I've been reading the tepid (thank goodness) war between DC and DCC adherents. So, I'll toss my few cents in. For the record, I converted to DCC in 1997 and never looked back.
When I got back into hobby in 1996 (inactive since 1963), I build one of the Atlas layouts (#8, I believe). It could run two trains in loops simultaneously with some switching possibilities. I wired it up for two cab DC block control. With common rail wiring, it was pretty easy as far as power was concerned. But operating with my 7 year old (at the time) and even me with my feeble older brain, I seemed to be worrying more about which blocks were set to which transformer etc. and not having that much fun.
So, I bit the bullet and got a Digitrax Empire Builder with two throttles. Initial wiring was easy: just set all the block to one transformer or the other and hook up the DCC power wires. Since I had Athearn locos at the time, installing the included DH121 was more trouble than wiring the layout. (I've gotten much better at it since); since I retired from the computer software industry (thanks, Oracle and Uncle Larry), little things like CVs were not a complicating factor for me (see more on CV's below). So, I was up and running in about an hour.
I was sold after operating for about 10 minutes. Wow. I didn't care where block boundaries were, I just pretended I was a locomotive driver and ran my train. We had pretend "signals," so much like a real driver, if it was red, I stopped, etc. My 7 year old was onboard as well.
When I built a new layout (see web site below for pics), it was DCC from the start: blocking was only done to deal with short detection and to be able to increase the power available when I upgraded to a Chief with an 8amp supply and PM42's for short circuit detection and protection.
Was the wiring easier? Probably not much: you run a pair of bus wires out to each power district from the PM42, much like you would for a DC system with blocks and block switching. But I like operating it better than a DC system. Others may feel differently and that's OK with me: it's not a religion. Is it cheaper than DC? Definitely not since I don't use automatic signalling, etc.
All that said, my turnouts are outside the DCC system and the Tortoise machines run from a traditional control panel. I like the GUI of the control panel rather than entering a switch number and a switch position. My CP has lights indicating the switch position, etc. So I'm still old school there.
A note on CV programming: for non-sound decoders, there are only a few CVs to set: the loco address, start voltage and maybe max voltage if available as a speed limit, and CV29 is either 6 or x26 depending on 2 or 4 digit addressing. I rarely use speed tables, so that's about it.
If I have need for complicated loco lighting (like with F7s with upper mars+red light, and lower white light, like the Genesis Santa Fe stuff), yes, then I have a few more CVs to play with, but when you get the hang of it, it is pretty simple. And since I actually document each loco's CV settings, if I change decoders or have to reset them for some reason, it's fairly mindless to reprogram the CVs.
Sound decoder like those from QSI and Soundtraxx have a bunch more CVs you might use, but again, in general I find that I only wind up changing the volume setting (lower, please).
So for those who are trying to decide what to do, go run a DC and DCC layout for a bit and see what style of driving locomotives and running a railroad is the most FUN for you. If you decide on DC, it doesn't cost you that much to change your mind later and add DCC. Those block controls don't have to be ripped out, the reverse loop stuff can stay the same, etc. The transformers will find other uses (they are unlikely to be suitable for DCC power).
Remember: this is NOT a religion and there is no right answer, and the answer might even change over time for particular users.
The goal is to enjoy the hobby not convert others to your way of enjoying it.
Ed
in article DiIwd.2118$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net, Bill McCutcheon at snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net wrote on 12/17/04 1:35 PM:
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