# Room-Sized Layout - DCS 240 or DCS 100?



## Dreadnought (Apr 19, 2016)

I'm currently gathering up DCC supplies for the bedroom-sized layout I will (hopefully) be constructing when I move into a new apartment in about a year-and-a-half's time (I will be spending the time between now and then with upgrading and expanding my locomotive and car fleet as well as planning the layout itself). I've already bought some Digitrax throttles so I'm committed to that system, since it's the only one I have experience with and it works well. However, I don't have a Command Station yet. I'm looking into purchasing one, but I'm wondering if I should buy the new Digitrax DCS 240 or the older DCS 100. What's the difference between the two, and will it make a big difference on a ~11x13 HO Scale layout?

If it makes any difference, I do plan to be running 'dead rail' (battery power) on this layout. I will be using a Tam Valley transmitter (attached to the command station/booster) as well as corresponding antennae in my locomotives. If you want more information, read the May 2015 MR or visit https://www.deadrailsociety.com/ . I really hate wiring so this is the main reason I'm choosing to have my railroad this way.


Thanks for any replies! 

Cheers, Dreadnought


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Im not a Digitrax person but seeing as the DCS240 is the new all singing and dancing command station/booster and the DCS100 is about twenty years old its a bit of a no brainer I'd have thought.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

If you're talking power,the DCS 100 should do the job with shining colors for a room size layout.However,the DCS 240 has an incorporated PR3 programmer and USB port for absolutely full programming capabilities with a computer.If you can stretch the extra cash,you'd be set forever I'd say.

The DCS 100 will power seven HO locos (may be more) easily and can read/write decoders by itself but you'd have to buy a PR3 or equivalent if you want to program with a computer,wich I find more practical and easy.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Since your digital controller will be fed ONLY to the
Tam Valley unit you sure don't need a booster. You
could use the controller with the least power output.

My impression of the 'dead rail' system
is that you will have to run a special
car attached to the loco to carry the batteries. There
would not be room in the typical HO loco for them.
You could put them in a steamer's tender.
Then you must turn each loco's power on and
off to save the battery charge...and you must
connect the batteries to a charger. You also
must make wiring changes INSIDE the loco
to connect the battery and Tam Valley receiver.

Does seem a little awkward to me.

But the wiring for DCC is not a serious problem.

You would simply run a 2 wire buss from the
controller mounted at a central point. You would
likely need to branch off the buss to reach 
each area. Then simple drops from the track
connect to the buss. There is no need for
any special wiring. You would not even need
to break up the layout for blocks.

The only possible wiring complexity would be
if you have a 'reverse loop'. But that is handled
automatically by a reverse loop controller. No
special wiring required.

The revisions to each loco seem much more of
a wiring problem than the simplicity of DCC
wiring.

Don


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