DCC by Design

For the Prince William Model Railroad Club (PWMRC), we designed the DCC system. This is a large DCC system, designed for dispatcher control, heavy mainline running, future signalling, and future partial automation. 

This is another example of a track power design that was completed for a client. In this case, the client was designing a new layout using a computer design package. We used the clients file and added the DCC system design as an overlay on the existing file.

The overlays identify the occupancy detection blocks, power districts, rail gaps, and DCC equipment locations.

This is an example of a track power design that was completed for a client with an existing DC layout. Because the client's only track plan was out of date, the track plan was redone based solely on pictures of the existing layout.

Once the track plan was complete, the occupancy detection blocks, power districts, rail gaps, and feeder wire locations were identified. Also, occupancy blocks and turnout locations were numbered.

A table of occupancy detection blocks identifying the power sources and  wiring is combined with this type of drawing to create our a design documentation package. More documentation and step-by-step how to guidance can be provided as needed.

The video below shows an example of a modern style dispatcher panel, with block detection,  in JMRI.