DC on Dynamis

[Rickenbacker 325]

I just got a Dynamis control center and I wanted to run DC engines but it would not allow it. I have some DCC engines, but only 5. The only DC engines I have are all the Thomas engines and 2 shunting engines with smoke. (By Bachmann)  I would like to run the Thomas engines for my younger brother. (Age 5)  Please Help!!!

[Pacific Northern]

Your out of luck, the Dynamis only runs DCC engines. 

You will need another power controller (transformer) to run any DC, but then you will ony be able to run DC.

The Bachmann EZ Command controller will run 1 DC train as well as DCC units.

[Jim Banner]

If you install some small plugs and sockets, you can set up your railroad to switch easily between dc and DCC.  Just don't try to connect both at once - damage will almost certainly occur.

Alternately, consider adding decoders to your brother's locomotives, or at least to one of them.  Then you can one train from each set at the same time.

[Tylerf]

Just for fun I Added a decoder to Thomas and it works well, but it wasent an easy conversion. Mainly fitting the decoder and it's small wheel base makes for crummy electrical pickup. I thought of adding pickups to annie and clarabel but I haven't gotten to that yet. Anyways, adding decoders is an option but I don't really get some of bachmanns logic, first why is it that the cheaper system has the DC capability yet the better one doesent, and two why aren't the two systems compatible?

[rustyrails]

I don't know about Bachmann's business strategy, so I can't comment on why one system behaves a certain way and another doesn't.  What I can tell you is that this idea of mixing analog and DCC locos on the same layout is not the greatest idea to ever come down the pike. 

First, AC is not good for DC motors.  Even those systems that allow for runing one analog locomotive caution against leaving the engine on the layout for too long in order to avoid damage to the motor.

Second, dual mode locomotives sometimes exhibit abnormal behavior when run on DCC.  That is why all those decoders allow the dual mode "feature" to be turned off.  Additionally, decoder-equipped  locomotives will not run in analog mode like non-decoder-equipped engines, requiring much more voltage to get moving.

So, like some other compromises I've seen , dual mode can be the worst of both worlds.  Just my two cents worth.  Good Luck.

Rusty

[Tylerf]

Yeah your right. I guess it makes sense, dynamis Is not exactly a "begginers" system as it's expensive and has more than a "begginer" requires, anyone who has been in dcc for sometime will have collected a few more decoder equipped locos and would rarely run an analog loco on the system unless decoder adding is not an option for a particular engine. Now on the other hand, a beginner"like I was at one point" wants the system purely to run a few trains seperatly because it's amazing. Now that begginer"me" only had one dcc loco rendering the system useless to them. SOOO by being able to run an analog loco on it Seperatly is the greatest. So I guess I've answered my own question didn't I. And sorry I've drifted ways away from the origonal question which I think you should probably just install the decoder because then while other trains are running you can use decoder Thomas to do some industrial switching with some high-cube boxcars and tankers that dwarf Thomas:)haha fun times. 

[Jim Banner]

...  Additionally, decoder-equipped  locomotives will not run in analog mode like non-decoder-equipped engines, requiring much more voltage to get moving...

Depends on the decoder.  Some are good. Some are bad.  Some are atrocious.  But a few are completely transparent on dc.  An example of the latter is the Digitrax DG383 and DG583 decoders.  I split a pair of perfectly matched shays that would run together on dc as if they were coupled together.  After adding a DG383 to one of them, their speeds are still perfectly matched on dc.

With the decoders available today, it is possible to add DCC to any H0 locomotive.   It is just that some installations are easy, some are hard, and some are very, very hard.  Occasionally, installing two tiny decoders to get the current rating is easier than trying to install one big one.

Jim

[renniks]

 
    E-Z Command and Dynamis are entirely different.   E-Z Command (the original basic system) is a Bachmann US product while Dynamis was conceived and marketed by Bachmann UK (Euro?) later.
     Bachmann US has put them together under the E-Z Command 'header' for some reason known only to them. " E-Z Command" and "Dynamis" are separately registered Tradenames.

    Eric UK

[db22]

I have all DCC but I frequently have my grandson who loves the trains so I wanted to buy a Thomas engine but there is no DCC available so they lost a sale and probably many more.

[boomertom]

If it is any consolation,it is not just Dynamis that will not allow you to run a DC locomotive. None of the MRC Prodigy controllers will allow a DC to operate.

EZ Command will allow one DC locomotive and Digitrax will allow a DC locomotive to operate on address 0. With either system the DC locomotive is not too Happy.

Tom

[db22]

    E-Z Command and Dynamis are entirely different.   E-Z Command (the original basic system) is a Bachmann US product while Dynamis was conceived and marketed by Bachmann UK (Euro?) later.
     Bachmann US has put them together under the E-Z Command 'header' for some reason known only to them. " E-Z Command" and "Dynamis" are separately registered Tradenames.

    Eric UK

Typical of corporations in a world market - no idea what is going on where. Dynamis is sold in the USA and Bachmann have their name on it. Don't you think that the Bachmann USA web site would acknowledge tha fact that the product exists? Look at this site, the only mention is the, as good as useless, reference to the Dynamis manual. If they thought that Dynamis was a good product, wouldn't they be promoting it?