HEAR HERE!

I second that. I'm only using the Bachmann EZ Command for my DCC, and it's STILL way more fun for me than the DC was!

There just is no going back!

I Agree!

I got my NCE Powerhouse Pro way back in 1998 at the dawn of DCC. Even back then I had no trouble picking up and running, even though all my decoders had to be added by me to DC locos. I would never consider going back to straight DC (and I only have one sound decoder in an engine, BLI Hudson).

Preaching to the choir

Three years ago, on a whim I walked into a loal hobby shop (DCC Train) just to see what model railroading had been up to in my absence from the hobby. Rob, the counter man showed me a BLI H10s consolidation, and being a Pennsy fan, I was impressed, then the dirty rat said "would you like to run it around the test track loop" I heard the sound, saw the smoke, realized I was operating it while another engine sat just behind mine, without interference or block switch throwing, and that did it, I walked out with it.  WHOOOP! back in the hobby again. Kinda like "the first one's free...." DCC hooked me back in, it is a monumental leap forward from the old DC only way of running trains. I know I won't look back.

Jor

Ahhh yes !

That Baldwin does sound great ! I loved it so much I got 2 more. Now...on to some nasty old Alco's to complete the sound picture. Next on the list...Atlas RS's and S2's ! I know you will love those as much as I do too.

As I said before...I had never purchased Bowser before...but I am very impressed with those VO 1000's. I am going to have to see what else they have that will fit into my era and region. Bowser has left a lasting impression on me.

Michael

Being a frugal person I spent

Being a frugal person I spent a long time researching before I jumped in to DCC. I chose NCE after many hours of reading the manufacturer's and user's documentation. I am a technical guy so at first Digitrax was my choice. However, I decided that while I like technical things, I wanted simplicity of use and there seemed to be a preference out there for NCE when it came to ease of use so I bought a PowerCab. I do not regret that choice for one moment. Neither do I regret DCC in general. 

DCC

Like many, I was hesitant to get into DCC as I only knew it from the articles in the old magazines that pretty much said you had to be an elecgrical engineer to figure it out.

But once I bought a Bachmann 4-6-0 in On30 and decided to start running it, I decided I wanted all th stuff to make the sounds work. I found a cheap Prodigy Express DCC system at a local (now closed) hobby shop, which I use on my layout today.

Sure, it isn't perfect and give 'hiccups' every now and then, but I'd still never go back to DC!

DCC vs the Budget...

I'm still running DC. Part of this is the size of my layout. Right now, it is all of 10 feet long and about 14" deep, so I usually don't run more than one locomotive at a time anyway. Thing is, I'm running old Athearn bluebox diesel chassis, Roundhouse steam locomotives from kits, and the like. Switching them over to DCC would be tricky. Doable, I know, but tricky.

But what is really holding me back is my budget. I like the idea of DCC. I like being able to consist locomotives into sets and the like, but I'm on a really tight budget, which is why I buy locomotives and parts from the bargain bin at my LHS and from eBay. My hobby budget is about $20/month, and that has to include the ONE magazine I buy every other month. So really, it is $30 every two months. If I really wanted to, I could upgrade to DCC, but only if I don't want to buy anything else for the hobby for a couple of years. Just not worth it in my book, not with how small my layout is.

"and that has to include the

Maybe consider just reading the free MRH magazine and use the savings for modeling and layout products? ....DaveB 

Cutting costs

Good point, Dave. Frankly, MRH has just as good content than the printed magazines; more so in some cases. If I wanted to save money within the hobby, I'd stop buying printed magazines and just go with MRH...

Request an article

Also, you can request an article or even just post questions on this forum.

As for requesting an article, tell us what you need and if we can find someone to write it up, we will do it. As for which magazines have forums with the "brass" regularly reading them, I would say MRH ranks pretty high on that score. So you have our ear ...

Narrow Gauge...

Actually, I *DO* read MRH. It is an excellent magazine, with a lot of interesting articules. Problem is, I also like to read the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette. That's the only magazine I'm really willing to pay for anymore. I'd buy Narrow Gauge Downunder as well, if it didn't cost $14+ an issue locally. I like MRH, but there's not a lot of narrow gauge articles in there, and reading it on my older-model phone is a chore, so I can't take it to work with me.

Besides, like I said, I'm seldom running more than one locomotive at a time anyway, so DCC just isn't necessary for me.

Bachmann

Michael, what do you think of Bachmann locomotives? 

@Joe...

I think I'm going to start a "Request an article" thread... there are some articles I'd love to see...

Tight budget

mrh and youtube

Best thing since sliced bread.  MRH..I can dive into topics for free.

Youtube...if you pay attention to the folks in this forum and their personal links....better than bread.

Huge amount of information across all topics.

Nice...but

Gary..I have a couple of the S2 Bachmann locomotives with DCC and sound. Good detail, good runners, but the sound is just...missing. They are very muted compared to any other locomotive I have, and they do not sound much like an Alco compared to other decoders I have used. Now...that said, I use them as Industrial switchers, so they just shuffle back and forth moving cars. In that role, they perform flawlessly...however quietly. I SHOULD open them up and see if I can improve the speaker performance, or even replace the decoder, but I bought both of these cheap ( under $100 ) , and at that price it just isn't worth it to me to change them to make them better. I guess I am just getting lazy in my old age. Plus I am soooo spoiled by the new Bowser and Atlas locomotives sound and detail.

Michael

p.s. I am also disappointed in the BLI Alco's. What's up with those ????

Bachmann

Hi Michael! Thank you for your advice. Sound is an important to me so I take you opionion about the sound of the Buchmanns to heart. I am just learning about the wonders of DCC, so what are good decoders is still something I need to learn more about. 

Candy Store Kid

I have an Atlas Alco RSD4 that I put a Tsunami2 decoder and a couple of sugar cubes in and it is fantastic! I use it for secondary yard switching at a big club layout and the Alco  sound is outstanding! John Colley, Sonoma, CA

DCC and me

I got back into the hobbw after a layoff of ~ 25 years.  (Trains put away in high school, brought back out to play with as I was recovering from a burst appendix.  I fell right back in love with the hobby.  My first new loco was a DCC one that could run on DC also; I knew that I might want to upgrade. (Bachmann Spectrum 0-6-0, which is a MARVELOUS loco.)

I just played on a little tiny bit of track stuck to a board until after I moved, and joined a model railroad club.  DCC --> WOW when you add sound.  I was hooked, and never plan to go back to DC.  The HOn30 portion, when built, might still be DC, but it will only be a tiny interchange.

My kid locomotives are, for now, put away, but sooner or later, I might upgrade so I can run nostalgia trains well--my nostalgia, not the prototype historuical trains.

Whew boy...one can of worms coming up !

Greg...this is going to be my own personal taste in sound decoders. Nothing can start a fight faster than saying which decoder you like better than another. You already know about the ESU LokSound in your Bowser locomotive. That is also in my Atlas RS and S2 locomotives, and they sound incredible for Baldwin and Alco sound. NOW...I have also a few locomotives with the TCS WOW sound, and that gives you some more variables, many bells, horns, whistles, generators, lights, chuffs, and on and on. For Steam...it is my go to decoder. Real sounds, no digital generated stuff. Programming is very extensive, with many things you can set to get motor control, speed matching, slow, mid, high speed tables, back EMF...well, you can go as deep as you want to tune your locomotive. Plus their site has numerous video's and how to's to get you through any installation. Excellent support, excellent warranty. I also have a fleet of SoundTraxx Tsunami decoders ( both old and new ) that I thought were pretty good until the WOW and LokSound showed up on the scene. I have since upgraded some of them with better speakers, and they are still good, but.... I have a buddy that uses them exclusively, and I cannot dispareage his locomoitves. They do sound good. Speakers are the biggest ( and most frustrating ) single thing that makes a sound decoder sound really good. I have always tried to use the biggest speaker(s) I could fit in any given space, and also tried to get a box around it to enhance the lower frequencies. These new sugar cubes are slowly taking me over, as I fit and use them more and more. Seems multiples of them in different size boxes is the way to go.

I am not going into programming sound files for various decoders right now...but if you want know...ask.

BLI seems to have the steam sound locked down. I have MANY BLI steam locomotives, and the sound is perfect. However...they lack many of the bells and whistles ( pun intended ) that the other DCC Sound manufacturers offer. But for a preinstalled set it on the track and go sound. Great. HOWEVER, their diesel sound is either great ( SD 40's, AC 6000's) or pathetic ( RSD 15 ). I am in the transition era, so I only hear what my buddy brings over ( SD 40, AC 6000 ) and I am impressed with his " modern " fleet of BLI diesel locomotives. They even ramp up the engine when climbing grades without changing speed. Pretty cool ! Heck, we even tried out the Paragon 3 sub woofer with his stuff. Now that was an experiance.

So there it is...from a guy that has ears that are old and worn, that still has a stereo system with amplifiers, pre-amp, equalizer, turntable AND a TASCAM 10" reel to reel, and more speakers than I know what to do with ! But I am old enough to know what those old diesel locomtives sounded like, and I have heard a few steam locomotives in my time also. BUT...that is what make ME happy. Your mileage may vary.....

Michael

Bachmann...

Yes, the Sound Value Bachmanns are limited... sure... I started out with them (steam) however, and they were perfect for starting out. It's what got me hooked. They are limited, due a lot to their simplicity. The sound they DO make is GREAT! Especially if you are using an EZ Command. The boiler, and chuffs are automatic, and sound amazing. The lights are F0 (no dynamo sound on any of mine, which is fine, as none of my steamers would have had a dynamo) Other than the boiler, and chuffs, you have four user controlled sounds. F1 is the bell. F2 is the long whistle. F3 is the short whistle (I like having a short and a long whistle... it gives me options... the old Bachmann LC decoders didn't have the short, or steam release) and F4 is steam release.

F8 is, as always, mute.

There is no start up sound, or grates, or firebox, or water feed, or anything else really... but if all you're doing is running trains, and want great sounding sound, and don't mind activating whistles, and bells yourself, then they are perfect.

I have other sound decoders that have all the automatic stuff, sure... some sound great, some could use better speakers, but they don't take away from my Bachmann sound, which, again, is fine for running trains, especially on my small layout.

Thank you, Michael!

I can not thank you enough for your post. I have literally taken notes and am looking up information about the products you mentioned. I really appriciate you taking the time to help this DCC newbe. 

I do have what might be a very stupid question, but are there separate decoders for movement and sound or do some of the decoders do both. When an engine is sold as DCC ready what actually is involved in getting it running with sound. I realize a speaker needs to be installed, but after that I am a little lost.

Michael, I also still have a stereo system with amps and pre-amps and turntable. My guitar amps all use tubes! I really understand what your hearing is all about.

First and foremost..

Gary..there are no stupid questions. I hate it when these so called Master Modelers with the NMRA ( or not ) talk down to anyone like they are a child. I enjoy newbies to the hobby, old OR young, that want to seek knowledge and improve. Seems we have quite a few even here that have lost that concept, and the wonder of Model Railroading. Thankfully Joe gives everyone free rein here, and all opinons are welcome. OK...time to get off my stump.

Yes there are DCC only decoders, and there are also add on sound decoders to put on top of regular decoders. I have a couple of Sound Bugs by Digitrax laying around here that I have yet to install. With the decoders getting smaller and smaller, I just never had a chance to use them anywhere.

Most DCC ready locomotives are just plug and play...depending on what they define as plug and play. Most are just 8 pin sockets, some are 21 pin sockets, some are complete board replacements. TCS has a great site that shows what is needed to install either just a DCC decoder or a sound decoder, as do most decoder manufacturers, just go to the website of the decoder you want to use, and look for an installation guide. Tony's Trains has excellent tutorials also...and YouTube has more than you can imagine...with some VERY creative ways to add speakers for sound. Everyone has their own idea of how DCC should be done...enough said !

So...just Google DCC Sound Install and you will get your first taste of all the different decoders, installation, modifications, speakers, cutting, notching, machining, wiring, cussing and success's with dealing with various locomotives and fitting sound into them.

Michael

p.s. Thank you Warflight for an extended description of the Bachmann Sound Value. You are correct, they are very good for your first DCC Sound locomotive ( I bought mine well into railroad adventure ! )

Awww...

No worries. I'm still trying to figure a way to put sound in my Proto 2000 S1 engine. I took some advice here and got a Digitrax DN146IP in N scale for it, so I at least have DCC, but that quiet... the defening silence is starting to get to me... I'm hoping to find a sound bug in N scale that will work with it, but the Digitrax site only has the one soundbug, and it looks like it will just be too big.

The advice I got from the local hobby shop was to cut apart the cab, and put the decoder in there, but that detailed cab, with the beautifully detailed consol is just... too darn purdy!

I mean... would YOU cut up this beauty?