Getting Started with new equipment

[Bob C]

Hello Folks,

I am brand new to model railways and Hornby DCC. I have purchased a track based on the Hornby catalogue plus a Select controller and two steam locos which are labelled DCC ready. Just received them. I have 1 x Standard Class 4 Steam loco with tender and 1 x Royal Scot/Patriot Class loco with tender.

I have placed one of the locos onto the track and, switching on the controller, I can hear a whirring sound from the loco but it does not move when I rotate the speed control. I have 14.8V with no loco on the track and 14.4V when I put the loco on. I have address 03 showing on the screen. I get the same thing with both locos in either direction. I have broken it down to one peice of track connected to the Select controller but no movement and the same voltage readings as above. I am using the Hornby power connector onto the track. I have checked and double checked the connections to the track.

So, my question is. What am I doing wrong? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

When it states DCC ready does this mean the decoder is already fitted? I can't find one in the box.

Bob C

[5Dublo2]

DCC ready means you still need to add the chips - DCC fitted means the chips are already installed You currently have a DC loco on a DCC layout

 

Oh and you ned to buy the chips separately if not a fitted loco

[Bulleidboy]

Hi Bob

You will receive a very detailed answer soon, but DCC Ready means you need to install a decoder - and they don't come in the sets. Locomotives come in three categories Analogue, DCC Ready and DCC Fitted. I hope that is self explanatory. The instructions with the loco will show you how to install the decoder - I am not familiar with your two loco's (I don't own either), so the decoder may go into the loco or it maybe the tender. I would have thought that in both cases the Hornby R8249 decoder would suffice, but again further information will follow. As you loco's are currently in analogue form,  I do not think that the Select will operate them. BB

 

[Chrissaf]

As others have said. 'DCC Ready' means that the loco has a decoder socket inside it [currently fitted with a DC Analogue bypass circuit board]. The bypass circuit board has to be removed and replaced with a DCC decoder to make the loco controllable on DCC. Until a such time that a decoder is fitted, a 'DCC Ready' locomotive is technically a DC Analogue locomotive.

.

The whirring sound, if left audible will eventually burn out your locomotive motors. I highly recommend that you desist from trying to do any more testing until you have sourced and fitted some decoders to your DCC Ready locos.

.

If your Select is the very latest version 2 then the support for Analogue locos will have been disabled at the factory. If your Select is earlier firmware pre version 1.6, then it is capable of controlling a DC Analogue loco when switched into a special operating mode (read the manual]. However, even the manual says in small print that Hornby advise that this analogue option is not used.

.

All forum members that are knowledgeable about DCC will also advise that it is not a good idea to use the earlier Select version analogue support feature either. As using this feature still has the capability to damage a DCC Ready locomotive motor.

.

As an aside. Double check that your track power connector is certified for DCC. You may have purchased either a R602 or R8206 power connector. These are DC Analogue and not compatible for DCC. The DCC friendly power connector products are R8241 and R8242.

.

The DC Analogue power track connectors can be modified into a DCC friendly version by opening them up and removing the suppression capacitor located inside. See image below:

.

/media/tinymce_upload/728888450c3e54b8ba0cad08522120da.jpg

.

TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

.

Particularly as my reply includes an image, using the 'Blue Button' may result in your reply being held back for image approval, even though it is an existing image.

.

See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

.

[Bob C]

Guys, thank you so much for your help. I'm off to buy a couple of decoders. At least I bought the correct Power Connector R8241.

Chrissaf, I didn't run the motors for long (less than a couple of minutes) so I should be OK there.

Every day is a school day. Thanks once again.

 

Bob C

[Chrissaf]

Just for clarification. Just in case you hadn't done this already. The standard Hornby points are designed for DC Analogue. Each point on your layout needs to have Hornby R8232 DCC Clips fitted to it to make them DCC friendly. Ordering part number R8232 is a pack of 20 clips. Two clips are required per point. Thus a pack of 20 supports 10 points.