Mixing analogue and DCC

Yes!
Don't do it!!

Others may say it is fine, but other than to run an odd loco on address 0 for a short time, I would not.
The noise the motor(s) make should give you a clue.
AND,
if you leave an analogue loco for any length of time on a DCC powered track, the noise from the motor tends to stop. As does the motor, quite often.

Get yourself a 10Amp double-pole, double-throw, centre-off switch and switch the whole track from DCC to analogue..
Run a separate DCC feed to point controllers (if you use them) and you can still control the points whilst running an analogue loco.

If you have two loops, and want to just switch one to analogue:
You can do this. BUT, you must isolate any crossovers, and they should be (at least) one and a half times longer then the longest train you ever think you will run.

Overly cautious maybe, but safest way IMHO.
 
I agree 100% with PhilP, I don't attempt to run unchipped locos on DCC. Just because some systems allow it doesn't make it a good idea! Granted my background is more in the small scales where the detrimental effect on small motors is much worse, but even with our large scale toys we know certain models don't like it and the electronics can blow (Piko and Bachmann for example). For the sake of a few moments to swap to DC, or a few quid to fit a chip, is it worth the risk with our expensive locos?

I do exactly the same as PhilP describes, ie. switch the entire trackwork to DC and use a separate DCC bus to keep accessory decoders active.
 
I agree. But I use big plugs to swap, rather than a switch, so I can move the power supplies between shed and house.
 
I've used my MTSIII quite a bit in the analogue mode for when we are racing our propeller driven cars and never had a problem. My sons' two (Mars Flyer & Fortuna flyers) have decoders, but mine doesn't, so we run them together without a problem. I don't think the central station will have a problem, but as the others have mentioned it could be hard on the locomotive motors over time.
Keith
 
Yep totally agree with the BIG switch for DCC Massoth to DC 13 amp Crest with TE.
I have three of them (nice clunky 10 pole ones), one for each of the three separate sections of the layout.
When I switch the jobbies, it is just like being Igor from 'Frankenstein'..."More power Igor!!"
 
beavercreek said:
When I switch the jobbies, it is just like being Igor from 'Frankenstein'..."More power Igor!!"
Click to expand...
And the lights suddenly go dim in Colchester!

I've run LGB locos on address zero with no issues, but I didn't dare chance it with the Bachmann tram I used to own.

I sold the tram eventually and all my other locos have now been chipped....
 
Thank you to all those that have responded the question arose because an "expert "said that running twin motored analoque locos would damage an MTS central station I had never heard of this before and am looking for clarity. I personally do not run analogue locos my system is an LGB Massoth mix and has given no problems to date running my small fleet of Saxon Mayers
 
Although in my answer I referred to being able to switch between DCC and DC, there are occasions when I will 'test out' an analogue loco on the DCC feed.
Depending on the make, the 'singing' sound that comes from a motor fed on 'pseudo' DC (when a central station is feeding to address '0') ranges from soft to loud. LGB motors (not the very old ones) seem to be the most quiet. But all motors are not receiving the voltage waveform that they really require and some will heat up. It is the load the loco is dragging and the inclines it climbs that will determine the work that the motor will have to do while being fed pseudo' analogue voltage.
If it is working hard it will be naturally heating up and the extra heat from the 'pseudo' DC will not do it any good if the situation goes on continually. If working light then there should not be really any problem. Unless it is a loud singer of course.....
it ain't over 'till the fat loco sings..........
 
This has me concerned/puzzled.
I have run unchipped LGB, Bachmann, USAT, Accucraft and Hartland analogue locos on MTS 2/3 for well over 3yrs. Some of the locos have run for hours on end others have sat with lights on in sidings for long periods. They are all still working. LGB specifically say that their analogue locos can be run safely on MTS. I notice that one or two LGB locos buzz louder than any of the others.
On occasion I have checked for overheating but not found a problem.
 
LGB / Buhler motors are pretty robust (under statement!).
With other makes 'your mileage may vary'.. The LGB stuff is 'designed-ish' to cope with it. - Hence they say so!

For short periods, fine.
The noise of a buzzing (complaining) motor offends my Engineers ear! - Buzzing = oscillation = movement = power being used = friction/heating.

I am not saying NEVER, only BE CAREFUL.
 
Thanx again to those who have replied but you seem to miss the point of my question I was told running anologue locos especially those with 2 motors could seriously damage an MTS cental station. I am well aware of damage to coreless motors and others but it is the electronics within the central station which are in question here.
 
As you will be on address '0' just like any address, the central station will just carry on pumping out the voltage (even 'pseudo' DC) and not care until its amperage limit is exceeded.
Now this could happen if the two motors in your loco decide to top off and draw more than the central station can pump out but the only motors that would tend to do that are found in USA trains locos as they can have very high amp draw (with heavy loads or inclines etc) let alone stall amperage.
Even so the central station should just cut out if the power drain is too much for it....just like if too many locos are running with lights, smoke, sound etc etc.
 
I am pretty sure that someone mentioned their Central Station had been damaged a few weeks ago..
Had been fine for several years, and then a stalled/shorted analogue loco caused the unit to fail. *This if I remember the comment correctly*.

Of course, the fact the Central Station was several years old would not have had anything to do with it!
"Your mileage may vary" as they say.

In theory, Central Station will shutdown, no harm done.
Nothing certain 'cept death, taxes, and anything technical having a mind of its' own!
 
I agree with Beavercreek: I wouldn't expect a single LGB twin motor un-chipped loco would actually damage the MTS system - after all the system is designed for 5 amps isn't it? It's not going to draw more power than a similar chipped twin-motor loco (but it will of course draw a little power all the time through those motors even when stationary).

As I wrote earlier I'm in agreement with PhilP, I just don't like the idea of running an un-chipped loco on DCC from an engineering standpoint. If power's going through the motor this is simply being wasted as heat, and maybe affecting the magnets in the long term. Small scale motors and coreless motors really won't tolerate this for long. As far as the electronics goes, we've had first-hand reports on GSC (and GSM before that) of un-chipped Piko locos going "pop" (the interference supression capacitors blow).

Address "0" isn't a real DCC address, it's a convention used on some systems simply to instruct the electronics to stretch the DCC waveform on part of the alternating cycle, making it assymetrical so that to a DC motor it appears biased to one polarity or the other.
 
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