Learning to love DCC

vine street
Originally uploaded by Phil_Parker.

Is progress a good thing ? For a long while I've been unconvinced about DCC and all the marketing has simply made me even more sceptical. Many people seem to be buying into it as another gizmo, a bit like they might get a shiny new mobile 'phone or camcorder. Others have shrugged their shoulders and decided that this is the future and there's nothing we can do about it.

My model making is partly a reaction to my job. During the day I look after a website. In my spare time I like to work with my hands. I mention this to show it's not the technology that puts me off. On the contrary, I love a bit of technology - but only in the right place and that is the problem. People tell me DCC is the answer, but I'm not even interested in asking the question !

All technology matures eventually and stops existing for its own sake. As an example, we no longer stare at a computer as a thing of wonder, it's just a tool to do a job as it should be. Now though, I think I've seen the future and finally get the point of DCC.

My photo shows a 7mm scale layout called "Vine Street". A model of a small station set in BR days with steam and green diesels it isn't that unusual. What entranced me was the sound.

Sound effects have been available to railway modellers since the 1960's - Triang made a loco with steam sound generated by a tender axle mounted metal flap rubbing on sandpaper. Mostly these have been a bit rubbish though.

This was different. Modern sound units employ digitised noise sampled from real locomotives. We've come a long way from the days of generic 'white noise' for steam engines. Oil burners even make different sounds as the engine speed increases.

This is where DCC scores. The model can be made to make tickover sounds or gently hiss when not in use. The temptation must be to record a background soundtrack to complete the effect. Perhaps even some suitably muffled
station announcements could be made ? I seem to remember that Hornby made a suitable device a few years ago...

Nothing is perfect of course. Vine Street's class 47 roars like you have your head in the engine room while the 0-4-2 chuffs gently as though you are hearing it from a distance. The later is spot on but a little volume control will fix things.

So maybe I'll go digital one day. Not yet though. My tiny little locos are too full of motors, gears and lead to fit a chip in at present. Anyway it's nice being a ludite !

I wonder if I could use clockwork motors ?