Truck NS5050: I have not had either of these systems, but two of my friends have had the MRC Prodigy Advance2, and both of them quit. They both became messed up when trying to run consists, or a few engines at once. I would definitely go with the NCE system because MRC has had multiple issues after less than a year. I am sorry to hear your freinds got all messed up and quit becuase they could figure out how to use a very simple MRC prod. adv. consist set up. It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds. TRUCK.
NS5050: I have not had either of these systems, but two of my friends have had the MRC Prodigy Advance2, and both of them quit. They both became messed up when trying to run consists, or a few engines at once. I would definitely go with the NCE system because MRC has had multiple issues after less than a year.
I have not had either of these systems, but two of my friends have had the MRC Prodigy Advance2, and both of them quit. They both became messed up when trying to run consists, or a few engines at once. I would definitely go with the NCE system because MRC has had multiple issues after less than a year.
I am sorry to hear your freinds got all messed up and quit becuase they could figure out how to use a very simple MRC prod. adv. consist set up. It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds.
TRUCK.
I am curious Truck as to why you purposely misquoted so it doesn't sound like the PA2s failed.
simon1966 Truck: . It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds. That might be the problem. My 12 year old builds consists in a matter of seconds on our DT402 throttle. You didn't really mean minutes did you?
Truck: . It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds.
. It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds.
That might be the problem.
My 12 year old builds consists in a matter of seconds on our DT402 throttle. You didn't really mean minutes did you?
I am board with my MRC system it is so easy. Plus I have been considering upgrading to a newer system. I am not sure which one. It will be NCE or Digitrax. And JMRI comes to mind also.
But I have been so busy at work I haven't had time to mess with my trains mush. I even had to work today. Was at SF airport putting accelerator in concrete trucks as they rolled in then had to go to the Presidio in S.F. to fuel up those trucks for the work to be done tonite. I am supposd to be the mechanic. But we are so short handed they got me doing other jobs.
Oh well it is good for my train fund and the checks makes the wifey happy.
Truck.
CNR378 Truck: NS5050: I have not had either of these systems, but two of my friends have had the MRC Prodigy Advance2, and both of them quit. They both became messed up when trying to run consists, or a few engines at once. I would definitely go with the NCE system because MRC has had multiple issues after less than a year. I am sorry to hear your freinds got all messed up and quit becuase they could figure out how to use a very simple MRC prod. adv. consist set up. It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds. TRUCK. I am curious Truck as to why you purposely misquoted so it doesn't sound like the PA2s failed.
Truck: NS5050: I have not had either of these systems, but two of my friends have had the MRC Prodigy Advance2, and both of them quit. They both became messed up when trying to run consists, or a few engines at once. I would definitely go with the NCE system because MRC has had multiple issues after less than a year. I am sorry to hear your freinds got all messed up and quit becuase they could figure out how to use a very simple MRC prod. adv. consist set up. It has to be one of the easiest ADVANCED CONSIST programing there is out there. You can set, clear & run consists in minutes. NO BRAINER. again sorry to hear about your quiter freinds. TRUCK.
MRC decoders may suck, but their DCC systems are solid. Hard to beleive 2 systems failed because of consisting as you stated.
That is not what happened. They set up the consist, it ran fine for a while, and then the system quit when they turned off the consist. One of them had to go to Intermountain, who made the engine, to figure out that the system reset the decoder address to 003, and had to spend almost five hours to get it fixed. MRC just said that they did not know what happened, and could not help. They are now both going to use Digitrax or NCE. To conclude, the systems messed up the decoder addresses.
NS 5050: Southern Style on NS H76.
I'll bet your friends have trouble walking & chewing gum at the same time.
tstage Since the Zephyr or Zephyr Xtra (both very good systems) were not in the original equation, Steve, I was merely confining my comments to the PA2 and Power Cab. The cost of the Power Cab and SB3a combo vs. the PA2 is slightly less more (with the inclusion of the 5A power supply), as per the pricing on the TTE site. Given that those are what the OP was confining his choices to, the discussion is fruitless. Happy to have chosen the "un-economical" route, Steve. One man's "considerable restrictions" is another man's operational enjoyment. Tom
Since the Zephyr or Zephyr Xtra (both very good systems) were not in the original equation, Steve, I was merely confining my comments to the PA2 and Power Cab. The cost of the Power Cab and SB3a combo vs. the PA2 is slightly less more (with the inclusion of the 5A power supply), as per the pricing on the TTE site. Given that those are what the OP was confining his choices to, the discussion is fruitless.
Happy to have chosen the "un-economical" route, Steve. One man's "considerable restrictions" is another man's operational enjoyment.
Tom
Tom, I think that csxbnsfbnrailway was open to considering systems other than just the two he originally mentioned, and therefore I also think introducing alternatives to the discussion wasn't fruitless at all. In fact, a reading of his original post, and one of his later posts in this thread, certainly bears out both of those thoughts.
In his original post, he asked, "I'm wondering if you guys have any opinions towards what DCC controller I should get." Not "which one of these two", but "what DCC controller". That would seem to pretty much leave it open, and was the basis for my suggestion of the Zephyr Xtra as an alternative.
Secondly, csxbnsfbnrailway later posted that "I think I will go with the NCE PH-PRO set..." and "As for the digitrax systems I don't think..." Based on those two statements, it's obvious that yes, other DCC systems were considered. And the fact that he ultimately picked a different system, and that the two systems he originally mentioned were among the discards, really drives home the point that he wasn't limiting himself to those two as you seem to think he was.
I'm glad you like your SB3a system, Tom, and that you get the operational enjoyment you desire from it. But the inverse of your closing statement is also true: One man's operational enjoyment is another man's considerable restrictions. In other words, DCC isn't a "one SB3a fits all" world.
So again, discussions such as this where alternatives are introduced, explored, and yes rejected in the course of a user finding the right DCC system for them, are not fruitless at all, at least not in my opinion.
I would be the first to say that the Power Cab and/or SB3a is NOT for everyone, Steve; nor would I ever imply it. No DCC system is - even though I know you believe otherwise.
Perhaps, though, you should have addressed your "alternative" in your post directly to the OP rather than in a backhanded manner to me. Since it was the latter and not an uncommon MO of yours, THAT is what I considered a fruitless discussion.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
csxbnsfbnrailway Maybe I'm not helping without showing the layout design. It can be found here http://www.walthers.com/page/CCBR.pdf . Off of the straight away, I plan on having a helix to a lower level, a yard. The helix will be a 2% grade approximately.
Maybe I'm not helping without showing the layout design. It can be found here http://www.walthers.com/page/CCBR.pdf . Off of the straight away, I plan on having a helix to a lower level, a yard. The helix will be a 2% grade approximately.
Ouch - you are starting with a 5x6 foot spaghetti bowl track plan, and then want to add (according to a post in another thread) a fairly tight radius helix. Choosing a DCC system may not be the biggest challenge for your layout.
Stein
Yeah right. I am just stating my experience, and the DCC system messed up their engines. If you want something reliable, try an NCE Power Pro or a Digitrax. One of my friends had a Digitrax Zephyr, and it shorted out when two wires crossed on ist temporary layout. It remained that way for about a half hour, then when my friend found out, he removed it. However, it still turned back on after that half hour, very impressive.