Im sure this may have been covered before but not r eally sure. On an NCE DCC system do you need to use the UTPs by NCE or can you use the typical phone connecters wall outlets(RJ) that you get at the hardware store to have additional spots to connect the throttles to on a layout.
As long as you wire them the same you can use regular RJ parts intended for phones. One of my friends did just that with his NCE system and has home-made throttle ports all over his layout room that look like what you'd typically see on a wall.
I have heard anecdotes about phone parts failing under layout use, as the receptacles aren't of the same quality as the ones in the UTPs. My friend above reports no failures, but doesn't operate very often.
Rob Spangler
It is important to understand the circuitry involved here and to use the correct terminology.
The NCE UTP, Universal Throttle Panel, is a circuit board that mount on the layout fascia. The UTP must be used to connect cables for NCE DCC systems.'
The cables are probably what you are asking about. The configuration of the wiring for the UTP is different than a typical telephone cable, so if you plan to use something different than the NCE cable, you can make the cable yourself but you have to use the correct size wire and in the correct configuration.
This article from Tony's Train Exchange should be helpful to you.
http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/utp.htm
Rich
Alton Junction
My question is about the UTP's that attach to the facia. I know you can add more so that you have more than one spot to connect the throttle to. My question is do you need to use NCE's official UTP or can you use the RJ wall jacks that are similar looking that are used for telephone connections to the wall.
Here's a picture of what one of the NCE UTPs looks like: http://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=524207&cat=&page=1 There are 4 of those RJ connectors on each board. I believe that I saw a circuit diagram for one of them some place, so I'm pretty sure you could buy all the parts and cobble one up if you wanted to. I don't know if the typical telephone style RJ connector is the same as what comes on the UTP, but assuming that it is you would still need to come up with the circuit that would interconnect a bunch of the RJ connectors to each other.
The vendor in the link sells the UTP for $15.40 (plus tax and shipping). So this becomes one of those "is it worth my time to buy all the parts and figure out how to connect it all" questions.
The NCE UTP panel is designed to daisy chain the links to the command station through cable connections on the rear of the UTP panel. The front panel connectors are designed to accept 5-pin cables from the throttles. The panel itself contains electronic circuitry, so I suppose it is possible to design and build your own custom panels. But, as already pointed out, the NCE UTP panel is inexpensive so most of us just purchase the UTP panels and install them on the fascia.
If you need more jacks per panel in addition to the two jacks already on the front of the panel, there may be a simple way to add them. I have posted that question on the NCE-DCC forum on Yahoo. I will let you know what I find out in that regard.
As I re-read your posts, I am wondering if you are trying to avoid the use of the NCE UTP panels altogether and somehow design your own network of throttle connectors around the layout. Is that your question?
maxman Here's a picture of what one of the NCE UTPs looks like: http://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=524207&cat=&page=1 There are 4 of those RJ connectors on each board. I believe that I saw a circuit diagram for one of them some place, so I'm pretty sure you could buy all the parts and cobble one up if you wanted to. I don't know if the typical telephone style RJ connector is the same as what comes on the UTP, but assuming that it is you would still need to come up with the circuit that would interconnect a bunch of the RJ connectors to each other. The vendor in the link sells the UTP for $15.40 (plus tax and shipping). So this becomes one of those "is it worth my time to buy all the parts and figure out how to connect it all" questions.
It isn't necessary to duplicate all the circuitry on the UTP to make a home-made throttle bus work. The UTP has extra stuff allowing an LED to be added to monitor line status, and to allow a 12V power supply to be plugged in to the back. Assuming you only care about getting the throttle to work, the only connections absolutely needed are those from the bus to the cable on the throttle. A bus line from flat cable, Cat 5 or whatever can be hard wired to regular RJ type sockets for basic throttle functionality.
I checked the underside of my friend's layout noted above to see how he wired everything. It looked a lot the the wiring for a phone system, with everything hard wired and no plugs on the back as with the UTPs. The only plug for the throttle bus was the one connecting to the NCE base station. Standing in the aisle it all looked like phone system faceplates and receptacles. It still looked like more work that I was interested in doing myself regardless of the cost savings so I went with UTPs, although I do make my own cables for those out of flat cable and 6p6c plugs.