Beginning of the end for DCC?

[CNE Runner]

While waiting for my connecting flight a couple of weeks ago I chanced upon a magazine entitled Model Railroad News. Since I believe in the old adage of "...any port in a storm" (and facing a 3-hour layover), I decided to purchase a copy.

The magazine seems to confine itself to articles relating the new products/services in the entire model railroad spectrum (i.e. N, HO, S, O, and G). While not in the market for new rolling stock (I have far more than I can ever hope to run) nor structures (just look under the bench at all the kits waiting in the queue), I was fascinated by an article entitled "The Human Interface II".

Basically the underlying thrust of the article is that DCC may be nearing the end of its life and may give way to newer [better?] systems. While the Monks' Island Railway is run on DC, I have plans to convert to DCC - after correcting a rather large track problem (of which DCC is not at all forgiving).

Check out the article [p. 86] and see what you think. The article mentions two 'technologies': Aristo-Craft Revolution and Ring's Rail Pro. As a neophyte in the electronics field, I was taken with the offerings of the Rail Pro system. Check it out and see what you think.

Food for thought,
Ray

[richg]

You might say, all digital train control is DCC. Digital is evolving in model rail railroading every where. 
Digital Command Control.
Look at desktop PC's laptops, tablets, smart phone. Digital is everywhere.
Changes are happening a lot.
NWSL has its own system also.
At least two new systems can be run on our present DCC layouts and even DC layouts. They have their own battery and decoder in the loco.

Rich

[richg]

Don't forget the RF regulations outside the USA are much more stringent so change will take time and no doubt, the USA stuff may have to adapt. This stuff is continually evolving.

Look at the below discussions.

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/6583

Rich

[JerryB]

I seriously doubt that either control system mentioned is any threat to DCC.

Aristocraft's Revolution™ is a proprietary system that you must purchase from Aristocraft. It has been available for several years, with mixed reports as to performance and reliability. It is not, (and probably will never be) available pre-installed by other manufacturers. The user must either purchase an Aristocraft product already equipped with the system, or purchase the components separately and install them. When one reads about the problems many folks have just connecting a DC or DCC controller to the track, it does not bode well for what would be a 'do it yourself system,' only available from one manufacturer.

I am not familiar with the Ring system, but it seems to just be a radio link between a hand held device and a DCC base station or receiver equipped locomotive. There are at least a couple of other suppliers of such devices. They are somewhat compatible with existing DCC controllers, so nothing really new there. And again, it is largely 'do it yourself.'

The fact is that DCC is an open source control system, with numerous manufacturers of solutions (including OEM ones like Bachmann) that fit virtually every size of locomotive from tiny to large, low current to high current, along with the ability to control every kind of accessory such as sound, lighting, turnouts, etc., etc. Virtually every train manufacturer supplies DCC equipped versions of their powered stock. They also supply turnouts (Bachmann again as an example) and other accessories that are either DCC equipped or DCC ready. The option to do what is claimed (wireless control) by these competing technologies already exists for DCC, and there are new DCC based solutions being announced almost monthly.

The NMRA has recently done a major revision and modernization of the DCC standards. I expect this development will continue, and the (now industry accepted) standards will continue to expand to address a wider variety of control options.

Bottom line: There is nothing in either of these proprietary approaches that is not already available for DCC. I personally see DCC being the default industry advanced control standard far into the future.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

[CNE Runner]

Thanks for clearing that up guys. As I intimated in my post, I am not well educated in electronics. Hunt - I now see that the article was mainly concerned about the interface between the operator and the controlling system.

It is always sad to hear of the demise of a model railroad publication. Frankly I wasn't too impressed with Model Railroad News...perhaps a venue that would work better as an e-magazine?

One of these days I will rip out the offending crossing (along with God knows how much associated track and scenery) and repair that electrical 'problem' that plagues this one section of the Monks' Island Railway. After that the block switches will be kept in the 'B' position and DCC will rule the rails (thanks to Bachmann my GE 45 Tonner doesn't care whether it runs on DC or DCC).

Happy New Year,
Ray

[hotrainlover]

It seems that a lot of the "foot daggers" have made the move to DCC.  It took me a long time to make the JUMP.  Now that I have installed decoders for DCC in all my locos, I for one will not look for , or need any other type control system.  Call me silly if you want to, but as I get closer to retirement, I do not want another "Learning curve".  DCC has opened a whole new world for me, and as it continues to develop, I will be using it.  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a motto I live by!!

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Call me silly if you want to, but as I get closer to retirement, I do not want another "Learning curve".

That's why I'm stickin' with analog DC. ...   

[BestSnowman]

I think Jerry covered it pretty well, it really boils down to proprietary v. open standards.

I recently heard an interview with one of the guys behind the Ring system. It's a very cool system from a technological standpoint but I'm not sure it will last. Every part of the system relies on the 2.4Ghz wireless spectrum which is great unless it's a crowded spectrum (i.e. wifi, cordless phones, etc). My question would be if all your locomotives, switch motors, signals, etc are communicating on the same frequency will it start breaking down on large layouts or multiple adjacent layouts (like at a show).