| Word | Description |
|---|---|
| Back EMF | The voltage generated by the rotation of the motor armature. EMF is short for electro-motive force. Measurements of back emf are used for speed stabilization. |
| Ballast Lamp | A high current, low voltage lamp used to protect against unwanted voltage transits. In normal model railroad applications a 12 volt automobile brake lamp wired in series is used. For use as a buffer between DC and DCC, the lamp is connected across one of the double gaps separating the two systems. |
| Bandwidth | Describes the volume of information that can be sent over a communication link. |
| Basic Consisting | Program all the locomotives in a consist to the same address and run them off one throttle. In this case all the locos must be running in the same direction. |
| Bi-polar | A wave function that goes from positive to negative and back. The DCC signal is a bi-polar signal. |
| Blast Mode Programming | A special programming Mode used exclusively by Zephyr series command stations for programming decoders that require more current than is provided on the traditional isolated programming track. This is useful for users of sound decoders built by manufacturers other than Digitrax. |
| Booster | Boosters receive the DCC signal from the Command Station, amplify it & put it on the track as the power that runs the locos. You can have several boosters on a system, each driving its own track section. You can have both regular or auto reversing boosters depending on your needs. Also called Power Booster, Power Station |
| Browsing | To scan sequentially through locomotive or accessory decoder addresses and status. |
| Buffer Track | See Ballast Lamp |