• Description
  The COMMAND STATION is the DCC system's computer that processes the commands from a handheld cab, or from a computer program running on a PC, and transmits the commands through the rails to the decoder (receiver) installed on the locomotive - stationary decoders (to activate switch machines, turn on building lights, activate accessories, etc.) can also be controlled by the cab or PC through the command station.

• Location Under the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room

• Description
  The POWER STATION provides the current to the rails to power the locomotive while also delivering the digital signal from the COMMAND STATION to the locomotive or stationary decoder - each power station is divided into two 5 amp sub-stations - each sub-station provides the power and signal to a section of the layout called a DISTRICT - DISTRICT boundaries are determined by the assumption that up to 12 locomotives may be operating within its boundaries at any given time, and calculating the total amperage required for their operation - the sub-station is connected to a district using a pair of #10 bare solid copper buss wires.
  • #1 - districts A & B
  • #2 - districts C & D
  • #3 - districts E & F
  • #4 - districts G & H
  • #5 - districts I & J
  • #6 - districts K & spare

• Location
  

  • #1 - under the lower level at Chico Wye tower
  • #2 - under the lower level at Chico engine service tracks
  • #3 - under the lower level at Chico engine service tracks
  • #4 - under the lower level between the entry door and the dispatcher's room
  • #5 - under the lower level at Raymond
  • #6 - under the lower level between the entry door and the dispatcher's room

• #1 POWER STATION (districts A & B) [INSTALLED]
  Located under the lower level at Chico Wye tower - the signal cable is routed from the COMMAND STATION located under the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room, under the Valley Staging benchwork, to the #1 POWER STATION.

  DISTRICT A - Valley Staging, Richmond Staging & Sacramento Northern Staging yards, to the crossover at Chico Wye tower; bottom 1/2 of helix to upper deck.

  DISTRICT B - Santa Fe mainline from crossover at Chico Wye tower to just south of Sambone; New Chico arrival & departure yard; freight by-pass around main at Chico station; large industry across tracks from roundhouse

• #2 POWER STATION (districts C & D) [INSTALLED]
  Located under the lower level at Chico engine fueling tracks - the signal cable is routed from the #5 POWER STATION located under the lower level benchwork at Raymond, under the lower level benchwork, around the end of the 'yard' aisle, to the #2 POWER STATION [temporarily being routed from the #1 POWER STATION under Chico Wye Tower until the #5 POWER STATION under Raymond is installed]

  DISTRICT C - South Chico classification yards & switchleads; Chico industrial tracks; hidden industrial loop; engine service lead from mainline; engine service & roundhouse tracks.

  DISTRICT D - Santa Fe engine service balloon track (reverse loop) - starts at turnout from the freight bypass track next to Chico diesel shops, around Chico roundhouse, to the engine service lead, to turnout just north of 8th & 9th Ave/Chico Creek bridge.

  Located next to #2 POWER STATION under

• #3 POWER STATION (districts E & F)
  the lower level at Chico engine service tracks - the signal cable is routed directly from #2 POWER STATION to the #3 POWER STATION.

• DISTRICT E - Santa Fe mainline from just south of Sambone to just south of Red Bluff; Sambone switching area; Los Molinos switching area; Massi branch.

  DISTRICT F - Sierra Western branchline tracks from Douglas to end of line at Heldatt; Douglas switching area; Sierra Western roundhouse, yards & loop at Douglas; Heldatt switching area.

• #4 POWER STATION (districts G & H)
  Located next to the COMMAND STATION under the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room - the signal cable is routed directly from the COMMAND STATION to the #4 POWER STATION.

  DISTRICT G - Santa Fe mainline from just south of Red Bluff, through Anderson, to just north of Redding; Red Bluff switching area; Anderson switching area.

  DISTRICT H - Southern Pacific mainline from Red Bluff Staging loop to Redding Staging yard and loop; Redding switching area.

• #5 POWER STATION (districts I & J)
  Located under the lower level benchwork at Raymond - the signal cable is routed from the #1 POWER STATION located under the lower level at Chico Wye tower, under the lower level benchwork, to the #5 POWER STATION.

  DISTRICT I - Santa Fe mainline from just north of Redding, through Douglas, to just south of Raymond; rock and gravel plant at Raymond.

  DISTRICT J - Santa Fe mainline from just south of Raymond to entrance to Santa Fe Oregon/Washington Staging yard just north of McCloud; Raymond switching area.

  Located next to the #4 POWER STATION u

• #6 POWER STATION (districts K & L)
  nder the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room - the signal cable is routed directly from the #4 POWER STATION to the #6 POWER STATION.

  DISTRICT K - Santa Fe Oregon/Washington Staging yard; McCloud RR Staging yard; McCloud RR branchline tracks from end of line at South McCloud to McCloud RR staging yard; McCloud switching area; top 1/2 of helix to lower level.

  DISTRICT L - Spare

• Description
  • The train engineers control their locos and trains by using a handheld 'walk-around' cab - each cab has controls for speed, direction, headlights, horn\whistle and emergency stop (intermediate and full-feature cabs have additional functionality) - a coiled cable connects the cab to the cab buss - a series of jacks mounted into the fascia allows the engineer to follow his/her train as it progresses down the track - depending on the cab used the engineer can perform various actions such as:
    
    • select a loco or consist
    • MU any combination of locos as a consist
    • determine it's forward or reverse orientation to the actual direction of travel when MU'd in a consist
    • start, stop and reverse the loco or consist
    • turn on and off lights or other onboard accessories
    • actiate the horn/whistle and bell if the loco is equipped with a sound system
    • program the loco with custom speed curves, starting or stopping voltages, and momentum effects while in control of the train
    • operate accessories such as switch machines, structure lights, turntable indexing, etc.
    • activate macros which can perform a pre-programmed series of additional functions or activities
      
  • CABS are connected to the CAB CONNECTOR PANELS (CBB-1) with the supplied 8' coiled cables - cab connector cables have a RJ5 modular connector at one end which plugs into the CAB and and a 1/4" stero jack at the other end which plugs into the CAB CONNECTOR PANEL's facia mounted socket - they are easily unplugged and plugged into other panel jacks as desired.
    
  • the future radio control option will be installed when it becomes available - this will provide an 'untethered' connection to the cab buss - it will eliminate the necessity of plugging and unplugging the cab into the cab connector panel when following a train

• (WCT-10) - The basic cab allows control of the locomotive's speed, direction, headlight, horn/whistle, bell and emergency stop - a large knob provides the control of speed - buttons provide the control for the remaining functions - it must have the loco assigned to it by a full feature cab.
• (WCT-20) - The intermediate cab allows the engineer to choose a locomotive or consist, control the speed, direction, headlight, horn/whistle, and emergency stop - additionally, a macro button allows selection of pre-programmed macros which can perform a variety of additional functions or activities - the numeric keypad is used when selecting the loco or consist number or a macro's code number - a large knob provides the control of speed - buttons provide the control for the remaining functions .
• (WCT-01) - The full feature cab has full control of locomotives, consists and accessories - speed control is with either a thumbwheel or pushbuttons - a series of buttons select the various functions - a back-lit LCD screen displays cab, loco or programming status, functions active, and digital clock - the clock can be stopped and started when desired and can be set to run in either 1/1 'real-time' or 'fast-time' settings from 2/1 to 25/1.

• Description
  • CAB CONNECTOR PANELS are installed in the fascia at regular intervals to provide a place to connect the WALK-AROUND CAB to the CAB BUSS - the panels are connected to the COMMAND STATION located under the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room.
    • a 4-conductor flat modular phone cable with RJ5 fittings at each end connects the COMMAND STATION to the first CAB CONNECTOR PANEL - additional cables connect each CAB CONNECTOR PANEL in series
    • add-on right angle adapters to be used to keep cable close to fascia instead of extending out into the aisle
    • panels ave been modified by removing the left cab connector jack and splicing a 9' long 3-conductor cable to allow the two cab connector jacks to be located up to 9' apart
    • CAB BOOSTERS are installed at every fourth panel to boost the power required to light the LCD display on the WCT-01 full feature cab - boosters are powered by the 12v accessory buss

• Location
  • cab plug-in receptacles located every 8' to 9' along fascia 27" from floor
  • two lines lead from the COMMAND STATION to the CAB CONNECTOR PANELS
  • one line to be routed under Valley Staging yard, Chico Wye, New Chico yard and Old Chico yard terminating at the last jack prior to the end of the peninsula
  • one line to be routed under Anderson, Red Bluff, Los Molinos and Sambone terminating at the last jack prior to the end of the peninsula

• Description
  • the track buss connects from the POWER STATION to the TRACK to provide the AC 16 volt power to the locomotive and to deliver the instruction signals to the decoder bare solid copper buss wires
  • two #10 bare solid copper wires spaced 6 " apart
  • a black or red #22 insulated solid copper wire lead connects each rail to the appropriate buss wire
  • the red wire lead is always to the rail toward the rear of the benchwork
  • the black lead wire is always to the rail toward the front of the benchwork

• District A
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the Valley Staging yard ladder track, follows the Santa Fe mainline, to a relay beneath the turnout which leads through the backdrop at the south end of the wye and to the Richmond Staging lead and staging yard
  • they are connected to the #1 POWER STATION located under the Chico Wye tower
  • the turnout to the Richmond Staging yard controls the polarity for the Richmond Staging yard and lead from the wye
  • a pair of #18 buss wires, connected to a relay controlled by the turnout, follows the Richmond mainline to the staging yard ladder tracks

• District B
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the Chico Wye tower, follows the Santa Fe mainline, to the crossover at south Sambone
  • they are connected to the #1 POWER STATION located under the Chico Wye tower

• District C
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the Durham Highway grade crossing, follows the switch lead, classification yard & engine service tracks, to the roundhouse
  • they are connected to the #2 POWER STATION located under the engine service tracks at Chico

• District D
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the turnout from the freight bypass track next to Chico diesel shops, around Chico roundhouse to the engine service lead, to turnout just north of 8th & 9th Ave/Chico Creek bridge
  • they are connected to the #2 POWER STATION located under the engine service tracks at Chico

• District E
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the crossover at south Sambone, follows the Santa Fe mainline, and ends at the bridge over the Southern Pacific mainline at Red Bluff
  • they are connected to the #3 POWER STATION located under the engine service tracks at Chico

• District F
  • a pair of buss wires extends from Douglas, follows the Sierra Western mainline, to Heldatt
  • they are connected to the #3 POWER STATION located under the engine service tracks at Chico

• District G
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the bridge over the Southern Pacific mainline at Red Bluff, follows the Santa Fe mainline, to the north end of the Redding yard
  • they are connected to the #4 POWER STATION located next to the COMMAND STATION under the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room

• District H
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the bridge under the Santa Fe mainline at Red Bluff, follows the Southern Pacific mainline, to the hidden Southern Pacific loop around the helix at the south end of the Redding yard
  • they are connected to the #4 PWER STATION located next to the COMMAND STATION under the lower level benchwork between the entry door and the dispatcher's room
  • the turnout to the hidden Southern Pacific staging tracks and reverse loop beyond Red Bluff controls the polarity to the loop and staging tracks
  • a pair of #18 buss wires, connected to a relay controlled by the turnout, follows the Southern Pacific mainline to the staging loop

• District I
  • a pair of buss wires extends from the north end of the Redding yard, follows the Santa Fe mainline, through Douglas, to just south of Raymond
  • they are connected to the #5 POWER STATION located under Raymond

• District J
  • a pair of buss wires extends from south of Raymond, follows the Santa Fe mainline, to the end of the mainline at the entrance to the Oregon/Washington Staging yard
  • they are connected to the #5 POWER STATION located under the lower level benchwork at Raymond

• District K
  • a pair buss wires extends from the door to the layout room, follows the McCloud RR mainline, to the Oregon/Washington Staging yard ladder tracks and the McCloud RR Staging yard
  • they are connected to the #6 POWER STATION located under the lower level benchwork next to the COMMAND STATION between the entry door and the dispatcher's room

• District L
  • spare

These pages implemented and maintained by: Larry Moseley
Please send all comments to: Rick Fortin