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What DCC system should I buy?


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...ESU and Lenz are a leading DCC manufacturers, but they also produce RTR model trains.

The Marklin CS central stations are among the most technically advanced DCC systems available.

Roco & Fleischmann are leading RTR manufacturers, but their MultiMaus system is a very well regarded entry level system. Their Z21 system is leading edge in the DCC control interface field.

Bachmann's Dynamis system is bought in from ESU and was previously, until a couple of years ago, that company's entry level system.

I've been out of the loop for 15 years (half my life) but had a ZTC system then, with two boosters and two handheld controllers, no desktop controller. N gauge layout with reverse loop. The system is now 20yo almost to the week.

 

Appears there have been some significant movements forward since then, certainly in terms of intergration with computers and or phones/tablets.

 

On one level that makes a lot of sense for programming, point control, railcomm looks good and I already have a high spec android phone. But also I would still want a conventional controller/throttle and do worry that ten years on new phones may no longer work with the kit.

 

How common is the Roco/Z21 system? Looks good but not cheap. Lenz is a name I am familiar, but the kit looks the same now as then?

 

 

Daniel

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well my Hornby dcc mallard turned up today. I was getting a bit worried as I paid for it in December. The dcc controller will be with me tomorrow so I will have a play with that and see how confused I can get I am still unsure of the track layout for my small layout. I am still hankering after the 8' x 1' that CJFreezer shared a long time ago. Not very good for a mallard but should be ok for the smaller 060 and 040 that I am gathering.

 

B

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I've been out of the loop for 15 years (half my life) but had a ZTC system then, with two boosters and two handheld controllers, no desktop controller. N gauge layout with reverse loop. The system is now 20yo almost to the week.

 

Appears there have been some significant movements forward since then, certainly in terms of intergration with computers and or phones/tablets.

 

On one level that makes a lot of sense for programming, point control, railcomm looks good and I already have a high spec android phone. But also I would still want a conventional controller/throttle and do worry that ten years on new phones may no longer work with the kit.

 

How common is the Roco/Z21 system? Looks good but not cheap. Lenz is a name I am familiar, but the kit looks the same now as then?

 

 

Daniel

I have the z21 start with wifi which I bought with a set (meaning to sell on all the other bits). I like it - I'm currently using it in HOm with iPhones, iPads and a 20-year old Roco maus.  Never got around to selling the other bits of theset though. :)

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Ok. So all going well with the mallard and the NCE controller.

 

So now I get braver and bought a Hornby class 20 with sound no less.

 

First one would not work so the supplier swapped it for another unit he tested before letting me have it so no doubt it works.

 

Get home and away it goes working well. I turned the controller off and went for tea. On my return the engine would not work. I placed a known engine with a gauge master chip fitted on the track and that goes ok. So I try the 20 again no difference still no movement or noise functions. I program the engine again to the long address and off it goes. Strange! Turn everything off and the same again. No thing. Then I confused myself as to what I was doing! Usual thing of trying too many changes at once. So I program the engine number again. Nothing. Change the number to 20 still nothing. Power down, power up still nothing. This time the controller says it can not read the cv or chip. Seems like no communication. Each pair of bogies have pick ups so I can't see it being them. Try again. Same thing happens. No communications. Try again on different loco and reads no problem. Try the 20 again and this time it reads it. Come out of programming and try running and it all works. So now I am getting a shower and I will try in 20 mins or so.

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Ok. Back to it. Turned power on and select loco. Nothing. Select another loco. That's fine. So I can rule out bad connections, controller, etc. It's got to be the 20 that's got a problem.

 

Tried reading cv and nothing. Message is can not read cv?

 

Has anyone got any pointers other than taking it back

 

Brian

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Ok. Back to it. Turned power on and select loco. Nothing. Select another loco. That's fine. So I can rule out bad connections, controller, etc. It's got to be the 20 that's got a problem.

 

Tried reading cv and nothing. Message is can not read cv?

 

Has anyone got any pointers other than taking it back

 

Brian

 

Hornby loco with sound, presumably a Hornby TTS sound decoder ?    If so, its faulty.  Lots of Hornby TTS decoders are faulty.   Talk to either your retailer or Hornby directly over it, Hornby will fix it. 

 

- Nigel

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  • 3 weeks later...

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