DCC ready vs DCC On Board

[miker]

I am new to the digital train world and recently purchased a Spectrum GE 44 Ton Swither which I thought had DCC On Board.  However, I think it is just DCC Ready.  What do I need to purchase to run this diesel with my other DCC On Board locomotives on the EZ-Command Control Center?  Is there a board that I need to purchase?  Currently, I am not interested in sound or other features, I just want to run the locomotive as a DCC locomotive. 

[Gene P.]

Hello! I recently joined the DCC world as well. All you need is an NMRA 8-pin plug-in DCC chip. These can be bought at your LHS(if they sell Bachmann products). You can use any manufacturers chip, so it doesn't have to be Bachmann. Most companies sell 3 packs, or 10 packs(in addition to individual). Good luck!

[ebtbob]

Good Morning,

      You bring up a subject that is important.   Being able to tell if you engine, at time of purchase has a decoder or not.   I think Bachmann does as nice a job as anyone,  but I would love to see a common vocabulary among the manufactures.   Bachmann says DCC on board as others say DCC equipped.   DCC ready means the unit is ready to have a decoder installed with little or no modifications.   Now for those of you out there a bit more versed in installation,  please make any corrections needed to my last definition.
     So bottom line DCC equipped/on board means the decoder is already there,  while DCC ready means the engine is still analog....no decoder.

Bob Rule, Jr.
Hatboro, Pa.

[SteamGene]

In addition, "DCC Ready" may mean it has an NMRA eight pin socket, or a nine pin socket, or it just has soldering pads. 
This should be cleared up and standardized. 
The other standardization needed, I think, is a common connector between loco and tender for steam, just like they used to have in the form of a conductive drawbar with the bar on the locomotive and the pin on the tender.
Gene

[Rich R]

It would help a lot if there were some standard for ALL DCC installations.
I should think it would help the manufacturers as much as the modeler who purchases the end product.
Doesn’t mean it has to be a NMRA standard either, just everyone work together like the knuckle coupler manufacturers?
Right on about the old drawbars as well Gene.

Cheers,
Rich R

[Hoople]

In addition, "DCC Ready" may mean it has an NMRA eight pin socket, or a nine pin socket, or it just has soldering pads. 

Bachmann uses 8-pin plugs.

[modlerbob]

The answer to your final question is that you need to buy a basic decoder that has an 8 pin plug.  There are several options out there and since yours is a relatively small loco you should look for as compact a decoder as will handle the current load.

[Hoople]

You should try NCE or digitrax. I love my NCE decoder with silent running.

[FFJOHNL312]

I feel that the 'bottom line' definition,and something we can all agree on as far as 'DCC ready' is concerned, is this, in simplest terms.

DCC Ready means that the manufacturer has made provisions for the motor to be isolated from the power pickups. Whether that method is an NMRA plug, a JST harness with a dummy plug, or solder points with indications of what circuit traces to cut, they all are viable means of seperating the motor from the power pickups. Bulbs and LED's are secondary thoughts and not the primary concern of the manufacturer--for the most part.

John Loesch

[bevernie]

It would help a lot if there were some standard for ALL DCC installations.
I should think it would help the manufacturers as much as the modeler who purchases the end product.
Doesn’t mean it has to be a NMRA standard either, just everyone work together like the knuckle coupler manufacturers?
Right on about the old drawbars as well Gene.

Cheers,
Rich R

As I've said before, I'll say again, and hope I never have to eat my words: I'll never buy DCC. Should it ever become NMRA STANDARD, I think a lot of us would just give up the hobby!
                                                                                THANX!!
                                                                                   Ernie
                                                                    Hendersonville, NC