The control of model trains has always been electronic in nature. The ability to manipulate more than one train through a single block of track has always been a challenge.
Lionel offered a cool two channel system way back in the 1940's. This awesome before her time system used oscillating electrons and a transmitter to shoot messages through rails where your locomotive took in orders and delivered them with railroad precision!
The engineer could control his or her model train through a switch or dial of some sort. As you where able to control your speed and direction using this technique, it was never the less cumbersome which made for a daunting setup and timely dissemble.
Lionel's short comings in the convenience category left room for companies like GE to walk in and introduce there electronic wizardry into the model train industry. GE brought to light a 5 channel system which allowed for the controlling of more than one train per block.
GE called this system ASTRAC (Automatic Simultaneous Train Control). This new system from GE utilized a silicon based rectifier that Incorporated a receiver in each cab. The receiver responded to signals within the tracks sent by a transmitter mounted elsewhere.
Other systems followed such as, Dynotrols carrier control and their CTC-16 which was a successful player in the early days of model train electronics. Throughout the seventies and early eighties these earlier command control devices had one major setback, they weren't compatible with other devices from other model train manufatuers.
Due to these inconsistencies, Lenz, a prominent European DCC innovator, suggested to the industry leaders that they device a system in which compatibility of decoders, transmitters and power stations be mandatory. So in honer of this decree we now enjoy uniform electronics as far a s basic DCC is concerned.
If your decoders and transmitters follow NMRA guidelines, you're a go in the DCC field. Don't forget to test your electronics with a multimeter before use. This will isolate detection of problems if they accure. - 31411
Lionel offered a cool two channel system way back in the 1940's. This awesome before her time system used oscillating electrons and a transmitter to shoot messages through rails where your locomotive took in orders and delivered them with railroad precision!
The engineer could control his or her model train through a switch or dial of some sort. As you where able to control your speed and direction using this technique, it was never the less cumbersome which made for a daunting setup and timely dissemble.
Lionel's short comings in the convenience category left room for companies like GE to walk in and introduce there electronic wizardry into the model train industry. GE brought to light a 5 channel system which allowed for the controlling of more than one train per block.
GE called this system ASTRAC (Automatic Simultaneous Train Control). This new system from GE utilized a silicon based rectifier that Incorporated a receiver in each cab. The receiver responded to signals within the tracks sent by a transmitter mounted elsewhere.
Other systems followed such as, Dynotrols carrier control and their CTC-16 which was a successful player in the early days of model train electronics. Throughout the seventies and early eighties these earlier command control devices had one major setback, they weren't compatible with other devices from other model train manufatuers.
Due to these inconsistencies, Lenz, a prominent European DCC innovator, suggested to the industry leaders that they device a system in which compatibility of decoders, transmitters and power stations be mandatory. So in honer of this decree we now enjoy uniform electronics as far a s basic DCC is concerned.
If your decoders and transmitters follow NMRA guidelines, you're a go in the DCC field. Don't forget to test your electronics with a multimeter before use. This will isolate detection of problems if they accure. - 31411
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