Hi,
I'm currently working on my 4X8 layout and I am building a expansion yard on the side of the layout, Like the Turtle Creek Layout in MR. I am going to buy a sound locomotive and i have several locomotive that need to be installed with decoders. My hobby shop recomends NCE, they have it for $139.99, anyone have a expeirence with this system?
Had mine a long time and love it. Even reads decoders other systems wont. Very upgradeable and if your layout grows to an empire and you need a powerhouse system to run it you still have an extra throttle plus one you can use at the workbench for programing and testing.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Tommy,
I've had my Power Cab for almost a couple of years now and enjoy it VERY much. If you'd like a virtual tour of the Power Cab, click on the link at the bottom of this post and go to the Review page of my web site. It's an initial review that includes pictures and first impressions. There's a review of the NCE CAB-04p throttle and the Smart Booster, too.
Hope that helps...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I must admit that I have not tried any other DCC system. But I spent a long, long time reading up and asking questions before I bought. My LHS raved about the NCE so after much deliberation I bought my NCE PowerPro. I think it is superb! It is excellent.
It also 'programs on the main' which is a lot easier than putting locos on a programming track.
Cheers
Barry
Tjsingle wrote:Ok quick question... can I hook it up to bachmann Ez track?
You can use any DCC system with two rail railroads as long as the wiring and reversing sections are up to snuff. You can just hook up two wires to your layout if there are no reversing sections, but most folks add additional feeds(hook up spots) to better insure polarity to all rails.
If you have a hobby shop near you that supports nce you are one lucky dude. The price is very good so get there quick before they realize others prices. The price is unusually low for a walk in shop so make sure its not used. If it is be carefull, as with anything used.
If it is new you are the envey of many of us. Are most of the prices in this shop close to internet price?
John
I got my Powercab about a year ago and I love it. I believe that I read somewhere that NCE put a little more power into the programming mode for sound decoders in the Powercab. There is a Yahoo group if you have any questions or problems.
Gary
Mrs. Santa gave me one for Christmas this year, and I am enjoying the heck out of it! I "wish listed" it because it will also work on the local club's layout that I expect to be joining soon, so it will be able to do double duty.. a BLI SD-40 and a Spectum Consolidation that are now both Sound enabled.... What more could a guy ask for?
I once caught a train in my pajama's. How it got in my pajama's I'll never know... (sorry, Groucho)
Jerry
Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!
Heya,I bought a PowerCab a few months ago and have used it a bit as I get my track laid and such - not yet for 'full-scale' operations. Works as well as I could have hoped.
It does work with EZ Track - in fact, that's what I tested it on when I first got it home. Just wanted to mention, though, that I had problems with some of the joiners not conducting well. That might be a problem for you if you're going to be using it in a set-up-and-take-down kind of situation. If you're setting up something permanent and wire it all up permanently it should be okay.
M
I'm waiting for my PowerCab unit to come in right now. Wife let me order it for Christmas. (She's a keeper LOL) Hoping it will be in today or tomorrow.
sparkyjay31 wrote:What does version 1.28 do that other versions do not? Does NCE offer these " upgrades " to older PowerCab users?
One of the incuded upgrades was the ability to double the number of functions one could program. Way more than the average guy needs. Even for sound it is more than needed.
Another, I think is the ability to utilize the usb interface for compuor hook up. This is significant as you will want to eventually program with decoder pro. It will make it much easier to program the correct lighting functions and improve speed matching with more accurate speed tables.
It also cleaned up some glitches when using one of the additional throttles. This effected me but they did not have the fix back then. I simply exchanged it for a different throttle.
The upgraded chip, with exchange, was $10 when it first came out, but I do not know what it is now. I will be upgrading some time this year as I want the usb. So if this will be your first dcc system then I suggest you jump on it.
A very good source for info would be tstage. He has very thorough opinions and findings concerning the powercab, sb3, and the add on throttles.
Jay,
If you click on the link at the bottom of my post, go to the Review page on my web site and click on the Smart Booster review. About 1/2 way down the review is a section that covers the upgrade with the Smart Booster. The Smart Booster upgrades the software to the Power Cab automatically. The new upgrade chip for the Power Cab apart from the Smart Booster is exactly the same thing.
spidge:
Does Version 1.28 also give you yard mode or was this included in the original version?
Also, on page 18 of my manual, it states that yard mode only works in Pro Cab. However it seems to work on my Power Cab except that the loco speeds slow way down making it difficult to use. Am I doing something wrong or is it actually not really working??
jwils1 wrote: spidge:Does Version 1.28 also give you yard mode or was this included in the original version?Also, on page 18 of my manual, it states that yard mode only works in Pro Cab. However it seems to work on my Power Cab except that the loco speeds slow way down making it difficult to use. Am I doing something wrong or is it actually not really working??
I just checked my powercab and the yard mode works fine. It does run the locos slower, I think it is programed to do that. I believe you can change the tracking rate to make it more user friendly. Look at the same page(18) item 6 explains the ballistic tracking rate.
spidge wrote: jwils1 wrote: spidge:Does Version 1.28 also give you yard mode or was this included in the original version?Also, on page 18 of my manual, it states that yard mode only works in Pro Cab. However it seems to work on my Power Cab except that the loco speeds slow way down making it difficult to use. Am I doing something wrong or is it actually not really working??I just checked my powercab and the yard mode works fine. It does run the locos slower, I think it is programed to do that. I believe you can change the tracking rate to make it more user friendly. Look at the same page(18) item 6 explains the ballistic tracking rate.
I increased the ballistic tracking rate and it works better. Thanks for your help.