Digital / DCC & Sound

on the Sodumb & Gamorra Lumber Co.

last updated: 13 february 2003

This chapter is about DCC. Not will I try to talk you into it, nor how you should do it, but just the way we did it on the Sodumb & Gamorra Lumber Co.

When we started two years ago we were 'DCC Dummies'. In this chapter I will descibe how we handeled and eventually tamed the beast.

When we start a new project we try to expand our horizon and develop skills we don't have. This time our goals in electronics were:

• ride several trains at the same time
• control trains and turnouts from one (handheld) controller
• every loco should have it's own engineer
• no control switches and signs in the front of the layout

and I almost forgot..........

• KISS! (Keep It Stupid Simple!)

Eventually we decided for DCC for several reasons:

• it's future proof (I believe that all the conventional systems today on the market will migrate to DCC, leaving you with the shit)
• it's not layout dedicated (It can be re-used over and over again. Only infra stays behind on your old layout.
• it is well documented (ask your club electronics geek, to show his documentation and you will know)
• it is cost effective (reusable and no miles of wire, switches, panels and (home made) electronics that will not work half the time)

So let's get started. I first had to understand some DCC basis before I could advice my fellow modelers about the best investment; which system? how much functionality? What about ease of use? could it be expanded? and so on. Then I had to think about a wiring scheme for our modular layout and how to manage shorts. Not only controlling trains was our objective but also controlling all the turnouts with DCC. Will our Tortoise turnout motors work? And last but not least we had to add sound in a way you could hear it 3 blocks away! It's for exhibition purpose you know.