im currently building a n-scale layout and would like some info on dcc. do i pick up a dcc loco and im ready to go or is there alot more to it. power pack is a techII 1400. thanks
Here's a link to the DCC Primer from Tony's Trains:
http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm
Basically, DCC is a replacement for your power pack. Most DCC systems require some sort of external power supply, and a power pack may sometimes be used for that.
DCC changes what goes on the track. A DC power pack puts a variable DC voltage on the track. Polarity is used to change direction, and voltage is used to adjust speed. All locomotives on the same track see the same voltage, with the same polarity, so they all go in the same direction at roughly the same speed.
DCC applies a modulated square wave, something like an AC signal, but not quite. The amplitude is constant, but the "modulation," or the way the square wave flips back and forth from high to low, is "encoded" with a digital signal. That signal is picked up by the locomotives, and they do things based on what that signal tells them. Each information "packet" in the signal has an address. If that address matches the address of the locomotive set in its decoder, it obeys the commands. If the address doesn't match, the command is ignored. That command is probably for another locomotive.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Command_Control
http://www.nmra.org/standards/DCC/index.html
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow