DC or DCC

I needed to make a decision between DC or DCC.

DC

This has been around for a long time, and in simple terms allows you to control an engine by varying the voltage that is supplied to the track. The higher the voltage the faster the train.

However this does have some disadvantages that can be over-come.

  • The voltage is supplied to the track from a variable transformer. All engines on the track will therefore receive the same voltage. Engines might have different wheels, pickups and electric motors so will run at different speeds given the same voltage.
  • If you need to control more than one engine, you will need a transformer for each engine, and they will need to be run on isolated track so that they can be run independently.
  • You cannot build track in the shape of a triangle with isolating on one side otherwise this will cause a short

Cab control is the design of a track layout so that it is built from multiple sections. Each section is isolated from each other section. Each controller usually can be switched between each section.

DCC

This is a relative new comer, however is becoming more common and more standard.

This works by providing a variable voltage to the track, with a signal built into it. The signal is interpreted by a chip in the engine. Each chip is allocated a unique number and will only obey commands for that number. People often call this power AC (meaning Alternating Current), however it is not a rounded curve but a square curve so is not strictly alternating.

So one transformer can provide the power for the whole track plan, and individual engines can be controlled if they are allocated different numbers.

However there are some advancements that might sound similar to above.

  • If you want to detect where a engine is so that you can automate your layout, you have a choice of either isolating the track plan into sections. and only run one engine per section (this is not strictly true but demonstrates a point), or you have to build electromagnetic or optical sensors at a number of places in the track plan where detection is required.

You can find out more information on this informative site dccwiki.com