One site out of many

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/intro2dcc.htm is a decent place to start.

Intro to DCC

Tony's DCC Primer by MRH Sponsor Tony's Train Exchange is designed with beginners in mind.

If you Want a book, Lionel Strang wrote one that was very basic I believe.

DCC Made Easy

While I do think that Alan Gartners site, "Wiring for DCC" is a fantastic resource, I stopped recommending it as a beginners guide after Joe Fugate and others pointed out just how in depth the site really is.

I would be interested to hear how you like the Carstens Big Book of DCC.

What about vol 3?

While it is getting a little dated, Joe's vol 3 still offers a good background in the basics http://model-trains-video.com/volume3.phpReally most of the stuff out there is getting dated, as it is with all electronics

Steve

DCC for dummies.

  Welcome to the machine. (old Pink Floyd tune)

 Try this. http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn2/DCC.htm

 By the time something has gone through an editor, publisher, and printing it is already obsolete. The WWW is the way to go for the latest info. I've been into model railroading for about 50 years and into DCC for over 10. Converting some of your old locomotives may be a challenge and some will not be worth the effort. The latest equipment runs so much better than the old pancake motor rubber band drive locos and the old deep flange, brass drivers with open frame sounds like a coffee grinder locos. I got into DCC when decoders were large, had rudimentary motor control and only 2 functions and still costs $40. Sound came in a separate decoder with no lighting or motor control. Now there are micro sound decoders that are smaller than a dime and excellent motor control and lighting.

           Pete

Intro to DCC ++

Also to be noted is Joe Fugate's, "DCC The Good, the bad, and the ugly", available on MRH Theatre, FREE!

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/mrht_dcc-good-bad-ugly

Have you worked through my

I'm more than halfway through

I'm more than halfway through the Carstens book and for the most part, I'm getting a lot out of it. It's a little dated as the 'plug and play' stuff was just getting going around the time it was published, but it's a good guide.

My problem is although I have a really high IQ and can understand all kinds of stuff (for example, in the Army I could routinely spot artillery crews and have the first 'spotter' round hit a target no bigger than a tank and took to flying various real military aircraft simulators right away with no real training), I can't really grip neither electricity nor sheet music as a concept. People always tell me how easy electricity is, but easy is relative to the individual. I just never could understand electricity as an overall idea and how it really works. I could talk a good game, but I don't get how any of it works. Any electrical anything going on in the house, I call the pros for that. So, that makes DCC a tough thing for me to really 'get'.

I'm currently designing a On30 layout where all the locomotives will be Bachmann engines. They're all plug and play. It's not gonna be a large layout either, so I doubt I'll have too many problems if I just follow the instructions. But troubleshooting is going to be tough for me if-when something goes wrong.

I tried looking through many of these websites, but most are written for someone who really already knows something on the subject already. It's almost impossible for an expert to teach at the 'completely clueless' level, so no slam on most of the creators of these sites. That's why I wanted a book.

But when the time comes when I start laying track, I'm going to asking for a lot of local help...