Electronics and DCC

Hey,

I'm trying to decide on the Digtrax Zephyr or the nce power cab. New to hobby and only 15, not alot of $$$$$. What is better and easier to set up.
Thanks for the HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to the forums!

I have an NCE Power Cab.  It is easy to use and the buttons are large enough to easily operate.  It also has a backlit screen.  If your son is also interested, you also need to purchase another cab and those cost about $60-70.

Hope this helps and again welcome.

Taylor,

First off, either system will work very well for you.  They both have their pluses and minuses.

If it's possible, the best thing would be for you to actually experience each system hands on.  Is there an LHS (Local Hobby Shop) in your area that carries either one of this units

Another idea is to see if there is a local MRR club near you that runs DCC on their layout.  Contact either the president or one of the officers, tell them that you are interested in buying a DCC system and would like to hear their experiences with the system they use.  Ideally, what you would like to be able to do is to actually hold and operate a locomotive with one of the throttles to see how it feels to you.

Taylor, do you have an DCC-equipped locomotives yet?

Tom

Hey Tom,

Thanks for all the help,

I'm not good with electical, i don't know if that helps and there is a hobby shop about 30 miles away and they use a mrc system. There are some clubs and i might try that out.

No i dont have any dcc locos yet buy i'm hoping to get a mth sd70ace bnsf diesel soon that has one installed and supposely works with all system but i'm not completely sure yet.

Thanks

All DCC systems are very simple to hook up.  I own a Zephyr and found it very simple to use.  The Zephyr is expandable so later on when you can build a larger layout and still use the Zephyr. 

Taylor,

As stated before, you'll be happy with either one of those choices.  And both the Zephyr and Power Cab will be very straightforward to set up.  I know that the Power Cab comes with everything you need to get up and running.  I would think that the Zephyr does, too.

Taylor, I have the NCE Power Cab and like it very much.  You can read an initial review I wrote about the Power Cab at my website link.  It used to be posted on the forum and had more pictures.  (I've really got to get around to updating that.)

MRC makes a decent DCC system and the throttle is closer to the Power Cab but smaller.  A number of the fellas here on the forum like it.  MRC has three entry levels: PE (Prodigy Express), PA (Prodigy Advance), and PA2 (Prodigy Express 2).  The PE will be less expensive than the Zephyr and Power Cab but will be more limited as far as expansion goes.  Definitely check into the MRR clubs in your area to see if they can help you.

Taylor, since you don't have a DCC locomotive yet, don't feel rushed to go out an buy a DCC system.  Do your homework and make the best informed choice for a system that fits YOUR needs.

The MTH SD70ACe will be a good locomotive for you.  However, do keep in mind that the MTH locomotives with sound use their own proprietary system (DCS) to run their locomotives.  You will still be able to operate them with a DCC system like the Zephyr and Power Cab BUT certain functions and features will only be accessible with MTH's DCS throttle.  I would still opt for a DCC system over a DCS system.

Anyhow, Taylor, hope that helps.  Please feel free to fire off more questions you might have.

Tom

I would highly suggest that you get a DCC system with a computer interface.  Right now this would limit your choice to EasyDCC, Digitrax or NEC.  You will also need an interface device such as a LocoBuffer or PR3 (Digitrax).  The PR3 lets you downolad locomotive sounds from the Internet and upload them to a Digitrax sound decoder. You can then download DecoderPro (software) free from JMRI and use it to program your DCC decoders.

I have been a satisfied Digitrax owner and user for the past ten years.

I don't think at the age of 15 he's thinking of his son yet.

Hey Tom,

Thanks for all the help. You have been so helpful and i'm going on your website right now. I thought about the mrc system too but didn't know that much about it so maybe i will research more.

Is that your layout cuz its nice.

Thanks again

Your very welcome, Taylor.  Look into and try out as many DCC systems as you can.  That will help you make the best informed choice for YOU.  What works best for me or someone else may not be what meets your needs.

And thank you for the kind words and the encouragement.  Yes, that's my layout.  Like others here, it's a work in progress.   Keep us posted...

Tom

modelbnsfer:

Hey,

I'm trying to decide on the Digtrax Zephyr or the nce power cab. New to hobby and only 15, not alot of $$$$$. What is better and easier to set up.
Thanks for the HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taylor,

Of course so much depends on your layout, number of locos running at the same time and your own personal preferences.

Since cost appears to be important to you, the Power Cab might be a good choice at about $150.  This is a 1.7 amp system with a 7' tethered throttle that can't be unplugged and moved so you're limited to operating from one postion with a little movement per the cord length.

If you need more movement, or to walk around the layout you could add a 2nd throttle for about $72..

If you need more than 1.7 amps you could add a Smart Booster and power supply for about $108.

Now, the Zephyr at 2.5 amps would probably be enough power for a home layout at about $160.  You would have to operate from a fixed position or add $65 for a 2nd walk-around throttle.

With any walk-around scheme you would have some additional cost for each plug-in panel located around the layout, probalbly around $15 each.

One other consideration would be the MRC Prodigy Advance Squared system at about $194.  This is a full-featured 3.5 amp system that could take care of your needs for a long time and maybe never need expansion, unless you would want to go radio.

All  of the above systems have computer interfaces available, except the MRC interface is limited to MRC's proprietory system and will not work with the more popular JMRI software.

All of these systems are very easy to set up and use with MRC probably being the easiest to learn to operate but they are all pretty easy.  The individual throttles are going to be important to you as to which one you will like the feel and touch of.  Check each one out careully on the manufacturer's websites and don't hesitate to ask more about each of them here on this forum.

A lot of things to think about and some great choices available.  I hope you can pick one that really works well for you.

Hey Taylor,

I have an NCE Powercab and love it. The main reason is the fact that it is tethered and has menus that help you enhance your operating experience by following the directions on the screen in plain English. It is true that the Powercab does have to stay plugged in as it is the command station but I simply ordered a 10 foot six wire coil cord from http://www.litchfieldstation.com/DCC-University/index.htm

and was able to move to any viewing spot on my 15X17 N scale layout. There is no computer interface but one is available for the NCE separately. Eventually you will likely invest in the interface. There is no DC functionality with the NCE but the Zephyr can utilize 2 DC throttles. Do a comparison at the above mentioned link to see more options side by side you may be interested in.

If you are running N-scale then 1.7 amps is actually enough to run many trains. I have had 7 locos running with my Powercab alone and after about an hour it showed no issues. Before someone says this cannot be done with a recall stack of 2 remember that the decoder will remember the last command even though you don't have it dialed up on the throttle.

Lots to consider my friend.

spidge:

Hey Taylor,

 It is true that the Powercab does have to stay plugged in as it is the command station but I simply ordered a 10 foot six wire coil cord from http://www.litchfieldstation.com/DCC-University/index.htm and was able to move to any viewing spot on my 15X17 N scale layout.

That's an important point.  A coiled cord is so much easier to deal with as you walk around your layout.  The Prodigy Advance Squared also comes with a flat cord, although I understand that coiled cords can be purchased for it.  Digitrax throttles come with coiled cords.

jwils1:

spidge:

Hey Taylor,

 It is true that the Powercab does have to stay plugged in as it is the command station but I simply ordered a 10 foot six wire coil cord from http://www.litchfieldstation.com/DCC-University/index.htm and was able to move to any viewing spot on my 15X17 N scale layout.

That's an important point. 

<snip>

You're right, it is an important point!

Keep in mind that with the Power Cab, that hand-held throttle is also the command station.  That means that all the current being used by the layout goes through that coiled cord twice - Once from the power supply to the throttle, and then from the throttle to the track.

   Since a coiled cord of that type typically has rather small gauge wire, typically 26 AWG, in order to remain flexible, you have to consider voltage drop.  After all, you wouldn't use 26 AWG for your track bus under the layout, would you?  Well, with a Power Cab, what's feeding both the command station and the track bus bus?  Yup, that coiled cord consisting of 26 AWG conductors.

  I believe the Power Cab has a 7-foot cord, and you added a 10-foot extension for a total of 17 feet each way.  According to the calculator at this Web site, 34 feet of 26 AWG (remember, the current traverses this cable twice) at 12 VDC or single-phase AC (closest to a DCC waveform that is has listed) and 1.7 amps gives you a voltage drop of 4.852 volts, or about 40%! 

  Of course, that's a worse case scenario because you probably don't always use the full 1.7 amps that the Power Cab is capable of delivering.  But even at .75 amp (two sound locos?) the drop is still over 2 volts, or about 19%. 

    I know I sure wouldn't use 17 feet of 26 AWG between my power supply and my Command Station, or between my CS and my track bus.  But that's what you're doing when you you add that 10-foot extension to your Power Cab. 

  Will the Power Cab's built-in short circuit protection even still work with that kind of resistance (and the resulting voltage drop) in the circuit?  Food for thought...

Steve

Steve,

I believe John was saying that he used a 10' 6-wire cable instead of the 7' cable that comes with the Power Cab; not that he added them together.

Tom