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DPDT stands for Double Pole, Double Throw switch. Double Pole means 2 separate circuits or poles (both + / -). Double Throw means it has 2 positions and is ON in either position (ON-ON). A typical ON / OFF switch like a wall light switch is a SPST or Single Pole, Single Throw. That only has one circuit. Some other common switch types are SPDT, SPDT/CO, and DPDT/CO. For the last two CO stands for Center Off; therefore a DPDT/CO has 2 poles and 3 switch positions—ON-OFF-ON. SPDT has one pole and 3 switch positions—ON-OFF-ON. There are more, but these are the basics. I would suggest you to check under the heading ‘hobby basics’ on the main web page at this site and/or or get the book “Easy Model Railroad Wiring” by Kalmbach, and “Basic Model Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby” also by Kalmbach.
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