Digitrax Command
Control Glossary of Frequently Used Terminology
Many of the terms
listed below are also covered in the Digital Command
Control: The Wave Of The Future Clinic.
The Digitrax Big Book of DCC also contains an extensive glossary of DCC and Digitrax terminology.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z NUMBERS
128 Speed Step Mode: the motor voltage/speed curve
of the DCC loco from stop to full speed has 128 discrete speed steps. This
means that you have 128 discrete speed steps at your disposal for excellent
speed control, especially at very low speeds. 128 speed step operation will
give a significant improvement in speed control over 14 or 28 step operation.
128 speed step operation is only offered in advanced and professional level DCC
systems.
AC or Alternating Current: An expression used to describe an electrical wave form
that cycles or alternates above and below 0 volts. In the U.S., household
electricity is 60 cycle, alternating 60 times a second, 110-120 volts.
Acceleration: The rate at which the decoder increases from one speed
step to the next in response to a new increase speed command. Use CV 03 to set
this value for each decoder. This feature is used to simulate train weight and
to cause your model to respond more prototypically when you increase the
throttle.
Accessory decoder: See stationary decoder.
Address, Decoder: a number assigned by the user to a particular mobile
or stationary decoder. The DCC system uses the decoder address to send commands
to the appropriate loco or accessory.
Address Range: each system has a certain number of addresses that it
can handle. Basic DCC systems usually handle between 6 and 16 addresses.
Advanced systems usually handle between 99 & over 9000 addresses and
Professional systems almost always go to 9000 or more addresses.
Adddress 00: the special address used by DCC systems to send speed
and direction commands to operate locomotives that do not have decoders.
Advanced (EPF) Consisting Method: Storage of the consist information in each decoder.
The locos can be added to and deleted from the consist in any orientation. This
method requires that all locomotives in the consist be equipped with decoders
that support this feature(EPF decoders). This method allows you to set up a
consist that will be "transportable" from one DCC layout to another
but you must be sure to always put the locos back on the track in the same
order and orientation you programmed them for or you can get some unexpected
results.
Advanced Mode (28 Speed Step Mode): the motor voltage/speed curve of the DCC loco from
stop to full speed has 28 discrete speed steps. This means that speed control
will be limited to 28 steps. 28 speed step mode gives fine speed control.
Increasing to 128 speed step operation will give a significant improvement in
speed control, especially at very slow speeds needed for prototypical switching
operations. Advanced mode is offered in most command stations because there are
many decoders on the market that are not capable of 128 step mode operation.
Aliased 4 Digit Addressing: Lets you run 2 digit address decoders with 4 digit
addresses by selecting them from the system Alias Roster. This feature gives
you the ability to operate all DCC equipped decoders with 4 digit addresses.
This is a function of the command station, not of the decoders.
Alias roster: a list of aliased addresses and their associated
decoder addresses stored in a command station.
All live turnout: a turnout where throwing the turnout does not change
the rail polarity. Also called non-power routing turnouts.
Ampere, amp(s): the unit of measure for electrical current used or
provided by an electronic device. The current draw of most HO can motors is
between .5 and 1.5 amps. DCC boosters usually provide between 2.5 & 10
amps. This means that in HO scale you can run between 4 and 6 HO locomotives on
a 5 amp booster.
Analog Loco: A locomotive operating on a DCC layout without a DCC
decoder installed. Also called a Conventional Loco.
Analog Mode
Conversion: When a DCC decoder does not see DCC packets on the
layout it changes automatically to DC operation. Digitrax decoders support analog
mode conversion but not all DCC systems do. Analog conversion can be disabled
by programming CV29.
Architecture or system architecture: the particular method and/or arrangement of system
hardware components used a given DCC system (or other computer based system)
for communication within the system. Examples of system architecture in the DCC
context are peer-to peer communication and polled communication.
Armature: the rotating frame that supports the field coils of a
motor.
Aspect: a
combination of lights or positions on a railroad signal which has a defined
meaning. This meaning is the signal's indication.
AutoReversing: a feature
of some DCC boosters which allows a train to enter and exit reversing sections
automatically without the need for the operator to throw a switch to match
track polarities on either side of the reversing section.
Back emf: the voltage
generated by the rotation of the motor armature. EMF is short for
electro-motive force. Measurements of back emf are used for speed stabilization.
Ballast Lamp: A high current, low voltage lamp used to protect
against unwanted voltage transits. In normal model railroad applications a 12
volt automobile brake lamp wired in series is used. For use as a buffer between
DC and DCC, the lamp is connected across one of the double gaps separating the
two systems.
Bandwidth: describes the volume of information that can be sent
over a communication link.
Basic Consisting Method: Program all the locomotives in a consist to the same
address and run them off one throttle. In this case all the locos must be
running in the same direction.
Bi-polar: a wave function that goes from positive to negative and back. The DCC
signal is a bi-polar signal.
Booster: Boosters receive the DCC signal from the Command
Station, amplify it & put it on the track as the power that runs the locos.
You can have several boosters on a system, each driving its own track section.
You can have both regular or auto reversing boosters depending on your needs.
Also called Power Booster, Power Station
Browsing: to scan sequentially through locomotive or accessory decoder
addresses and status.
Buffer Track: See Ballast Lamp
Cab: See Throttle
Carrier Sense Multiple Access with
Collision Detection (CSMA/CD): a
signal and message handling system used by computer networks like ethernet.
LocoNet is a CSMA/CD system.
Cascaded route: the operation of one or more turnouts by a function
cell when it sends a request for the command station to initiate the necessary
action.
Closed: the position of a turnout that is set so that the routing is through
the straight leg or set for the main line.
Command Station: Each system has one Command Station that generates
the DCC packets that tell the decoders what to do & produces Rail Sync so
that all the devices you attach to LocoNet work together. With the Digitrax
System you have a choice of several command stations to allow you to tailor
your system to meet your needs. In an effort to keep the price down, we have
chosen to combine command station functionality with other system hardware
components. The Challenger Command Station is included in every DB100 series
booster. The DCS50 Command Station/Booster/Throttle is the all in one unit
called the Zephyr Starter Set. The DB150
Command Station is used as the command station in the Super Empire Builder Starter
Set. The DCS100 Command Station/Booster is the command station for the Super Chief
Starter Set.
Common (Loco Status): a DCC locomotive that is not currently
"in-use" by a throttle connected to LocoNet but is still being
refreshed by the command station. A loco with a status of "common" is
selectable by any throttle on LocoNet.
Common Rail Wiring: A wiring system in which one side of all the track
power supplies are connected. The common rail concept simplified block wiring
in conventional DC systems, but is not recommended for new layouts installing
DCC wiring. (see Direct Home Wiring).
Commutator: the rotating contact on the motor's armature that
transfers power from the motor brushes to the field coils.
Compatibility: the ability of equipment made by various DCC
manufacturers to operate together on the same layout. The interoperability of
equipment from various manufacturers gives consumers more choices at every
price level. It also gives you the assurance that if brand X goes out of
business that you will still be able to buy equipment from another company.
Configuration Register (CV29): this special CV controls several different
characteristics including: 1. Whether the decoder uses standard 14 speed step
mode or advanced 28/128 speed step mode 2. Whether or not the decoder will
automatically convert to DC operation when no DCC signal is present 3. In the
case of Digitrax FX decoders, the relative direction of locomotive travel 4.
Whether the decoder uses loadable speed tables and 5. Whether the decoder uses
the 2 digit short address or the 4 digit long address.
Configuration Variables (CV's): these are special storage locations or
"pigeonholes" in your decoders. By programming various CV's, you can
control each decoder's performance characteristics. CV's store information like
the decoder's short address, long address, start voltage, mid-point voltage,
loadable speed tables and many more. Once you have programmed these
characteristics, the decoders "remember" them until you change them
again. The NMRA’s “Standard and RPs” define the usage of many CVs, others are
manufacturer defined.
Conformance Seal: the “certification” issued by the after a product has
passed the tests established and administered by NMRA volunteers to
"prove" that a particular product follows “exactly to the letter” the
“Standards and RPs” set up by the NMRA that pertain to that product.
Consisting: the action
of linking more than one power unit together to be controlled by a single
address. Also called Multiple Unit Operation, MU'ing, Multiple Unit Lash Ups,
etc. See Basic consisting, Universal consisting & Advanced consisting.
Constant Brightness Lighting: because you have constant track voltage when you use
DCC, you also have locomotive lights that stay on just like the prototype, even
when the loco is not moving (unless of course you use their function lead to
turn them off).
Conventional Loco: A locomotive operating on a DCC layout without a DCC
decoder installed. Also called an Analog Loco or a Standard Loco.
Daisy chain: a wiring plan in which each device may be connected
through other devices to the controller.
DCC: Digital Command Control. On the most basic level, DCC encompasses
systems and products that are interoperable with the basic DCC industry norms
and practices (the NMRA Standards and RPs are part of this). In addition, DCC
includes other related technologies that are designed to enhance and extend the
basic capabilities of DCC.
DC or Direct Current: An expression used to describe an electrical wave
form in which the voltage remains more or less at a value above or below 0
volts. The wave form used by most model railroad locomotives. Sometimes
referred to as Analog.
Deceleration: The rate at which the decoder decreases from one speed
step to the next in response to a new decrease speed command. Use CV04 to set
up the deceleration value for each decoder. This feature is used to simulate
train momentum so that, just like the prototype, your model won't stop
immediately when the brakes are applied.
Decoders, Mobile: the
electronic device installed in each locomotive that receives the signal from
the command station through the track, decodes it & tells the loco what to
do.
Decoders, Stationary (Accessory) : the electronic device for the switches or other
accessories that receives the signal from the command station through the
track, decodes it & tells the switch/accessory what to do.
Decoder Status: a DCC decoder can be New, In-Use, Common, or Idle in a
Digitrax system.
Detection section: a section of track gapped on one or both rails and
connected to an occupancy detector.
Direct Home Wiring: A wiring system in which the DCC booster powers each
rail through an individual conductor or wire. Each booster is wired to it's own
power section and there is no common connection between boosters.
This is the Digitrax recommended wiring system.
Direct Programming: A type of service mode programming.
Directional Lighting: loco lights can be set up to automatically change so
that the forward lamp is lit when the loco is moving forward and the reverse
lamp is lit when moving in reverse.
Dispatching: use your DT Throttle to set up a loco or consist you
want to be run by an operator on a Utility throttle (or BT2 Buddy throttle) and
then using couple of keystrokes, dispatch the loco from the DT Throttle and
acquire it on the Utility
Throttle or BT2. This feature may also be
used by operators who wish to use a fairly strict dispatch discipline in their
operating sessions.
Display Active: With the DT Throttle you can control two different
addresses at the same time, one on the Left Throttle and another on the Right
Throttle. Because only one throttle’s date can be displayed on the LCD screen
at a time, we use the direction indicator to indicate which side is currently
"display active". The "display active" throttle is the one
with the flashing indicator.
Ditch lights: prototype lights that are mounted on a loco's pilot
or low on the hood to illuminate each side of the track just in front of the
loco. When the horn is sounded, they flash alternately increasing the
visibility of the loco, especially at grade crossings. Digitrax decoders with
FX lighting simulate this effect beautifully by using two separate function
leads.
Droop: the slope of the graph of speed vs. load for a loco. This variable is used
to calculate speed corrections made when scaleable speed stabilization is used
to manage the effects of load on the loco's speed.
EPF or Extended Packet Format: an extension of the baseline DCC format that allows us
to use long addressing and other expanded decoder features.
Event driven: a strategy for using a network's communication
resources that sends traffic only when devices attached to the network need to
communicate. LocoNet is an event driven network as opposed to a polled system
which requires that each device communicate with the master in turn.
Exact feedback: the method of using a number of switches or sensors
to determine the exact position or state of a turnout or other device.
Fast Clock: used by many operators during operating sessions to
simulate prototypical operations. Traditionally, this clock is on the wall and
is set up to run at a faster than normal rate so that you can "get in a
full day's work on the railroad in a fraction of the time."
Forward trim: a scaling factor applied to all speed step power
values in a speed table for the forward direction of the loco.
Function cell: a group of
electronic components within a stationary decoder that controls the logic for a
pair of decoder inputs and outputs. Used to operate local routes.
Functions, Decoder: function leads are extra decoder wires that you can
connect to any device on the loco that you want to control from the hand held
or other input device such as a computer. These can be used for locomotive
lighting, sound units, smoke units, and other locomotive animation tasks.
FX Functions: specially designed functions (available on Digitrax FX
series decoders) that let you set up lights on your loco to simulate Mars
lights, Gyra lights, ditch lights, rotating beacons, single or double pulse
strobes, flashing lights, random firebox flicker and more. CV's 49-63 are used
to set up these special light effects.
Hexadecimal: the base sixteen number
system. The digits used are 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E, & F. You will
see some values expressed in hex on some Digitrax throttles because with this
system you can express numbers above decimal 99 as two digits.
-I-
Idle (Loco Status): DCC locomotive that has been addressed by the system
previously, is currently selectable by a throttle on LocoNet, and is not being
refreshed.
In-Use (Loco Status): DCC locomotive that is currently under the control of
a throttle connected to LocoNet. An in-use loco is having its data refreshed by
the command station and is not selectable by other throttles on LocoNet. The
exception to this is if a throttle "steals" an in-use loco.
Indexing: the process by which a turntable bridge is aligned
with approach or stall tracks. This process can be automated by using DCC
decoders.
Indication: the
meaning given to a particular signal aspect.
Interoperability: one of the most important
features available in a command control system. Interoperability means that you
can use your DCC compatible equipment with other DCC compatible equipment made
by different manufacturers.
Kick start: an entry in a speed table that regulates the burst of
power sent to a motor when the decoder first commands it to start (at speed
step 1).
-L-
LAN: Local Area Network.
LCD: Liquid crystal display. Digitrax throttles with displays use LCDs.
LED: Light emitting diode. Many locomotives use LEDs for headlamps and other
loco lighting. They do not generate any heat but their lighting characteristics
are not as "crisp" as incandescent bulbs.
Loadable Speed Table: use CV65 through CV95 to define each discrete speed
step in a 28 speed step curve. This feature allows you to customize a loco's
performance curve and makes speed matching of locomotives possible. With this
feature you can limit the top speed of a loco. Once you have programmed CV65
through CV95 to set up the table, you will also need to set up CV29 to enable
it. This allows you to enable and disable the table at will and to keep the
table stored even when it is not in use. Digitrax FX & 4th generation
decoders go one step further and give you 128 speed step resolution with
loadable speed tables.
Local route: the operation
of a number of function cells within a single stationary decoder independent from
the command station.
LocoNet: Digitrax's
powerful communications network especially designed for model railroad
operation.
Long Address: 14 bit address, extended packet format address.
Manual block system: prototype train control system where by trains run
from block station to block station. Trains require explicit authority to enter
each block. Also used as the backstop method if an automated signaling system
fails.
Master/slave: a system architecture where a central controller
manages communications among attached devices. Master/slave usually uses polled
communications.
Max voltage (Vmax): CV05
specifies the exact voltage to apply to the motor at speed step 28 in a 28 step
system and step 14 in a 14 step system. Setting CV05 limits the top speed of
the loco.
Mid-Point Voltage: CV 06 specifies
the exact voltage to apply to the motor at speed step 15 in a 28 step system
and step 7 in a 14 speed step system. This allows you to make a quick
adjustment to the motor voltage/speed curve without setting up a loadable speed
table.
Momentum: expresses an object's tendency to keep moving at its
current speed and direction.
Motorola trinary format: a digital
command control format used by Marklin AC digital HO and Marklin Maxi decoders.
This format is the largest format used in Germany and is not compatible with
DCC. Some command stations like
Digitrax DCS100 and Uhlenbrock can output both Marklin Motorola and DCC formats
simultaneously.
MU: Multiple unit operations. See Consisting.
Nested consist: a consist that is part of another consist. Digitrax
systems can handle nested consisting.
Nested route: a route that is part of another route. Digitrax
systems can handle nested routes.
New (Loco Status): DCC locomotive that has not been addressed by the
system. A new loco is selectable by throttles on LocoNet and is not refreshed.
Non-power routing turnout: a turnout where throwing the turnout does not change
the rail polarity. Also called all live turnouts.
Non-retriggerable: a stationary decoder function cell is
non-retriggerable if it must complete its current output action before
accepting a new input.
Normal direction of travel: the direction a decoder recognizes as the forward
direction when the throttle is set for forward motion. Some decoders can be set
up so that either long hood forward or short hood forward is the normal
direction of travel depending on what the prototype practice was for that
particular locomotive.
NMRA: National Model Railroad Association.
An organization of hobbyists based in the United States.
Ntrak: the most widely used Standard for N scale modular layouts.
Occupancy detector: a device that senses the presence of rolling stock on
a section of track and provides feedback to the system.
Ohm(s): the unit of measure of electrical resistance.
Operating current: the current draw, stated in amps, used by a loco,
including its motor, lights and other accessories when operating continuously
under normal continuous at full load. This measurement is important for
determining which decoder to install in the loco.
Operating Mode: 14 or 28/128 speed steps. See also, Speed Steps,
Standard Mode, Advanced Mode & 128 Speed Step Mode.
Operations (OPS) Mode Programming: lets you program CV's in DCC locos equipped with EPF
decoders while they are on the mainline. A typical use for ops mode programming
would be to change the acceleration rate (CV03) or the deceleration rate (CV04)
of your locos to simulate the weight and braking characteristics of the train
to compensate for changing the number of cars and power units in the train.
Packet: the organization of bits and bytes into complete DCC commands. A DCC
packet consists of a preamble, address, instruction and error detection
information with bits to indicate the start and den of the packet.
Paged Programming: A widely used type of service mode programming.
Peer-to-peer: a network communications protocol where messages
between devices are not managed by a central mediator. LocoNet is an event
driven peer to peer network.
Physical Register Programming: A primitive type of service mode programming.
Polarity: the two directions of current flow, plus (+) and minus
(-), in any electrical circuit. Mismatches in track polarity create reversing
problems.
Polled communications: the process by which devices attached to a system are
interrogated sequentially by the master to see if they have information or
commands to transmit to the system.
Positive feedback: the method of using a switch or sensor to determine
one of the two possible positions of a turnout or states of a device.
Power Booster: See Booster.
Power bus: the main wires that carry power from the booster to
provide power feeds to the power district. The power bus is very important for
DCC layouts since the DCC signal is carried on the power to the layout. If
there is not good power everywhere on the layout, then the locos will not
"see" the DCC signal.
Power district: the power wiring, components and equipment attached to
that wiring, driven by a single properly isolated booster.
Power routing turnout: a turnout where only the route selected is live and
the rail polarity changes when the turnout is thrown.
Power Station: See Booster.
Power
sub-district:
a subdivision of a power district. Usually controlled by a power management
device like a PM42.
Power Supply: a
transformer that provides power to the DCC system. The transformer is not
usually included with the DCC system.
Programming: the action of entering data into DCC decoders.
Programming track: an electrically isolated track section used for decoder
programming. This track ensures that broadcast programming instructions are
only sent to the decoders you want to program.
Purging: the process by which Digitrax command stations
automatically release DCC locomotives from "in-use" to
"common" when they are not under the control of a throttle connected
to LocoNet for approximately 200 seconds. This makes locos that have been
"forgotten" by their operators available to be selected by other
operators to prevent collisions during an operating session. In the DCS100
purge time can be lengthened to 600 seconds or disabled completely.
PWM:
Pulse Width Modulation. Allows for control of power to a motor by varying the
length of full power pulses sent to it. PWM is the "magic" that lets
us operate an analog loco on a DCC layout.
Recommended Practices (RPs): are set up by the NMRA an adjunct to the Standards. RPs
are not mandatory but if a feature covered by an RP is implemented, it should
follow the RP.
Receiver: an electronic device that performs a similar function
to a DCC decoder in a carrier control system. DCC decoders do more than just
receive information, they actually decode it, determine if it applies to them
and then control the loco based on the decoding.
Refreshed (Data): DCC command stations re-send data to decoders many
times to be sure that the signal is not lost and that you have reliable
operation. All in-use and common locos in the system will continue to be
refreshed until they become idle.
Retriggerable: stationary decoder configuration that allows the
decoder to accept new input and begin a new action before completing the
current action in progress.
Reverse trim: a scaling factor applied to all speed step values n
a speed table for a loco moving in the reverse direction.
Reverse loop or reversing section: any track layout that allows
a loco to enter and exit on the same rails while moving in the same direction.
This creates a track polarity mismatch at one end or the other of the track
section which must be corrected in order for the loco to continue moving.
RJ12: standard type of telephone style plug and socket used for six conductor
cable.
Roster: The Alias Roster is a database of 4 digit numbers that are matched to 2
digit decoder addresses. This Alias roster defines all the power units you wish
to operate this way, & is stored in the DCS100. The DCS100 remembers the
Alias Roster even if the system is powered down between sessions.
Route: a group of turnouts and their specified positions that will be
triggered by the activation of a single "TOP" switch address to a
specified position.
Rule 17 dimming: requires locos waiting to be passed and in other
circumstances to dim their headlights. Digitrax FX decoders allow you to use
rule 17 dimming.
Security element: the plant including track, associated with any
reporting, interlocking and/or signaling for that track. Also called simply
"plant."
Selectable: a DCC decoder is selectable when it is not currently
in-use on another throttle.
Service Mode Programming: service mode programming information sent by the
command station or programmer as a broadcast signal that goes out to all
decoders on the track. Some command stations have separate packet generators to
provide independent service mode programming outputs so that the layout can
continue operating while decoders are programmed. Others require that the
layout be shut down and the packet generator be used for programming decoders.
Short Address: 7 bit address, baseline packet format address
Slot: a memory location in the command station that holds an active decoder
address.
Slot Following: when more than one DT Throttle is logged on to a
single loco address, both DT Throttles will be controlling that address and
both DT Throttle displays will be updated with the same information. In other
words, both operators will see what the other is doing.
Speed Stabilization: the use of back EMF by a decoder to modify power to the motor to keep
speed constant. Speed stailisation can also be scaled to make the feature more
useful. It's like "cruise control for your loco."
Speed Steps: because DCC is a digital system, locomotive speeds are
defined by discrete speed steps. DCC systems typically offer 14, 28 or 128
speed steps. This means that as motor voltage is increased that the speed of
the locomotive increases in a straight line from stop to full speed with
discrete speed values at each voltage.
Split Field Motor: Another term for AC motor.
Stall Current: the max current draw in amps for a motor when it is
stalled. This is important in determining which decoder to install in a
locomotive.
Standards: “ Standards” cover many aspects of interchange for
model railroading. The DCC “Standards” are only a small part of the NMRA’s “Standards
Program”. The DCC standards are a small
part of the industry norms and practices that make up what we know as DCC.
Standard Mode (14 Speed Step Mode): the motor voltage/speed curve of the DCC loco from
stop to full speed has 14 discrete speed steps. This means that speed control
will be limited to just 14 steps. 14 speed step mode gives reasonably good speed
control. Increasing to 28 speed step operation will give much better speed
control and going to 128 speed step operation will give really excellent speed
control. Standard mode is offered in most command stations because there are
many decoders on the market that are not capable of 28 or 128 step mode.
Start Voltage: or V-Start is
the voltage added to the motor drive voltage at the first speed step. This
adjustment allows you to trim the loco to compensate for its motor efficiency.
Status Editing Decoders: a DCC decoder's status can be manually changed by a
Digitrax command station at any time the decoder is selectable.
Stealing a Loco: this procedure allows a DT Throttle user to override
the in-use interlock and force the throttle to log on to an in-use loco. This
can result in having two throttles logged on to and controlling one address.
See also Slot Following.
Throttles: Throttles are input devices that tell the Command
Station what you want the decoders to do. You can have many throttles on your
system. The number is determined by the capabilities of the Command Station you
are using. You can also use a computer to create "soft" throttles.
Sometimes DCC throttles are also called "Cabs."
Thrown: the position of a turnout where the routing is through the curved leg
or set for the diverging route.
TOP Locomotive: We call the "key" locomotive that other
locomotives are consisted TO, the TOP locomotive because it does not need
to be in any particular physical order in the consist. The TOP locomotive
address controls the speed & direction of all locomotives consisted to it
by the MU function. The "TOP" locomotive does not have to exist. You
can use a 2 digit train number, for example , as your "TOP"
locomotive.
Track feed: a short section of wire that connects the power bus to
the track and supplies track power.
Transponder or Transponding Device: A device used in a locomotive, car or caboose that
sends identification and position information about the unit to the LocoNet
system via transponder detectors. Digitrax transponding devices are not unique
to DCC and can be used on many other power formats.
Transponder Detector: A device used to receive information from transponding
devices on the layout and transmit that information to the LocoNet system.
Digitrax transponder detectors are not unique to DCC and can be used on may
other power formats.
Trigger: an event that causes an action to occur.
Trinary format: See Motorola
Trinary Format.
Universal Consisting method is handled by the command station and allows you
to consist locos with any DCC decoder as well as an analog loco. The locos can
be added to and deleted from the consist in any orientation head to head or
tail to tail.
Whole layout
common rail: layout wiring method where power districts and their
boosters are connected electrically by a common rail or common power bus return
wire.
-Z-
Zero-Stretching incorporates a time period between packets to give
you an effective DC offset between the two rails. This allows you to control a
DC locomotive along with the DCC locomotives on a DCC system.
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This page, and all contents, are
Copyright (C) 2003 by Digitrax, Inc., Norcross, GA, USA
This page was updated 06-13-03.