A UK based group promoting interest in the application of electronics (including computers) to all aspects of railway modelling
Links to External Web Pages
Last updated: 1 February 2010
GENERAL ELECTRONIC/INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIERS
Commercial sites offering equipment hardware and/or components

Electronics Manufacturers & Suppliers
Commercial sites offering model railway/hobby specific equipment hardware and/or components

Model Railway Electronics 
non-commercial (or semi-commercial) pages providing model railway and/or electronic project information.

Computer Software
appertaining to model railways.

Prototype Data
Of likely interest to MERG members?


Member's Pages
on-line pages by MERG members.

Digital Command Control (DCC) comprising:
DCC (non-commercial)
DCC (Rest of world)
DCC (UK)

DCC (Europe)
DCC (N America)

Courses
Learn more about model railways and electronics

SMA (Memory Wire) - pages providing information for this developing technology suitable for point and signal operation, and other applications.

Helpful Sites
On-line courses and manuals etc.

  
MEMBER'S PAGES
  • Brunel Models - John De la Lande (M387)
  • Brunel Models produce custom transfers (decals) and import C & L track and Tortoise point motors to Australia.
  • Colchester MRC - Paul Evans (M612)
  • The word on the Colchester club by our former secretary.
  • Electrorail - John Ferguson (M1098)
  • John's N gauge DCC layout in detail.
  • Ideas - Kirill Bogdanov (M1461)
  • Ideas on innovations in dcc.
  • Midland Red - Ian Morton (M1956)
  • Ian introduces his working bus layout.
  • Model Railways On Line - Graham Plowman(M1162)
  • Here Graham presents his layout and articles on DCC and other modelling topics.
  • Grovenor Sidings - Keith Norgrove (M764)
  • Keith offers a variety of pages including a turntable drive and some locomotive conversions.
  • Pendon Museum - Paul King (M120)
  • A UK registered charity and home to a permanent and automated railway modelling exhibit, Pendon Museum has a long association with MERG.
  • Pickit2 usage -  Harry Arends (M2237)
  • Harry shows how he uses a Pickit2  with MERG kits
  • Pro-Rail Memory Wire - Jaques Le Plat(M910)
  • Gives his ideas on the use of memory wire in the hobby and offers supplies.
  • QTU, TCC etc. - Howard Amos (M1025)
  • Howard's site supports his software and hardware designs for layout automation and his plans for life in New Zealand.
  • Shrinkingman - Rod Lancaster (M1353)
  • Rod covers smoking diesels, point machine operation and DCC.
  • Southlands Junction - Mark Patrick (M1701)
  • Mark shows off his layout complete with computer control. He also has a train speed check programme available for download.
  • Sprog - Andrew Crosland (M1522)
  • This link goes to Andrew's support pages for the kit version of the SPROG as sold by the MERG stores.
  • Tapiola Parish Model Railway Club - Pekka Siiskonen (M756)
  • An overview of how train operation and control is achieved on their club layout, including circuit details for the transistor throttle controllers and turnout controls.
  • Full Stop Signals - A. G. Witts (M1937)
  • Offers kits comprising driver boards and servos to operate signals, including bounce.
 
GENERAL ELECTRONIC/INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIERS
  • Anglia Components
  • The best prices if you are buying enough, watch for the minimum order value.
  • Ashtek Electronics
  • Parts for the hobbyist with special emphasis on servo accessories including cables and connectors.
  • Bitsbox
    A hobby oriented supplier for those odd components.
  • Bowood Electronics
  • A supplier of electronic components to hobbyists with an easy to search site.
  • ESR Electronic Supplies
  • An interesting range of electronic kit for the hobby. .pdf catalogue for download.
  • Farnell
  • One of the major mail order component suppliers, on line ordering too.
  • CPC
  • Combined Precision Components, another on-line and mail order supplier apparently associated with Farnell.
    Didel
    A Swiss supplier for small motors and gears and extra small actuators.
  • Greenweld
  • Greenweld has a miscellaneous collection of electronic and hobby items, if you are lucky you may find a bargain.
  • Magenta Electronics
  • Offers various kits including the PIC driven stepper motor - useful for the 16C84 EE PIC programming.
  • Maplin MPS
  • The UK's well known electronics retailers.
  • Milford Instruments
  • UK supplier of "Flexinol" SMA Memory Wire and Stamp Basic-programmed microprocessors.
  • Online @ Microchip
  • Producer of PICmicro devices. Pages include product Application Notes and Datasheets.
  • Rapid Electronics
  • One of the best on-line suppliers in the UK, reasonable prices and rapid delivery.
  • Riedon
  • A resistor manufacturer this site has a resistor handbook and technical data.
  • RS Components
  • Once the famous 'Radio Spares' now an industrial supplier but can come in handy. On line ordering and lots of downloadable data sheets.
  • RSH Electronics
    Supply a range of electronic components including transistors, diodes, switches etc with no minimum order, and low postage.
MODEL RAILWAY ELECTRONIC MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS
  • All Components
  • A bit of an exaggeration but a useful range of controllers and other parts for model railway electronics and they do have on-line ordering.
  • Antenna Models
  • Suppliers of Radio Control for Model Railways, good site for information.
  • Brian Jones Engineering
  • Specialist supplier of radio control for garden railways and other miscellaneous goodies.
  • CTI electronics
  • Provide modules, accessories and software for remote control of layouts from your PC, can be used with conventional or dcc systems.
  • Express Models
  • Express provide a wide range of coach and locomotive lighting as well as other gadgets.
  • First Class Trains
  • Another supplier of coach and loco lighting and also smoke units.
  • GML Enterprises
  • Model Railroad Electronics.
  • Grizzly Mountain Engineering
  • Sound systems including synchronising cams.
  • Heathcote Electronics.
  • Supplier of the well known IRDOT modules. the site has a detailed description. For US readers try the importer Micromark
  • Helmsman Electronics
  • Offers a range of electronics products, from power supplies up to 5 Amp capacity (some have a computer interface) to flashing tail lights for model railways.
  • Helmo
  • A german site offering transponders and readers to allow train identification independent of any control system.
  • Howes Models
  • A range of model railway supplies as well as servo motors.
  • Innovative Train Technologies
  • Lots of sound modules.
  • JLC Enterprises
  • Sells all the parts for the well known Bruce Chubb C/MRI including a current transformer based TOTI
  • Locolinc
  • Offer a radio control system for scales from N to G
  • Miniatronics
  • Specialist in lighting for the hobbyist, supplies Yelloglo 'white' LEDs.
  • Modelec
  • Signal operation using servos and a variety of electronic modules.
  • Modelex
    A wide variety of DC controllers and electronic modules
  • Morley Controllers
  • A range of traditional styled controllers using 'centre off' style controls and with the added benefit of built in CDUs.
  • New York Railway Supply
  • Provide turntable indexing systems using stepper motors.
  • Nigel Lawton
  • 00-9 kits and supplies, good source for small motors and gearing.
  • NL Design
  • A supplier of electronic remote control equipment, run by Nigel Leighton.
  • Oak Tree Systems
  • Provide modules, accessories and software for remote control of layouts from your PC, can be used with conventional or dcc systems.
  • Phoenix Sound Systems
  • Maker of sophisticated sound systems for the larger scales.
  • Rail-Lynx
  • Supplier of a 255 channel infra-red proprietary command control system for model railway control.
  • The Servo Shop
  • For a huge range of servo motors, useful to check specs.
  • Scalespeed
  • Rewinds, remagnetising and DCC for Hornby Dublo and Triang.
  • Signal Research
  • Offer a digital block control system, the site has now been expanded and has an interesting system description.
  • Technobots
  • Radio control, robotics, servos etc.
  • Tractronics Inc.
  • Rich Weyand has kits for sale and an interesting site.
  • Viessmann Models
  • German manufacturer of signals, lighting and other accessories.
  • W S Ataras Engineering
  • Signaling solutions for model railroads
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MODEL RAILWAY ELECTRONICS
  • Adventure in Miniature
  • A dutch modelling site with some interesting electronic and DCC projects including memory wire point actuation, if you can't read dutch the pictures are still good..
  • Electronics tutorials
  • This looks like it could be a useful on-line encyclopedia, for beginners and the more experienced, of  electronics (and just about everything else too!)
  • And more tutorials
  • This one recommended for beginners. 
  • Talking Electronics
  • This site provides a lot of beginners information and tutorials with particular emphasis on the use of PICs. Kits are on offer to support the tutorials and include a PIC programmer.
  • Control of Stepping Motors, a Tutorial
  • Doug Jones at the University of Iowa provides a description of how to control stepper motors for turntables and similar applications.
  • DCC N gauge - David Harris 
    David shares some of his ideas
  • Gateway NMRA
  • This NMRA region has an interesting section on electronics.
  • Hobby Projects
  • A collection of model railway related electronic resources.
  • Turntable Controls
  • Try this picture with this article or this one from the TSL
  • Model Railroad Electronics Circuits
  • Rob Paisley describes many of the circuits used on the large 'O' scale layout of the London Model Railroad Group in Ontario, Canada.
  • Electronic Circuits
  • A collection of circuits culled from magazines etc and presented in a rather unusual way
  • Power supplies
  •  a site with some advice on using old computer power supplies.
  • Rail Room Electronics
  • Retailer with an extensive range of own label electronic modules as well as ranges of signals and lamps.
  • Roger Amos
  • Well known author of MRE books, no longer active in the hobby but still interested, website gets you in touch with him if you want to discuss his circuits.
  • Rolling Rails
  • A supplier of locomotive testers, better priced than some.
  • Sierra Western & Santa Fe
  • A large US layout controlled by DCC. Pages include an overview of the Locomotive Control System.
  • Armadillo and Western
  • Another layout site with electronic projects attached
  • Tapiola Parish Model Railway Club
  • An overview of how train operation and control is achieved on their club layout, including circuit details for the transistor throttle controllers and turnout controls.
  • The Teton Short Line
  • is an established US model railroad by Wayne Roderick. His pages give a lot of information on the electronic systems used on the Teton Short Line.
  • Tillorps Mekaniska (The Tillorp Locomotive Works)
  • Download a complete NMRA compatible DCC system with 8 throttles and easy decoder programming capability, run trains with an inexpensive TV-remote, or build a simple actuator using Memory Wire.
  • Model Railroading
  • Constant brightness lighting using the LM334Z
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COMPUTER SOFTWARE

  • Green Gate
  • A german site offerring programming software for DCC
  • GPPSoftware
  • Graham Plowman offers 'SSI', also designed to drive the RPC system.
  • JMRI
  • Java Model Railroad Interface: This site supports a collaborative effort to develop Model Railway software in the open-source tradition. The first fruit of this endeavour is a DCC Programmer.
  • Model Railroad System
  • A collection of applications for controlling and operating model railways., by Robert Heller of Deepwoods Software.
  • Protrak
  • An electronic hobby site including a Railroad Signaling system
  • Railroad & Co.
  • A computer program to operate a layout from a PC running MS Windows.
  • Sandia Software
  • Offers various model railway related software including 'Cadrail', a CAD program for model railway design.
  • XTrkCad
  • A well featured program for designing a layout, "XTrkCad" includes templates for most commercial track and even for P4 track.  Formerly offered as shareware XTrkCad is now available as a free download.
  • Wagonflow
  • Software for generating traffic and producing schedules and timetables, worth a look. 
  • WinRail
  • Layout design package. The demonstration version on-line for download contains libraries of 'Peco' and 'Hornby' track templates. 
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DCC(NON-COMMERCIAL or pin money commercial in some cases!)
  • Here's a group of interesting pages relating to DIY DCC.
  • MiniDCC, David Harris Kenneth Jesser MYDCC,    Stefano Curtarolo 
    Embedded loconet
  • DCC Basics - Presentations
  • A set of 4 presentations for downloading in .pdf format from Mark Gurries.
  • DCC Anti-Buzzing Circuit
  • A suggested modification by John Balogh to reduce the buzzing noise in motors.
  • DCC Conversions for LGB
  • A useful set of pages for the Garden Railway lovers.
  • DCC DIY function only decoder
    Interesting function decoders, economical if you want fancy lighting in coaches etc. By Paul Harman
  • DCC Helpful Hints
  • Dick Bronson covers DCC including block occupancy detection and remote control uncouplers.
  • DCC with an emphasis on Digitrax
  • Don Crano has lots of guidance for any DCC user and especially for Digitrax owners.
  • DCC (SPROG) by Andrew Crosland
  • Here's a Serial port programmer that can be used instead of the PR1, developed from the MERG programmer. (This is the site to buy ready made SPROGs, see the Members links above and the kits page for the original kit version).
  • Dugglethorpe on the Web
  • A layout using DCC with hints and tips.
  • National Model Railroad Association
  • The organisation administering the DCC Standard. Search the site for the official Standards and Recommended Practices for the NMRA DCC specification. Also for the list of commercial products that have been awarded NMRA Conformance Warrants and a links page with over 3000 railroad sites. See also John Balogh's NMRA site.
  • NEM/MOROP
  • The European standards for model railways are available here, generally they adopt the NMRA standards for DCC but there are often presented a bit differently!
  • DCC decoder plugs and sockets.
  • Information on the 21pin plugs and sockets.
  • TMWDCC Hardware
  • Circuit designs for DCC boosters, decoders, etc. Etched pcb's for the project are available from a company in Sweden.
  • VSDM
  • A Swiss DCC Group connected with Tanner of Winlok, proposing standard interface protocols for model railway use. (German language)
  • Wiring for DCC
  • These excellent pages by Allan Gartner give advice on wiring layouts for DCC. 
    See also Alan's Q&A forum.
 
DCC (Rest of world)

  • DCC Concepts
     An Australian supplier of DCC systems and related accessories. Good on advice and assistance, especially for DCC sound and LEd lighting. Check out his service and prices, can be competitive when buying from the UK.
  • DXDC
  • DXDC make decoders for Chinese locos including sound decoders, details here and can be purchased here.
DCC (UK)
  • Bromsgrove Models
    Supplier of  NCE, TCS, Zimo, Team Digital, Soundtraxx, and ESU/Loksound DCC equipment, ITTC sound modules, and DCC Concepts products in the UK. Shop run by  John Russell M2146.
  • CML Electronics
  • A small supplier of DCC accessories
  • DCC Supplies
     A UK specialist DCC supplier, selling a wide range of the major equipment plus accessories. They are also UK distributors for Pricom (DCC testers and sound). They specialise in Zimo, but also re-sell Lenz, ESU, Gaugemaster, and a full range of maintenance and other essentials.
  • Digitrains Ltd
  • Offer DCC kit and associated  accessories, dealers for NCE, TCS, ESU/Loksound and others. Run by a MERG member, check the members' pages for discounts offered.
  • Dynamis by Bachmann
    A new site to extoll the virtues of the new Bachmann DCC system, very high spec for the price.
  • Gaugemaster
  • After years of selling standard DC controllers Gaugemaster have expanded into DCC with a range based on the American MRC Prodigy advance.
  • Heathcote Electronics.
  • Supplier of DCC controlled coach lighting units
  • M G Sharp
  • Agent's for all of the following DCC manufacturers Lenz (which they sell at a discount, approx 10%), TCS, Digitrax,  NCE, TCS and Bachmann EZ DCC.
  • Scalerail
  • Scalerail of Horley, Surrey sell Lenz and provide on-line sales.
  • South West Digital
  • Supplier of ESU Loksound dcc, they have the manuals on line in English.
  • Sunningwell Command Control
  • Ted Smale imports Digitrax and Soundtrax equipment.

 
DCC(EUROPE)
  • CT elektronic
  • Austrian supplier of decoders and some other electronic goodies.
  • Dietz Modelbahntechnik
  • Offer a variety of DCC items
  • Fleischmann
  • Manufacturer of FMZ, now upgraded to a dual NMRA and FMZ system. (German language).
  • Haber & Koenig Elektronik
  • Decoders and test kit, also embedded controls.
  • HDL
  • Multilingual Hobby site by Hans Deloof  with an economical range of accessory boards for use with Loconet, includes Servo drivers, block detectors and I/O boards.
  • Helmo
  • Offer a transponder system for feedback from dcc systems (German language).
  • Lenz
  • German manufacturer producing products to the NMRA DCC specification.
  • LDT
  • Littfinski have a variety of DCC modules including accessory decoders.
  • ESU Loksound
  • German alternative to Soundtraxx with some innovative features.
  • Märklin
  • German manufacturer well known for their model railway products not NMRA compatible but their own Märklin format dcc. (German language).
  • Uhlenbrock
  • German manufacturer of analogue and digital items including the "Intellibox" multiprotocol command station, site is in German but English manuals are available for downloading.
  • Umelec
  • Swiss manufacturer of very sophisticated decoders incorporating sound and an auto signalling feature.
  • Viessmann Models
  • German manufacturer of accessory decoders.
  • Zimo
  • Austrian manufacturer producing high specification DCC products.
 
DCC (N America)
  • Blackstone Models
  • A division of Soundtraxx established to market DCC and Sound equipped H0n3 trains.
  • CVP Products
  • Supplier of the EasyDCC system ready made or as the kits featured in Model Railroader Magazine.
  • DCC-Bitswitch
  • A DCC supplier with a range of automatic control modules
  • Digitrax
  • Manufacturer of DCC products that are popular with North American users.
  • Loys Toys
  • Former US (West Coast) retailer now a site for DCC information.
  • Model Railroad Solutions
  • Canadian supplier of Zimo and Loksound amongst others.
  • Model Rectifier Corp.
  • Makers of the Prodigy and Prodigy advance DCC system.
  • North Coast Engineering
  • Manufacturer of the North Coast Master Series DCC System and North Coast Decoders.  North Coast now have their own site.
  • Soundtraxx.
  • DCC Sound Systems, site includes samples.
  • Team Digital
  • A variety of advanced DCC accessories
  • Train Control Systems.
  • A new supplier of decoders.
  • tttrains World of DCC
  • A comprehensive compilation of DCC information.
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Courses
    Missenden Abbey has an annual weekend course on model railway electronics as well as others on other modelling topics. Tutors for the electronics course come from MERG and it is masterminded by member Chris Langdon.

SMA (MEMORY WIRE)
  • Pro-Rail
  • Supplies memory wire  specially developped for modelling applications (refer to TB G22/1 by Mike Walshaw). The Website  includes a comprehensive section on memory wire explaining how and why.
  • Flexinol Wires
  • Information on "Flexinol" Memory Wire by the UK supplier, Milford Instruments will be found under 'Animatronics'.
  • Muscle Wires and Nitinol
  • Product information and specification prepared by US supplier, Robotstore.
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Helpful Sites
  • PIC Microcontrollers
    On-line book on PIC programming from 'mikroElektronika'  9 chapters, very comprehensive introduction.

Prototype Data
  • 25kV Overhead
  • Clive Mortimore provides drawings and details of the BR standard overhead, recommended.
Index Page Membership
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