Layout Command Control (LCC)

Layout Command Control® or "LCC" is an emerging NMRA standard that provides for a supplementary system to control all non-locomotive layout functions. Signals, layout sounds, and passenger car lighting are several examples of functions that are controlled via LCC.

While Digital Command Control or "DCC" has grown in popularity, the capacity of the DCC command bus has remained the same. Users are finding that significant delays can occur between when a command is issued and when it reaches its decoder. This delay can cause problems and operational incidents that could be easily avoided with a larger capacity bus, which is where LCC comes in. Routing all the non-locomotive commands through the LCC bus allows the DCC bus to traffic locomotive commands quickly.

The LCC bus is "bi-directional" meaning that LCC devices (nodes) on the bus can both receive commands and reply to them, which opens up the possibility of many new features for LCC-equipped layouts.

Development

A group known as OpenLCB has been developing and overseeing the creation and adoption of Layout Command Control. You can find the details of their work, process, organization and even how to participate on their development process at their website located at:  https://openlcb.org/.

LCC Products from TCS

UWT-100

The UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttle from TCS was designed to communicate with LCC networks via WiFi, in addition to communication via the WiThrottle protocol.

Command Station

TCS is currently developing a command station that provides hardwire LCC bus connections. This will be the first commercially-available LCC command station and works directly with the currently-available UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttle.