Model Railroading Introduction to Digital Command Control
MRA EditorsDescription
There’s probably no single advancement in running model railroad locomotives in the last half-century more significant than Digital Command Control, or DCC. It simply has revolutionized the way we run and control not only trains but signals, turnouts and many other functions – all from a hand control throttle known as a cab. Veteran modeler Tom Lund provides an introductory look at the simplicity of the DCC system.
While DCC may not be a need-to-have system for the beginner who has a simple oval of track with a transformer and one train, the intermediate-to-large-sized layout with multiple trains running independently on the same track – and especially Club layouts – find DCC pretty much a necessity. DCC can also bring a sense of realism with its ability to not only control speed but also sound and light functions on your locomotives.
Tom shows the basic Digital Command Control system: the transformer, the command station and the cab throttle. Most DCC command stations have outputs for not only the main track but also a programming track. He normally changes the factory default address of “3” to match the three or four numbers on his actual engines, and he shows how easily that’s done on the programming track.
If you’ve been on the fence about whether to switch to Digital Command Control systems, Tom points out that the wiring is actually much simpler that the tangle of buss wires to various blocks on traditional layouts – and simpler is better! Operate on a DCC system on a buddy’s layout and see if you don’t agree that your enjoyment of operating your model trains just hit a new high!
DCC or Digital Command Control has revolutionized the way we operate our model trains. For the beginner, it's as simple as a transformer track and a train. For the intermediate modeler, with a mid-sized layout who likes to run a lot of trains, it has virtually eliminated the tangles of wiring associated with block wiring. And for the advanced modeler, a club, there's DCC systems capable of operating signals, sound, turnouts and a multitude of other tasks. This system, like most DCC systems is comprised of three parts, a power supply, a command station and a handheld throttle or cab. You enter the commands at the cab. The command station sends an encoded message that only your locomotive can read. By programming locomotives with different addresses, you can control two, three, five, 10 locomotives at the same time, from the same controller and run them at different speeds on the same track. DCC systems typically have outputs for programming track and the main track. These two locomotives came from the manufacturer with the decoder installed. I am going to program them so that their address is the locomotive number. In the case of the blue locomotive, 854, and the red locomotive, 709. I'll use my test track as the program track. On this system, I select local. For the program track, enter, punch in the locomotive number I'd like to have as its address. Enter. This system is capable of adjusting the output voltage at start, top speed and a number of other functions. Now let's move this system to the layout. A digital command control systems' ability to control multiple locomotives independently on the same track, makes your layout much more versatile. That, combined with the elimination of most of the traditional system wiring makes DCC a great choice for your layout.
I see that you have John Deere and Farmall Tractors on the same flat car. Not something that would be extremely rare in real operations. Being a Farmall Enthusiast, I had to point this out. Enjoy all of your videos! Hope you make many more!
Digitrax system
Step by step changing address on decoder. I have digital system.