The GP7 and GP9 are types of diesel-electric locomotives that were produced by the American locomotive manufacturer...
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)
No products
Free shipping! Shipping
£ 0.00 Total
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Total (tax incl.)
Search Tips
Tips categories
Latest Tips
-
What is the difference between an EMD GP7 and an EMD GP9 locomotive?Read more -
Can I repair decals already in place on a model?Read moreOccasionally there is a need to repair existing decals, either before or after application. Waterslide decals are...
-
What is a Brush diesel locomotive?Read moreA Brush diesel locomotive refers to a range of diesel-electric locomotives built by Brush Traction, a prominent...
-
What is the difference between gauge and scale in model railways?Read moreGauge refers to the distance between the two rails on the track. It represents the real-world measurement of the...
-
Why super glue sticks everything apart from what it's supposed to!Read moreAny modeller who claims they have never accidentally stuck their fingers together should hang their head in shame and...
Which DCC decoder brands are compatible with which make of engines?
In theory, all decoder brands conform to the same standards so should be compatible with all locomotives (providing the pins match).
If you are pondering which decoder to purchase to upgrade a locomotive from DCC ready to DCC, which brand of decoder to choose is not a huge issue. Go for a brand that you recognise and are comfortable with or one that you have heard good things about, but you must make sure that whichever decoder you choose, it has the correct number of pins for your locomotive otherwise it will not physically fit.
Although others exists, the most common types of DCC ready locomotive sockets are 21 and 8-pin. Which type your locomotive has should be clearly identifiable from either its box or somewhere in the instructions. Both 8-pin and 21-pin decoders are readily available from a range of manufacturers so sourcing one should not be a problem.
Where you may wish to be a little more choosy, is when deciding on how many functions or programmable CVs your decoder has. These will determine how many other things (apart from movement) your decoder can handle as well as how much you can tweak characteristics such as realistic acceleration etc, but once again, that is not so much an issue of brand and more a consideration of capability.
Posted in: Power and control
Click here to receive the tips weekly in your mailbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Related products
Zen Blue+ Decoder: NEM651 6-Pin Direct - 2...
Price: £ 29.95Zen Blue+ Decoder: NEM651 6-Pin Direct - 2 Functions
Zen Black Decoder: Mini 8 Pin Harness 4 Function
Price: £ 29.95Zen Black Decoder: Mini 8 Pin Harness 4 Function
Zen Black Decoder: Universal easy to fit 8-pin...
Price: £ 29.95Zen Black Decoder: Universal easy to fit 8-pin direct decoder with 6 functions
Related posts
-
Can a "DCC ready" train be used on analogue?Yes, you can use a DCC ready train on your analogue layout. DCC ready just means that the train has been factory... - Is it difficult to fit a DCC decoder in to a DCC ready engine?In theory, it should be easy as the whole idea of being DCC Ready is to simplify the process. The first time I did...
- What is 7/0.2 wire?7/02 wire is a wire made of 7 strands of 0.2mm wire. Stranded wire has the advantage of being flexible while solid...
- Is an N Gauge controller compatible with OO Gauge?Yes, an N Gauge controller is compatible with OO gauge trains. You may have to change the power clip to the track...
- Is stranded wire better than solid wire?In my experience, stranded wire is preferable over solid wire. Stranded wire is more flexible than solid core wire,...