Im looking for the way im going to controll turnouts and switches, and it looks like the DR4018 is a good way to go. Will this work with PowerCab and would I need anything else, like the DR5000 Digicentral?
Look before you leap. Like many, I have tried controlling turnouts from my throttle, but found a simple control panel with toggles more convenient. I would rather not have to abandon control of my train every time I needed to throw a turnout, and remembering every address was a pain.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
What does this do that the NCE Switch-8 not do? And with the Switch-8, you can add local buttons, so you have both ways of controlling the turnout. Because like MisterBeasley, I have found switching to 'accessory' mode and then back to be awkward at best, regardless of how "intuitive" the DCC throttle is. To build control panels or do automation with something like JMRI, you need stationary decoders controlling the turnouts, but if you want to just run some trains, it's a lot easier if there are also just some local buttons.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker but if you want to just run some trains, it's a lot easier if there are also just some local buttons.
but if you want to just run some trains, it's a lot easier if there are also just some local buttons.
By buttons are you referring to knobs at the face of the fascia, or something like the old Atlas solenoid switches? Both? Just curious, bc I don't want to have to switch to accessory either but I don't like the look of the knobs on my fascia.
Andy
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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/
I have a similar question about the DR4018, but for an older Digitrax DCS50 base. In one of the videos from December 2019, Ryan mentions that you do not need the DR5000 if you have enough power running from your controller. I did some searching and, yes, by golly, read the manual. I read about programming the switches and using Jump 1 and Jump 2 for powering switches, so I think it will work... so I would think the PowerCab would be in the same category.
For ~50 bucks this seems to be a great tool. Yes, I could manually toggle switches, but I am designing a new layout and want to have everything controlled from a single spot and not do the Model Railroad Calisthenics.
I'm not sure what you mean about the jump throttles on the Zephyr 'powering' anything. There is no power available at those terminals. They are for connection of a plain DC power pack to act as additional throttles.
The DR4018 takes its commands off the DCC bus, so it will work with any DCC system. You don't need to get theirs.
The NCE Switch-8 MK2 is about the same price, controls the same 8 Tortoises, and I know for sure thse work with Digitrax, I used them.
By buttons I mean toggles or pushbuttons - they don;t have to be the ugly Atlas control boxes. Look at the Canadian Canyons vdeos if you have MRVP, they used fancy lighted pushbuttons for local control.
The first time you run a turnout set against you and roll your train all over the scenery because you couldn't switch from Loco mode to Accessory mode fast enough, you'll thank those of us who suggest having the buttons, even if in addition to DCC operation.
I need to read that manual also, but what is Jump1 and such?
Your PowerCab doesn't have that, only the Zephyr from Digitrax. The Jump ports are a place to connect up to 2 DC power packs (Jump 1 and Jump 2) which then act as extra throttles. So if you currently have a DC trains et with power pack,a nd buy a Zephyr, you can hook the power pack to one of the Jump ports and 2 peopel can run trains at the same time, one using the Zephyr console and one using the old power pack - but it's running a DCC loco, not DC. You seelct it on the keypad - select JUmp 1, and then select a loco address for it to control, Jump 1 now controls that loco, and you can switch back to the Zephyr and run another. Or select Jump 2 and a loco to oeprate with that one.
It is a little picky - various pulse power packs don;t work well with it, it wants a clean DC signal. It's also possible to make your own Jump port throttle, basically jsut need a 9V battery, potentiometer, and a DPDT toggle.
ok I gotcha!