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Old DCC Still Viable?

Hello all. I managed to finally get a space to build an N scale layout. it is 3 feet by 6 feet. I might add a yard later but that is about it. Many Many years ago I purchased the Digitrax Empire Builder II DCC system. It has never even been opened.

Is it still worth using? I am tight on funds so it would be nice to use it. If I do wire the layour up for it and I later need to swap to a newer system will I have to rewire everything? But mainly is it still useable? or is it so far backwards at this point as to not be worth it.

Thanks Hsnopi

Reply to
hsnopi
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I don't think the basic DCC spec. has changed in years. I would expect that the system you have will work just fine.

Reply to
Robert Heller

It is still very usable. Much older ones that that are still usable. Wiring has not changed. The availability of decoders has. They cost less and do more like just about everything electronic.

Tom

Reply to
newscorrespondent

excellent. The track arrived yesterday. so now I just need to read up on wiring and away I go. Thanks all:)

Reply to
hsnopi

" snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com" wrote in news:71758568-07b8-48da- snipped-for-privacy@r34g2000vbi.googlegroups.com:

Take a look at

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The most important things to remember are:

  • DCC doesn't require blocks like DC; However blocks are necessary for circuit breakers or between boosters.
  • Every rail should be soldered to something: Either a feeder or another rail.
  • Take a quarter and intentionally short out each section. If the circuit breaker in the booster doesn't trip, you need to use larger wire or add more feeders.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Quick answer is yes. Digitrax still sells the system. My experience with DCC is keep it simple. Don't get fancy and it will always work.

Reply to
mike mueller

The 'Empire Builder' is still sold today.

One word of warning about that system though. Do your programing on a program track.

It's just too easy to end up reprogamming everything on the layout with that system when you're just trying to make a change to one loco. One of the local clubs found that out the hard way during a display at a local show a couple of years back.

Len

Reply to
Len

Oh yea! I did that once with a digitrax DB 150. forgot to pull all the loco's and programed 3 others with the same address #. Decided to upgrade to a DSC 100 to allow cv readback and mainline programing. Put in a programing track or insulated side siding. Control it with a DPDT switch so that it can be removed from the rest of the layout. Whats nice about that is you can switch over and test right away.

Reply to
mike mueller

Nothing wrong with that set. Newer versions of it have the much nicer DT400 handhelds, but you can just buy those if you want them and plug them into the system you already have. We still use the same booster from that set, purchased 5+ years ago, and it works great.

Unless you're going to get into hairy stuff like transponding, there's no reason to replace anything. *

Reply to
PV

Preferably, with a different system - it is way too easy to forget to flip a toggle switch to your programming track as you say.

I do programming at the desk on a small run of track hooked to a SPROG and a PC running decoderPro. It's a lot nicer than using the handhelds for programming anyway. *

Reply to
PV

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