MRC Black Box

[eaglepass]

I run DC and have not converted to DCC, however I have five or six DCC equipped locos with sound. These are all equipped with duel mode decoders and before I found the Black Box I could not control many of the sounds.  I installed the Black Box between the MRC power pack and the track (quite easy to do).  I was amazed at what a difference it made.  I could actually use and control many more sounds and the locomotives actually took off much slower and steadier than before, much like I have seen locos do on DCC layouts.  The one draw back is that different decoders have different addresses so the buttons on the Black Box control different sounds with different decoders.  Other than that, those of you who have duel mode locos and you do not want or have the funds to completely switch to DCC, this is a great product.  I would like to hear what anyone else has experienced with the MRC Black Box.

[mdtell]

I agree.  The Black Box is a great device.  The only drawback I find is that after I press a function button the first time (other than 0 for lights, 1 for bell and 2 for whistle) I have to press the function button twice in order to access the intended effect.  For example, on MTH engines, function 11 sets up coupler slack sound for when the engine starts from stop.  I have to press function 11 twice in order to get the set up.  I use the Black Box to run my MTH engines, my MRC sound engines and my Loksound equiped engines.  It is really a very useful item.