Beginner question on Digitrax Zephyr

[okiechoochoo]

Just starting into HO and trying to decide between DC cab control and DCC. Everyone in my area runs Digitrax. I will have a small layout with maybe 8-10 locomotives. Is the Digitrax Zephyr a good beginner system. How difficult is it to learn how to run? I am not a real high tech type person, being 58 years old.
I do not want to get frustrated with DCC. Is this system fairly simple or should I stick with DC on a small, say 5X12 foot layout with two trains running on two main lines. I appreciate your time to answer.

[SpaceMouse]

I had a DC layout, and while not cab, I had several sections of the track I could turn off. It took me about 30 minutes to hook up the Zephyr to the layout. And that include putting a board across two legs to hold the program track and installing a Soundtrax unit in my son's 2-8-0.

There is just four wires to hook up--the two that you would have hooked to your DC power pack, and two to the program track.

[SpaceMouse]

Also, I've run 5 trains on my layout and our club president who also has a Zephyr on his 20 x 30 layout, ran 8 trains on his with 3 running sound units. IF by chance you out-grow it, you can add additional power packs.

IT is a great starter unit.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by okiechoochoo
Everyone in my area runs Digitrax.

A very good reason to use Digitrax.

QUOTE: I will have a small layout with maybe 8-10 locomotives. Is the Digitrax Zephyr a good beginner system.

It is an excellent beginner system.

QUOTE: How difficult is it to learn how to run?

Not, the only one that is easier in my opinion is the CVP Easy-DCC.

QUOTE: Is this system fairly simple or should I stick with DC on a small, say 5X12 foot layout with two trains running on two main lines.

Take it out of the box. Hook up two wires to the track. Plug it into the wall socket. Pu***he power to the track button. Select channel 3 (this might even be default). Run the train. It is that easy. Just slightly harder for the 2nd train because it will have to be programmed to a different channel, but still no big deal. About 4 button pushes worth.

[rrinker]

My 60+ year old father in law has no difficulty running trains with my Zephyr, even when I'm not around. He doesn;t do any decoder installs or programming -I do that, but he is quite capable of selecting and running whichever loco he wants to.
If you have decoders installed by someone, you cna have them set the address to the cab number. If you buy a DCC loco, like a BLI with sound, it will come set to address 03 out of the box - you would want to do at lleast the basic programming to change that, which is very easy with the Zephyr. Once you are more comfortable you can explore other options - there are a lot of CVs (configuration variables) in the deocders which you can program to adjust how a particular loco operates, but to get started you don't really have to worry about that stuff. That can come later after you understand things better.
The start up instructions at the front of the Zephyr manual are about as easy as it gets.

--Randy

[jxtrrx]

One more vote for the Zephyr. Very simple, but powerful enough to do asnything you want. I buy mainly locomotives with decoders (and sometimes sound) already installed, so it really is simple. About half as complicated as a VCR.

[Anonymous]

I agrre i bought a Zephyr last night came home and had a sound equiped engine running in 10 min. Now stil alot to learn but so far I LOVE IT!!!