# Dcc



## waynf (Jan 16, 2014)

As i said in an earlier posting, I have been out of the hobby for 25 years or more. Can someone explain to me what this DCC is all about and how it differs from DC Power Packs?


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

In theory its quite simple.

With a typical DC system the power pack has a knob or slider that varies the DC outputs of the pack, varying the DC voltage applied to the track, which naturally varies the DC voltage applied to the motor in the locomotive which in turn results in the locomotive running at different speeds. No voltage on the track and the locomotive doesn't move. The higher the voltage the faster the locomotive runs.

With DCC the device (called a decoder) that varies the voltage to the motor in the locomotive is installed IN the locomotive. Two wires from the decoder are connected to pick up power from the wheel (thus from the track) and two other wires are connected directly to the motor.

Now instead of a power pack that puts out a varying DC voltage you have a Command Station. Like the DC power pack, this device has two outputs that you connect to the track. The output from the Command Station is not DC but rather a "pulse width modulated" square wave. The amplitude (think voltage) of the square wave is fixed (around 12-14 volts for HO) and is the source of power for the decoder and the loco. Commands are encoded into the square wave which are decoded by the decoder, hence the name. The commands tell the decoder to apply a certain voltage to the motor of the required polarity to move the locomotive forward/reverse at a certain speed. Since each decoder is configured with a unique address (think house number) the command station can send commands to each decoder separately thus controlling each locomotive separately. Thus you can have two (or more) locomotives within the same block each with independent control.

See the link below.

http://www.dccwiki.com/DCC_Power

A DCC based system can do much more then control locomotives. It can control turnouts, signals, turntables and more. It can also detect when a locomotive is in a certain section of track. This information can be used to in various ways, from the simple control of signals to complete computer control of the entire railroad.


Hope this is enough to get you started.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

There are varying capacities of the DCC systems available. You have to determine what you want to work with based on the size of your layout and how many trains you expect to be operating at any one time.
A 4x8 plywood layout would only need the most basic DCC system. Empires like the D&J Railroad use multiple boosters along with the command station, radio link duplex and simplex handheld throttles to control the host of trains, power management boards for zone circuit breakers, detection boards, signal control boards and a laptop to control the signal system.
Either way you go, they are all interoperable. In other words, if you have a DCC locomotive that you run on your layout, you can take it to another DCC layout and operate it there too.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Very simple explanation:
DC, you control the track, varying the voltage.
DCC you control the engine, constant power to the track.


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*DCC, further explination if need be?*

Waynf, 
I've been doing a lot of research lately on this subject and would be happy to answer any additional Questions you may have.
regards
tr1,


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## waynf (Jan 16, 2014)

There is no hobby shop in my area, so i will have to order accessories by email so please tell me what I should ask for. Would I ask for "DCC Operating System"?


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

Visit this site:

http://www.tonystrains.com/

This section of the site has information for beginners:

http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm

Then call and tell them what you want to do and what your budget is. They can recommend a system.

They are very good folks and I have worked with them in the past.

Highly recommended.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

waynf said:


> There is no hobby shop in my area, so i will have to order accessories by email so please tell me what I should ask for. Would I ask for "DCC Operating System"?



Shameless plug!
North Idaho Model Trains!

Link at the bottom of the post to my web site, give me a shout and I'll help you out.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

NIMT said:


> Shameless plug!
> North Idaho Model Trains!
> 
> Link at the bottom of the post to my web site, give me a shout and I'll help you out.


I visited your web site.

I understand the North Idaho part but Australia? How did that come about?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

fcwilt said:


> I visited your web site.
> 
> I understand the North Idaho part but Australia? How did that come about?


I sell in Australia too, Have a friend there that was helping with that, but the shipping costs were killing us.
I still sell to OZ just not as much.


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*CTI electronic modules*

Is any one here familiar with computer automation control. 
CTI electronics. Thank you in advance. Regards,tr1


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

tr1 said:


> Is any one here familiar with computer automation control.
> CTI electronics. Thank you in advance. Regards,tr1


They make some simple but good stuff.

I purchased quite a bit of it.

But for software I am using:

http://www.freiwald.com/pages/traincontroller_gold.htm


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