DCC/Digital System

This page is a summary of the DCC schema of the layout linking to blog entries in an ordered way. Links will be available as soon as I have time to write its post.

First of all, an overview about Digital Systems:

How to make your first step in digital railroad modelling?

Historia de los sistemas digitales

History of Digital Systems

Buses de Control

Control Bus

Here I share with you a brief manual in Spanish explaining how to connect and configure the main GCA boards with Rocrail, for English you can download it from Rocrail site.

Os dejo aquí un manual con un resumen de cómo se conectan y configuran las principales placas GCA con Rocrail:

Descargar Manaual Configuración GCA

Detailed information about the components of my layout:

• DCC logical schema
• DCC physical schema and connections
• DCC elements:
• GCA50 (Loconet Interface)
• GCA101 (Loconet-Ethernet bridge and Loconet booster and hub)
• GCA136 & GCA137 (Servo driver with frog polarization relays)
• GCA93 (Feedback Module)
• GCA77 (Turnout Coils or Lighting)
• GCA102 (Reverse Loop Control)
• GCA185 (Arduino - Loconet interface)

First version (PC connection via Intellibox):

Intellibox is too slow managing high volume of data through the PC interface, and has only 500mA to feed the Loconet bus in Loconet T connector (Loconet B has even less). Near 10 modules it wasn't able to feed them. So I decide to use another PC interface and give more power to the Loconet BUS, adding a GCA101.

Second and final version:

I added a GCA101 (3Amp Loconet booster and Ethernet PC interface). This is my current architecture and I do not plan to change it.

From the physical point of view, that's how everything is connected: