Before electronics hit the scene in the late 19th Century modelers had to rely on more subtle modalities of propulsion for their locomotives. Even as electricity dazzled the early train antsiest, and electrical mastery was becoming more evident, it was still a grand challenge to operate two locomotives on one layout.
Lionel offered a cool two channel system way back in the 1940’s. This awesome before her time system used oscillating electrons and a transmitter to shoot messages through rails where your locomotive took in orders and delivered them with railroad precision!
The engineer could control his or her model train through a switch or dial of some sort. As you where able to control your speed and direction using this technique, it was never the less cumbersome which made for a daunting setup and timely dissemble.
Lionel’s lack of electronic savvy held the hall of fame company back in the development of command control. GE hit a home run when they stepped up to the plate and belted out a winning 5 channel system, capable of controlling more the one train on a single block!
This new system called ASTRAC (Automatic Simultaneous Train Control) by GE used silicon rectifiers to incorporate a receiver in each cab. Signals travel from transmitter to the tracks where your receiver picks up the intel and executes its commands.
Later came other systems such as, Dynotrols Carrier Control which was popular for a while in the sixties and seventies. These early command control devices shared a major setback which held the industry down for a few years. These control devices where not at all compatible. This meant you had to have all the components made by the same manufacture as different companies followed different electrical blueprints and guidelines. You could easily short out your layout or even worse cause a serious electrical fire.
In order to keep order in the industry a proclamation was handed down by Lenz, which is one of Europe’s leading DCC innovators and manufacturers. This decree lays the ground work for uniformity in the DCC community, thanks to Lenz and Marklin Digital, DCC manufacturers of toady must match the compatibility of decoders in engines with power stations attached to tracks. In other words whether or not you have a Digitrax or a Lenz decoder, your commands are still understood by the power station, no matter what brand it is!
If your decoders and transmitters follow NMRA guidelines, you’re a go in the DCC field. Don’t forget to test your electronics with a multimeter before use. This will isolate detection of problems if they accure.
For more information on scale model locomotives visit Daryl’s Website surrounding model train reviews, you may also stop in to read thomas the wood toy train reviews.
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