Basic DCC Wiring for Your Model Railroad

Mike Polsgrove has been writing Model Railroader magazine’s DCC Corner column since 2003. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and has worked as the motive power electrical engineer for two railroads. Since 1989, he has been designing digital electronic circuits for Eagle Test Systems. Mike has been a model railroader since the 1960s, and he is currently constructing his fourth layout.

1.	What is a DCC system?
A.	What does it do?
B.	What are the components?
1.	Command station
2.	Throttles
3.	Boosters
4.	Power Supplies
5.	Mobile Decoders
6.	Stationary Decoders
C.	What are the features?
1.	2/4 digit addressing
2.	motor control
3.	Back EMF
4.	Sound
5.	Etc.

2.	Track Wiring
A.	Track Bus
B.	Track Feeders
C.	Programming Track
D.	Multiple Boosters/ Power requirements
E.	Turnouts
F.	Wyes, reverse loops and turntables
G.	Power districts and circuit breakers

3.	Cab bus wiring
A.	Brief discussion of the different manufacturers’ buses
B.	Wireless receivers

4.	Mobile Decoders
A.	Factory installed
B.	Drop in/plug and play
C.	Wired installation

5.	Converting an existing DC layout to DCC.