Lenz Elektronik
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Lenz Elektronik GmbH is a German manufacturer of Digital Command Control (DCC) systems for control of model railways. It is most significant for having innovated the DCC packet format and for publishing this system as an open standard, a major factor in DCC being adopted by the US National Model Railroad Association as an open standard. As a result, most newly designed model locomotives are shipped either with optional DCC, or "DCC ready", with a socket into which a DCC controller can be plugged. These developments have seen DCC rising above the few competing standards and becoming the de facto alternative to analogue control for rail modellers. Market penetration was facilitated by an unusual "goof-proof warranty" which replaces failed decoders even if the failure is due to user error.
Another innovation was the introduction of "back emf decoders", which approximate more closely to the throttle response of prototypical locomotives.
Lenz was founded by Bernd Lenz, who had previously worked on the Märklin AC system. DCC was introduced in 1988 and refined through a number of iterations. Current DCC offerings allow independent control of not only locomotives but also points, onboard and locomotive lighting and other accessories.
