Hi Al,
Yes, O scale DCC is pretty much identical to HO DCC, the two major differences are that O scale uses bigger bus wires under the layout to handle the higher current (you can probably even use the same size feeder wires that run from the bus wire up to the rails as HO gauge – 22 Ga. depending on how frequently you add drops) and the second difference is O scale decoders are larger, again, to handle the higher the current draw of the larger motors and speakers. Now, as Mike pointed out in an earlier reply, the larger scale decoders do have some benefits over the HO counterparts, e.g. screw terminals (no soldering on the decoder) and usually more function outputs available to control more things like lights, smoke units, etc. – big bonus for us O scalers there.
Below are two web sites that are excellent DCC resources. The first being a presentation on “O scale DCC” at this year’s O scale West convention – a good general overview of DCC from an O scale prospective and lots of helpful DCC web links near the end of the presentation. And the second link is to Allan Gartner’s Wiring for DCC site. Allan’s layout is HO but, again, the principles are the same and his web site is a go-to resource for all things DCC.
http://www.siliconvalleylines..../OSW2015DccIntro.pdf
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/wirefordcc_toc.htm
Scott Kay
Austin, TX
