Barry and Penarth Model Railway Club

Use of DCC

During 2005, the club decided to provide facilities for members to use and gain experience in Digital Command Control (DCC), as a result of interest expressed by some members. Several members have now converted their own layouts to full DCC operation, enabling the operation of locomotives with full sound and lighting effects. see Members Layouts for more information.

The club has purchased two sets of Lenz DCC with three handheld controllers. These are installed in two wooden boxes for portability and protection of the equipment (thanks to Mike R.). Some of the layouts are now equipped with plug in points such that one or more circuits can be operated with DCC, whilst the remainder of the layout can function independently with traditional DC controls. Currently, Holton Junction works this way, as does Cadoc Bluffs, the club's American layout.

Members have also bought DigiTrax equipment for use on their own layouts. These can be plugged into the main fixed layouts in place of the club's equipment. Everything has been designed for maximum flexibility.

The new portable OO-gauge layout, Addersleigh Junction, is designed to work with DCC from the outset, although DC operation will be possible on the branch line (modelled as a preserved railway).

It is anticipated that other layouts, such as Machynlleth in N-gauge, will be adapted similarly as interest in DCC spreads to this group of the club membership.

For background on DCC operation, including links to many of the manufacturers web sites, readers are referred to Gwynne Chivers discussion paper.
A useful external website is Allan Gartner's 'Wiring for DCC'