DCC ready definition?

[harrym]

What exactly does it mean when an N scale locomotive is described as DCC ready?  Does that just mean that the frame is milled out to make room for a decoder?  Or are there wiring differences, too?

[wm3798]

Atlas describes their new releases this way.  It means that the frame is designed to accept a drop-in decoder board, (which isn't exactly a drop in, but I digress), but is not equipped with a decoder.  To make the upgrade, you disassemble the drive, remove the factory light board, and then install the decoder, being careful to keep the connections insulated from the frame.

They also offer many models as DCC-Equipped, which is the same locomotive, only with a factory installed decoder.

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

But it means different things to different manufacturers.

For example, I think Bachmann called their 2-8-0s DCC ready, and those were FAR from a drop in.

It's not like the USDA ratings (choice, prime, etc...).

[harrym]

Sounds more like HD Ready in television sets.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don't know. I think that "HD Ready" indicates that it will do something that a non-HD Ready set won't (ie, display content at higher resolutions).

Across the board, a DCC ready locomotive merely says that you can put a decoder in it. But that's true of anything (although I've yet to see someone do it to an Aurora "model", it's still possible). Whereas, I think the way it's intended is to indicate that the installation of DCC in this model will be easier than a model that isn't labelled as DCC ready. That's true in the case of Atlas (ie, the new Class GP30s are DCC ready, while the old ones aren't by this standard), but like I said, far from across the board.

[mmyers]

DCC ready means that the motor brushes can be easily isolated from the rail pick ups. In many cases that means that the connection to the brushes can be cut or removed easily by either  plug or replacement circuit board. Many times a decoder will fit somewhere within the loco with little or no frame cutting. Sometimes you have to forgo a weight to get space for the decoder.
Martin Myers

[Bob Bufkin]

One of the N scale mags did a piece on what is considered what in DCC a couple years ago.  I'll check around and see if I still have it.

[wm3798]

The DCC ready 2-8-0 isn't that bad, Ed.  You pop off the shell, remove the slug from the boiler weight, put solder a couple of wires and Bingo!

But yes, you're right.  It does simply mean that the motor is isolated from the track pickup, and there's room for a small chip.

Lee

[One of One-Sixty]

I always thought it meant that you can just basically drop a decoder in and run, whether its a drop in decoder or one that you have to swap out the board.

[Ian MacMillan]

I thought that DCC ready basically ment that somehow the motor was already isolated from the frame? Or am I remembering "DCC Ready" from when DCC was starting out mass market.

[u18b]

One of the N scale mags did a piece on what is considered what in DCC a couple years ago.  I'll check around and see if I still have it.

September/October 2006  N-Scale Magazine   p. 39-47.

[Pray59]

DCC Ready means just that... It's ready for YOU to install DCC, we are done producing the DC current operated model, and it don't have DCC installed yet. ;D

I just received some DCC ready locomotives that I had to grind down the decoder mounting posts from square to half round, then file the notches in the posts opened wide enough for the thickness of the decoder board, so I could install the TCS Drop In decoder. Oh, I also had to cut metal frame flashing away from the motor terminals, and bend the terminals away from their short circuited to the frame halves position as shipped.