They are glossing over the details. It is two signals combined into one. Basically it is a voltage square wave power signal (technically not AC as it's a phase changing square wave) combined with a digital command signal into one power signal. Engineers are specific, so yes, it's not a positive/negative changing voltage sine wave. However, it is a square power wave that combines to zero, it quasi AC-Like, but not AC. Here's a similar technology that sends signals over power. Have you heard of internet adapters you plug into a wall outlet that carry internet over your AC power in your house? Basically you plug an internet transmitter into your outlet, with an internet cable attached, then on the other end the internet comes out on a 2nd receiver. Basically, a low power digital signal running on the houshold AC power. This is how DCC works. This is exactly how DCC boosters work. They take a lower power digital signal and combine it with a higher power signal. The low power phase shifting signal has zero impact on the actual power that runs the motor. Did you know that some early DCC systems could run one Analog DC engine? It was a similar setup, but different in that the system would through a DC power signal on the line(rails) just for thatt one DC engine. Those low power digital signals will have zero effect on a lion chief engine. All the Lionchief engine needs is power from the rails. Plus, Lionchief conveniently works on DC or AC. LionChief sends its commands over air, via Bluetooth (early LionChief may not use Bluetooth?), it only gets power for the motor from the rails.
Ted
