Digital & Analogue Control: Model Railways Explained 

Im reinventing my childhood. The last train setup I had was when I was 8yr old. Now I’m 55, just retired and ready to dig in.

My first train set was a Clockwork Thomas the Tank Engine Set. A pity Hornby aren't making those any more, but I got mine when I was 8-years-old. I didn't experience electric-powered stuff till I was 14-years-old. Now I have my own electric Thomas the Tank Engine Train Set, with a total of 24 model steam engines, four Guard's Vans, a selection of open and closed wagons (plus Milk Tanks including a Tidmouth Milk Tank) and sets of two corridor and small 4-wheeled carriages. I'm sticking to my Analogue Controller, because I'm comfortable with it. Like you say, it's great for beginners. Since Bachmann are taking over with the Thomas & Friends range, perhaps they could conjure up a Clockwork Thomas Train Set for kids as young as 6-years-old. Every child on the planet would want one, I'm sure.

Thank you for the information, I'm considering re-creating the model railroad my Dad built back in the 1950s when we were still in Germany.

Just to let you know you guys are doing great presentations...

Nice job! Gave a great basic explanation. Very clear.

Thanks for making this video Hattons. It was really helpful to understand the different systems when selecting a gift.

Hornby introduced the world's first Digital Command Control in 1979 with their Zero One system. Airfix introduced their Analogue Command Control system as a competitor, but it had issues and became extinct pretty soon after. Zero One allowed for 16 locos and 100 points or coloured light signals. I've been running a Hornby Zero One DCC system since 1979.

Absolutely fantastic presentation - you both did very well! Very professional and easy to understand for even a beginner. Great! Good on ya, Hattons!

WELL DONE GUYS ANOTHER WELL INFORMATIVE VIDEO

The one main point not mentioned, which may over-ride your preference, is that DCC is more expensive than DC

Great and to the point explaination.

⭐️ very helpful ⭐️ thanks 👍

This was a massive help

Thanks for the help

There is another option that maybe be on the horizon. With the improvements in battery life and bluetooth or conventional rc control. Just how long before we see self powered locomotives controlled with wireless controllers. The only thing on the layout that may need to be wired would be signals, possibly turnouts and accessories

Amazing video thank you soo much really helped me

Thanks guys

Good job lads

good video guys I might keep thet 0 Gauge loco DC for simplicty Thank you Andrew

Which DCC controller is recommended for cold starts on locos?

great work loved it. just hit the subscribe button and like .

Very good, I was wondering how it all worked, I thought maybe they were radio controlled.

Hi!, Ive just found your excellent site so do you have any information about the new Hornby Analogue ? digital system they are bringing out....???

I'm considering having a model train layout in my house. Just one question, if you touch the track when the power is running would you get an electric/static shock? I really hate static shocks

Help Needed as i got a rapio apt-e dcc sound for bday in april but my hornby select and railmaster dont do all sound :( recommend for upgrade if possable??

I wana run up to 20 engines on a layout which dcc controller would be best? I have been tempted by the elite but I’m not sure if it can handle it I currently have the Hornby select and it can only handle up too 10.

Do you have a video on fitting digital decoders to old stock, by which I mean my trains were bought in the 70’s and I am now looking to resurrect for my grandson; also are things much different to the 00rail system. Thanks

say for E.G i got a train from kato, bachmann, dapol and lima will it work with a hornby remote

I'm just getting back into trains again. I think I'm going with Kato N gauge DCC. Do you think I should get say a NCE controller instead of getting a M2 Kato track set with a beginner controller. Thanks. I just don't want to make any mistakes.

How could these systems help in automating a lego train network? Thanks

The Hornby hm 2000 isn't what it's cracked up to be. Mine made the loco motors rather noisy, and didn't even make 12v per track at full throttle. Switched to a cheap Bachmann controller. No more noisy motors and it makes 14v at full throttle and trains are much more controllable at very slow speeds

Can you decode to multiple dcc controllers or does it just wipe the other out?

Hi guys thanks for the great video - it really answered a lot of my questions, but what is meant by DCC ready and DCC fitted? I'm starting an N Gauge layout using Kato unitrack and already have a couple of locos and rolling stock. Thanks again

If I have mix of older DC engines and DCC, can I switch controller to DC and then run only DC engines on the model? I guess if I would use DC engines when using DCC controller would make them go at high constant speed? Am a bit new to there things 😊

i think i can power more than 1 loco with hornby controller R7229, My layout is just single track and if i got a depot or a siding and i turn the points towards the main line it cuts the electricity i found that out my hornby class 373 was in a siding and it was ready to go but it wasnt moving i thought it short circuited but it was the points they were switched the wrong way

Hello it comes from the queue more, on the LED (the more, of an LED + it is the longer). The less is the Wire the more court . Between the arrival of the file plus and the LED a resistance 650 to 750 ohms. (for the front) do the same, and reverse the wires for the rear, on the edge of the wires of the rails

Hi, a have question, I bought n-scale bachman train,and the geugemaster transformer, and use a terminal extension Wich one end directly connects to the rail and the other end connects to a 2-Pin Female, AUX Headphone Solderless Converter Adapter. This connects to a led strip monitor power cable and from this connects to the geugemaster speed Controller that connects to the transformer in the wall l. But my train is not moving, Don't know if geugemaster speed Controller is not for n-scale trains not why is not moving.

I’ve heard claims that dcc enables better slow speed operation. Is that true?

Hi guys....great introduction video for the inexperienced novice like myself on his first layout. I'm going for analogue as it's my first so I can get the feel of wiring and soldering and electrical circuitry. Question..can you provide a simplistic wiring diagram for locomotive directional lighting for DC ? I'm keen to convert some of my stock to directional lighting on analogue....thanks in advance. I'm an engineer, not an electrician but I must admit I am looking forward to the challenge of wiring these locos up

Hi guys, Thanks for the great video. I'm new to the hobby and have a Hornby HM2000 controller. I'd like to use the controller to power some points, but as a layman, I have no idea what I'm doing and the information online is contradictory/non-existent and/or requires soldering. Is it possible to get an above-board (not under the board) point motor that would work with my controller for a standard DC set up? If so I would really appreciate your help as to which products I should be getting and if you have them available on your site. Cheers Ben

How many locos can the Gaugemaster Prodigy express power at once?

ਵਧੀਆ ਵੀਡੀਓ, ਜੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਜੋ ਕਿਹਾ ਮੈਂ ਉਸਦਾ ਅਨੁਵਾਦ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ LIT ਹੋ Translate it

Hey guys another great video im interested in getting sound on my dc layout and i had an idea if you took a sound chip from a locomotive and put it into 1 of hornbys tts sound wagons wound it work on dc the same way it would in the locomotive and make basic chuffing sounds as it is pulled along by a dc locomotive?

If I had a full loop with all of the expansion packs on it how many anoloughe controllers would I nees

is it possible to run DCC controllers from different manufacturers at the same time?

Im in the throws of building a garden railway. This is a double track loop of 60-65ft and a few sidings and x overs at the station. Should I go 12vDC or15v AC DCC can i run 12v locos on on 15v rails. ive had mixed advice on this..some say 12v DC wont work on that length of line others say it will..etc etc.. So....I ask you,,The experts.

How much power do a loco.motive use

Can you run analogue trains on digiton track

Bonjour, il est possibilité de transformer le son d'une décodeur loco à vapeur Hornby en un son diesel, est commande.

Hi there. Does the accessories decoder need a dcc layout or can it be dc

See, we threw out all of the old track since it wasn't conducting that well anymore, so now I literally have to start from the ground up. So if I were to, lets say, start from nothing, what would be the better system? I'm not that great with electronics but I only have a few DC locomotives.

4 months ago Antony Mcgowan ask a question that has not been answered. It's an issue that I also would like an answer to. Can analogue engines run on digital track? Also, can a chip fitted engine run on analogue track? I need to understand this as I am starting my first layout, at the age of 73! Thank you. Loved the video. Have subscribed and liked.

I m waiting for model train simulator games which i can use to make my layout on PC. Those who r like me don't having lot of knowledge about laying a layout and dont have much money to spend on some big layout but are willing to pay on buying that game. There are games like "RULE THE RAIL" which i have bought and play all the time but have limitations of controls and graphics. You guys need to help about this segment of customers

Hello. Can I fit a DCC decoder on an analog 00 gauge train?

What abut theelane

odd , radio control is never mentioned

How much HM 2000 please

If you are going to use DCC, skip right to Digitrax or NCE. Out of the two, they each have their pros and cons. NCE is much easier to use, and is less expensive. NCE is also easily available in pretty much every country on Earth. If you are just looking for a DCC system to control your locomotives and do basic operations, get an NCE PowerCab 2 and you will never need another upgrade. If you are looking for a much more expandable and advanced system, get a Digitrax system. Digitrax is MUCH harder to learn and MUCH harder to use. Digitrax’s steep learning curve isn’t without its merits though. You can control everything on your layout, from you points to your signals, all with a single remote. Digitrax is not available in all countries, so this option may be out of your reach.

DCC a wonderful concept still unfortunately fundamentally flawed. As DCC was invented by an Electrical Engineer in the early 1980's, who had no understanding of railways. He simply created a commercially attractive solution to the major area of resistance preventing model railways becoming a mainstream hobby - i.e the electronics involved. As a result NO provision was made for the most important aspect of real railways, which is the physical inter-action between train movement and signalling. Quite the contrary. DCC has no option but to replace the traditional 12v DC in the rails, with 16v AC, as only AC (Alternating Current) can carry messages between the controller and the train or accessory "chips". In other words you can now move numerous trains simultaneously in any direction you like and even have head on crashes, which goes against the most fundamental safety rules of the real railway. 12v DC wired layouts won't allow head on crashes simply because DC ensures all locomotives go in the same direction, so it does at least start by complying with one of the most important real life safety rules - to prevent head on crashes. There are a number of manufacturers who provide DCC accessory chips that will operate signals. But it is impossible for these "signal controlling chips" to actually operate the signals in a real life manner. Why? Because these "signal controlling chips" cannot know what track layout you have, or detect the presence of trains in relation to the position of ALL the relevant signals. Signals in real life are inter-linked either mechanically (semaphore signals) or electrically (colour light signals). Why?. Because train drivers need warning signals usually a mile or so in advance of any red, or it will be impossible to stop a train in time. This problem of inter-facing the trains to the signals in a realistic manner using a Digital system, was soon recognised. But the solution is that computers are now needed along with a comprehensive understanding of both electronics, and real life signalling. This of course defeats the simplicity of DCC and increases the costs still further. It should be added that commercial DCC is itself between 100% and 300% more expensive than traditional 12v DC wiring methods. Realistically the only way to construct a true model railway as opposed to a toy train set, is to have signalling that works in a real life manner. The only way to do this is to have real life type "track circuits" which provide the inter-face between train and signals. The only way to do all this cheaply is to use a 12v DC system. As 12v DC has the advantage due to its electrical nature of accommodating two separate supplies in the rails (one to move the trains and the other for the track circuits) without creating an electrical short circuit ! The bottom line therefore is that while DCC may seem attractive (although more expensive) it simply prevents a recreation of a real railway in miniature due to its serious technical short comings. Another misnomer "Analogue" implies only one alternative. When using 12v DC there are in reality an infinite number of wiring methods, you are not locked into a single method as with DCC !!!!

Im reinventing my childhood. The last train setup I had was when I was 8yr old. Now I’m 55, just retired and ready to dig in.