What is DCC?

The very basics: Digital Command Control (DCC) is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled.

The DCC protocol is defined by the Digital Command Control Working group of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA). The NMRA has trademarked the term DCC, so while the term Digital Command Control is sometimes used to describe any digital model railway control system, strictly speaking it refers to NMRA DCC.

Using a DCC system, Digital Command Control gives you the ability to independently control multiple locos on the same track, running at different speeds in different directions. Digital commands are transmitted, via wires, through the tracks to decoders installed in the locos. Every loco equipped with a decoder has its own unique address. These commands (data packets) are the instructions that tell the locomotive address what to do… what speed to run, what sounds to make, what lighting to control, what direction to move.

Do it all with the push of a button. Block wiring and block switches are a thing of the past. Now you can acquire, control and run many locos within the same layout. DCC is the future; it is an NMRA standard which means locos, with decoders from various manufactures, can be used with any DCC system.

Simplicity at its best… all you need is a DCC system and a few decoder equipped locos, and you’re off and running. Then, when you’re ready, you can expand by adding accessory decoders to activate your turnouts and turn building lights on and off. As you grow, add more decoder equipped locos to your fleet. And while it’s not necessary, DCC also allows you to take advantage of an additional capability…controlling your layout with a computer.

Sophisticated yet user-friendly systems… Prodigy didn’t earn its position as one of the leaders in DCC with off the shelf thinking. Our high tech systems are so elegantly designed that instructions for basic operations are printed on the handheld… this allows you to quickly start enjoying DCC… and get to our easy-to-follow instruction booklet a little later. Now that’s unique.

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