My boyfriend really really wants a Scalextric track for Christmas… If I buy him an analog one, can we buy a digital one later on, and use it to expand the analog one? Will it all work as one track, if half is digital and half is analogue? Or are we better off just buying a digital one, and scrapping the analog idea alltogether?
Can you use digital cars on analogue tracks? Can you use analogue cars on digital tracks?
I am so confused.
First point: I am going to assume we are discussing 2 rail H-O or N scale with DC power supplies. I am not familiar with the specific brand you are asking of. Based on the assumption, the digital should meet NMRA standards for DCC (Digital Command Control). If this is correct, the answer will be valid.
DCC and DC analogue use the same track. The only difference is in the power supply and any powered device, such as locomotives. Any analogue layout can be converted, at any time, to DCC. Simply install the power supply and install the decoders in the locomotive. Once this is done, analogue locomotives cannot be operated on the layout, (with a few exceptions)
The decoder is the key to DCC operation. In analogue, the motor inside the locomotive is electrically connected to the rails. In DCC, the motor is disconnected from the rails and attached to the decoder. The decoder then draws power from the rails.
There are some considerations for connecting the DCC supply to the track. These will normally be covered by the installation instructions. If I understand the question correctly, you want to start with analogue (price) and upgrade later to DCC (power) If so, by all means, do it. Should you be starting with DCC, and wanting to add analogue locomotives later, it is merely a matter of installing the decoders in the locomotives as they are acquired.
In either case, DCC is the greatest thing to happen to Model Railroading since the discovery of electricity. Well, standardization (NMRA) helps a little, too. In the reference link, look for the DCC pages. They get technical fast, but this is the organization that sets the standards for the hobby.
Again, based on the earlier assumption, cars rolling stock) should be 100% compatible across the board for a given scale. An exception being any car that is electrically active. Some thought may be necessary there, but will depend on the specific car and what it does.
First point: I am going to assume we are discussing 2 rail H-O or N scale with DC power supplies. I am not familiar with the specific brand you are asking of. Based on the assumption, the digital should meet NMRA standards for DCC (Digital Command Control). If this is correct, the answer will be valid.
DCC and DC analogue use the same track. The only difference is in the power supply and any powered device, such as locomotives. Any analogue layout can be converted, at any time, to DCC. Simply install the power supply and install the decoders in the locomotive. Once this is done, analogue locomotives cannot be operated on the layout, (with a few exceptions)
The decoder is the key to DCC operation. In analogue, the motor inside the locomotive is electrically connected to the rails. In DCC, the motor is disconnected from the rails and attached to the decoder. The decoder then draws power from the rails.
There are some considerations for connecting the DCC supply to the track. These will normally be covered by the installation instructions. If I understand the question correctly, you want to start with analogue (price) and upgrade later to DCC (power) If so, by all means, do it. Should you be starting with DCC, and wanting to add analogue locomotives later, it is merely a matter of installing the decoders in the locomotives as they are acquired.
In either case, DCC is the greatest thing to happen to Model Railroading since the discovery of electricity. Well, standardization (NMRA) helps a little, too. In the reference link, look for the DCC pages. They get technical fast, but this is the organization that sets the standards for the hobby.
Again, based on the earlier assumption, cars rolling stock) should be 100% compatible across the board for a given scale. An exception being any car that is electrically active. Some thought may be necessary there, but will depend on the specific car and what it does.
References :
http://www.nmra.org
http://www.modelRRsignals.com