Was the NMRA DCC Standard based on the Lenz System? Isn that a proprietary system?
After considering the various alternatives available at the time, the NMRA’s DCC Working Group found that the signaling techniques used by the Lenz System had what they were looking for and used a communications protocol that offered the greatest future growth potential. While the signaling techniques were based on the Lenz design, numerous improvements were made and a packet format that is much richer in features was ultimately adopted. While the Standard has its roots in the Lenz system, it is not based on any proprietary equipment or information. If you look at the early NMRA DCC working group FAQ’s it was stated that the NMRA had a letter from Lenz confirming that there was nothing in the Standards that infringed upon any Lenz copyrighted, patented or proprietary information. In fact, as of June 24, 1996, this version of “the facts” is still on the DCC working group’s web site. However, the latest word from the former head of the DCC working group is that the letter the NMRA has fr
