Tuesday 27 February 2007

The DCC 2 Wire Myth !



This pic shows rather more of the wiring on Niddbeck Bridge, including both copper tape busses. One of the sideways mounted Tortoises which drive the kick-back sector plates can also be seen. These are mounted on 50x50mm aluminium angle, glued to the baseboard. The spring steel drive wire is replaced in this instance by an extended rectangular section Plastruct strip pivoting off a replacment plasticard and brass bolt sliding fulcrum.

The circuit boards seen sticking through the baseboard sides are the LA152 ExpressNet facia panels, shown prior to hooking-up. I think this shot safely dispels the "only two wires needed' DCC myth! DCC certainly simplifies wiring a lot and reduces the amount of wiring required a bit, but there is still plenty of work needed to wire even a small layout such as this.
The underside of the layout now contains in the region of £350 worth of gadgetry - not cheap, and probably not strictly necessary given the size of the layout, but it's purpose in life is that of a DCC test-bed. It will all get re-used on the big layout in due course, so is not money wasted.

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