Hornby Digital Control

Things are radically changing in the world of model railways, and changing for the better! You will be amazed at how simple and straight forward the operation of a model railway can be when managed by the Hornby Digital Control system.

The Hornby Digital system differs dramatically from the conventional type (analogue) 12V controllers in as much as it is the individual locomotives that are controlled rather than varying the speed and direction of a locomotive by changing the current flow to the track.

The Hornby Select and Hornby Elite digital units when connected to the track pass not only a constant 15V AC voltage along the rails but also information signals to all locomotives and accessories that are on or are connected to the track. Each locomotive that is DCC controlled must have internally fitted a small micro processor based receiver called a decoder.

This decoder is capable of "listening" for information or messages which refer to the locomotive that the decoder is fitted to. In this way several locomotives can be placed on the same track and moved individually without the need for complicated wiring or the use of isolating sections of track. Using the key pad that is on both the Select and Elite digital units, locomotives can be "called up" individually and operated just like the real thing.

Imagine, a busy marshalling yard where locomotives are positioned close together and where by, using either the Hornby Elite or Select digital controllers, locomotives can be manoeuvred from one place to another without having to worry about the complexities of connecting metres of wiring to a bank of switches and isolating sections and hoping the whole thing will work! The Hornby digital system is also capable of point operation in much the same way as the controlling of a locomotive.

A special decoder (R8216 Point and Accessory Decoder) which is able to operate four point motors or solenoid operated accessories can be positioned in a convenient part of the layout close to where the chosen points are situated.

Three wires from each point motor are then connected to the relevant terminals of the unit. For the R8216 Point and Accessory Decoder to function two wires are then connected to the input terminals of the decoder with the other end of the wires being attached to the track via a power connecting clip supplied with the decoder and it is along these wires that the decoder will receive operating instructions. To operate a point a message is sent from the digital control unit along the track, down the two wires connected to the track and then to the point decoder which in turn changes the selected point.

It is that straightforward. Minimum wiring, maximum effect!