dc to dcc

[pamardon]

can you convert any locomotive from dc to dcc?

[Conrail Quality]

Theoretically, yes. In reality, some locomotives(like the Atlas Shay or the Bachmann 4-4-0) are nearly impossible to convert without excellent skills in soldering and modifying the locomotive shell.

Timothy

[pamardon]

cool
i just started on this
but someone told me that DCC is a lot better than dc, so even I just got my first set. I was thinking to covert it to dcc.
I bought today a bachmann set "the Explorer" with a diesel EMD F9
do you know if would be hard to do that one?
now what about of running a dcc locomotive with a dc controller is that ok?

[Conrail Quality]

Bachmann's F9 was designed before the advent of DCC, and so does not include space in the frame for a decoder. You might need to mill some of the frame to get it to fit. As for running a DCC locomotive with a DC controller, it depends on the decoder. Most decoders sold now allow that, but some older decoders do not.

One thing to remember: DCC is only useful if intend to run more than one train at one on the same trackage. If you don't need to do that, DCC is no better than DC.

Timothy

[pamardon]

what do you guys recommend to create a railroad?
rail under plastic or standard rail??

[Idaho83815]

My thoughts are to switch to DCC as soon as possible.  With the advent of sound and all the other great things DCC can do, you should take advantage of it. 

I just got my first DCC sound equipt steamer (installed lok sound into 2-8-0 consolidated) and it bumped the fun and interest factor 10 fold.  I love it!!!!

building steam, ring the bells, toot the horn grind it into gear and start off slow, chuff chuff chuff and build up speed....wo hoo!  blasting the horn as you enter and exit tunnels, the realism is fantastic!  I tell ya it turned this 46 year old into a kid again. 

[GlennW]

The Bachmann F9 in the explorer set may just be good enough to get a train up & operating. Older F9's have a bad habit of cracking gears, so are not worth the bother to convert to DCC.

What you can do in the future is to buy DCC equipped locos onsale from Atlas, Kato, & the others. Buy quality motors and avoid the junk of the past. Bachmann seems to have improved greatly with their J class Northern & the heavy mountain. I hope all future Bachmann Spectrum locos can be made with the same quality.

The question about plastic or standard track depends on what kind of layout you want to build. So far, Kato's Unitrack is the best plastic track. There is some debate if Atlas Code 80 or 55 is better. Depends if you have old rolling stock with pizza cutter wheels. Bachmann's EZtrack is good fora basic layout, but their turnouts need some work.