Well, I’m not sure I meant that quite that literally, but you might be surprised. I’ve helped wire a few large DCC layouts, how many advanced DC systems on large layouts have you built? Or operated on?
Have you ever heard the names Ed Ravenscroft, Paul Mallery, Bruce Chubb or Linn Westcott? More importantly are you familiar with any of their work in advanced DC cab control or signal systems for DC layouts?
25 years ago, using pioneering work from all of these men, I developed an Advanced DC Cab Control System with the following features:
- Wireless radio walk around throttles - up to 10 fully independent channels
- Full voltage pulse width modulation speed control
- Simple easy to use throttles that can be operated by feel, keeping you eyes on the train
- One button route control of turnouts thru most interlockings
- Detection, signals, CTC operation with a dispatcher
- OR, optional walk around tower operation controlled by the operators
- Automatic Train Stop for violated red signals
- Full brightness headlights that come on before the train move
- In CTC mode engineers simply control their train - no block toggles, no turnouts to control
- 50% of the blocks are automated based on turnout position
- Turnout controls are repeated on tower panels and the CTC panel
- Route selection also restores other turnouts to their default as needed
- All turnouts return to default on layout start up
- Cab assignments/block authority also controlled with push buttons, duplicated on the CTC panel and tower panels
- Wiring is made simpler by decentralizing control elements
- Inductive detection not in the propulsion circuit
- Supports LED or incandescent signals
- Separate 4 amp (or larger if desired) power supply for each throttle
And all of this is done with no computers or processors, and just a few off the shelf solid state devices. The rest is done with LED lighted pushbuttons and relays.
The limitations?
- No sound - if I wanted sound I would have switched to DCC 25 years ago
- No consisting - well DC locos all go the same direction the track tells them to
- No speed matching - never needed that in the 27 years before DCC - most of my trains are powered by 2-4 powered units
- No head on collisions
- No automatic reverse loops - but we do semi-automate them
Signaling is based on providing interlocking/CTC signals and approach signals - even most large layouts don’t really have room for or need for permissive block signals.
No matter how you control a DCC layout, if you have detection, signals/CTC, and powered turnouts, you still have all the same input/output connections that I do. You still have to wire the detectors/feeders for each block, the wires to the signals, the switch machines.
Maybe you have control panels, maybe not, maybe you use computer screens - I like control panels and display panels that tell me where hidden trains are.
I build my hard wired logic panels on the bench and then just make those connections - you buy little black boxes, make those connections and program stuff - both are a lot of work.
The system integrates the propulsion, signaling and turnout control into one system. This saves hardware and wiring.
I don’t expect anyone to do what I do - BUT - my system and a fully solid state version developed by a fellow modeler I know, have been installed on multiple layouts, some of which have been in service for over 20 years.
I am currently building new layout after a move a few years back. When things are up an running you are welcome to come see how easy DC operation can be.
Since I don’t know you, and I doubt you know much about my control system, I’m going to let the “factually untrue” thing slide…
In a younger life, I took old relay based industrial control systems and converted them to programmable controller code - but of course that technology has advanced a lot too.
Sheldon