The Kamloops Line

      The first part of controlling my railroad was the operation of the turnouts. My control panel has a track plan (schematic) which includes a bi-color (red/green) LED at the position of each turnout. The LED indicates the position of the turnout, red for divert, green for straight. The control switches are momentary and the LEDs are held on by latching relays.
      The main control panel also switches power for the DCC system, lighting, and monitors track voltage and amperage. Also, there are switches to turn off the yard, mill and roundhouse (see Layout Plan page) track blocks.

Atlas Commander

DCC control used in original N scale layout.

The auxillary control center,

with Prodigy Express DCC control.

      My auxiliary control center does the job of controlling signals, sound effects, crossing lights and the speed monitor, with a few extra aux switches thrown in. Shown above with the Prodigy Express (Cab #2) and the MRC train sound station

      My Atlas Commander has served me well. It is still a good DCC control but I have taken it out of service. A couple of limitations for me were: it is essentially stationary and the LED display is limited to indicating the loco address, the direction and that's about it.
      For the expansion I chose a MRC Prodigy Express. I like the hand-held control, the full LCD display, the ease of programming and the additional functions selection.
      Now with the Advance² system I have cabs for two operators, a few more programming advantages, more functions, decoder readout, and (with the higher amperage) the auto-reversing loop switches no longer short out the control when a train crosses the insulators.