DCC-Ready

Christopher, It will vary depending on the locomotive and manufacturer. It could mean............

1. That the motor is isolated
2. It has a plug for the decoder to pop right in
3. It has a decoder already installed
4. In the case of BLI locomotives and the HO Lionel Challenger and I think the latest Trix Big Boy it means that a power/sound decoder and speaker already installed.

Most DCC ready locomotives even if they have a decoder do not have a sound decoder or a speaker installed but more and more they will. Soundtraxx makes decoders that have sound and power in one decoder. Check out Loys Toys and Tony's Train Exchange web sites. They both have good info on DCC products. Tony's also sells quite a few different locomotives with regular decoders and or power/sound decoders already installed if you want a locomotive that's ready to run with DCC.

If you have not decided on a DCC system yet keep in mind that BLI products will run on both DCC and DC with sound. The Lionel Challenger will too. I'm not sure about the Trix Big Boy.

Bruce

"DCC Ready" means whatever the manufacturer wants it to mean. I could be as simple as a plug-n-play operation, or it could mean a solder job. There really is no set standard for what "DCC Ready" means. However, most times when that lable is applied, it means that some thought has gone into the loco design to make the installation of the decoder easier. It reminds me of old brass steam engines. Some of them were built to be "sound ready" with the then-new PFM sound system. All they did was drill holes in the floor of the tender for the speaker and put a timing chuck on one of the drivers. You had to do all the work after that. Some DCC installations are like that. Others are real simple. Pay attention to groups like this or others that offer good advice on new products. And, of course, keep asking questions...

Paul A. Cutler III

In my experience, DCC-ready has never meant that a decoder is installed. This to me is "DCC-equipped". I don't think I've ever seen BLI use either expression - they simply explain what their models contain.

Thanks for the quick response. What about the following example ...

Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation Steam Powered - DCC w/Sound Decoder. Does this imply a speaker is included and installed?

Does Athearn have any HO locos with speakers installed?

Also, what about couplers? My brother has two Lionel TMCC locos and they include DCC command, sound, and couplers. Are there some examples of HO locos that include DCC couplers?

Best, Christopher

Christopher,

Probably does. Double check but if the loco comes with a sound decoder installed the speaker should be too.

I don't know. Atlas does though.

DCC couplers are a fairly new thing. Tony's Train Exchange has some available IIRC for P2K SW switchers already installed. Best bet for couplers is Kadee. These use under the track magnets to uncouple and will couple automaticly when pushed together.

Bruce

DCC has nothing to do with either speakers or sound. I cannot imagine why anyone wants sound in a model locomotive. It does not sound like a real locomotive and is very annoying blasting out all over the railroad room. This whole sound idea is unsound IMO.

...................F>

Golden Silence, GA.

Ok Frank..........if you want to pick nits you are correct. So I will too. I said "could mean". I did not say "did mean". Christopher's experience with DCC is brand new. My response to him was a complete answer to his real question not a text book definition of the term "DCC ready" because that would not have answered the real question. You are right in the difference between "DCC Ready" and "DCC Equipped" and BLI not using either term. Bruce

IMO, most model sounds are way too loud. Cutting them by more than half (so you have to be within a few feet to hear it) is somewhat interesting to me. Especially, during a show. I don't care for it when I can hear it from the opposite end of the layout.

And all the diesel engine sound I've heard is bad, really, REALLY BAD. Scratchy, too high pitched (I don't care if it's correctly scaled up, I don't like it ... horn & bell I like).

Paul

Lionel TMCC has this feature via remote command. I always set it low, and for Froggy, they include a zero volume setting.

Best, Christopher

A sure-fire way to torture Froggy: lock him in a room, bound and gagged, with sound-equipped locos running on a loop of track, with their sound turned all the way up.

Just kidding, Froggy! :-)

Dieter Zakas Imitation Sound, NJ

Froggy,

We know you don't like sound in models. We know you loath glad hands and magnets. We know you don't care much for narrow gauge.

How about a great looking blond who is mute, carries a hand full of bamboo skewers and has Santa Fe tattooed on her ass? Would you like that?

Anyway did you ever find any pictures or info on those Magnolia or cottonseed tank cars? I still can't find my pictures. They appear to have gone into the same back hole that small dropped parts do. If you come up with somthing let me know and I will do the same. Bruce

No.

And the Athearn SD50 is supposedly DCC-ready, but the motor is typically not isolated properly.

Dave.

Yes, Bachmann did a limited run of leftover engines in which they had SoundTraxx decoders and speakers installed. One wholesaler told me they did not sell well...

Not at this time, but their upcoming Challenger will.

Scratchiness (and perhaps high pitch) is a product of installing a really cheap speaker. I did an install with a 1watt rectangular speaker and a custom baffle in a GP9 and it sounds really terrific. Much better than my first try, which simply used an 8ohm round speaker.

My limited experience with diesel sound is with a club member who spares no expense on his sound gear. He has a number of steamers which sound really, REALLY good. You can hear it clear across the layout when it's behind the scenery. I have a hard time hearing people yelling from back there. He seems to have reasonably good taste in all other sound stuff, not sure why he thinks this particular one is good ... maybe he's trying to annoy people???? He has his pissy moments. *8->

I'll try to remember and ask what kind of speaker he has in it. Paul

And just where is that in relation to that Santa Fe tatoo?