4-Function Dual-Mode® Decoder

[jschmid]

what is this? i use dc, i have a very small layout, iam about to buy  an atlas gp 40. will this work on dc? what will this do when I go into dcc in a few years? My LHS is more of a craft store so the guy doesnt know anything about it.

Thank you for any replys.

[lanny]

"Dual function" means that the locomotive will run either on DC/Analog power, or it can be programed for DCC operation. It will automatically recognize which power source you are using.

I believe the Bachmann "DCC On Borad" are essentially the same thing ... they will run on DC/Analog as is, or, they can be programmed to run on DCC when you switch over.

lanny nicolet

[jschmid]

thank you lanny.

[MrMunchkin]

I don't think the Atlas dual mode decoders automatically recognize the difference, the way they come they work on regular DC, I THINK you have to go inside your loco and switch them over. I have two GP40s that I've had a couple of years and that's what I had to do. the instructions that come with them are very clear and it's no problem to do.  P.M.

[Hunt]

Click http://www.atlasrr.com/downloads.htm and download the PDF for the Atlas  HO 4-FUNCTION DUAL-MODE® DECODER MANUAL

Read it slowly and carefully. Don't read something into what is written. 

[Hunt]

"Dual function" means that the locomotive will run either on DC/Analog power, or it can be programed for DCC operation. It will automatically recognize which power source you are using.

I believe the Bachmann "DCC On Borad" are essentially the same thing ... they will run on DC/Analog as is, or, they can be programmed to run on DCC when you switch over.

lanny nicolet

lanny,
Many decoders do automatically detect type of power; but, for some decoders, the position of a jumper plug determines which mode the decoder uses. For the Atlas HO 4-FUNCTION DUAL-MODE® DECODER you manually set the jumper.

You may recall my DCC caveat ---
If you have researched one DCC system or component (example- a decoder) and think all the others are the same â€" you are mistaken!

[lanny]

Hi Hunt,

Thanks for that clarification. At one time I had several 'dual mode' Atlas diesels along with BLI steam (and the Lionel and Athearn  'Challenger') and wrongly 'assumed' that the DCC technology was the same with all of them. I appreciate the clarification ... specially since I run DC/Analog and am not knowledgeable about DCC beyond what BLI is able to do on my layout.

Here's a 'basic' question: Is Bachmann 'DCC Ready' like BLI (ready to run either way with automatic detection of what kind of power is being used) or does it have to be 'reset' as you have mentioned with Atlas "Dual Mode"?

thanks,

lanny nicoet

[Hunt]

...

Here's a 'basic' question: Is Bachmann 'DCC Ready' like BLI (ready to run either way with automatic detection of what kind of power is being used) or does it have to be 'reset' as you have mentioned with Atlas "Dual Mode"?

thanks,

lanny nicoet

DCC Ready means the motor brushes are isolated from the track power pickups and there is some means to accept the installation of a decoder be it socket, solder pads, wires or something else. The easy way to isolate the brushes is to isolate the motor.

Bachmann makes locomotives DCC Ready (without a decoder installed) and Decoder Equipped. Bachmann uses the phrase DCC On Board for their decoder equipped locomotives and DCC Sound On Board for the ones equipped with a sound decoder.

To date all Bachmann decoders I am aware of do automatically detect the power. The Bachmann decoders can be programmed to run only on DCC.



NOTE --- Several years ago, Bachmann had SoundTraxx install a decoder with sound in some HO models. The SoundTraxx decoder used only works with DCC. There is a warning label on the box not to use DC with these locomotives.

[lanny]

Thanks again Hunt,

In my last post I meant to say "is Bachmann 'DCC On Board' like BLI", rather then my mistake when I typed "Bachmann DCC ready" ... but you answered my question anyway.

The reason i asked is that i am 'kit bashing several  Spectrum 2-8-0 "DCC Onboard" into ICRR #908s hoping eventually to sell them to anyone who would like a true ICRR model. I wanted to make sure that it was okay to say they are 'dual mode' when advertising them.

lanny nicolet

[jschmid]

alrite. so i may have to take the body off the chassis, we'll see next monday what happens when i get that loco. i didnt wanna buy something that  couldnt detect dc or dcc.

thx for many replies on this topic!

[Hunt]

An aside

...
The reason i asked is that i am 'kit bashing several  Spectrum 2-8-0 "DCC Onboard" into ICRR #908s hoping eventually to sell them to anyone who would like a true ICRR model.  ...
lanny nicolet

That be the case, do some DCC decoder research. You may conclude you want to place a different decoder in your offering.

[MrMunchkin]

you won't have to remove the shell, the dynamic brake blister comes off, just open that and everything is right there, the instructions that come with it are very clear.  P.M.

[MrMunchkin]

oh... and the way it comes it's ready for D.C. you won't have to do anything till you convert to DCC, at least that's the way mine was, be sure to read the instructions in case anything has changed, mine were from the first run

[renniks]

    I believe that most "dual-mode"decoders come with this switched"ON". This means that the loco will work on both DC and DCC out of the box.
    There is no need to do anything when changing to DCC. However you can switch the dual-code working "OFF", which will disable the ability to work on DC. Some people say that locos run better on DCC this way. Personally I don't bother.

    Eric UK