#4.a - Assembling a DCC EX Command Station @DriverDTrains

@DriverD Trains #4.a — Assembling a Basic DCC-EX Command Station Welcome to Driver D trains. Thanks for stopping by! I’m your host Driver D. Our conductor and brakeman Scratchy C went off to have a word with the yard master. [Meow.] In my last video – Designing the D-Saver – I showed you how I designed the small 1’ x 6’ HO scale switching puzzle layout I built on a shelf, that is my version of John Allen’s famous Timesaver layout. If you haven’t already seen that video, be sure to check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkRtDbs1gsE&t=98s In this video, I’ll show you how I assembled the basic hardware for a DCC-EX command station to control my trains using an Arduino Mega microcontroller. In the next video I’ll show you how to download and install the free DCC-EX software, and add some upgrades to the system. Videos in this series: Part 1: #4.a - Assembling a DCC-EX Command Station [**This video!**] Part 2: #4.b - Installing & Configuring DCC-EX — https://youtu.be/jv_xfwLZJd8 Part 3: #4.c - Adding Wi-Fi to DCC-EX — https://youtu.be/B08Qo0az-nI Part 4: #4.d - Configure DCC-EX Wi-Fi for Station mode — https://youtu.be/4pT273C0ozM Part 5: #4.e - Adding and LCD Display to DCC-EX https://youtu.be/YmPgOU1dxrk Part 6: #4.f – Correcting the Wi-Fi Firmware for DCC-EX [**Coming soon!**] Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Driver D trains! 02:40 DCC for the D-Saver 06:21 Assembling a Basic DCC-EX Command Station (Overview) 07:03 Step 1 – Get an Arduino Mega Microcontroller 09:34 Step 2 – Get an Arduino Motor Shield or Compatible Clone 11:42 Step 3 – Assemble the Arduino and Motor Shield 14:19 Step 4 – Wire Up the Track and Add Power for the Trains 19:29 What’s Next… Installing DCC-EX 20:13 Thanks for watching! 20:32 Credits Products included in this video: DCC-EX: https://www.dcc-ex.com Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc Command Station parts - Elegoo Mega Rev3: https://www.amazon.com/ELEGOO-ATmega2560-ATMEGA16U2-Projects-Compliant/dp/B01H4ZLZLQ/ Koobook Rev3 Motor Shield: https://www.amazon.com/KOOBOOK-Shield-Expansion-H-Bridge-Arduino/dp/B07Y1J34P3/ (Note: These may be refurbished Deek Robot boards.) 5.5mm x 2.1mm screw-terminal barrel connectors: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Connector-Female-Adapter-Camera/dp/B07C61434H/ (There are many different listings for these. You want 5.5mm x 2.1mm center-positive.) 18ga solid core wire: https://www.amazon.com/BNTECHGO-Gauge-Solid-Electric-Black/dp/B08KFS5342/ 9v power supply (otional): https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Arduino-Schwinn-Elliptical-Recumbent/dp/B06Y1LF8T5/ (You only need this if you plan to locate your command station far away from any USB ports and don’t have a spare USB wall adapter and an old USB printer cable.) 12v 5amp power supply: https://www.amazon.com/LEDMO-Power-Supply-Transformers-Adapter/dp/B01461MOGQ/ (This is the power supply recommended by DCC-EX for HO Scale. I found that some of my older locomotives that I converted to DCC almost 20 years ago don’t run well at this voltage.) 16v 4.5 amp power supply: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B1HTS2DY/ (This is the one I ordered, and it works great, but it does not look like the photo. Currently listed as unavailable on Amazon, so I am including an alternate link for a 16v 3.5 amp supply.) Alternate version listed 3.5 amps: https://www.amazon.com/UpBright-Adapter-Blackstar-Amplification-ID/dp/B0777JDLJ3/ All aboard! [Meow!] DriverDTrains ©2023