Newcomer to LGB

[stockers]

Having used DCC for a few years I would say yes, it is easy. certainly as easy as any other make I have seen. That said, there is a bit of a learning curve but we are here to help and its a good idea to join a local group for assistance. Treat the leanring curve as part of the hobby and enjoy the challenge.
It is unusual but by no means impossible to damage the kit. Just go slowly and follow the instructions, especially when wiring up a new decoder. There are loads of fitting instructions on here.

 

[MarkT]

Thanks Alan. Good job it's a special birthday this year! I think I shall pass on installing decoders myself for the time being. To be fair quite a few of the LGB locos seem to come already fitted with digital decoders nowadays so should make life easier. Are the LGB decoders Massoth ones or their own? I thought I read that in the old days they fitted Massoth because of a tie-up between the two companies.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

OK, new to LGB (nothing wrong with that).

But, are you new to model railways, or do you have some experience with 'other' scales ?

Why I ask, is very often (even on this forum, I'm sad to say), newcomers are bombarded with, how shall I put it, advanced systems. Nothing wrong with that either, but, if the advice seeker is new to the hobby, and usually of limited means, they can very quickly become disillusioned when they have expensive (and often unnecessary) systems foisted upon them when they don't have an understanding of the 'basics'.

At the end of the day, this hobby is about choice, your choice. Others choose what they want/like, but that don't necessarily mean you have to follow suit.

 

[MarkT]

Hi Gavin. I have experience in OO but not digital as yet. I did research the whole digital thing and talked to people and, whilst Massoth is expensive (but then again isn't all G scale?!, it looks as though I shall have something to grow with over time. Do many people stick with analogue G scale? I know that DCC is the "in thing" nowadays. What I didn't realise until recently is that the entire trackwork is constantly live so remaining with analogue would mean splitting a layout into separate blocks. Why is that with (LGB) G scale?

 

[stockers]

Yes Massoth made the decoders for LGB before the Marklin MFX was fitted (about 2015). The Massoth/LGB decoders are very similar and share the same CVs by and large. (CVs are the adjustable bits for us to program if you didn't know). Massoth tended to develop slightly faster than LGB so the decoders were rarely identical.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Hi Gavin. I have experience in OO but not digital as yet. I did research the whole digital thing and talked to people and, whilst Massoth is expensive (but then again isn't all G scale?!, it looks as though I shall have something to grow with over time. Do many people stick with analogue G scale? I know that DCC is the "in thing" nowadays. What I didn't realise until recently is that the entire trackwork is constantly live so remaining with analogue would mean splitting a layout into separate blocks. Why is that with (LGB) G scale?

I started G scale in my garden 17 years ago (I've been on the model railway scene for over 50 years now) with analogue, and R1 curves. It (Taita Gorge Railway) is still analogue, with R1 curves (and some block sections, now). A block section costs me a few dollars for an insulated joiner, and an on/off switch (or DPDT one when I have to cater for return loop situations). Sure beats spending hundreds of dollars on digital systems. And, by the way, when going digital, you still have to have isolated sections when you have a return loop scenario.

Grow old slowly with analogue.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

...... splitting a layout into separate blocks. Why is that with (LGB) G scale?

In LGB, and Large Scale, points are not normally 'isolating'. They are not 'live frog' either.

 

[Gizzy]

Welcome to the forum Mark....

 

[trammayo]

Yes - welcome Mark. I'm totally analogue, only have a couple of LGB locos (all the rest being Bachmann, Aristocraft, an odd USAT, plus several scratchbuilds). In the main, I run American outline stuff.

I admire DCC users but cannot help but think they have some difficult times with programming their stuff on occassions. But this Forum is very helpful - even to us dragging our heels against the tide of technology!

 

[PhilP]

Unless you drop it from a great height, leave the Navigator (handset) out in the rain, or step on it... You will find the system very hard to break!

Initially, read the manual, and work your way through the menu's *especially, set the current at which it will shutdown to a low value*..
That way if you have a problem, such as a short on the track, your system will protect itself and you. - 12Amps through a piece of wire can get very warm, very quickly.. You notice this even more if you are holding it at the time!!

 

[stockers]

I started G scale in my garden 17 years ago (I've been on the model railway scene for over 50 years now) with analogue, and R1 curves. It (Taita Gorge Railway) is still analogue, with R1 curves (and some block sections, now). A block section costs me a few dollars for an insulated joiner, and an on/off switch (or DPDT one when I have to cater for return loop situations). Sure beats spending hundreds of dollars on digital systems. And, by the way, when going digital, you still have to have isolated sections when you have a return loop scenario.

Grow old slowly with analogue.

I understand your point Gavin but I think you are missing the point of DCC, it is potentially far more than just selecting which loco moves.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

I understand your point Gavin but I think you are missing the point of DCC, it is potentially far more than just selecting which loco moves.

I'm fully au fait with the 'potential' of DCC...... I have yet to attend a model meet (in any scale), where that potential has been met. Honestly, watching proponents of DCC 'faultfixing' is not what I go to shows for. In the same vein, I've seen exhibition layouts extolling the virtues of DCC, only to see trains tail chasing (and inexperienced operators causing crashes because they don't understand the system).

My initial comments are to assist the newcomer to 'walk, before they run'. Just saying.....

 

[stockers]

My initial comments are to assist the newcomer to 'walk, before they run'. Just saying.....

Very fair comment

 

[Zerogee]

Well, this time round (having had a brief period of collecting a little LGB stuff back in the early '80s) I decided to go DCC from the start - my first purchase, in 2003, was an LGB MTS2 starter set, the big-box one that came with two chipped locos, a Kleine Dicke Borsig and the yellow KoF. I found no trouble understanding and using the DCC equipment, and the experience was so far removed from my earlier times with analogue systems that I was immediately hooked - especially when I got my first sound-equipped loco! Moving up from the MTS2 to full Massoth kit seemed a logical step a few years later.

To each their own, the beauty of the hobby is that everyone can do exactly what they want (Rule 8), but in this case the original poster did express the desire to move to DCC before too long and specifically wanted advice in that direction - my thought, like others have said, is to try to make that step as soon as possible to reduce the amount of subsequent conversion that has to be done. It's easy to chip (or get someone to do for you) two or three locos... it's a different kettle of fish when you have already collected a stable of twenty or more.....

Jon.

 

[stockers]

In this day and age, you will probably end up with half your locos being chipped even if you didn't need it. they just come that way, even if your in the second hand market.

 

[MarkT]

Just seen the 2017 new items from LGB. Some good stuff!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I'm DCC also, Zimo system, which makes the Massoth look cheap ha ha!

I'm a proponent of getting the right system the first time, which means normally it's a bit more complex than "starter" or "simplified" systems.

But I have found that almost every one of the "starter" systems has limitations that I could not work around or through with what I like to do.

So, prepare for a bit more learning the system up front, but staying with it for a long time.. in the long run you will be better off. Just like good trackwork, the DCC control system is a foundational part of your layout, and getting a limited one will indeed limit you.

The great thing about DCC is that you can mix and match components, i.e. use different locos, different decoders... so some locos might be decked out with lots of lights, sounds, operating couplers, etc., and you might have a few that just move back and forth and have a headlight.

I started with the NCE system here, but their wireless runs at 900 MHz so you cannot use it over there.

Greg

 

[MarkT]

Thanks Greg

I've read various posts on this forum and I think that starting, and subsequently growing with the Massoth system will be a good choice for me. Ever since I started with this hobby in the summer I've noticed that G scale is very addictive! More so than when I was collecting analogue OO in the 80's and 90's.

Mark

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks Greg

I've read various posts on this forum and I think that starting, and subsequently growing with the Massoth system will be a good choice for me. Ever since I started with this hobby in the summer I've noticed that G scale is very addictive! More so than when I was collecting analogue OO in the 80's and 90's.

Mark

Inthink that you will not regret Massoth and going DCC. Remember from the start it need not be complex. Literaly two wires to the Track on a small line with no reverce loops will get you going and allow you to learn the ropes. Just 1 DCC fitted Locomotive will teach you a great deal.

As you learn so you can build up your confidence and perhaps your line. Before you know it you will be adding reverce loops with the correct kit and doing Power Districts ( a fancy name for making electrical sections for fault finding but others with big lines use Boosters).

As for chip fitting, with a DCC Ready (LGB Direct Decoder) it is as simple as plugging in a chip and turning off all the little Dip Switches. The trickiest part can be deconstructing the locomotive and getting it back together again. One of the easiest in this respect is the LGB 2075/76/20761 and newer versions. Not sure if they did a Direct Decoder one, perhaps someone on here will know. This is just about the easiest to pull apart that I have found.
JonD

 

[MarkT]

Thanks for all your help and advice forum members. Very useful