# Can I add a second hand-held cab?



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Can I add a second hand-held Powercab controller so I can store more locomotive addresses? Six is the limit on a single controller.

I would also like to be able to run two trains on one mainline using one controller, and two trains on the second main in the opposite direction with a second controller.

Can this work and if so, how is the second controller connected to the system? Via the coiled cord in the second fascia jack?


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Nevermind. I found what I was looking for. It is possible and I have a setup diagram and instructions for programming the second controller.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

The Roco z21 system will let you keep 20, 30, or more locos (or multi-unit consists) ready for instant access...


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Michael

Your DCC controller does feed all tracks in the
layout, I assume. That being the case, your
main controller and any other hand held controller
can run any trains anywhere on your layout.

Are you sure your controller can store only 6 addresses?
That seems a small number. My Bachmann EZ
controller had 10 addresses.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

J.Albert1949 said:


> The Roco z21 system will let you keep 20, 30, or more locos (or multi-unit consists) ready for instant access...


Dude, do you own stock in Roco, or get a commission every time they sell one? Because you sure give them the hard sell every chance you get.

That isn't really relevant to the question at hand, because he has an NCE Powercab. It sounds like gloating.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

DonR said:


> Michael
> 
> Your DCC controller does feed all tracks in the
> layout, I assume. That being the case, your
> ...


The Powercab is only capable of holding six locomotive addresses. If I knew how to hack it to store more I would. Six seems like a strange number in the digital world. I would think 8 or 16 would be a max.


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## graywolf06 (Aug 14, 2019)

The Powercab only stores 6 locos at one time that's true but if you have more locos in your fleet you only have to swap those in the PCab with the new ones you want to run. This is done using the Select Loco button. It is doubtful that you would want to or even be physically capable of running 6 locos at one time. That would looking for a massive headache. I find anything more than 3 at a time to be a handful. The Powercab is a great system. Have fun.


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## ncrc5315 (Jan 25, 2014)

I don't think he wants to necessarily wants to run six at once, just would like to be able to have more then six in the stack to recall.


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## ncrc5315 (Jan 25, 2014)

J.Albert1949 said:


> The Roco z21 system will let you keep 20, 30, or more locos (or multi-unit consists) ready for instant access...


The ESu Cab Control, has a touch screen display, and can store 16,000, so what's your point.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

ncrc5315 said:


> I don't think he wants to necessarily wants to run six at once, just would like to be able to have more then six in the stack to recall.


Thank you. I knew someone would 'get it'.


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## graywolf06 (Aug 14, 2019)

ncrc5315 said:


> I don't think he wants to necessarily wants to run six at once, just would like to be able to have more then six in the stack to recall.


I understand that but it only takes a matter of seconds to update the roster in the Pcab. I suppose that if you have so many extra locos you can't remember the address numbers on the engines. The problem I see with the Pcab is that if you have a full roster you have to scroll thru them in order to get to the one you want to control. When I am running 2 or 3 locos I delete the engines I am not currently using so that I can get to the engine I want quickly. THis entails reducing the roster size to 2 or 3 so that only those engine show on the screen. I am not familiar with other brands but if you can store hundreds of numbers it would seem that you have remember the number of the engine you want to control to find it. Maybe someone can tell me how that works..


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I use the type of locomotive rather than the cab number. I have no duplicates in my roster so remembering the type of locomotive is easier than remembering a random cab number.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

MichaelE said:


> I use the type of locomotive rather than the cab number. I have no duplicates in my roster so remembering the type of locomotive is easier than remembering a random cab number.


Except that the cab number is printed right there on the locomotive. Makes it pretty darn easy for me to remember....

Not that your way is wrong, you're just making "cab number" sound harder than it is.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

The locomotive type is right there on the front of the locomotive too.

It's easier to remember the type than the cab number for me.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

The topic (and responses to my post) motivated me to see just how many engines I have available on my wifi tablet (Samsung S2).

Total:
*26.*
I can select any one of them in one second with a swipe of the finger.
I normally keep 2 engines running at any moment (sometimes 3), but I often run 4 or 5 different locos during an operating session. Since some may be "near the front of the list", and others "at the end", the ability to "scroll through" the list quickly is essential.

Again, I can pick any one out of the 26 in one second or less, and control that loco immediately.

Here's the normal setup when I'm using the tablet. 2 engines can be run side-by-side. You can see the scrolling list at the bottom:








I can also display ALL the engines at once, and pick any one (I've set both controls up, with scrolling to show additional engines on the right:


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