Looking for a good Analogue Controller.

[Tony270145]

Can somebody give me their recommendation for really good DC Controller for my exe DCC Layout in 00 size 12x6 double dogs leg with crossover with 4 sidings, i am returning to DC  from DCC due to increased costs , and at my age i just want to run my trains not spend my time programming decoders  decoders ect so have sold all my North American sound locos , and just purchased a few British outline , i like the simplicity of running and not having to solder all those track droppers , so i am looking for a very good reliable DC Controller that will give me very smooth running especially slow speed control , any advice gratefully received.

Tony. 

[Dungrange]

You might want to have a read of this thread, where there are lots of recommendations for Gaugemaster.

 

I'm not sure why you're switching from DCC to DC if you don't like soldering droppers.  The increase in reliability that you get from having a dropper to each track section is as applicable to DC as it is DCC - it's not essential in DCC, just good practise in both and there will be a lot more wiring to convert a DCC layout to DC if you need to create cab sections and isolating sections.

Edited May 13, 2021 by Dungrange

[Ben Alder]

The Morley Vector crawler I found was a good controller with excellent slow speed action.

 

[SamThomas]

For general running you can't really beat Gaugemaster - they do the job & are warrantied for life (you don't need an original receipt or be the 1st owner either) If it goes wrong you send it to them, they fix or replace it & send it back - all you have to do is pay the postage back to them.

 

There are some excellent other controllers out there such as the Morley - it really depends on what you want.

[paul 27]

Does the Morley cause motor buzz as with the Gaugemaster DF Feedback.

[DCB]

5 hours ago, paul 27 said:

Does the Morley cause motor buzz as with the Gaugemaster DF Feedback.

Mine doesn't but its not a crawler.   

[ITG]

On 13/05/2021 at 15:45, Tony270145 said:

not having to solder all those track droppers

Good connectivity, which would include having multiple feeds to the track, would surely apply to DC, as well as DCC. And wouldn’t there possibly be extra wiring and connections needed for isolating sections for DC? Entirely your decision of course, but I run DCC and the amount of time spent programming decoders is minimal.

[SamThomas]

4 hours ago, ITG said:

Good connectivity, which would include having multiple feeds to the track, would surely apply to DC, as well as DCC.

That is very true.

However, DC analogue is far more tollerant of less than perfect wiring.

[Frank Sharp]

Gaugemaster do seem to have sewn up the controller market. Morley seem to be their main competitor but their controller had a centre off and no direction switch. In effect with a reversing switch as Gaugemaster you get 270 degrees of rotation but with Morley only 135 degrees each way, which just makes dropping on exactly the right speed setting that bit more difficult. Avoid anything with feedback that you cannot turn off. Coreless motors are becoming more common and feedback is usually not recommended with FB. I collect controllers, there were umpteen clever electronic ones using chips which were never intended for model raiways. Some are great but it is noticable that Gaugemaster and I think Morley are back on discret

e components (transistors/capacitors/diodes/resistors. Momentum is fun on a really big layout or garden but you will probably soon tire of it.

Edited July 9, 2021 by Frank Sharp
I pressed retun to soon