Cowes & Newport in 4mm scale

Neat work, Chris. I don't know ZTC but on the face of it, it doesn't sound right that you would need to reprogram each time you switched on the unit. Does that mean that the address defaults to 3 each time?

It does seem to default to 3. But I came back later and it worked first time, though it had defaulted to 28 speed steps instead of 128. I suspect there are some concepts I haven't understood yet. Another foible seems to be when running in DC mode (which is needed for my automated staging sidings) the loco gets stuck running in one direction and wont reverse.  I will persevere. Believe it or not I know next to nothing about DCC and need to catch up fast!

 

Chris

I was on that DCC learning curve not too long ago. I wouldn't say that I know a lot more now, but you do learn some tricks and things to watch out for.

 

Regarding speed steps, as I understand it, when you select the number of steps via the DCC controller, that's just a temporary thing and won't be stored until the next running session. To lock in the number of speed steps, you need to go into the decoder programming itself (if the decoder supports it) and change the relevant CV.

Ah - no doubt my decoders do NOT support that as they date from the first incarnation of ZTC.....  Like all things, DCC is obviously not the panacea it might appear to be and has its own foibles - which being digital and computerised, have a life of their own! Unlike good old mechanics and DC current which can usually be diagnosed and understood.

Ah Barry - I've just re-read the ZTC advert for the mythical "upgrade" (latest estimated date July 2013, but there have been many others) and the upgraded controller (

I went to the model shop this morning and discovered that current decoders are much smaller than my old ZTC ones. I came away with a Digitrax DZ125 which will definitely go in a Terrier with very little modification. So to answer the question which sparked off this thread, yes, you can put decoders in small IOW tank locos in 4mm scale.

 

 

Chris

I've decided, for the sake of simplicity, to remove decoders from all my pre-nationalisation engines (those few I had converted) so that I can enjoy the simple pleasure of DC running now and again. I put a DPDT switch on my layout so I can swap between the DCC and DC controllers easily, and having done that four years ago I've yet to have a mishap. On the plus side I do think DCC is excellent for some applications, and I wouldn't want to be without it for diesels with lights and sound-equipped locos, but as you say it's not the panacea it's sometimes claimed to be. By the way, the DZ125 decoders are great for tight spaces - I used one in a Bachmann N class.