I paid a visit to a friends HO scale layout yesterday. He has DCC and was telling me that he can upgrade a conventional engine to DCC for about $30. I assume he did the work himself. It cost me about $300 per engine to upgrade O gauge from conventional Proto 1 to Proto 2 in DCS. Why the big difference?

Ray

You have to compare the same things at least. Saying DCC for 30 doesn't mean jack if the decoders can't handle O gauge amperage. I bet the $30 dcc decoder can't even control a smoke unit separately. He's installing himself? and your taking it to someone for $300?
At least compare DCC decoders for O scale that handle the motor amperage, have the same amount of functions, back emf, at least one high amp function output for smoke and more for couplers, etc. Locksound or QSI, etc. Joe

Hi Ray,

Joe's right on the money. It's not an apples to apples comparison.

In HO DCC you can indeed buy an uninstalled decoder for around $30 or even a little less. However, that decoder will only handle about 1 amp of power, and will only control the motors and MAYBE headlights. Cab lights, smoke unit, number boards, operating couplers, sound, etc. will NOT be included.

If you look at the cost of upgrading a conventional O-scale engine to DCC and you duplicate the features of PS2 you will most likely choose to purchase two decoders (one for the motors and another for the sound). That drives the decoder cost up around $150. However, none of the DCC decoder kits include items like lights, couplers, or a speaker. You have to go round up those parts yourself at an additional cost. If you have the installation done professionally it will cost at least $300. That will get you most of the same features, but the speed control will still be inferior. The engine may well run slow and smooth, but it will NEVER speed match to another engine as well as a PS2.

IMHO, PS2 upgrade kits are the best bang for your buck in O scale.

Dave and Joe, thanks for the input. I can see now that I did not hear the whole story about DCC vs DCS. The HO guy I was talking to does not do the conversions himself but a friend of his does it. I probably should be talking to the friend to find out what really is going on.

Ray