suzukovich posted:Rusty, Mark, Thanks for the answers. That was a huge help for me. So for command and control DCC I will need to go with DC and no issues with Lionel correct? AC, I would be able to upgrade to DCC in the future? The S Gauge PE that will run also on DC?. Looks like I am off the fence.
For any Legacy equipped Flyer built after 2102, DCC will work. As far as conventional DC goes, things are a little muddy.
I have been able to run an earlier locomotive (the Y3 as a test) on conventional DC, but, and it's a big but, it depends on the DC supply. It ran well on an ancient MRC Controlmaster X from the 1970's, but had problems with a Bachmann Spectrum and MRC pack from around 2000. Lionel worked with several people to try to get universal conventional DC operation with Legacy electronics, but apparently not all DC powerpacks are created equal.
I don't have a PE set or a Berkshire to test, but it's my understanding that the FlyerChief electronics will accept a constant 12v-16v DC as a power source.
I know it's confusing. With Lionel and MTH developing their proprietary systems early on instead of going to DCC standards, it can get confusing pretty fast. Both companies have had to "back into" DCC to market to scales other than O, MTH for HO and Lionel in an attempt to capture some of the S Scale (not traditional Flyer) market.
Watch that first step off the fence, it's a lulu!
Rusty
