N DCC Installs, Volume 3, More Steam

N DCC Installs Volume 3 is a how-to program about installing Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders into N scale steam locomotives.

Digital Command Control (DCC) has revolutionized the operation of model trains. DCC offers a level of control over lights, motion, and sound that was not possible with older DC systems. With DCC, each locomotive can operate independently on the same piece of track. DCC makes layout wiring much easier. You don’t need to worry about toggle switches to isolate pieces of track.

Even though DCC has many benefits, there are some trade offs. Using DCC requires a decoder in each locomotive. While some newer N scale locomotives are available with decoders already installed, many are not.

Some models are DCC ready but lack a decoder. Putting DCC in these models is usually pretty easy. However, quite a few N scale steam engines require a bit more work. Some are not DCC ready. Most need more work than a typical diesel.

In N DCC Installs Volume 3 we’ll tackle 6 real-world examples of DCC installs. We’ll show you how to put tiny decoders into tiny locomotives. We’ll show you how to make use of a capacitor circuit to improve the reliability of locomotives with poor electrical pickup.

We’ve chosen models produced by some of the most popular N scale manufacturers. Even if our models aren’t exactly like yours, we’ve tried to include enough variety to provide examples of typical issues you’d be likely to encounter while installing your own decoders.

Often, the headlights in N scale steam engines leave something to be desired. We’ll show you how to make improvements to the lighting. We use small LEDs to make the headlights shine brightly!

When it will fit, we’ll also show you how to add sound to the models. Even in N scale, small speakers will fit into many tenders. We talk about speaker selection and wiring. Because it’s so important, we also talk about using an appropriate speaker enclosure. Even though it may take a bit of work, you can install DCC into just about any N scale steam engine!

Decoders may change over time as newer technology becomes available. New models will come onto the market. Since all decoders follow the same DCC standard, the installation procedures will remain the same.