Probably like many modelers who have been in the hobby since prehistoric times (i.e. before DCC), I had accumulated a bunch of non-DCC friendly locomotives. With too many to convert to DCC at the time, the plan was to first convert the easy kind of PNP locomotives or DCC friendly ones and then the prehistoric ones. The result was that with the easy conversions, I had more DCC locomotives that I could run at any one time. That and my preference for running certain favorite locomotives, put a damper on any further conversions. So, the big question of what to do with the "pre-historic ones loomed large. My choices were: 1. sell them, 2 donate them to a local DARE model RR club 3. keep them and run them. After some soul searching, I decided to keep them and run them. Most of these locomotives were LifeLike (4 F7's, 4 SD7's 4 GP20's and 4 FA/B2's). All were good runners with decent pulling power. I also had 3 E7's that I converted using the 2 E7a shells on Kato E8 chassis that I converted to DCC. The B unit was unpowered and I am considering equipping it with a sound decoder with possibly two speakers. As things now stand, I run the analog engines more than the DCC ones with the latter being used mostly at train shows. I like DCC operations but I also think there is an enjoyment that comes with the relative simplicity of analog operation.
While I started modeling around the time when MRR mag still posted articles on how to wire DC blocks and other DC layout wiring articles. This was HO scale and converting the old ones of those was a pretty simple job as they usually had plenty of room inside for the decoders. I got into N scale about 10 years ago and most of the stuff was DCC ready or at least DCC happy. I have acquired a few DC older and a few DC newer locomotives or train sets and I have no intention of ever putting them to DCC. I designed a command station setup for my club that will allow DC operations so this is covered when I want to run the trains. I also have been building small layouts that are not very complex in track wiring so if I do want to run a DC train it's simply a matter of flipping a switch (which I make and sell) or changing which throttle is plugged into the layout's input port. My DC trains are usually just for railfaning as I don't usually do any operations with them (but I occasionally have). I enjoy both aspects of the control for the trains, so I keep them both around.
I saw the title to this thread and immediately thought this DeLorean's everywhere!!! Then I read. I not so long ago sat down and went through my fleet. I decided what I wanted to convert to DCC and started selling off most of what won't get DCC. Again, more power than I can run even if I had a much much larger layout. There are a few that I'll probably never get converted that I will keep because of sentimental reasons or they are just a favorite. Even though I am trying to embrace DCC, about all I do is use it to turn lights on and off and to run more than one train at once without the extra wiring and blocks. I've not even begun to think of things like consisting and speed matching. Just my way of embracing the technology without really embracing it. Just my warped way of doing it. Your mileage may vary
In trying to organize my locomotives I found a number of units that I hadn't run in at least 17 years. I sold them, even the DCC ready ones. If I hadn't gotten around to converting them (some still had Rapidos) by now, I wasn't going to in this lifetime.
The comments about switching to DCC sounds rather familiar. I have both HO and N in DC but, two HO steamers are DCC. I still haven't built a layout but do have the control and 4' of straight track. Have an oval for the N. And just got two books and two CDs on doing DCC. Will have to wait to see what happens to my minuscule income. Maybe Don will help me.
I understand completely. My start in the hobby begin in 1967 with an Athearn HO scale train set. I modeled in HO until 1988, when life through me a curve ball, aka a job change and a move and the wife and I found ourselves living in an apartment with not enough room for a HO layout. But Kato's newly released GP38-2 caught my eye and I knew I had room for a small 2' x 4' N scale layout that could be stored in the closet when not in use, so I made the switch. Yes I had a few N scale trains before 1988, but nothing like the amount of N scale stuff I started to purchase after 1988. I went down the same path as you, what to do with the pre-DCC ready Atlas, Bachmann, Life-Like and Kato locomotives. Like you, I've decided to keep 99% of them DC as they are part of my journey in this hobby. Since I have a small layout, its very easy for me to switch back and forth between DC and DCC, allowing me to run the "Older" stuff from time to time. Now thanks to Micro-Trains and TCS, I have been able to convert some of my older Atlas and Life-Like Locomotives to DCC. None of them are plug and play, but thanks to the SW1500 decoders that also fit the Life-Like SW9 frames and the TCS split board CN and CN-GP decoders that will work in many of the older Atlas / Kato and Life-Like locomotives, converting to DCC got a whole lot easier. You're basically replacing the light boards with the decoders and just having to add wires to the motor leads. So now my GP20's, GP35's, U25B's and SW9's are all DCC equipped without any major frame surgery. In fact with some of them, it was harder to convert them to Micro-Trains couplers and it was to DCC. I've even been able to convert my E-R Models Sharks to DCC using the TCS board that is designed for the InterMountain Covered wagons. Hardest part of that conversion was removing the pickup shoes from the DCC board. I'm sure the Digitrax IM board would also work. At the time my LHS did not have any of the Digitrax IM decoders in stock. So very long story short, Thank you Inkaneer for the post, it was a nice walk down memory lane and I'm glad you've also decided to keep your "Hi Rail Era" locomotives. They are part of our collective past.
I am in the same boat, there are a lot of non DCC ready locomotives and even DCC ready locomotives that I have not been converted to DCC. Some of them I will and some of them I did and some I do not think I ever will. But I have the ability to run my non-DCC locomotives with my train club at train shows, there is always a DC line. But I do anticipate selling a bunch of locomotives, just haven't decided which ones will go and which will stay. I have boxes filled with DCC conversions, so the point is to decide which ones stay and which ones go. That is the hard part.
I’ve been in the train hobby, working in various scales, my whole life. I was very active in N from 2005-2016. When we moved to Florida in 2016 I sold all of my N to friends knowing I wouldn’t have room for both O and N. The only N I kept was a Precision Craft New York Central E7 powered A and dummy B with DCC sound, a Kato 6 car NYC passenger set and the 4 car add on set. I also kept my Lenz DCC system. Fast forward 8 years and we decided to downsize to a smaller home that is much easier for us to manage. No room for O but no problem for N. I’m pretty much starting from scratch so going all DCC isn’t an issue. I have 4 Kato FEC GEVOs, 2 converted to DCC and 2 still DC. A friend and I are building T-Trak modules to run at shows so right now I will keep the 2 DC engines as is and run them at shows. All future locomotives will have DCC, DCC sound or very easy to convert. I considered using DC on the new layout but really like the simplified wiring and finer motor control with DCC.
I started in DC. When I bought THERR RV my plan was to go strictly DCC. I have 4 power districts. The plan was to buy a PM42 and hook it up for any shorts. I ran the 2 wires off the command station and 'twisted' them together to the 4 power districts until then. When I finally got the (2) PM 42's...(one to hook up and one as a spare in case the first one ever gave out.) I still ran the system they way I had from the beginning. After awhile I decided to just leave well enough alone. Then BarstowRick gave me the idea of running a DPDT switch to switch between DC and DCC. Hooking it up was simple enough. Now the caveat....BOTH lines run the same direction on DC... I really don't mind however because it means I can run my older DC locomotives !! Stopping the trains on the main. Take off the DCC locomotive and set it off in 'Lucky Penny Yard'. The yard is switched off at the control panel. Throw the DPDT to DC. I then just put my DC locomotives on the end of the same string of cars that just moments ago where running with DCC Locomotives.I even have some NEWER DC stuff...rolling stock included. It's fun to do from time to time and brings back memories of the old DC beasts running around on my old simple HCD layout.
