To upgrade to DCC, or not to upgrade, that is the question

A man holds a model train throttle in front of two blue model locomotives.

Digital Command Control, or DCC, is one of two ways most modelers control their trains. Instead of sending current directly to the rails, and making any train that’s receiving that current move, DCC sends packets of information through the rails and to individual locomotives to tell them what to do. For a DCC system to […]

Read More…

Create a multiple-unit consist using Digitrax

A man holds a model railroad throttle next to a model freight train.

Running a locomotive around a layout is fun, but eventually you may want to make your train to be powered by more than one engine. On the railroad this is called “multiple-unit operation.” If you have two or more DCC-equipped locomotives, you can run your own multiple-unit locomotive consists. This article will explain how to […]

Read More…

Consisting DCC locomotives to run together

A trio of diesel locomotive models pulls a coal train on an HO scale model railroad layout.

Consisting DCC locomotives to run together Q: Can you provide a simple procedure for pairing locomotives in a consist? One locomotive is pulling or pushing the one in front. – Stephen J. Szypula A: In Digital Command Control parlance, grouping locomotives so they all respond at once to the same throttle commands is called consisting. There […]

Read More…

N scale Erie Lackawanna

Scene of n scale model railroad

Henrik Akesson’s N scale version of the Erie Lackawanna RR in Pennsylvania is set during the late 1960s to the mid 1970s. It’s built in a spare bedroom around the walls in a dogbone on styrofoam. It features Peco code 80 track, Digitrax DCC, and a small copy of the Starrucca viaduct kitbashed from several […]

Read More…

N scale Erie Lackawanna

Scene of n scale model railroad

Henrik Akesson’s N scale version of the Erie Lackawanna RR in Pennsylvania is set during the late 1960s to the mid 1970s. It’s built in a spare bedroom around the walls in a dogbone on styrofoam. It features Peco code 80 track, Digitrax DCC, and a small copy of the Starrucca viaduct kitbashed from several […]

Read More…

The City Edge day and night in 4k

The City Edge model railroad

The City Edge is an HO scale model railroad created and built by Vic Smith. The city section of the layout is 25′ (length) by 3′ (depth). The city is made up of multiple model kits, including kitbashed, custom and scratchbuilt structures that have all been recreated and casted in very durable black urethane. The […]

Read More…

The City Edge day and night in 4k

The City Edge model railroad

The City Edge is an HO scale model railroad created and built by Vic Smith. The city section of the layout is 25′ (length) by 3′ (depth). The city is made up of multiple model kits, including kitbashed, custom and scratchbuilt structures that have all been recreated and casted in very durable black urethane. The […]

Read More…