Two controllers on one track?

cyber7 Apr 23, 2018

  1. cyber7

    cyber7 TrainBoard Member

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    I hope I named the subject correctly.

    What I would like to know is if I will be able to connect a DCC++ and a Bachmann E-Z Command Controller on the same track at the same time?

    If so, how...?
     
    Scott Eric Catalano likes this.
  2. Trusty

    Trusty TrainBoard Member

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    Hello

    In DCC, you can have as many controller as you want. But you can only have one booster : the box giving power to the track. All the controllers should be connected to this booster. The only case to have more than one booster is on big layouts to give enough power to the track, and even in this case, only one booster receive orders from the controllers, and it will transmit these orders to the other boosters.
    The reason of this is easy to understand. The Dcc give orders by shaping the tension on the rails, changing 12v (or 16v or more) to -12v at precise times. A very sharp shape is needed for decoders to understand what are the orders... If more than one booster gives its own orders, the result will be a mixed shape, a 'brouhaha' of tensions on the rails. The decoders will understand nothing !
     
    Scott Eric Catalano likes this.
  3. Pieter

    Pieter TrainBoard Member

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    With the 2 you have, no. There are a few CS on the market that have what they call 'sniffer' connections. You can connect another CS here but it is only a one way comms to the CS that have the sniffer. No feedback. If you want to use both of your CSs, you can install a switch and then switch to the one you want to use. Or have two independent blocks for each CS and a stop/ start section + switch between the two to transfer trains.
     
    Scott Eric Catalano likes this.
  4. John W Zerbe

    John W Zerbe TrainBoard Member

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    I'm not sure I understand why you would want to.
     

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