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Digital Controlled CAR decoders with automatic distance control for the Faller Car system and Mader magnet Truck

The DC-CAR decoder can be fitted inside 1:87 scale vehicles (Sprinter, truck, fire-engine etc..). It offers an automatic distance control, which does not need external control, programs etc.!
The distance to the preceding transmitter is independently regulated by each vehicle. The system functions using a coded infra-red signal, so that there is (nearly) no interference from sunlight, neon lamps etc.. The distance control needs a reciever to be mounted underneath the front bumper on either side and back two transmitters at the back. The decoder inside the vehicle automatically controls driving and stopping. Brake lights are also operated automatically. That is all you need for traffic to move and queue automatically.
The vehicles can also be controlled using a DCC controller.

By using SMD units, the front photoelectric cells are nearly invisible.

The finished tail lamp carrier with the two infrared LED. The carrier is painted to match the chassis after installation.

Traffic in moving queues without rear end collisions is now possible. The slowest vehicle determines the speed of the following ones, almost without any stop and go effect. The following vehicle adapts its speed of the preceeding vehicle. After a few seconds it accelerates again. If it catches up with the preceeding vehicle again, it adjusts its speed. As soon as the road ahead is clear it accelerates slowly back to its original speed. Like locomotive decoders you can set many parameters with decoder CVs. If you do not have a DCC controller then you can preset one of three speed tables and how the vehicle behaves when switched on.

Imagine, a vehicle is held by a level crossing at a stop and the following car brakes (stop light goes on for a few seconds ) and stops a short distance behind it, the next vehicle likewise etc.. Now a queue is waiting at the crossing. If the stop is released, all the cars drive off in turn. That is just like real traffic. You only need a magnetic stop coil or an infra-red stop where the first vehicle is to be stopped!

You can a photosensor if you wish to switch the headlights on and off depending upon brightness of the surroundings. e.g. on entering a tunnel the headlights are automatically switched on and when the car leaves the tunnel, the headlights go out again. If the room is darkened, then the all the vehicles turn their headlights on.
You can adjust the sensitivity so that headlights are turned on and off at different levels of light.

Using a second sensor (Hall Effect Switch or reed switch) the blue light of a fire-engine can be switched on and off.
Example:
When the fire engineleaves the fire station, the blue light is switched on and remains during the jorney to the emergency. Once the fire-engine leaves the emergency, the blue light is turned off.
The sensor should be installed somewhere in the vehicle where it will not be affected by magnetic stop coils in the roadway.

If you want to use all the decoder functions you will need either a commercial DCC controller or the special function modules. If you already use a DCC controller for your layout it can also be used to drive your vehicles at the same time as operating your trains.
Car = locomotive. So simple!

Headlights, taillights, turn signals, hazard flashers, three blue lights, front warning lights and three further functions, can be controlled either by connecting the decoder directly to the DCC controller or function module or remotely using an infra-red link. The speed can be regulated in 28 steps. Reverse movement is not possible. The stop light turns automatically when the vehicle slows or stops.

For control by a DCC contoller an infra-red transmitter is needed. This transmitter consists of an infra-red LED and resistor which is to the track connection of the DCC controller. To ensure that you can control vehicles all over your layout you will need several of these transmitters. The maximum range of a transmitter is approx. 50 cm. DCC track voltage will power up to eight infra-red LEDs in series with a resistor. Typically a DCC controller can run up to 80 LEDs in this way.

Using infra-red stop function modules ST8DCC or ST8REL allows you to dispense with magnetic stop coils. The module replaces up to eight stop coils. By multiple use of the outputs you can replace even more. Instead of the stop coil an infra-red LED is installed in or at the edge of the roadway. The stop unit activates the vehicle's brakes so that it slows to a stop after 5-10 cm (depending upon speed). Thus the abrupt deceleration at the stop coils is avoided.
The vehicles start slowly and brake slowly. And all this automatically!

Function modules FB8DCC and FB8REL allow control of all decoder functions without the use of a DCC controller. Infra-red LEDs are attached to the module outputs. Each module has 8 function channels. Several infra-red LEDs can be attached to each of these channels and each can be activated by a relay, switch or DCC signal.
For example:
At a junction a car can drive straight on or turn right. A bistable relay is connected in parallel to the junction switch coils. Using a relay contact an infra-red LED is attached to the right indicator function output.
When the junction switches to right turn the closed relay contact connects the LED to the function output and the car receives the instruction to turn its right indicator on.
If the junction is set to straight, the relay contact is open and the car does not indicate.
After the junction an infra-red LED is installed that is attached directly to the function output turn indicators off.

For details of which function modules are available or in planning See the function modules page.

Under development is feedback of the battery charge over an infra-red link.
Over a detector a junction will be automatically switched, so that the vehicle is diverted into a charging station.

Operational time is shortened by the somewhat higher current consumption of the decoder compared to a standard vehicle. In addition it is to be noted that power is still consumend when the vehicle is stationary. To stop the battery being drained the vehicle must be switched off. The original Faller vehicles does not consume power when stationary since the battery is switched off when the vehicle is halted by the reed switch.

Disclaimer:
This page has been translated, with permission, from a page on Claus Ilchmann’s web site.
The original page, in German, is located here.
This translation is provided with no guarantee of accuracy or liability for errors.
Should you decide to use the DC-Car system then you should check that the functionality meets your needs by reference to the manufacturer’s web site.