Patent ID: 7549610

Claim:
A method for allowing a mixture of simultaneous and expanded command modes in a control system of a model railroad layout, comprising: (i) providing a track connection connected to the model railroad layout to convey track command signals that control locomotives with decoders and locomotives without a decoder, (ii) configuring a digital decoder control logic mechanism to decode said track command signals that comprise a combination of a varying track voltage command mode and an added encoded command mode; wherein, the combination of the command modes forms the mixture of simultaneous and expanded command modes, (iii) configuring a mixed-mode control algorithm mechanism to employ mode decoding rules to analyze said command signals in said combination of the command modes, to decide whether to allow the mixed command modes to operate or to change command mode, to operate with concurrent mixed control signals, and to priortize and execute said command signals without conflict between the varying track voltage command mode and the added encoded command mode.