# dcc systems



## union pacific 844 (Jan 29, 2013)

what do use for your dcc railroad ? thinking about getting nce Power Cab to power my ho railroad what your thought on nce Power Cab?


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## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

I have some friends that use the Power Cab and they like the system. I have been considering one for my work shop in the other room for test running and setting up decoders instead of running a cab buss line to the other end of the basement. How ever I use the Power Pro on my layout and I do notice some of the limitations of the Power Cab when running on their layouts. I don't remember what they are off hand, since I forget about the differences when I get back on my layout.

Curtis


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I'm using Digitrax and with over $2K invested in the Digitrax system, I don't think I'm about to change. 5 command stations, main power supply, a couple DT402 throttles, a few DT100R throttles, a UT4D controller, almost a dozen UP5s, a UR 91 and 92, 3 each of PB42s, DB168s and SE8Cs and a couple of DS64s.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

union pacific 844 said:


> what do use for your dcc railroad ? thinking about getting nce Power Cab to power my ho railroad what your thought on nce Power Cab?


If you are going to stick to just a basic system for running of the trains the Power Cab is fine.

One nice step up from the Power Cab is the Power Pro.

Ken and I (and others) have computer automated layouts and for that the NCE systems have certain important limitations.

I happen to prefer the handheld throttles of the NCE system BUT the limitations prevent me from using it for my automated system.

Just running trains and full automation pretty much represent the entire span of of possible uses for a DCC system.


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## JerryH (Nov 18, 2012)

Digitrax Super Chief


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## Mark R. (Jan 26, 2013)

I'm always the oddball when this topic comes up ....

ESU EcoS with Lenz based wireless throttles !

Mark.


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## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

D&J Railroad said:


> I'm using Digitrax and with over $2K invested in the Digitrax system, I don't think I'm about to change. 5 command stations, main power supply, a couple DT402 throttles, a few DT100R throttles, a UT4D controller, almost a dozen UP5s, a UR 91 and 92, 3 each of PB42s, DB168s and SE8Cs and a couple of DS64s.


Power Cab isn't intended to replace and won't replace a high end Digitrax system or an NCE Power Pro system. I have a couple grand in my NCE Power Pro System also, and still adding to it. Some of my friends have the Power Cab system and they like it and I liked enough to consider one as a tool at my work area so I don't have to power up a bunch of boosters and let all of the sound units sit there and make noise while I'm in the other room working on models, especially when no one is in the train room listening or running them. 

As far as your DCC system, you make your choice and build on the system. The same is true for Nikon and Canon DSLR cameras many of the lenses cost more than the camera and it doesn't make sense to jump from one brand to the other when the lenses are not interchangeable.

Curtis


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## hirailer (Oct 24, 2013)

I run RailPro and I love it. For about $400.00 I get a complete state of the art wireless control system. The only additional cost is the engine modules which I am adding as I go along. Nothing else to buy. It certainly isn't something for someone who already has a sizable investment in DCC, but is great for someone like me who is coming from a DC operation.

Mel


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## rzw0wr (Aug 28, 2013)

I had no idea about DCC or the companies when I started about 18 months ago.
I read a few books and most mentioned Digitrax at the time. I bought Digitrax because of that.
It is nice, works well, a little difficult to understand sometimes.
I have heard here that some others are worth the money and work better for the beginner.
Most I hear about are expandable.


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## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

hirailer said:


> I run RailPro and I love it. For about $400.00 I get a complete state of the art wireless control system. The only additional cost is the engine modules which I am adding as I go along. Nothing else to buy. It certainly isn't something for someone who already has a sizable investment in DCC, but is great for someone like me who is coming from a DC operation.
> 
> Mel


For most modelers you buy the system and a bunch of decoders or new engines and your up and running. For some like the D&J railroad and my railroad that is not the case. These are large layouts that allow for many operators, for which he stated he has 5 cabs and I have 6 which means a lot more locomotives running at one time. On my layout most of my trains have four engines pulling the train and sound systems onboard which means more power used by the train and other sound units using power so you can here the engines idle. Then some of your friends come over with throttle apps on their smart phone looking for your router to connect to your computer and you have more operators. Then two or more trains are following each other on each of the double track main lines and on the branch line Don't forget the switchers working the yards and I have over 100 decoder equipped locomotives on the layout with about 20% are equipped with sound. This all translates into more power consumption and to feed all that I have 20 amps of power boosters. Then you need to control all of that amperage with power districts and circuit breakers to prevent the whole layout from shutting down with one short. For that reason my layout is broken into 12 power districts and the circuit breakers are set at 3 amps so it won't trip the command station circuit breaker. That's why we have a couple grand of cash in our DCC systems! I hope that explains the big price tag.

Curtis


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