What is DCC?
DCC means Digital Command Control, ok it sounds important, complicated and EXPENSIVE,
well it isn't any of these things. Ask yourself, do you understand exactly how your
CD player works or how the hard disk on your PC access the exact piece of information you
are looking for? Most of us don't know how it's done or really care, all we care
about is can I run the software or listen to my CD. The same is true with
"DCC", most of us are interested in is how can I get rid of all those toggle
switches and rotary switches on my railroad and just operate my railroad like the 12"
to the foot scale guys do.
How does it work?
Lets see if I can take some of the magic out of it for you. Generally there are
four components to a DCC system and they are:
- Command Station/Power Booster: It is the brains of the system, like the
CPU of your PC. It has memory in it, a processor like your PC and some manufactories
also put the power supply in it, Digitrax does not, you need a separate power supply.
- Throttle: I think the name is a dead giveaway of it's purpose but you
can do other things with most throttles, for example turn on and off locomotive lights,
activate sounds on sound equipped decoders and program your locomotive decoder/receivers
with it. So think of your throttle as not just a throttle but an input device like
the keyboard on your PC.
- Decoder: Sometimes some folks refer to it as a receiver, you can call
it what you want, I call it a decoder. The decoder is what makes DCC unique in it's
ability to control your trains, think of it as a remote control power pack that is
extremely small. In fact it is so small you can fit it into a Z scale locomotive
with out removing the motor. When it is attached to the motor and locomotive trucks
you will be able to control the locomotives speed and direction, turn lights in the engine
on and off.. The decoder receives it instructions through the track as well as it's
power for the motor.
- Power Supply: Some of the DCC systems have built in power supplies,
others let you select which power supply is right for your situation. Digitrax
systems allow you to select the power supply right for your layout. You can use an
existing transformer or purchase a larger supply depending how many locomotives you plan
on operating at the same time and the scale you are modeling in. We will cover this
in another chapter.
Click on Fig 1 to view.
The power supply is attached to the Command Station giving it power to operate.
The Throttle is plugged into the Command Station like your keyboard is plugged into your
PC so you can communicate with the Command Station. You simply set your throttle to
the address that is unique to the locomotive you want to operate and turn the throttle
up. The Command Station receives the message from the Throttle, prepares and sends a
message addressed to the locomotive you have selected on the Throttle to go faster,
slower, change directions or turn the lights on or off. It's that simple, each
locomotive has it own unique address and will only react to messages sent to it, just like
your e-mail.
Is it EXPENSIVE?
Next time you visit a hobby ship check out the price of a nice full featured power
pack, yep you guessed it, you are talking about a $100
bill today, and now you want to run two different
trains well pull out another $100 bill.
Oh, you have changed your mind, you want to be able to un-plug the held throttle
from your power pack and walk around with the train and plug in at different places, well
that beauty of a power pack is going to set you back at least $150+, and you need two of them. OK, we are just
getting started and you are up to $200 to $300 bucks, now lets see you probably would like
to be able to run each train on the same track independently, right? Lets be
consertave and say you will have 15 blocks on your railroad (a block is an isolated
section of track that can be operated independent from the other blocks on your railroad)
that means you will need a toggle switch for each block at $3.50 each. And just
think of all the quality hours you will be spending under your railroad with a spot light
wiring these toggles up. Before you know it you are up over $300 and all you will be
able to do is operate TWO trains and it's going to cost you $100
to $150+ for every additional train you want to run at the same time.
DCC is crashing in price, today you can pick up a starter set for around $200, check
out the Digitrax Genesis you can operate two trains with the
system right out of the box. Yes, Yes, Yes I have heard it from a lot of folks
"I have 100 locomotives, I can't afford to put receivers/decoders in all of
them". Like I just said DCC prices are crashing, the new Digitrax HO decoder sells MSRP for $19.95 and when you buy them in
12 packs they are $14.40 each, you spend more on lunch each week at the office.
