# must you use a walkaround controller



## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

I have the bachman ez command dcc controller .would like to add second controller, but being told by several it has to be the walkaround controller. so I pose this question to the gurus. why ?? the only differenc I can find is the color !! they both have same circuitry. both have IO ports. as long as you run only one power supply for both shouldn't be any conflict right !! so hey guys explain to newbie please!!


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

I'm not familiar with the system you're talking about...However,YOU CAN'T RUN TWO COMMAND STATIONS TOGETHER,whatever the brand,unless one can be converted to a booster.Two components sending conflicting infos to a same circuitry will create havoc in no time,and likely smoke along with it.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

uh .. nope ...
the main unit has an integral circuitry to feed power [along with dcc data] to the track.. one powered unit will not feed power back to the unpowered unit either ..with both units powered there is no way to synchronize the actual dcc ,voltage waveform and the magic smoke gets out...quite likely both of them... the 44907 companion walk around is longer offered by bachmann, but you might be able to find one on ebay .. some other brands use seperate logic [handheld] and power units, when you hook them up [properly] they will synchronize the dcc waveform .betwen supplies [boosters]. at one time mrc command 2000 units could be hooked together with a mfgr supplied Y cable,this cable blocked power but fed control data, and another seperate supply [booster] was required, but those are obsolete as well...if you prefer bachmann you may want to look at the dynamis line..??


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*must you use the walkaround controller*

Hi Wgvca :: I am not the brightest tech, but that was my thinking that you could use a stock controller as an extra handheld/walkaround. you are only linking the secondary to the main controller via the I/O port and not hooking it to a power supply therefore it only transfers data to the main controller and is not hooked to the track other wise!! like a set of secondary toggle switches powered by a main bank of switches. apparently no one has tried this with the bachman controllers, I cant see paying high price for the walkaround box which is in short supply no longer made, and I see plenty of the standard boxes running loose . Thank you for your reply !!


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

gandy_dancer#1 .. it probably wont work, but go ahead and try if you wish ... the ez command was lenz re-design, and the I/O port was 'first version' Xbus, uses 4 of the 6 pins only ... and outputs 12v [to power the walk around controller], and rs485 data through a RJ12 connector . Xbus has been superceded by the XpressNet protocol, but is very similar.. the main question is while the command station does output power and data, I have no idea if it can INPUT power through the xbus port to make it operational... You may want to look for an Atlas, Roco or Lenz walkaround controller ..


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## RT_Coker (Dec 6, 2012)

wvgca said:


> gandy_dancer#1 .. it probably wont work, but go ahead and try if you wish ... the ez command was lenz re-design, and the I/O port was 'first version' Xbus, uses 4 of the 6 pins only ... and outputs 12v [to power the walk around controller], and rs485 data through a RJ12 connector . Xbus has been superceded by the XpressNet protocol, but is very similar.. the main question is while the command station does output power and data, I have no idea if it can INPUT power through the xbus port to make it operational... You may want to look for an Atlas, Roco or Lenz walkaround controller ..


Do you have any idea where the 12v & ground pin-outs might be on this RJ12? Sounds like a good accessory power source to me. I have one that was dead on arrival, I may open it up for some investigation. Thanks in advance.
Bob


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

middle two pins are data, outside end pins aren't used ... so pins 2 and 5, not sure which is power or ground off hand... not sure how much accessory power [current] that it would put out .. only used for [1] power the handheld walk around, and [2] to enable power on of accessory booster ,, if it's a DOA, why not try??

edit: forgot that some versions of ez command used 8pin rj45, only center four pins used.


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