In my research prior to purchasing the NCE system, I was told/read that one could run a DC locomotive using address 0 with DCC. Thinking back, I am not 100% sure I was ever told specifically that I could do this with NCE, but saw that it could be done with Digitrax. When I tried this with my new system, all I get is a buzzing from that loco. I have tried using all sorts of combiniations of (0, 00, 000,0000) Any suggestions? thanks Nodima
I'm not sure how NCE works with DC locomotives (I have only ever used Digitrax, and it uses 00 to run analog locomotives) But, the buzzing/humming is normal, since the track is constantly powered, and there is no decoder in the engine to tell the motor "what to do".. so the motor is going quickly going forward/reverse with the current in the track (simplified explanation from what I was told when I thought my mikado was going to explode once I put it on the track pre-decoder). Once the engine gets to moving, the buzzing/humming will go away. Sorry I can't be of more help, but hopefully I've demystified the humming issue.
I just read the NCE manual and I couldn't find anywhere that it says how to run an analog locomotive. I did find where it talked about turning off analog mode but that was it. I guess one of those NCE experts will have to answer your question. On Digitrax, you just dial in address 00. The DC loco will be humming but as you slowly accelerate the humming will decrease. David
nodima: The buzzing is normal for a DC loco running on DCC. The address for a DC loco on DCC is 00. You might have to increase the throttle to get the loco started. Stay cool and run steam....
I have 2 NCE systems, one is 5 years old or so, and has a schematic on how to make a simple potentiometer analog control, along with a solder jump or something like that inside the controller so it uses the RS-232 port. The newer system I bought last year does not have that mod in the manual anymore, and I seen on the NCE DCC Yahoo group recently where they quietly pulled that support out. Anyways, people on the list who had done the mod, and tried to run analog locos complained that their locos got hot and buzzed on the track. -Robert
Thanks for the info, I was able to find this in the archives of the NCE mailing list I subscribe to. The reason for asking, is that I have ~20 loco's to convert, and only have 2 with decoders so far. I was hoping to get some additional ones running occasionally. I guess that I will be buying some decoders each month. Otherwise, the system is great. Kirk
Running 'analog' mode with a non-DCC engines is asking for trouble. The 'zero-stretching' mode to make this happen causes erratic behavior with DCC engines. A nice idea, but never really practical.... Jim Bernier
