This may be more than you want to know.
For Digital Command Control the answer is yes, but as discussed here previously, it is not the same the AC power used to run AF trains. Usually with AC, we think of a sine wave, like your house current and transformed to a lower voltage, the traditional power for AF and Lionel trains. DCC is a square wave, which means it alternates between full + and - voltages. The period that it stays at full voltage determines whether it is a zero (longer) or a one (shorter). It was a clever way of making the power also the signal. Some DCC systems allow running a DC locomotive on the DCC system. In this case either the + or - side of the zeros is stretched resulting in a net DC component on the track. The older analog command control system were a constant DC voltage with an AC or pulse signal on top of the DC. These are essentially obsolete although the Railcommand system is still made by CVP, the recommend their EasyDCC system for new installations. Dave Heine Easton, PA From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Rachel Covington Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 2:40 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: Questions questions questions! Dave, Command Control is AC correct? _____
