NCE uses MAP - minimum advertised price. They set the minimum price a retailer can publish on their page. So you can't just pop on your favorite site and check the price shown - you have to actually add the item to your cart and then see how much you REALLY are going to pay.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Modeltrainstuff, Trainworld and Factory Direct Trains are the big names I would check.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I'd love to know what sites you are referencing as i have not found anything close to htose prices when I search inline. Granted, I'm not a teenage Google whiz kid that seem to be able to find the smallest trivia in under 30 seconds!
tstageThat makes inventory easier since you only need to track a single part rather than two.
that's why i thought your previous comment was interesting
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Greg,
Counting contacts, all the connector ports on my PCP board are 6-contact. So NCE is apparently using 6-contact connector ports for all connections and only wiring the LEFT front connector port for track power. That makes inventory easier since you only need to track a single part rather than two.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstageThe rear connector ports on the PCP are all 4-contact.
i thought this was interesting. Does NCE save money by only using a 6 conductor RJ-12 jack for the one carrying track power and 4 conductor jacks everywhere else
at least on my PCP, all the jacks are the same and have 6 conductorsd and NCE UTP schematic below shows 6 conductor RJ-12 jacks
i was wondering why even support carrying track power to another panel. I think it's the ability to have the PCP panel away from the layout and provide power to the track from a distant UTP panel.
Yea, I verified that yesterday, Randy. The rear connector ports on the PCP are all 4-contact.
Looks like they made the right decision to leave off that DPDT switch which would send track power out the rear 6p6c socket. That would only confuse people.
mlehmanUsed alternatively as a throttle on layouts powered by a Power Pro system, the curled cord (4-conductor) is used to connect the Power Cab to the control bus via plugging into a UTP. Then it acts like a standard Power Pro throttle.
it's not the cord that makes it operate as a cab. It's that it receives cabbus poll message sent by the commands station that makes it operate as a regular cab (not a PowerCab).
even if you used a 6 conductor cord on a club layout with a command station, the 2 outside conductors aren't connected to anything on the UTP. (see jack labeled "Right Front" below, which is how the UTP jacks are wired)
if you plugged a PowerCab into the PCP jack with the track connections using a 4 conductor cord, it would come up as a PowerCab beacuse it wouldn't see any cabbus polls. Of course there would be no track power because the PowerCab isn't connected to the track because of the cord.
mlehmanthe flat cable (6 conductor) is used to connect to the layout through the PCP, which feeds it the power provided through the wall wart that powers it.
pins 2 & 5 provide power to the cab/PowerCab on either the PCP or UTP
gregc...at our club, several members will bring their PowerCabs from home and use them, or when operating on a friends layout. When plugged into a layout with a NCE DCC system, they come up as cabs and need unique cab numbers which are easily configurable...
The differemnce comes in which cord is used to plug it in. At home as a Power Cab, the flat cable (6 conductor) is used to connect to the layout through the PCP, which feeds it the power provided through the wall wart that powers it.
Used alternatively as a throttle on layouts powered by a Power Pro system, the curled cord (4-conductor) is used to connect the Power Cab to the control bus via plugging into a UTP. Then it acts like a standard Power Pro throttle.
Additionally, it is (was?) an option to special order a Power Cab with the wireless radio option so no cord would be needed when used on a Power Pro system.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
tstage richhotrain I get what everyone is saying about the use of more than one Power Cab on a layout, but my question is this. Why would you want to use two or more Power Cabs on a layout? Would multiple Power Cabs simply be used as additional throttles? If so, is that the most effective way to approach the use of multiple throttles? Rich Rich, If I were the OP...and I wanted a throttle like my Power Cab...and I had a choice between a ProCab throttle that cost me $150 (discounted) and another Power Cab that costs $180 (discount), I personally would spend the extra $30 because it gives me more options: I can leave PC #1 hooked up to operate my layout I can use PC #2 at my bench (using the 2nd PCP that came with my PC #2) for programming while I operate trains on my layout...or, I (or a friend) can walk over and plug PC #2 either into the RIGHT connector port of the PCP panel for PC #1 or a UTP panel that I have in another location of my layout to operate another locomotive I couldn't accomplish 2 & 3 with just a CAB-06 or a ProCab throttle. Is it the most effective way to approach the use of multiple throttles? - Perhaps not. Is it the most economical way to approach the use of multiple throttles? - No. It does give me the most options though for a little more $$$ than a ProCab throttle. That was the primary point of my earlier thread when I spelled out all the various options to the OP about adding an additional throttle to his home layout. If the OP just wants an extra throttle for his layout, the CAB-06 is just fine and less expensive. Tom
richhotrain I get what everyone is saying about the use of more than one Power Cab on a layout, but my question is this. Why would you want to use two or more Power Cabs on a layout? Would multiple Power Cabs simply be used as additional throttles? If so, is that the most effective way to approach the use of multiple throttles? Rich
Rich,
If I were the OP...and I wanted a throttle like my Power Cab...and I had a choice between a ProCab throttle that cost me $150 (discounted) and another Power Cab that costs $180 (discount), I personally would spend the extra $30 because it gives me more options:
I couldn't accomplish 2 & 3 with just a CAB-06 or a ProCab throttle.
Is it the most effective way to approach the use of multiple throttles? - Perhaps not. Is it the most economical way to approach the use of multiple throttles? - No. It does give me the most options though for a little more $$$ than a ProCab throttle.
That was the primary point of my earlier thread when I spelled out all the various options to the OP about adding an additional throttle to his home layout. If the OP just wants an extra throttle for his layout, the CAB-06 is just fine and less expensive.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hello All,
Have you tried the NCE site?
Under each heading there are a series of White Papers that discuss the topics you have raised.
I looked under the "Throttles and Cabs" section and learned about the differences and applications.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
richhotrainI get what everyone is saying about the use of more than one Power Cab on a layout, but my question is this. Why would you want to use two or more Power Cabs on a layout? Would multiple Power Cabs simply be used as additional throttles? If so, is that the most effective way to approach the use of multiple throttles? Rich
Thanks greg and Randy. That clears up that question. I appreciate your replies.
Originally, the PowerCab only supported one additional throttle. 1.65 expanded that, but with a major bug - if you do a full system reset, it reverted to the original behavior. 1.65B is what you should have, that supports the extra addresses for additional cabs and doesn't have the fallback bug.
If you have a POowerCab and wanted an extra full feature throttle, the only reason to chose another PowerCab over getting just the ProCab would be if you want a spare in case it breaks. Or you want to set up a test track away from the layout and don;t feel like unplugging the PowerCab all the time - because you CAN buy just the PCP and a power supply to accomplish the same thing and move the one PowerCab from the layout to the workshop and back.
If you have a PowerCab and expand by buying a full PH Pro system, or get the SB5, there is NO reason to buy a second PowerCab.
richhotrainWhy would you want to use two or more Power Cabs on a layout?
if you have a PowerCab, it doesn't make sense to buy another
but at our club, several members will bring their PowerCabs from home and use them, or when operating on a friends layout. When plugged into a layout with a NCE DCC system, they come up as cabs and need unique cab numbers which are easily configurable.
(The electronic copies of the PowerCab manual (1.65) says (pg 14) an extra cab must be cab address 3 which implies that only one additional cab can be used on a system with a PowerCab. However, my printed manual says an extra cab must be set to address "3, 4 and/or 5" which implies three additional cabs can be used.)
I own an NCE PH-Pro 5 amp wireless system with two ProCabs used as throttles. I do not own a Power Cab, but I have long considered purchasing one to use on the work bench for programming purposes.
Whenever I see a thread about the Power Cab, I follow along to see what I can learn about the Power Cab. But, for the life of me, I cannot totally follow this thread.
I get what everyone is saying about the use of more than one Power Cab on a layout, but my question is this. Why would you want to use two or more Power Cabs on a layout? Would multiple Power Cabs simply be used as additional throttles? If so, is that the most effective way to approach the use of multiple throttles?
tstageHowever, nothing happens when you press the buttons or engage the throttle because the Power Cab's command station and booster are not connected to the track.
don't know how the PowerCab knows it's not connected to the track. The buttons still allow me to select a loco when i plug it into the PCP jack without the track connections. Of course there's no track power.
regardless of which PCP jack you plug into first, the PowerCab will not see any cabbus signals, operate as a PowerCab and provide track power on the two outside pins of its rj-12 plug. The second PowerCab will see the cabbus signal from the first PowerCab and the 2nd PowerCab will operate as a PowerPro cab.
i guess there's a race if two PowerCabs are plugged into both PCP jacks at the same time. If both come up as PowerCabs, both will drive the cabbus (not good), but only one is connected to the track thru the PCP.
of course, there will only be track power if the PowerCab performing as a PowerCab is plugged into the PCP jack with the track connections
As long as the Power Cab is NOT connected to track power it will behave like a ProCab throttle when connected to either the SB5 or a PH Pro system. That's what essentially happens when you plug the Power Cab into the RIGHT connector port of the PCP panel: It lights up and looks like it's ready to operate your locomotive. However, nothing happens when you press the buttons or engage the throttle because the Power Cab's command station and booster are not connected to the track.
gregcwhen i plug my PowerCab into the club layout it behaves like a PowerPro (yes, i've had to configure the Cab address)
Does your club use a booster?
mlehmanIt's not a documented configuration in the Power Cab manual, so I'd check with NCE before trying that.
when i plug my PowerCab into the club layout it behaves like a PowerPro (yes, i've had to configure the Cab address)
Plugging 2 PowerCabs in to two different PCPs hooked to the same layout is definitely NOT allowed. That would be like connecting 2 command stations of any sort to the same layout with the added no-no of connecting two boosters in parallel.
There is really only one option to turn the PowerCab into a walkaround that you can unplug, and that is to get an SB5 Smart Booster. Then use ONLY the curly cord witht he PowerCab, as it now is really a plain ProCab. It can be unplugged and the trains will keep moving, and you can plug in to any number of plug panels. Doesn't seem like for the layout size, the extra power is needed though, so the SB5 is a rather expensive way to go.
A cab bus panel and CAB06 is still the cheapest way to go, run trains with the CAB06, it can plug in next to the power cab, or in another panel daisy chained from the PCP. The PowerCab must stay put, using the flat cable.
Only if it's a standard throttle that can be set to Address 3. I don't think that can be do that with the Power Cab? But maybe so, except that one would use the curly cable and pretend to be a Power Cab throttle.
And having two Power Cabs hooked up to the same load via the flat cable may cause electrical issues, so I suspect a no-go to avoid letting any smoke out. It's not a documented configuration in the Power Cab manual, so I'd check with NCE before trying that.
Still cheaper to go with an 06 and an extra PCP and move the location of the Power Cab than to buy 2 Power Cabs.
mlehmanYou also would not want to plug in Power Cabs to each PCP at the same time.
doesn't the second detect the cabbus signal and come up as a PowerPro cab?
Note that you can purchase a second PCP and just move the Power Cab to it. These could be wired to feed the layout together, but everything would still go dead when you move the Power Cab from one PCP to the other. You also would not want to plug in Power Cabs to each PCP at the same time.
kenben So I can just use that coily-coil connector cable that came with my NCE Power Cap kit to run between the PCP and UTP panels (using one of the ports off the back of each of course)?
So I can just use that coily-coil connector cable that came with my NCE Power Cap kit to run between the PCP and UTP panels (using one of the ports off the back of each of course)?
Correct. As mentioned, the coily-coil comes with the 4-contact RJ12 cable connectors on the ends.
And I would need to get a 2nd cab controller for the UTP. What would you reconnend for that cab controller? THX
THX
The most economical route would be the CAB-06 throttle. Discounted, it will run you ~$86:
If you want something similar to the Power Cab, the ProCab throttle can be picked up for ~$150, discounted:
The ProCab throttle is essentially the Power Cab minus the command station & booster. This is the throttle that comes with the NCE 5A PH Pro system.
For a little more you could purchase another Power Cab system and use one to power your layout and the other to program your locomotives at your bench. (You would need the 2nd Power Cab's PCP panel and wall transformer set up at your bench to accomplish that.) Whenever you need the additional throttle, just unplug the 2nd Power Cab from your bench and plug it into either the UTP panel or the RIGHT connector port of your PCP panel, as outlined in the earlier diagram provided by Greg.
HTH...
So I can just use that coily-coil connector cable that came with my NCE Power Cap kit to run between the PCP and UTP panels (using one of the ports off the back of each of course)? And I would need to get a 2nd cab controller for the UTP. What would you reconnend for that cab controller?