Digital Command Control

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Digital command control is a new development in electric model trains. It allows the control of several locomotives on a train layout without using a lot of complicated wiring schemes. Instead of that, a digital command control system uses digital signals sent through the tracks which locomotives can decode and know what you are telling them to do.

The system described here is the Bachman system which seems to be the easiest digital command control system to set up and use. The system has four components, the EZ Command Controller, an Analog controller an AC Wall Pack Power Supply and the decoder.

The AC Wall Pack Power Supply supplies the digital command control system with the proper DC voltage to operate. It converts the AC power supplied by the wall socket to DC power needed by the digital command control system.

The heart of the digital command control system is the EZ Command Controller. The Controler can control up to ten locomotives on a layout. Light, speed, direction and up to eight special functions can all be controled.

An Analog Controller is used to contol one non digital command control equipped locomotive on the layout.

The decoder is installed in each locomotive. The decoder picks up the digital signal the EZ Command Controller sends through the track and then controls the locomotive according to the digital commands recieved.

Bachman's digital command control system is compatable with locomotives using other manufacturers decoders, but individual components of the sytem may not be. Locomotives are easy to program with this system.

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