Circuitron's Block Occupancy Detection and DCC

[Anonymous]

Anybody use this combination? I can't find much info on the web about using their Block Occupany Detectors, and whether they're compatible with the constant voltage of DCC on the tracks. I know back in 2001 when I first started looking into Circuitrons electronic detection units, they used photocells to detect when a piece of rolling stock or train was in the block, but I came across something that mentioned using variances in track voltage to detect when a train was present. Anybody use their signal drivers and block occupancy detectors? Looked like it might be a slightly cheaper way to run a signal system than the DCC managed systems I've seen.

[Don Gibson]

ASK Circuitron. Some systems use IR which detects independently.

[rrinker]

The Circuitron detectors I have seen use photocells, thus they are completely independent of whatever you drive your track with.
If you switch between day and night operations, or you have varying light levels in the layout room at various times, there may be an issue with detection. In my opionion, a far better solution for DCC is a current transformer detector such as Bruce Chubb's DCC Optimized Detector or the PT-5 detector on Rob Paisley's web site.

--Randy