DCC and DC ON THE SAME TRACK

[wally]

I have a nce power cab for my Bachmann ON30 engines. It does not support dc engines. Can I use a dpdt toggle switch and run a regular dc transformer through it and switch between dcc or dc on the same track.Thanks Wally

[railtwister]

Hi Wally,

Unless you wire the layout and the toggle so that it is either all DC or all DCC, at any given time, depending on which way the switch is thrown, I would advise against trying to have both systems on the same layout. This is because DCC units can be damaged if they are accidentally back-fed with outside power sources.

Good Luck,
Bill

[Frisco]

If it is 100% one or the other it is okay .

[jpipkin]

Wally,

If you use the Bachmann EZ Command DCC you can run both DC and DCC equiped locomotives.

Jim

[epeorus]

Wally,

My model railroad club uses a toggle to go back and forth between our NCE-based DCC system and a straight DC system.  This works fairly well but, as mentioned above, we have blown out NCE power cabs when somebody isn't careful.  An expensive disaster when it occurs.  I would recommend against it.  I suggest going with Digitrax or EZ Command or any others which WILL support both.

Jim

[ray46]

I have this set up and have never had a problem.  Well not exactly.  If I have been running DC, and the next day decide to run DCC, I have on occasion gotten frustrated because nothing would work.  I've even gotten like Bulldog on Frasier and started ranting and raving outloud and then said, "Oh, let me throw the toggle switch to DCC."  Then everything was fine.

The key, as others have noted, is to make sure you wire it correctly.  If you do you should have no problem.

Ray