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DCC INSTALLATION - OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE!
Why use Professional Layout Services to install your DCC control system?
 | We do not insist that we supply the DCC control system. We will install
any DCC control system in working order and in merchantable condition. We
will however provide systems if we are able to do so when requested. |
| We have over fifteen years experience in the installation of DCC systems. We
have installed systems for clients all over the UK from most global manufacturers over
the years. We ensure the system is installed and tested correctly to offer
many years of trouble free use. |
| We are happy to offer advice and assistance to layout owners once we have
installed a system. If any problems arise we will always try and help! |
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| The above image shows the full DCC wiring on one layout
board. DCC is sometimes sold as a two wire control system in its simplest
form. Which two wires would you like to keep? |
This image shows the location of the accessory decoders (to
the right) in close proximity to the turnouts they are operating. Try and
avoid distances above one metre. |
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| Accessory decoders can be purchased form a variety of
manufacturers. These Lenz decoders operate six turnout motors, others
operate four or just one. The heavier black and white cable is the power
supply to these decoders. |
This image shows the underside of a Peco Code 55 N Gauge
finescale scissor crossing. The device at the top of the image is a
Digitrax auto reverse module used to switch polarity on the scissors. Much
easier than a four pole switch in analogue format! |
Capabilities
We have no limitations as to the size or scale of the DCC system
installation. We are happy to install DCC systems to small table top train
set style layouts, or very complex model railways. We offer the following
installation services:
- DCC Track Control
- The standard DCC installation where DCC control of locomotives is
required. We install the control system with the DCC ring main
connected to dropper wires from the track. All cable is to
manufactures standards and all joins conform to standard codes of
practice. If cable of an insufficient capacity is used on DCC layouts
it is possible that some data loss may occur, or the cable may
overload. Remember most DCC systems work on a much higher power rating
than conventional DC controllers. Most DC controllers have a maximum
output of between 1 and 2 amps. Most non basic DCC systems have an
output of between 2 and 5 amps. The cable on a DCC layout must be
capable of this potential load! Where required DCC booster units are installed to provide
addition power supplies and isolation switches to allow easy fault
finding on larger layouts. Auto reverse modules can be installed for
turntables (where required) and to automatically reverse polarity in
return loops. These devices can also be used to switch the polarity of
live frog 'diamond crossings' and 'scissor crossovers' removing the
need for mechanical or relay switching of polarity. We now fit as
standard DCC circuit breakers to protect the master controller from
layout short circuits and when used booster units are also protected
in the same way. On larger layouts we break the layout down into DCC
blocks each protected by a circuit breaker to ease fault finding. In
the event of a problem only the problem block will shut down, the rest
of the layout will continue to work.
Shown above are the DCC Specialties circuit breaker and auto reverse module.
The circuit breaker has many uses as described above for master and block
protection - particularly useful on the Gaugemaster/MRC Prodigy Advance2
which does not have a reset button and needs shutting down once the fault has
been cleared. We also use the circuit breaker to protect handmade track units
e.g. Marcway Scissor Crossings which go to short circuit until the road is set;
and some turntables which go through a short as they rotate.
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- DCC Accessory Control
- Most DCC layouts require not just the locomotives to be controlled
from the DCC master controller, they also prefer to control the
turnouts and other accessories digitally. We install turnout motors
both solenoid (Peco, SEEP, Hornby, Fleischmann, Marklin etc) and slow
action types (Tortoise, Fulgarex and Lemaco etc) together with most
other accessory requirements e.g. signals etc. Signals can be colour
light types or semaphore. When programming DCC decoders avoid doing so when
installed on the layout. Program prior to installation avoiding
moving around or under the board. If you are doing more than
'base' address programming test with grain of wheat bulbs as shown
in the image. The images below show a ZTC304 (we no longer advise their installation due to a lack of power even with a cdu) and a Hornby R8247
accessory decoder being programmed with the outputs of
Channel 1 to be used for
continuous output e.g. for use on colour light signals. This is tested using grain of wheat bulbs to
ensure the programming is correct prior to installation. Also
shown is the ESU ECoS SwitchPilot accessory decoder.
Team Digital SMD84 Switch Machine Driver
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- Probably the best accessory decoder available. This device will
switch eight solenoid and/or slow action stall type machines. It has
16 programmable remote controlled routes, 13 programmable local routes
and five conditional routes. It has an advanced buffer to hold
information and switch macros/route settings using the on board
capacitor. The device uses smart programming for simple basic
addressing and set up. Works on the faster DCC systems including NCE.
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- Computer Control.
- Most quality DCC Control systems feature the ability to connect to a computer (either via an interface or pre-installed) and integrate with
commercial and open source software. We offer hardware installation e.g. block detectors and their associated units to provide the data for the PC software.
The image below left shows NCE Block Detectors used in conjuction with the NCE AIU Unit (Auxiliary Input Unit) in these case to feed train presence data to JMRI Open Source Software.
The right image of the AIU shows a lit LED to confirm the presence of a train which is fed into the cab bus.
Controller Setup
More advanced DCC systems require a little more time when setting
the system up particularly when operating accessories. For example the
ECoS ESU Command Station is one of the best DCC controllers available
however many enthusiasts need assistance when it comes to using the
touch screen interface. The touch screen interface offers clear
operation of locomotives, accessories and routes. Your track plan can
also be schematically represented on the screen with turnouts and
signals etc. operated by touching the screen plan.
- Route Settings/Preset Routes/Macros.
- Most DCC operating systems offer the facility to program complex
switching operations by pressing one button. This is usually
associated with setting track routes via accessory decoders but this
can also involve signals and other accessories. Manufacturers use
different terms for this process including Routes, Presets and Macros.
The maximum number of routes and settings within a route varies
depending on the system memory. For example Prodigy Advance2
offer 32 routes with a maximum of eight switches per route, whereas
the ZTC511 offers around ten routes as supplied (number of routes
depends on the number of settings per route) but can be upgraded to a
maximum of 256. The EcOS ESU Command Station offers a lerge number of route settings plus a touch screen for turnout control via a track plan. PLS Layouts offer a full route program service which
can be included in the setup of your DCC system, or as a separate
service. More information on Routes/Presets/Macros can be found here.
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- Layout preparation for DCC installation.
- To optimize the performance of certain DCC layouts we can alter Peco
turnouts from electrofrog to livefrog to prevent short circuits as
rolling stock wheels pass through the turnout. This alteration also
vastly improves the performance of the layout as the pressure contact
between the stock rail (fixed outer rails) and the switch rail (moving
rail that travels with the tie bar) is no longer required for
electrical continuity.
If you are thinking of DCC computerisation we can block your layout to allow units to detect a loco present in the block.
- Hardware Programming - Decoder and Controller.
- We are frequently asked to program accessory decoders. Most
accessory decoders are supplied by the manufacturers to operate
solenoid turnout motors requiring a pulse of a short duration. When
using these decoders for other applications such as motor drive
turnout motors e.g. Tortoise etc. or colour light signals it is
necessary to program the decoder. Some accessory decoders do not
have to have sequential numbering e.g. Team Digital SMD84 and Lenz. Each output can be
configured to its own number and function. We can set your accessory
decoders to your requirements. The image below shows a Gaugemaster/MRC
Prodigy accessory decoder installed on a clients layout. The channel
timers have been set to 3 which equals a pulse time output of 0.3
seconds which is ideal for the Peco PL10w series of solenoid turnout
motors. This accessory decoder automatically sets to pulse output for
solenoid motors when the thin cable wire link is cut (on this decoder
the link is yellow and can be seen over the large IC located in the
centre of the device), however we find a small increase in the timer
output is needed when the motors are located below the baseboard
rather than fitted directly to the turnout.
We also offer a service to program your EcOS ESU Master Station for locomotives, turnouts and routes. We will also upgrade
your unit to the latest software and upload images of your locomotives - customer registration on The ESU website required.
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- DCC Layout Upgrade/Improvement Service.
- DCC has now established itself as possibly the number one in model
railway control. Over the years that DCC has been available new ideas,
new concepts and new products have been developed. An upgrade may
improve the reliability and stability of your DCC layout, particularly
if your system is now unable to upgrade e.g. ZTC. We may be able to
make more efficient use of the hardware you have purchased. For
example the images below show four auto-reverse modules located at
each end of a large layout. These modules have replaced ZTC-550
booster units and ZTC560 transformers releasing high cost hardware now
better used on power districts.
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- ZTC Installation Service.
- We worked closely with ZTC Controls in their early years, in fact we
had one of the first pre-production ZTC511 master controllers before
the system was marketed. Although we no longer supply or recommend their products over the years we have supplied and installed many ZTC
systems around the country and overseas. We offer probably the
most experienced service with ZTC installation available. From small
layouts to complex model railways we have installed ZTC!
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Some of the more popular Digital Systems in the UK:
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ECoS ESU Command Station |
Gaugemaster Prodigy2 |
Hornby Elite. |
ZTC 511 Master Contoller. |
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Bachmann Dynamis. |
Lenz Digital |
Digitrax |
NCE - North Coast Engineering |
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