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The above advice is great, I would like to add my .02 to the bucket: Your first question about control systems should coincide with what your railway is to accomplish for *YOU*. For example, indoors I have a large scale layout that I want completely digital with animation,lights,and highly detailed scenes. But I am currently designing an outdoor layout and all the bells and whistles may not be necessary for me outdoors. Do I need lots of animation and lighting because I probably won't be operating it at night much. Its really tough to say that "DCC is a must for outdoors" when you take in the extra measures needed for reliable current, power supply protection, risks of damage by lightning or other natural hazards. Outdoors even simple block-controlled (automated) circuits could take the place of something more sophisticated (digital). It all depends on what I am going to spend my time on most: switching the locos and cars around, having the trains just run in circles, having helpers up grades (in which I would need a consist controller), or changing engines at a remote station. You've kinda got to figure out all this first, then research the control systems available that will match your operations. I know very well that battery power/radio control is a very reliable way to run the pike. However, I'm not too thrilled about the radio receivers being incompatible with my indoor DCC setup, changing and recharging batteries,etc.. So far I still have the idea of DCC outdoors, but like the other guy said, one size (control system) does not fit all garden railways, even if your indoor layout suits you fine. I will be looking into that DCC system by CVP that has battery controlled receivers...that would be the ticket!!
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