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DCC vs DC

George wants to hear from others in the hobby about their thoughts on DC verses DCC:

“If I initiate a layout for DCC can I still run older (non DCC) trains on the same layout with the same DCC controller … in this case the NCE system. Thanks.”

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4 Responses to DCC vs DC

  • Jerry says:

    You will not be able to run a typical, older DC locomotive on a DCC layout unless you install a decoder in the older locomotive. The website http://www.dccwiki.com/Main_Page has a lot of good information on understanding DCC and what you need to do make sure it works (I don’t know if the NEC system has some special capability that makes this possible however, but it seems highly unlikely).

  • Jerry says:

    No, you typically cannot run standard (i.e. plain old-fashioned) DC locomotives on a DCC system unless you install or convert that locomotive to work in a DCC environment with a decoder. There is a lot of good detail on this at the DCC wiki site, check it out!

    http://www.dccwiki.com/Main_Page

  • Anonymous says:

    I have a Digitraxx Super Chief (not necessarily recommending it) and am able to run DC (or analog) engines on it. The analog address is 00 (zero zero). The hum, don’t go as fast as decoder equipped engines, and they all travel in the same direction, but they run.

  • John W/B VA says:

    I have a Digitraxx Super Chief (not necessarily recommending Digitraxx) and can run a DC (also referred to as analog) engine on it. It will run, the engine number on the throttle is 00 (zero zero), it will make noise, all DC/analog engines will run the same direction based on engine and track polarity, they won’t run as fast as DCC engines, but they will run.

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