Those who still operate analog model railways today can skip the digital era entirely by using CTC. The transition is much easier and more cost-effective than switching to a digital system.

What Do You Need?

• A power supply: For now, this can also be the old model railway transformer.
• A Wi-Fi access point: For initial tests, your private Wi-Fi will suffice. However, from around 20 modules onward, a dedicated Wi-Fi network for the model railway is recommended.
• One CTC locomotive module per locomotive.
• For turnouts and signals with dual-coil drives (3 wires, standard for H0): either the CTC turnout module or the CTC Multi-I/O Board for up to 4 turnouts/signals.
• For turnouts and signals with motor drives (2 wires, standard for G scale): the CTC turnout module G.
• For turnouts and signals with servo drives: the CTC turnout module G or the CTC Multi-I/O Board.

Analog locomotives/turnouts/signals and CTC locomotives/turnouts/signals can be operated in parallel at any time. However, control is then handled separately via the throttle/control panel and the CTC app. For the track section where the CTC locomotive is running, the throttle must be set to full power.

What Happens to Locomotives with Digital Decoders?

The digital decoders are replaced with corresponding CTC locomotive modules.

How do I get started?

The easiest way is to order one of our Starter Sets to familiarize yourself with the new world of CTC. You can start with either a turnout, a locomotive, or both.

In any case, you’ll receive a CTC router, CTC modules, and the CTC app. That’s all you need—your existing control panel will handle power supply. The CTC locomotive can run alongside analog locomotives on the same layout but requires its own fully powered control panel. The turnouts can be powered either from the lighting output of the control panel or from a separate power source.

And what’s next?

There are several options available:

• Gradually upgrade all locomotives, turnouts, and signals to CTC and eventually achieve a model railway controlled entirely via CTC.
• Convert only turnouts, signals, and feedback modules to CTC while continuing to operate your locomotives in analog mode.
• Upgrade only your locomotives to CTC and optionally install CTC-IR balises in the track, but continue switching in analog mode.

Unless you have museum-worthy locomotives that you want to preserve in their original condition, we see no reason to stick with analog control.

What happens to my feedback sensors?

This is where CTC makes things much simpler: complex wiring or proprietary electronics are completely eliminated. Up to four classic sensors can be connected to the CTC Multi-I/O Board.

However, it’s worth taking a look at the CTC-IR-Balise. Two of them can be connected to a CTC turnout module or CTC Multi-I/O Board. They allow the locomotive to determine its position and, if needed, receive a command (e.g., “Signal stop in 70 cm”). With CTC-IR balises, simple automation is possible without any intervention from the app.

In all cases, the mentioned feedback information—along with the status reports from the CTC modules—is transmitted via Wi-Fi.

Learn more about automation in the article Automatisiert fahren.