Subject:
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Re: DCC and the future
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Thu, 19 Dec 2002 19:05:09 GMT
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Viewed:
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1226 times
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> I have very limited knowledge of DCC but in a nutshell my understanding is
> that with DCC forward on a controller will always make the engine move
> forwards, right?
Well- sort of. The motor will go in a constant direction of rotation,
regardless of orentation on the track. However, which way forward is can be
defined in most decoders (I have some which are spoofed to forward=reverse
direction)
> In order to do this only a LEGO train one needs to modify the train motor,
> right?
Yes, to do it you have to add a decoder to the motor, and then have a command
station replace the lego controller. The command station/throttles are
available from several manufacturers, and can be made from a older computer as
well (it takes around a 286 to convert- mostly because of ease of getting).
Basically, the decoder sees a AC wave form on the rails, and then rectifies it
to DC for motor operation in accordance with instructions (speed & direction)
sent by the command station.
>
> What is a decorder?
decoder= mobile decoder installed in the lego motor
> Will I be able to use the old speed regulator or is
> this decorder taking over that function?
You can still operate a decoder equipped motor on a regular lego controller.
It doesn't work as well, because the decoder eats something like 1.5V through
it when operating on DC, and the 6 steps of the lego controller are too course,
you end up with too fast or too slow, but no middle. Once you have DCC, it is
a disincentive to go back to the lego controllers, especially given the price
point.
> Plus could I still run multiple engines on 1 track?
That is the huge benifit of DCC, it allows for independent operation of several
(up to 22 in my case) motors at once on 1 track. So, you can have one heck of
a big crash, and no problem...
>
> You mention the occasional fired decorder? How does this happen?
The motor _must_ be isolated completely from track power. The insulation on
the wires supplied on the decoders is rather thin, and when closing the lego
train motor case, I have pinched the motor output wires into the wheel pickups.
You have approximately 3 seconds at that time to remove the motor from the
track before it fries the decoder. I failed a few times...now I tape the wires
out of the way, and that works fine (learning curve)
James P
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: DCC and the future
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| (...) I have very limited knowledge of DCC but in a nutshell my understanding is that with DCC forward on a controller will always make the engine move forwards, right? In order to do this only a LEGO train one needs to modify the train motor, (...) (22 years ago, 18-Dec-02, to lugnet.trains)
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