Hornby Digital

[CraigAyr]

I was thinking of buying the Virgin Pendolino digital set, but im put off with the whole digital set-up.

Is it good and easy to use? and is it easy to add digital chips to digital ready locos?

cheers guys.

 

[Gizmogle]

Adding chips isn't too hard. Most, if not all digital ready locos come with the chips.

Honestly, digital isn't brilliant. It's my setup of choice though, as it's the only one I've had experience with. I've found the Hornby Select to be quite an arse at times though.

Imagine...all your trains running along nicely...then WHOOSH! Everything on full speed, nothing will stop and you have to unplug the controller before RAIB find out

 

[Beaker]

Its supposed to be cheap and cheerful i would recomend something else though, and it really works better if a tool isnt using it Stay away from hornby chips though

 

[Gizmogle]

Yeah, if you're going to go digital, don't go cheap. Get the proper stuff. Also, try not to mix and match the chips, apparently that can cause problems too.

 

[Andrew Tiffin]

I've not got any digital train sets.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

If you don't need two trains on one track and are not fussed about sound, why bother.

 

[Gizmogle]

I've not got any digital train sets.

Well there wasn't really a great amount of point to that post then was there...

If you don't need two trains on one track and are not fussed about sound, why bother.

It's not just that though. It saves wiring everything up and setting up a control system and worrying about isolating sections and everything. That's why I'm on digital. The idea of all that wiring and stuff just confuses me.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I have 5 feeds on my DC layout, if I had DCC I would still have five. I believe that isolating sections would only add to the wiring if it was intended for two locos to occupy one line. I have three isolated sections on my layout, isolated by catch points, so no wiring unless I motorise them.

 

[Doorslammer]

It's not just that though. It saves wiring everything up and setting up a control system and worrying about isolating sections and everything. That's why I'm on digital. The idea of all that wiring and stuff just confuses me.

I've got a horrible feeling that that will be the situation I will find myself in when it comes to building my first layout. As much as I would love to go DCC, I feel the type of layout I had in mind (fiddle yard to terminus station with maybe a yard alongside the line as well) would not really benefit in having more than one train at a time moving. It may be considered or it may not, just depends on how complicated my plan turns out to be.

PS Had my first go on a DCC controller, first with a Mehano "Blue Tiger" and a Bachmann Class 20. The control differences between them is amazing and I don't think I made the top speed in the 20. :cry: Nice and noisy but.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

It is not just a question of how many move at once but more about how many trains on one line, especially at a terminus and yard.