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On the end of december 2009, as the "gap" problem was becoming impossible to solve, I looked around the layout, thinking what else could be done. Since the tests with the Phidget 1017, the board controlling the PIKO switches and Viessamnn signals were successful, I ordered 3 more signals (1 x 4016 daylight exit signal with distant signal and 2 x 4012 home signals) and their corresponding electronic modules. The modules produce the soft-changing of the lights, just like their prototype on the real railroads. Strange enough, the modules are more expensive that the signal itself - the 4012 is 11 EUR, but the electronic module is 23 EUR. I also got some electrical accesories for connecting the different wires that were getting numerous. I also thought of cleaning the track, and since getting through the (then still in place) tunnel wasn't so easy, I decided to go for a TRIX cleaning car - 24050 - very nicely done and with interchangeable cleaning pads, that were easy to wash. I received the order in the first days of January 2010.
I also looked on the figures required for getting in DCC. I decided to go for Lenz, a german manufacturer. A few things are required to begin operating in DCC - a control station, an AC transformer, and compatible locomotives. The Lenz control station (LZV 100) and its remote control were 240 EUR. I didn't need a new transfomer at this stage, since I had the Viessmann one already, and for testing it should have been ok. Trouble was with the locos, since none of them were equipped for DCC. Converting old DC locomotives to DCC operation is done with a special decoder, that is installed inside the locomotive. One Lenz decoder was about 25 EUR, not a steep price, but i wanted to see DCC in action at its full potential, and this would just have been impossible with an old loco fitted with a decoder. So I looked around for a loco that was DCC compatible, and was cheap enough. TRIX made some locos at 70 EUR, and they had inside dedicated space, and a connector for the decoder. So the loco would cost just under 100 EUR, which was fair enough. But further browsing on the Lenz website revealed that they also produced 2 HO locos - a small diesel one, and a steam loco - BR 66, that would be perfect on the layout, since it wasn't too small, nor too long. The BR 66 came in at 180 EUR, and I decided to go for it. At the time I was also trying to fix a broken front headlight piece of the PIKO BR 01.5 steam loco - precisely a light guidance plastic part, that was previously broken and then glued, the result being that 2 headlights were ok, but the third one was dimmed. Also a small spring for the loco-tender coupler was damaged, and some wheels on the tender were quite rusted. Since PIKO had on its website dedicated pictures and codes for the replacement parts, I emailed them for further assistance. Unfortunately I got no reply, as I would later found out the support only works in german, and google translate will prove a success in communicating with PIKO. So I turned to LokShop, where I got the other orders so far, and they were happy to help. So in mid-february I made the order for the Lenz LZV100, the Lenz BR 66 loco, and the spare parts - a total cost of 450 EUR, with the spare parts less than 10 EUR.