dcc question

[Michigan Railfan]

Ive been wondering for a while, would it cost less to put in your own dcc decoder in your locomotives, or buy a loco that is already equipped with it?

[richG]

Which make/model/scale? Sound or just speed/light control? Much too general a question.

Rich

[Running Bear]

I get all mine without decoders and install a cheap ones afterwards (NOT MRC!) to control power, speed, lights. The decoders cost from 20 to 30 bucks extra whereas many decoder equipped locos can cost at least 50 to 100 bucks more.

[grumpy]

I have found that it is cheaper to purchase the loco with the decoder already installed . With a little searching you should be able to find decoder equipped locos at $20.00 or so more than the DC ready locos
Don

[Running Bear]

That may work for the Bachmann DCC OnBoard and a couple of other brands, but for the higher quality brands it's not usually the case.

[pdlethbridge]

I've tried it both ways and now do it Grumpy's way.

[Michigan Railfan]

when i mean install your own, i mean just to make your loco run(and the light lights up), and then, also how much it is to have all that stuff, and sound.

[SteamGene]

The most important question is "Does the model you want come with DCC sound installed"?  You couldn't give me an Athearn Challenger or Big Boy.  Or FEF. 
Gene

[grumpy]

Gene
I have an Athern Challenger with sound and I wouldn't give it to you . The sound is great . It creates the illusion of big power but never really having heard one in real life I guess the sound is in my head.
Don

[pdlethbridge]

The 'only' locomotive I've heard that is anywhere near the prototype sound is the BLI N&W class A 2-6-6-4. It is a good representation of the prototype and is about the nicest model you'd ever want to see. I'd pay good money for that, but there 'J', Y6B, Hudson are terrible sounding.

[Jim Banner]

Which is cheaper depends on a number of factors, including whether or not you already own the locomotive whether you are buying it new or used.  I have a fleet of Atlas-Kato RS-3s that I have installed decoders in.  Typical cost of a good used locomotive plus a decoder runs about 1/3 the cost of a new Atlas RS-3 with decoder.

Installing your own decoder in a new locomotive may cost a bit more than buying the same locomotive with decoder already installed, but you get to choose the features that YOU want.  I particularly like back emf for low speed switching.  For road units, I like a speed table plus advanced consisting with the capability of easily disabling back emf and shutting off all head and rear lights except for the most forward and most rearward ones.  If the DCC version of a locomotive does not have those features, then for me any extra cost to buy that locomotive with decoder would be wasted.