Hi all: Is there still a source for the CT Elektronik DXC65 DCC decoder out there someplace? Or even a different make and model of the same, or smaller, size? I've looked around and can't find anything. Google has failed me.
Coming soon from Zmodell... https://azlforum.com/thread/2464/zmodell-zm05a-smallest-digital-decoder Might be something to look into. I'm not sure how the size compares to the DXC65. In the discussion above he has a comparison to the DCX77z.
Cool work. Bigger than the DCX65, I'll have to wait until my GP8, well, GP7, arrives and do some measuring. The GP8 isn't lit, I just need motor control.
Yes, that would be way overkill if you don't need outputs. But, at least the ever important width is the same, and if there are availability issues it might (soon) be an option versus nothing.
I agree. It's not outside my range of choices. What will kill it is if the locomotive isn't wide enough. I've never had one of these apart, so I don't even know how I'm going to do this. Currently I have one of the 125 HST starter sets. I would imagine that the locomotives on that are big enough to squeeze in a decoder. Of course they'd have to have the directional lights attached, that should prove to be entertaining. The layout I've designed has an outside loop for passenger trains, and an inner loop with room for a carbonates factory. At the west side the passenger rail is elevated to allow for a fright train to cross underneath to reach a transfer station (Is that what it's called?) to unload products from the carbonates factory into waiting semi-trailers for distribution. That said, I really don't need DCC. But it would be cool if I wanted to run a freight train around on its loop while a switching locomotive did rolling stock sorting as needed. I wish I had room to add a couple of manual turnouts to simulate that this area is part of a larger line of track, but my space is pretty limited and I've not worked out how to do that. Well, that turned into a long story as to why I want to dabble in DCC. I own a Digitrak Zephyr and a nearly completely kitted out Z scale locomotive which has pretty much everything except sound. I was planning on going Z scale but I couldn't justify the extra space. Sounds weird, right?
So does T have working couplers? (meaning, you can couple/uncouple them without lifting one of the cars) Reason for the question is I wasn't sure about the feasability of switching in T. I suppose if by switching you just mean pulling the same cars to various spots that would work. You could probably solve that by setting up isolated blocks rather than using DCC. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big proponent of DCC even on small layouts. But the challenge of getting a decoder in one of these might change that view a little.
