Last I recall our club was running ten sound locos with a five amp NCE Power Pro. We measured about 3.6 amps. That was about eight years ago.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
HO Hobbyist Really? Four locos fried the Power Cab? I guess a booster will be necessary since I'll have four at once plus many idling.
Really? Four locos fried the Power Cab? I guess a booster will be necessary since I'll have four at once plus many idling.
The SB5 will be able to handle more than 4 engines, even if all have sound. I have the 5AMP version and I have in staging 20+ engines with some having sound. No issues.
Good luck!
Neal
cowman Your plan to add an SB5 when you build a larger layout is correct. Actually it is not the size of the layout, but the number of locos you plan on running that is the key to the addition. I was running 3 sound locos on a very small layout, paired up one more and eventually shorted out my Power cab. NCE very nice and reasonable about fixing it and giving me the advice to add a booster. When I build my new, larger layout, I will add the booster. Good luck, Richard
Your plan to add an SB5 when you build a larger layout is correct. Actually it is not the size of the layout, but the number of locos you plan on running that is the key to the addition.
I was running 3 sound locos on a very small layout, paired up one more and eventually shorted out my Power cab. NCE very nice and reasonable about fixing it and giving me the advice to add a booster.
When I build my new, larger layout, I will add the booster.
Good luck,
Richard
Modeler of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Bethlehem PA, 1971 and railfan of Norfolk Southern's Lehigh and Reading Lines of the modern day.
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rrinker You start with one of those to expand. If you need more than the 5 amps from the SB5, you can add DB5's to create more power districts and divide the load across the layout.
You start with one of those to expand. If you need more than the 5 amps from the SB5, you can add DB5's to create more power districts and divide the load across the layout.
So, I need an SB5 to begin expansion no matter what. Good to know.
Tom,
You must spend all day on this forum - I think you have replied to all of my posts before.
I model HO scale, and my layout will likely be 12'x10' with the sides being up to 2' deep. The track plan is here. Track plan
As you can see there are two mains. I will have an extra oval as its own module. It is not represented on the track plan as it is not related to the railroads I will model on said track plan.
There is space for locomotives to idle on the layout, which there will be many. The various yards will represent either interchanges with other railroads or industries. The primary yard is on the southside.
So, basically, four locos at a time with up to ten idling, assuming most were on that day. Although that would be quite the headache I think.
See it's not just Digitrax that makes it complicated The "SmartBooster" is really a command station and booster. You start with one of those to expand. If you need more than the 5 amps from the SB5, you can add DB5's to create more power districts and divide the load across the layout.
5 smps will be plenty for what you describe. Even if every single one of those locos has sound. Unless you're in O scale or larger and forgot to tell us that
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
HO Hobbyist,
If your locomotives are 20 years old or newer, a 1/2A per locomotive should suffice. That said, 3 locomotives would be a reasonable number for the 2A Power Cab, as it will allow some extra amperage as a buffer. 4 might be a stretch.
The NCE Smart Booster (SB5) will increase the overall output of the Power Cab from 2A to 5A. That should allow you plenty of current to run trains.
A secondary SB5 can be daisy-chained to the primary SB5 and used as a "dumb" booster*. This does NOT increase the overall amperage of your Power Cab another 5A (for a total 10A); it allows you to add 5A to a separate power district.
*I may be wrong about this. I thought I remember reading somewhere that an SB5 could be set up as a DB5. However, the only data I can find to possibly support that is from the NCE site where it states that an SB5 can be put in "booster only mode". Maybe someone can confirm or deny whether that's the same thing or not.
If your layout is smallish then the 5A SB5 is quite ample - i.e. if your really do need more current to operate locomotives. If your layout is larger and would benenfit from dividing it into separate power districts, a "dumb" booster can be daisy-chained to the SB5 and wired to the other power district. You'll need to isolate the two districts from one another.
What the SB5 will also allow you to do is to disconnect your Power Cab from the layout without shutting it down. You'll need to connect it directly to the SB5 (or to a UTP panel that's connected to the SB5) and that will be connected to your track. From one UTP panel you can also daisy-chain several UTP panels together and place them around your layout for convenient plug-in.
When used with the SB5 the Power Cab essentially becomes a ProCab throttle because the SB5 becomes the command station and booster for the Power Cab. Should you go that route the PCP panel (that you plug your Power Cab into) must be completely isolated from your layout. However, you can then use the Power Cab to program your locomotives at your bench, or on a separate and electrically isolated programming track on your layout.
Tom
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Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I think the Smart Booster is the one you want. Here is a quote from Mark Gurries at Tony's Train Exchange:
"The letters SB mean SMART BOOSTER which is a name specifically targeted to Power Cab users. The SB5 series of booster are sold as an UPGRADE path for the Power Cab system and NOT presented as new system. True boosters [DB5, PB105, PB110] are not "smart" for they get their commands from the command station [CS02, SB5]. Smart Boosters [SB5] are a complete stand alone command station and booster in a single box. The command station software in the Smart Booster is basically the same as the Power Cab software and in fact the software revisions between them are the same."
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
Hi everyone,
So I'm pretty confused by something. Maybe you can help.
I have an NCE Power Cab. Just an NCE Power Cab right now. And I can run a few trains on the floor just fine.
But when I have a layout I plan on buying a booster to run more trains. I think.
I have some questions. I'm pretty sure I will need more current, as NCE says the Power Cab is rated for 2 amps, and they say two locomotives per amp. That would be four, plus any others on the track.
I plan to have three locomotives running mainline, plus one switcher at a time. However I don't know for sure given that I don't have everything planned out yet.
So, in researching boosters, I've found that there are two kinds - a smart and a dumb. What's the difference? Or should I say, what can the smart booster do that the dumb one can not?
The dumb booster obviously exists solely for the purpose of increasing the availiable current. So what makes the smart booster smart?
So, in conclusion, what is the difference and which one should I buy, if any?