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Best HO Starter Train Set for Someone Planning on DCC
Aaron asks readers:
“I’m new to model trains and looking to buy my first HO set. I’d like to eventually upgrade to DCC and maybe use JMRI. There are so many options out there, any suggestions for a good starter set or manufacturer that offers quality and is compatible with future DCC upgrades?”
2 Responses to Best HO Starter Train Set for Someone Planning on DCC
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When asking this question it is like asking how long is a piece of string. However I can offer some connsiderations before buying a dcc system or starter set. 1. What is your ultimate goal with your layout? Will it be a huge basement empire one day, or a simple switching shelf layout? 2. How many locomotives do you plan to run together? Some starter DCC systems does not allow consisting.
Taking these things into account look at the systems out there and ask if they can meet my current and future needs. I started off with a dcc trainset and have upgraded 3 times since, elto where I have 4 wires throttles and 3 wifi walk around throttles. I use old mobile phones with wifi capabilities as my throttles.
Hope this helped and did not confuse you further.
Henry made some good points there. As for starter train sets, the only thing that you need is locomotive power that is labeled “DCC ready or DCC compatable” but will operate on DC until you are ready to upgrade to DCC. I recommend that you do your research. There are alot of books and magazines avaliable that cover every aspect of model railroading from basic layout design to wiring for DCC. Also check out web sites and how to videos. I have found Model Railroader magazine and the NMRA website to be excelent resources. Welcome to the wounderful world of model railroading!