Digital Locos on Analogue Track

[CoggesRailway]

Not sure if this post belongs in DCC of not but here goes...

For the forseeable future I won't have digital although I can see the benefits. Yesterday at Whatlep's I saw that analogue locos can join in OK when visiting a DCC layout. But what about digitals visiting analogue track power? I have one little yellow LGB shunter I think is digital and it runs fine here (starts a few seconds later than I am used to). Is that the same for all locos?

So If I have two seperate lgb 5A powered analogue loops and a few sidings that can be isloated for parking (sorry if you don't "park" locomotives not sure of the correct term) could one make a good fist of an open day? I am aware that a lot of members locos are digital and it would be a shame if they couldn't run. The loops are pretty long - perimeter of a suburban garden so if there was some rc steam/battery one could have a fair bit of traffic safely i think.

 

[yb281]

Ian, it's absoutely no problem running chipped locos on analogue - I do it all the time as several of mine are chipped, but my line is analogue. In fact it's usually the other way round that causes problems, people have had problems running non-chipped locos on digital - Mike blew his analogue Piko railbus up on his digital LGB II.

 

[Neil Robinson]

I suspect that there may be exceptions but AFAIK you're fine running chipped locos on analogue.
Even non standard systems such as MTH's are fine, indeed their locos even run on analogue ac as well as dc.
The only down side is the sound systems only have the basic sounds with analogue operation.
I suspect that there are more exceptions the other way round, i.e. running analogue locos on digital. Some of the motors used with the Brawa 2-8-0 take exception as do those used in the Piko railbus. The former were subject to a recall, with the latter I believe the motors are o.k on digital once the locos are chipped.

Edit, Mel got there first, confirming the info.

 

[CoggesRailway]

thanks chaps! was what i wanted to hear....

 

[mike]

just a word off caution.. be carefull when visting lines that use pulsewidth power, normally the little orange train enginneeers, or if the owner off the better black ones use plusewidth..
it can damage/kill the chips..
perversly, as mell said, i blew a new piko railcar up on digical.. its a 1st!! most not run on digical till chiped.. apaerntly YOU ARE SURPOSED TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!

 

[themole]

When I built this loco I used a LGB HF 130 diesel chassis, but removed the fitted chip, (it was the time of LGB going bump in 2006, I got a lot of spares/parts very cheap )I do not run DCC here, the loco chassis was far more responsive WITHOUT the chip, to convert to only analogue, remove chip and connect each pair of lugs with a solder/wire bridge. All lighting via a 5volt bridge. All DCC locos here have been so modded. Alyn

 

[ntpntpntp]

I have one little yellow LGB shunter I think is digital and it runs fine here (starts a few seconds later than I am used to). Is that the same for all locos?

Yes. That's because when running a chipped loco on analogue you need to turn the voltage up high enough for the decoder to "wake up" and realise it's seeing analogue DC with no DCC signal. Typically somewhere around 7 volts or so but it depends on the decoder. Then (if it has been programmed run on analogue) it will start off.

It is possible to program almost all DCC decoders NOT to respond on analogue DC, and some people do this to prevent runaways should the decoder misread the DCC signal. If you acquire a chipped loco that refuses to move on DC when first tested, this may be the reason. (I make it a habit of always testing all locos on DC first as you've got a variable voltage and can feed in the volts gently, just in case something is wrong that might go pop!)

Mike's note about avoiding running chipped locos on DC pulsed power is worth remembering. Some decoders are fine, but others may be confused and in the worst case there have been reports of decoders blowing. I remember a friend of mine had an expensive N gauge chipped multiple-unit, he was very nervous the first time he ran it on my exhibition layout which uses pulsed feedback controllers. Turned out it was fine, but all the same I did subsequently modify the controllers to switch out the feedback if/when desired.

With regard to running non-chipped locos on DCC layouts that support this via concepts such as "address zero" or whatever the particular DCC system likes to call it: I'm afraid my upbringing in smaller scales puts me definitely against this as I've experienced what it does to small motors to have current constantly flowing even when the motor is stationary. OK, with the larger motors we use in our big toys it's maybe not so serious, but I just don't like the idea (as I've probably said on various threads in the past). Just listen to the buzzing/singing noise an unchipped loco makes when sat on live DCC rails - it can't be good!

 

[Dover Rover]

Nick
I couldn't agree more.
The sound of analogue motors buzzing is so annoying.



David