TaffsTT Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Hello, Question - with a track enabled for DCC with Bus and droppers, plus DCC clips in Hornby points (TT:120 type), could I run a DC (analogue) locomotives on it? Obviously not using DCC power supplies, but thinking more of a dual system, separated by a DPDT switch so I can change between the two? I cannot see what is stopping the concept apart perhaps the DCC clips causing issues? Thankyou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 You can as long as you totally divorce the DC and DCC controllers, but as the track will be live all over you can only run one DC loco, without breaking into your bus and fitting isolation switches. Also consider how you will disconnect any accessories that are connected to the track bus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntpntpntp Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 DC and DCC are still basically the same electrical circuit. I look at things from the other perspective: if a layout is correctly wired for DC it will also work on DCC, just turn on all the isolating sections 🙂 That's what I do with my N, 009 and G layouts. I would be very careful about relying on just a DPDT switch: much better to have to physically disconnect one system from the layout and plug in the other: for one thing that should also remind you to remove all non-DCC locos from the layout before you active the DCC. You don't want to be frying your DC locos. Consider running any DCC point decoders etc. on totally separate bus wiring which can be left connected to DCC when the track itself is plugged into DC. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaffsTT Posted February 29 Author Share Posted February 29 (edited) Thanks for confirming this both of you. I couldnt see anything electrically but again, low experience levels so thought I better ask before cooking a loco, etc. Cheers again. Edited February 29 by Taff TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelerXYZ Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 4 hours ago, ntpntpntp said: if a layout is correctly wired for DC it will also work on DCC, just turn on all the isolating sections When I wired mine, I had 5 dc controllers, and I had inadvertadly wired some controllers backwards to others. When I re-engineered the line for DCC it shorted. Rookie error on my part, but DC was more forgiving. The dificulties come if you have reverse loops. (or in my case, a triangle). Don't make the same mistake as me, check all DC fittings are wired the same way. You could design it to be switched between the two, either with a double pole Double throw switch or by physically connecting/disconnecting the controller. XYZ. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Just a word of warning - it’s is crucial that never the twain shall meet! If you should ever connect your DCC controller to the track while DC power is live, that will be the end of your controller, at least until you replace its output electronics and re-package the smoke which will have been released when the connection was made. I trust the metaphors are not too obscure and you get my drift. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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