Electronics and DCC

spidge:

If you can afford signalling and such you would skip the starter systems anyway.

jwils1:

In comparing Digitrax, NCE and MRC there is another consideration that might be important to some.  If you want to throw turnouts with your DCC system I've found that Digitrax can do this with fewer button presses and in a smoother, more efficient manner.  This was just another little bonus I got with my Digtrax choice.

CSX Robert:

jwils1:

In comparing Digitrax, NCE and MRC there is another consideration that might be important to some.  If you want to throw turnouts with your DCC system I've found that Digitrax can do this with fewer button presses and in a smoother, more efficient manner.  This was just another little bonus I got with my Digtrax choice.

To be fair, if you like to use utility throttles, you can not throw turnouts from Digtrax's utility throttles(you can from their DT series throttles and from the Zephyr), but you can from NCE's utility throttles.

It's my understanding that you cannot throw turnouts from the NCE utility throttles, like a 04p.  You can do it by using macros on the 04p but that doesn't work very well, and of course there is no display to let you see what you're doing.  I think you have to set a macro to throw a turnout, and then another macro to close it.  Lots of button pressing and numbers to remember.  I could be wrong on this but I asked the question on another forum and this is what I was told. 

And yes, you cannot do it with a Digitrax UT4 either, but for me, using the throttle to throw lots of turnouts, the DT series and Zephyr control panel work nicely.

This thread has revealed what seems to be a real oversight in the PowerCab.  This notion that the USB interface means that a 2nd throttle can not be added unless a Smart Booster is deployed really adds to the cost of a system when more than one operator is wanted.

In trying to check out the validity of this, I was trolling around on the www.litchfieldstation.com site and read the following

"Will NOT work with any known auto reverse module - the SB3 shuts down before the module reverses"

is this really true?  There must be some really ticked off PowerCab users if this is the case?

So if you want a dual user system, with a PC interface so that you can run the JMRI program, then at discount web prices a Power Cab system is going to run you $378.00  a Zephyr will run you $303.00 (command station, PC interface, utility throttle, extra panel and Smartbooster for the NCE)

If you only want a single cab/user and the PC interface the NCE PowerCab is $187.00 compared to $223.00 for the Digitrax Z.  Quite a big difference to add a single cab?

Basically you can pick apart any system and build a case for or against it.  I for one agree that the Zephyr is a good product but when I was looking for a starter set I didn't want something looking like an old Radio Shack starter electronics kit on the layout. 

Picking apart is one thing, but if a potential purchaser has, or plans for a reverse loop (a turntable for example) not an uncommon thing, and the system they purchase can not handle automatic reversal then I think that is quite an important shortcoming to understand.  On another forum I belong to there is a really angry PowerCab user who has been told by NCE  that the only solution they can offer is to upgrade to a Power House system.  I did not believe that what he was told could possibly be true, but it would appear that it is?

I wonder why a system wouldn't handle an auto reversal unit. Maybe if they tried another manufacturers auto reverser it would work.  Is it the max current draw that was the issue?

Hamltnblue:

Basically you can pick apart any system and build a case for or against it.  I for one agree that the Zephyr is a good product but when I was looking for a starter set I didn't want something looking like an old Radio Shack starter electronics kit on the layout. 

I don't think that we're doing much picking apart on this thread but really trying to give as complete a picture as we can to help the original poster make a choice.  By the way, whatever happened to Taylor?  I wonder if any of this has been of help to him.  It would be nice to get some feedback from him.

P.S.  I'll take function over appearance any day of the week and..... I think my Zephyr looks pretty cool and high-tech so I'm careful to keep it out where everyone can see it.

LOL.

Anyhow I googled the auto reverser issue and found it several places.  The 3 amp power booster has an issue with them as well.  Looks like the surge protection trips too quickly.  I can say that the 3 amp booster I had in the past was very sensitive and tripped too soon.  I wound up with the 5 amp system.

Here's a link where someone appears to have had luck with this manufacturers reverser and the Power Cab.

http://www.dccspecialties.com/products/powershield_x.htm

I think you will find that there are several reversers that work with the Power Cab out of the box basic system, but none that work with the Smart booster add on that is needed if you want to add more than one extra cab and or USB PC interface.

Trip speed is the key, on Digitrax system, the booster trip speed is configurable to work with downstream protection devices. Assuming a dead short, like a reverse loop, you could have an autoreverse device set to 5 amps running off a booster that only supplies 2 amps and have the reverser trip first - if it is set to a faster trip speed. In the case of a not so solid short, like a derailment that leaves a metal wheel across the track with little weight on it, the trip current might take precedence and the booster would trip before the circuit breaker. Both things need to be taken into account for reliable operation of circuit breakers and autoreversers, but it is possible for a breaker that is set for more current than the booster can deliver to still function.

                            --Randy