Glossary of terms

Capacitance is the amount of charge that can be stored at a given voltage. A unit of capacitance is the farad (F).

A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy by accumulating electric charge on two internal, closely spaced surfaces that are insulated from each other.

A Capacitor Discharge Unit (CDU) is a device that powers solenoid operated devices (turnout motors) on a model railway. It stores power in capacitors and releases it in a burst when the switch is activated. This gives the turnout motor a more powerful action.

A CDU is a Capacitor Discharge Unit.

In electronic terms, a clock is an electronic logic signal oscillating between a high and a low state at a constant frequency. It is used like a metronome to synchronise actions of digital circuits.

It is a unit which provides the power and the control signal to a decoder via the track. It contains or is connected to a throttle, which is manually used by the controlling operator.

A material that allows electric currents through it.

A configuration variable is a location within a decoder that stores information that is able to control or otherwise influence its behaviour.

Continuity is the presence of a complete path for current flow.

A natural process which alters a refined metal into its more chemically stable oxide. It will result in the gradual deterioration of the material, rendering it unsuitable for its original purpose.