Decoders

[Geeraider]

I rigged up a set of wheel contacts and put lights in one of my Union Pacific cabooses but its direct fed off the track can I get a DCC decoder and put it in the Caboose and control it from the controller?

[jonathan]

Short answer:  Yes.

Long answer:

I  happen to know NCE makes a lights-only decoder.  Not promoting their products.  Others may have the same thing.  I'm just aware of theirs. I believe they are called "single-output" decoders officially. Google will help you find a dealer of your choice.

Longer answer:  Do you care if the caboose is lit all the time?  Don't really need a decoder.  Caboose will light off of track power, even if your layout is DCC.  I do it all the time with passenger cars.  I use LEDs with resistors.  They light just fine on DCC, and no ill effects, after several years of use.  Just sayin'.

Regards,

Jonathan

[bapguy]

 NCE light decoder:  https://www.ncedcc.com/online-store/Light-It-3-3-pack-of-the-Light-It-Universal-Lighting-and-Signal-Decoder-p78626959
It's a 3 pack. With this one, you can hook up a pair of capacitors to prevent the lights from  flickering. NCE sells the caps. Only see them listed on their web site.  Joe
Caps:  https://www.ncedcc.com/online-store/search%3Fkeyword%3D5240306
I used 2 of these in my Cabooses.

[Geeraider]

Thanks for the info guys

[Geeraider]

I loved my model trains when I was a kid back in the 70s,,, but that's when we had rectifiers and power packs now I'm getting back into the game and I see all this DCC technology and I think it's pretty damn awesome,,, I think it's pretty cool that you can control several locomotives on the same track at different directions and different speeds 

[Geeraider]

I'm looking at using my Android tablet for a controller how do I go about doing that?

[Gearedenginefreak]

The cheapest way to use your android as a controller is to first go to the website for JMRI (jmri.org) and see if your DCC system is supported within JMRI.  Then if it is, download the free jmri software ( windows, linux, mac compatible) and configure it with your system according to their instructions.  Then, go to Google Play Store and download  Steve Todd's free Engine Driver throttle app and download that to your tablet. Follow the instructions he has for setting it up. He has his own website dedicated to that program.  Also JMRI has instructions for setting that up. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it is pretty cool once you get it going. You do need to have a wireless network environment on your JMRI pc for the android throttle to communicate.

Good luck and have fun,
Tom

[bapguy]

To use JMRI, you need an interface between your computer and dcc system. If you have Digitrax, they have the LNWI :   https://www.digitrax.com/products/wireless/lnwi/
which doesn't require a computer or JMRI. The PR4 is used with JMRI and a computer. https://www.digitrax.com/products/computer-control/pr4/
Most DCC systems have computer inter faces as well.    Joe

[Trainman203]

I loved my model trains when I was a kid back in the 70s,,, but that's when we had rectifiers and power packs now I'm getting back into the game and I see all this DCC technology and I think it's pretty damn awesome,,, I think it's pretty cool that you can control several locomotives on the same track at different directions and different speeds 

And the SOUND!!!!😀😎

[Geeraider]

Yeah you say the sound wouldn't it be awesome to incorporate some kind of surround sound into your layout with like Dolby 7.1 surround and an awesome sub box the sound would be phenomenal then!!

[Terry Toenges]

Surroundtraxx
https://soundtraxx.com/products/surroundtraxx

[Geeraider]

Well Terry looks like they ain't left nothing out LOL. I was reading up on the digitrax system does it require a full internet connection or does it work off of Wi-Fi Direct,, and if it does need a full internet connection will a hot spot suffice?

[Terry Toenges]

I don't know. When you mentioned that, I remembered seeing it advertised a while back. I don't have one.

[Geeraider]

I read up on it and they say they got speakers that you could strategically hide in your layout and the speakers actually follow the locomotive with the sound so actually makes it sound like it's coming from the locomotive which I think is pretty cool I like that concept