set track.Makes no difference whether DC or DCC.
Allan
Aaahh ok are they st 6 st 7 st 8 etc do you know
Here is the Peco set track geometry diagram which shows how the pieces fit together in relation to each other to form circuits.
http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/1999_1_22336.html
Quote from: londonboi1985 on August 13, 2011, 04:58:06 AM
I also noticed that there are not any HST'S in DCC which is a real disapointment as this is a 8ft long x 6ft wide layout it would be excellent to see a HST speeding along that length with a rake of coaches
I think you'll find the Dapol one is and with lightbars in the coaches can also be fully lit.
The later Bachmann Farish one is a fairly easy conversion but does need a spot of soldering. With a bit of care you can squeeze sound into the motorised car too which is cool except I've not found an N sized speaker that can properly capture the ear blasting scream of an original engined HST pulling away.