How Digital Model Railways Have Changed The Face Of Model Railroading For The Better

The new age of model trains is totally centered on having digital model railways

. The digital age is about having the minimum amount of wiring but without sacrificing control. As the digital aspects have improved you can now send most of your control signals directly down the track railing to other features like turntables, turnouts, and cranes. DCC (Digital Command Control) operation also allows for some fantastic sounds effects like train horns, whistles, engine sounds, screeching brakes and more. Let's see what else can be included.

Here are some of the features that you might incorporate in your DCC digital model railway:

1. Throttle - probably one of the most important pieces to your layout. The throttle controls the train from a central unit. With it you can select which train you want to operate, how fast you want to operate it, and where you want to instruct it to go. Throttles have also received the nickname of Cabs, but this nickname is mainly predominant in the US.

2. Central Unit - is termed so because it is the brains of the operation. Everything runs to it and away from it, within a layout. A throttle will send a signal to the unit and the unit will interpret that signal and then send it throughout the track to carry out whatever you have commanded it to do. Throttles can also be directly integrated into the central unit, along with an integrated booster.

3. Booster - a booster does exactly what it means. Boosters boost the amperage of a low-power signal coming from the central unit so that the trains you are operating will receive the correct signal at the correct power level. The intensity of a signal is important because the signals travel electrically, and differences in the strength of the electricity can signal other things to happen, things that you may not have wanted to happen. If you have a larger layout, you will most likely place multiple boosters throughout the system and section them off. The boosters can be connected to the central unit to receive signals, or they can also receive signals from adjacent segments of track that are controlled by other boosters.

4. Locomotive Decoder - these are absolutely necessary within your locomotives, because without them your throttles and central unit are worthless. These DCC decoders are what interpret the digital signals sent from the central unit that tell the locomotive what to do. The decoder takes the message from the central unit, interprets it, and then changes the electrical current to the locomotive accordingly.

5. Sound and Function Decoder - these are important if you want your trains to have a more realistic appeal to them. Although they are not necessary for a layout, they do improve the overall appeal of your setup. Function decoders control the use of headlights, other lights within your locomotive and cars, and non-traction components. DCC sound decoders are also necessary to add a touch of realistic sound to your train. Sounds will come from a mini PC sound-card with whichever sounds you have selected to use. A diesel locomotive will have the sound of the motor starting up and revving up as it gets to higher speeds. Steam locomotives can also be programmed so that the chuff of the smoke is heard and adjusted as the locomotive gains and loses speed. Sounds for valves and wheels can also be programmed. You can get carried away with all the different sounds that there are to incorporate, so have some fun in this area.

6. Feedback bus - within any electrical system you always need a sensor that tells the central unit what is happening. The feedback bus is the component that communicates directly with the central unit that a train has reached certain points, speeds, or has incurred a complication within your DCC setup.

Whether you are new to the hobby, or an old hand; DCC operation has (and continues to be) an exciting development in model train layouts. There is scope for so many different possibilities with digital model railways.

by: Mike S Williams

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