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Subject: 
Re: Digital Controls
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Sun, 7 Oct 2001 18:49:06 GMT
Viewed: 
577 times
  
5 engines (2 passenger, 1 cargo, 1 double-loco cargo); the line is basically
a ring, connected to 4 main loops. Two of those loops have two sub-loops. In
all, the line will use 16 points. I can mail you a .tdl of the preview if
you want.

Sounds neat- perhaps you could post a jpg on brickshelf of the layout.  I'm
sure that other people would like to see it too :)




Now, the questions:
If all goes according to plan, I will be setting up the full layout in 2004,
using 2003 to purchase the equipment and apply it. What sort of improvement
in current equipment can I be expecting by then? What about costs, will they
decrease in time?

The costs for DCC have gone down _a lot_ since it first came out (1986 or
so...).  I don't think that costs are going to come down much more in the near
future :(, because the electronics are always going to cost about the same now.
The cost of ~$24USD/decoder (that's what DN121's list for) is to my mind,
quite reasonable.

About availability: where can I find these gizmos (what sort of shops)?

Best bet is good train/hobby shops.  I would tend towards going with one which
local hobby shops have, because they are going to be where you shop.  I think
Digitrax do mail order (hmm...perhaps not...there is a store in Spain which
deals with them...otherwise, I think that there are US based companies which
will deal via post with anywhere in the world)

Can I apply the same system to control points remotely, either by motor
action or by compressor-pneumatic action? What kind of structure would these
require?

Yes, you can.  Motor driven is easier, because of the cost of making pnumatic
valve actuated systems (however, that said, I think that Pnumatics is a better
system...but, then you have 2 sets of costs per switch, instead of one...)

All the major DCC systems have what are called "Accessory Decoders".  These are
intended for operation of fixed things, like points, usually available to power
either motors or solenoid type switches.
(again, looking at Digitrax, the DS44 would control 4 switches- you still have
to mechanically drive the switches though...you can find info in here about
that little topic :)

James Powell



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Digital Controls
 
In lugnet.trains, James Powell writes: (snipped) (...) Whoa! That was exaustive as explanation! Thank you very much! The first thing I noticed is that I will require both "professional" help and $. I am not really an expert in electronic, rather an (...) (23 years ago, 6-Oct-01, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.loc.pt)

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