The LNER Encyclopedia

I was trawling the interweb and found the following e-mag:

http://www.mremag.demon.co.uk/hpsite/index.htm

As i don't read any of the printed mags i have found it not to bad for news on the hobby. In the more recent posting, you have to scroll a bit, there is a discussion pretaining to the view that Hornby, from the launch of their King Athur class, will be producing all their loco's with DCC decoders. They will still run reliably on DC systems but there will be a small increase in price. This erks a little as i have just forked out on a new H+M to run my very small 5'x4' twin oval. I only replace controllers when the old ones break as such since i was 4 i've only owned a handful. Now i am in a quandry most of my loco's are Hornby with a good mix of old and new, so any thing else one buys will not only be DCC compatible but ready also. What is one to do, to upgrade to DCC i would only probably have a couple of old hornby A1's that would be tricky to convert.

So the problem is not so much the loss of old stock more the hassle, the additional rewiring of old points to allow the constant flow and the compatibility of DCC systems with the additional cost of changing the decoders to suit.

This doesn't overly present me with a problem as until i have somewhere to build 'my layout' with all the building and planning that takes i shall still trundle around my new Britannia with old fashioned DC, atleast until it breaks, but what about those of you guys who have extensive layouts how do you feel about Hornby's decision?

regards
Simon

Inevitable. DCC is the future.

Yes DCC is the future. For now DC and DCC both have their strengths - I run both at Shows in N.

Retro-fitting an existing layout to DCC will result in more wiring, but if you are creating a layout from scratch, the wiring should be a lot simpler. No block control, for a start!

Richard

There is no doubt that DCC is the future, i have never felt any differently. The ability to run multiple trains on single lines allows for much more realistic operatrion, particuarly in sheds or pilot functions.

It just appears a shame that Hornby, whom only have a finite amount of resource have voted in totality to go down this route. Their money could equally be well spent in the continuation of the new model loco (they are already wasting enough by building all those Southern locos) build.

DCC is so seemingly on the edge of mainstream i was suprised by the decision, perhaps i am mistaken and DCC has taken more of a stranglehold than i thought.

Simon