Driving a DCC model railway track with +/- 15V

Hello
Can you just clarify something? Do you want the signal to go from 0V to +15V and then switch to 0V to -15V or go from 0V to +15V back to 0V and then to -15V.
Thanks
Adam

 

I can think of two ways currently...
Using methods found in audio amplifiers, a split rail power supply and a pair of transistors. (Class A-B or Class D... without the PWM)
Additionally, if the square wave will always be +-15 V, you could generate a 0V - 30V Square wave and make use of a virtual ground at 15V.
What are you trying to accomplish? What will you connect it to?

 

I'm not too terribly familiar with DCC, will this device be providing power as well?
Or will be be coupled to a DC source?

I'm bouncing ideas around in my head to see if a 30V p-p Square wave can be coupled with a capacitor to the rails (providing a -15 to +15V square wave) , or perhaps the use of an H-bridge... but I'm certain the controller will need to be designed with a similar topology to an audio amplifier.

 

Yes, agreed. I'd use regulated +15V and -15V rails, and a half-H driver using MOSFETs.

That could generate quite a lot of interference with rising edges of 2 µs or shorter!

What is the operating frequency? Does the output stream include encoded data?

Edit: See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Command_Control
http://amakersblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/controlling-model-trains-with-arduino.html

That second link shows a representative circuit design (not complete) using an H-bridge powered from a single +12V rail. There is no need for a split supply - the H-bridge can just apply a single supply voltage to the tracks either way round.

 

Thank you for the link, that helps clear up the requirements for the signalling.
If this controller is providing signalling and power to the rail, grab a 15V power supply, and an H-bridge. The limitations here will be switching speed, and current output.
You said further up that you were fine with < 2A (Less than 2 Amps?) or do you want more?

 

Good to hear. Monitor the temperature on that to ensure you won't run into issues when you begin to switch larger loads. (Simply adding a heatsink would be good.)