I blame you guys....

[rankodd]

So, I was in my LHS today looking for some static grass to use with the 15kv ion generators I ordered, and I accidentally wandered by the DCC section.

Now, I've been contemplating DCC for a while. I wanted to do it because I"m a computer guy and digital computer control appeals to me, but I'm going to have a fairly simple, smallish layout that won't get much out of it. At least that's what I've been trying to convince myself. Unfortunately, they had a bunch of digitrax decoders on blow-out, so I caved and came home with:

A Zephyr Xtra 3 amp starter set
2 DZ125 decoders (because they didn't have DZ123)
and on sale I got 4xTF4 and 4xTL1 for $5/ea, and. somewhat randomly, a BD4 for $25.

I have exactly 2 Kato DCC-Friendly models, so I ordered 2 pair of FL12 and a pair of EM13 from Plaza Japan.
I have exactly 1 train with interior LED lighting, so I'm hoping I can use the TL1s in the middle cars and the TF4s in the end cars.

Now, I'm really hoping this doesn't end badly. Wiring decoders into cars scares me a little, given how expensive the trains are and how hard it is to get parts. I've even got one engine that I'm convinced is going to be a pain to convert - a Kato 3045 "Blue Thunder" EH200 - a dual locomotive with 8 powered axels :( (http://www.newhallstation.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/73)

BUT! I don't think I'd be happy unless I went DCC.  Fortunately, I haven't started construction yet, which lets me plan ahead for the eventual total automation :) I'll be asking a lot of questions, too.

I still blame everyone in this forum, though. You all made DCC sound too interesting, and not scary enough :)

[westfalen]

That's because it's not scary.

[keitaro]

my wife would kill me if i did that atm haha

[rankodd]

That's because it's not scary.

Any set of instructions that includes "Milling the frame" on a tiny device that only has replacement parts 1000km away, and costs as much as a low end laptop is scary :)

"Cut these traces on the lightboard" is slightly less scary, but still worrisome. :)

[john_ibw]

I still blame everyone in this forum, though. You all made DCC sound too interesting, and not scary enough :)

You are not the only one. But, I am sure you won't regret either :) I am 5 trains old despite all attempts to go slow. I added the "Super View Odoriko" last evening while out yesterday. Now, I have to order the decoders for it. BTW...I wanted the Super View after I read Bernad's thread on his one.

BTW...I also have the Digitrax Z. So, I am kinda happy to note others getting it too.

[Martijn Meerts]

Milling the frame is hardly ever necessary, as long as you don't mind the decoder being partially visible. For example, rather than mill the frame of a Tomix DD51, I just put the decode in the cab. Sure, it's visible when looking at it closely, but from about a meter you really won't notice anymore. And if it happens to get annoying, I can always darken the windows and/or paint the decoder in the same colors as the interior.

After a couple of installs, it also becomes a lot easier, apart from maybe the MicroAce trains, they seem to re-design every train from scratch :)

[Dani]

Welcome to the dark side of DCC my son........      

You'll be very happy, for sure!!!

[westfalen]

The Kato EH200 doesn't require any milling of the frame though you do need to cut away some of the top of the shell to allow room for some of the components on the decoder.

'Milling the frame' sounds scary because it implies you need a milling machine and the expertise to use it. I just get stuck into the frame with a file.

[keiman]

Try fitting decoders in Z gauge, that is when it gets interesting. 
At least with N you can usually find a space,  worst comes to the worst change the colour of the heatshrink sleeve on the decoder if it is too visible.

[nik_n_dad]

After a couple of installs, it also becomes a lot easier, apart from maybe the MicroAce trains, they seem to re-design every train from scratch :)

That's why I let the Captain / Don do those for me.  Nice work too..... I think he's done like 10 or so for us, and no complaints.  Some of them have even been pretty weird installs or requests on our part.

[rankodd]

After a couple of installs, it also becomes a lot easier, apart from maybe the MicroAce trains, they seem to re-design every train from scratch :)

That's why I let the Captain / Don do those for me.....  nice work too....

I've got one Micro Ace (A black Ship train) and that Blue Thunder locomotive that I'll either be leaving for last, or shipping to Cap'n Don myself :P

[CaptOblivious]

After a couple of installs, it also becomes a lot easier, apart from maybe the MicroAce trains, they seem to re-design every train from scratch :)

To my surprise, I've actually found MA to be more consistent in their designs than Kato or Tomix! My experience has been that Tomix is a total toss-up as to what you'll get, Kato has about four different designs, and MA has exactly two and they are very similar. I'm talking of MU motor cars, of course, locos are a different thing entirely!

Anyway, point being, as far as MA MUs go, I've got their patterns down cold now. I would hardly say every train is a new design.

[Martijn Meerts]

Well, looking at MU's, most of them are fairly similar, regardless of the brand. MU's in general are easy, or at least the motor cars are easy. Cab cars can be tricky.

The MicroAce loco's I've tried though were all quite different. Not necessarily the way you install the decoder, or the way the frame and motor are built up, but the way the shell is put on tends to differ as well. In some case the whole shell comes off, in other cases you need to take it apart in bits and pieces, and in yet other cases I haven't been able to figure out how to get the shell off at all =)

[rankodd]

Thankfully, my interest is almost exclusively in EMUs. I have the Blue Thunder because of an in-joke with my friends, and my only other loco is going to be the one that comes with the new Tomix cleaning set. All of my others are Trams, Shinkansen, or regular EMUs.

My DCC investment has also gone up. eBay has provided me with a BDL168, DS-64, PM42, PR3, and a handful of DZ-123s. I've also got a Kato Pocket tram coming to practice on, because it's supposedly an easy conversion. I figure I'll start on that and work my way up to my more expensive trains.