NEWS FLASH! - MRC out with new Prodigy Express

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by peterjenkinson1956
<snip> i want a system that i can use easily and be able to get parts in 10 years time will mrc do this for me... peter

Peter,
I see that you are in Australia. I think the main consideration for you is what is currently available to you at this time. If MRC products are more easily obtained in your area than the products of their competitors, then I would suggest going with MRC. If Digitrax is easily obtained, then look there. If a particular brand is not easily obtained in your area, then I would recommend that you stay away from that brand. With the popularity of both MRC and Digitrax in the US, I would easily recommend either of those brands here, but I can't say how popular they are down there. I just thought I'd throw this in for your consideration.
-Joe

[Anonymous]

I saw some posts with guys saying they wanted to run at least 3 trains at a time. Not sure whether or not the MRC unit will do this, if one considers the following:

Are you going to run any locos in consists? That is still technically one train, but will, in reality, take the power of how ever many loco's are in the consist that have engines in them.

Are any of the loco's going to have sound decoders installed? I don't know how much, but I am sure that sound equipped locos use more power.

I'm not bashing MRC here, just trying to help people make the best decision possible for their own needs, but properly take power consumption into account. I made the mistake myself - We're equipping all of our loco's with sound, and we have a Zephyr system. I think I'll only be able to run 3, maybe 4 locos at a time if they all have sound. Fortunately, 3 or 4 is all we'll be able to physically handle, anyway, so the Zephyr shouldn't be a problem, but it still concerns me. If I want to upgrade, it'll cost me $300 to get the Super Chief components to boost up the power. Which then means I should sell the Zephyr, as I really don't need it anymore... But the kids like the old-style throttle it has... It gets confusing :)

Anyway, if I had to do it over again, I would probably have started with the Super Chief. That's getting off topic a bit, sorry.

I see advertisements that MRC has the 8 AMP booster. How much does that cost, and is it compat with their new Express system? If so, and the 8 amp booster is relatively inexpensive, the MRC Express may be a good starter set for someone.

[tstage]

Pete,

Can't you just add a booster to your Zephyr for 1/2 the cost of new Super Chief?

Tom

[rrinker]

Exactly - if you never need to run more than 10 or 12 locos at the same time, it would be better to just buy a Super Empire Buiulder and add it tot eh Zephyr, keeping the Zephyr as the command station. Then you'd have 7.5 total amps of power, and a second throttle. If you already have the extra throttles, just as a DB150 booster, much cheaper than buying a Super Chief set. This is the beauty of Digitrax's system, you don;t need to throw out or sell off old equipment as you expand, it's all useable.

--Randy

[knewsom]

I have the MRC 8 amp booster, and it is compatible with the Prodigy Advance. It also claims to be compatible with all other systems as well. I got mine for $96 from Micro-Mark and have been using if for 6 months or so with no problems.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrinker

Exactly - if you never need to run more than 10 or 12 locos at the same time, it would be better to just buy a Super Empire Buiulder and add it tot eh Zephyr, keeping the Zephyr as the command station. Then you'd have 7.5 total amps of power, and a second throttle. If you already have the extra throttles, just as a DB150 booster, much cheaper than buying a Super Chief set. This is the beauty of Digitrax's system, you don;t need to throw out or sell off old equipment as you expand, it's all useable.

--Randy

My understanding of adding onto the Zephyr is as follows:

1) If you add a booster/power supply, it will actually be in it's own power district, i.e. you need to gap the rails. The loco's function without any hiccups between the two power disctricts b/c the booster and the zephyr are connected via loconet, even though the power districts are separate. Also, you would have 7.5 amps of power (if you added Empire Builder), but never 7.5 amps on a single section of track - one district would have 2.5 and the other 5...

2) If adding just a 5 amp booster, I suppose the Empire Builder would be the way to go. But, if buying a new 5 amp starter system, the Super Chief would be the way to go, as the Super Chief's booster has all of the funcitonality of the Zephyrs, including the separate programming track funcitonality.

3) I think it ends up being about $50 cheaper or so to buy the Empire Builder set if you wanted to "upgrade" your power plus get another throttle (DT-400 , which is a real nice throttle).

Believe me, I've been tossing around what to do for quite some time... And at this point, I'm just going to get a DT-400 throttle and not upgrade my power until/unless the new layout addition requires me to do so.

[rrinker]

That is correct, it would be different power districts. But just how much power do you need in one section of the layout? It's kinda like how peopel are getting the idea that they NEED 500hp in their pickup truck even though the heaviest thing they ever haul around is a couple of sheets of plywood. I've had 8 locos running at once with my Zephyr - today's better wuality HO locos from Stewart, Atlas, Kato, P2K, etc only draw about .5 amp tops, my one Stewart when running freely draws only .1 amp! Obviously a large layout with a dozen operators is going to need a lot of capacity, but then a 'starter' set isn't really intended for such users anyway.
If you know up front you will need lots of power and more than a 12 loco capacity, by all means get the Super Chief - I would not recommend ANYONE buy a Super Empire Builder, I've said a dozen times at least Digitrax needs to stop selling that. The lack of a dedicated programming track and no CV readback is a HUGE liability, especially when it comes to making things easy.
And my other pet "not enough power" peeve: "OMG, my booster is 5 amps, and the Tortoise contacts can only handle 1 amp, I need relays to power my frogs" So, just how many locomotives can fit on your switch frogs anyway?

--Randy

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrinker

It's kinda like how peopel are getting the idea that they NEED 500hp in their pickup truck even though the heaviest thing they ever haul around is a couple of sheets of plywood.

Tim Taylor (Home Improvement) would disagree with that. Perhaps 1000 hp would be good. [:D][:D][:D]

Seriously. You raise a very good point Randy. In many ways we seem to think we need much more than is necessary. Or perhaps we are confusing "want" and "need." This, of course, is not limited to our hobby. PC's, cell phones, satellite/cable TV, mp3 players etc all work on this part of human nature. I have a pretty base line cell phone - it has an address book that can hold 500 contacts. Some pricier models have a 2500 entry address book. I would love to know who has even half of this occupied. If 12 movie channels are good, 50 must be better. MP3 players that can hold 1200 songs. Are there even 1200 songs that I like?

Dave

[Anonymous]

I have the original Prodigy and regularly run 3 (N Scale)trains at the same time. One on the outer loop, one on the inner loop and one switching the yard. I forget off hand what the power rating of the original is, but I have no trouble running three trains (locomotives).

[Anonymous]

Randy-

I agree with your points completely. It comes to the point where one can totally over-engineer everything to the point that you just wasted a whole bunch of money :).

I was talking to my dad today about this whole thing, as we have been talking about selling the zephyr and getting the Super Chief, "upgrading" the power and getting a DT-400 at the same time, or just getting a DT-400. We both got a good chuckle out of the idea of either one of us trying to run more than one loco at a time. We figured that with a loco on a continuous loop and each of us running another loco, we'd be at 3 locos, and even if they were all consists of 2 locos, that'd be 6, so lets just get a DT-400...and save the money for gas, for trips to the LHS :)

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly
Of course I do believe that no matter which one I do pick, it will be much more fun than DC cab control!

Dave, you will be a true believer shortly...[:)]

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grande man

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly
Of course I do believe that no matter which one I do pick, it will be much more fun than DC cab control!

Dave, you will be a true believer shortly...[:)]

You got that right!! Gotta get a job first! But soon as I do . . . gonna reread all of Randy's posts and have a long phone conversation with Tonys!

[tstage]

Go, Dave! [:)]

Tom