notofthiscenturyTim
Registered

Thought I'd share my experience with DCC on a budget. I've only been doing G scale for a couple months and I've found it's quite tricky to create a diy DCC command station cheaply.
For smaller scales it is very straightforward to build one running open-source DCC-EX software. All you need is a smartphone app, an Arduino board with on-board wifi, a "motor shield" board for track power and an old laptop power supply. Well under £50, less if you already have an old laptop power supply kicking around.
The challenge with G scale seems to be that the higher voltage and amperage requirements necessitate different boards, soldering and jumper wires.
I think this is about to change. Last weekend I built an Arduino-based DCC command station using a new "Powershield" board which delivers 5a @22v. It's developed by Hans Tanner who runs the Internet of Toy Trains youtube channel.
The board slots straight into the Arduino and it's working brilliantly. I also really like the fact that you can plug an external USB volume knob into to the phone and use it as a hardware throttle.
The Powershield board costs $35 but stock has been quite limited and you have to reckon with postage costs if you're outside the US.
The second really exciting development is that the DCC-EX project are releasing an officially supported motor shield which delivers 5a @ 22v and which will be widely available. It's a simple install, just slotting into an Arduino with no jumper wires or soldering needed. Price is £35 or $35. I've got one on preorder and will report back on it once it arrives. Details here:
dcc-ex.com
For smaller scales it is very straightforward to build one running open-source DCC-EX software. All you need is a smartphone app, an Arduino board with on-board wifi, a "motor shield" board for track power and an old laptop power supply. Well under £50, less if you already have an old laptop power supply kicking around.
The challenge with G scale seems to be that the higher voltage and amperage requirements necessitate different boards, soldering and jumper wires.
I think this is about to change. Last weekend I built an Arduino-based DCC command station using a new "Powershield" board which delivers 5a @22v. It's developed by Hans Tanner who runs the Internet of Toy Trains youtube channel.
The board slots straight into the Arduino and it's working brilliantly. I also really like the fact that you can plug an external USB volume knob into to the phone and use it as a hardware throttle.
The Powershield board costs $35 but stock has been quite limited and you have to reckon with postage costs if you're outside the US.
The second really exciting development is that the DCC-EX project are releasing an officially supported motor shield which delivers 5a @ 22v and which will be widely available. It's a simple install, just slotting into an Arduino with no jumper wires or soldering needed. Price is £35 or $35. I've got one on preorder and will report back on it once it arrives. Details here:
DCC-EX Releases 5A EX-MotorShield8874 — DCC-EX Model Railroading documentation
DCC-EX is a team of dedicated enthusiasts producing, easy to use, affordable, do-it-yourself, open source, DCC solutions to allow you to run your complete model railroad layout.