DC controllers and how good are they for model trains railway 

I agree. I have a large DC collection of older Hornby / Lima, and to convert to DCC is simply far too expensive. I really like your loft layout. Well-done.

I have got a Duette, and it has served me for many years. And doubtless will serve me until the end of my days! A useful DC controller for videoing is the Hornby Radio Control originally supplied as part of the Thomas range. With one hand on the camera, and the in remote control in your other hand, videoing is easy! Thanks for uploading.

I use DC PWM, with one controller being my favourite one. Home-built PWM PCB, with adjustable time for the reversing of trains in stations. I do have hand-held DC PWM controllers that do work well. T-Gauge needs PWM to control the slow-speed running, the 1st generation trains, with 1st G controllers, were a nightmare to run at scale speeds. But it is fun to experiment. Especially if proven to be correct!. Your layout really comes to life when running all those long trains. But I get nervous when the "Nose" is contra to the lines on either side, it looks so close. Great video.

Good stuff. I use an H&M Duette and a Tri-ang P5A for the 3 circuits on my main layout. Old Tri-ang engines need old controllers. I have a GM Combo on my Series 3 layout but I think a P5A would be better suited. I have a P5A on my Tri-ang TT layout that works a treat. Stay safe and happy modelling Mon

Really interesting info on controllers. Plus great toe technique. I'm an organist, by the way.

I ran DCC for a year. Got very expensive replacing burnt out decoders. Couldn't justify the expense. I've had more fun running DC ever since.

Beautiful layout, must get back into hobby...

Great advert for DC. I started making a OO layout during lockdown, it still is not finished!. Anyway, I have 4 loops and control the loops with 2 X Duette's, perfect!! Not sure about controlling them with my foot tho!! Well done. IMHO... DCC lets you cut down on the number of controllers, but where is the fun in that!!

Great video and impressive toe control !

I find DC PWM to be good; usually about 150Hz. Good slow speed performance, not very noisy and never had any heat issues with the motors.

Definitely, running trains is fun, good video on the different ways that controller's work

What fun it was to make this video

Foot control, well that is a first I have heard for a railway - and why not if it works so well for you. Sure single phase ac to dc rectification (as your Duettes) produces nasty ac ripple on the motor armature that in turn produces ac current that heats up directly the armature and in turn the rest of the motor ( not uncommon for form factors around 1.6, pure dc operation would give a form factor = 1)). It’s worse if use half wave rectification too. Motor most vulnerable at low speed when with any motor that is naturally ventilated and draws an appreciable current which produces heat. Does it burn out the motor? In theory it might, but for my fleet (younger days was on a H & M, now DCC in later years includes testing and running, including crawl tests in dc before I fit my dcc chips I never have had a problem and it seems that’s most peoples experiences. With the lack of any motor technical data supplied by the manufacturers in our hobby you have no option but to go with and hope they work for your intended use I.e. manufacturers have optimized/ got it right.. For industrial drives and motors the data is available - if a motor can’t hack the ac ripple current we would add extra series inductance to reduce and improve the form factor to a level acceptable to the motor manufacturer. PWM - again still vulnerable to low speed high current armature heating - again our hobby motors seem to cope and they can smooth out/ minimize the ac ripple in the controller by adding capacitors to the dc link to give almost a constant source voltage. The motors “smooth”performance is dependent on its armature inductance and the switching frequency - ideally you want continuous current (middle trace at 50% to 100%) which gives smooth motor torque. And not discontinuous current ( middle trace below 50%) which gives torque pulsations. You can get mechanical resonances which you will refer to often as a noisy motor. Think of it of a mismatch motor to the dc controller. The solution to that is to change slightly the switching frequency so you no longer excite that resonance frequency - in ac drives it’s done by a feature known as “skip frequency” . Hope this helps ,all the best Stephen

Good Morning to you i enjoyed that thank you and i loved the foot control :) I too only run DC or as the kids call it Dinosaur Control! There is nothing wrong with it and it enables me to buy cheaper locos and engines like Lima.I use Gaugemaster controllers.