I'm getting ready to start purchasing components for my new layout build. What do y'all recommend for DCC controls? A quick Google search suggests the NCE PowerCab and Digitrax Zephyr Express are popular. If you have one of those please let me know how you like it. If you have something else you recommend I'd love to hear it! I want to be able to make engine consists and I want to be able to run at least 2-3 trains at once (with room for expansion if I build a larger layout in the future). I'm interested in THIS system (Digitrax EVOX Evolution Express Advanced 5A/8A Starter Set) because it says it does intelligent autoreverse and will allow for more engines than I'll ever buy (among other things), but it may be more than I really need. It also has a wireless handheld controller, which is desirable. Thoughts?
I have the NCE PowerCab Starter set basically, and really like it. I run 3-4 N Scale DCC locomotives on my small 2' x4' layout. There is also some kind of 5 amp booster I don't need or know a lot about. Others will say Digitrax, etc... Watch some YouTube videos and see what you think you might like. It's basically what you start out with and get used too I have noticed, for the most part. In the end it comes down to what you prefer. You did say wireless though, and I don't know a lot about that. I think they can all do that now? Good luck choosing
Well I'm highly biased towards DCC-EX. Up to now you had to build the command station. That only takes about an hour and requires no soldering or software work and you can have a DCC Command Station that has a lot of features. Some that none of the commercial command stations don't have. For instance the ability to run DC and DCC locos on the layout with the same wireless hand throttle at the same time in different blocks. All for less than $100 if you go the DIY course. But now you can buy the complete command station with WiFi for about $150 ready to wire to the track. Wire to the track and plug a power supply in and you are running trains in 5 minutes with it. It works with phone throttles with apps like EngineDriver, which again has lots more options than most commercial throttles. It will also work with commercial WiFi throttle like TCS's UWT-50 & TWT-100 Wifi Throttles. You can also build wireless handheld throttles for less than $50. I have a couple of those. You get 24/7 support via their Discord channel on the internet and from a lot of us that use it. Here is a good video.... .... and you can run consists and multiple trains at the same time very easily. https://dcc-ex.com/#gsc.tab=0 Take a look and ask questions. Sumner
Digitrax Zephyr is completely sufficient for now. Everything works with it. With 3.5A track power there is enough power.
@Sumner - You're telling me THIS little gadget will give me all the DCC and/or DC controls I need and allow me to use my phone or tablet as a throttle? What am I missing? Seems too good to be true.
Suggest taking a look at DCC-EX. Using for >4 years and its been rock solid. Plus, one can go with their Ready to Run system or a DIY system. Features include DCC or DC, from running only locos to eg. turnouts, signals, lighting, sensors, turntables. Top notch support 24-7-365 via Discord.
I'm just glad I came into DCC later in the game. And by passed it at the beginning. There are so many options now and I would think it has improved a ton since DCC first came out? When did DCC first come out? I still prefer a manufactured system like the NCE PowerCab, but that is just me. Because my layout is so small I don't care about wireless, but think that the future to get mew people in the hobby wireless is a BIG plus. Anything to grow the hobby is good. Although DCC locomotives can still be very costly. But here is a secret, watch the Swap Meet here on Trainboard. I got my NCE PowerCab here at a GREAT price, and also most locomotives and rolling stock over time. You just have to be patient for the Swap Meet, and get very lucky like me I also buy what looks good to me, nothing really prototypical. You sound like a DCC-EX type person? Some people really like the DIY stuff, me not Have fun choosing!
Yep.... Yep, to some extent DCC-EX has in the past been DIY stuff but for the last couple years that title has kind of been blurred. Yes you still had to order 3 or 4 components from an online source and spend 10-15 minutes plugging them together, no soldering wires or anything like assembling an electronics kit. Then connect those to the internet with a USB cable and go to the web site and their auto installer, similar to downloading a new program to your computer, and you were done. Connect the command station to the tracks like any other command station, connect the power supply and run trains. That is still an option but now one can buy the complete DCC-EX command station like in the link he posted (THIS) and connect it to your tracks and run trains in a couple minutes. Can't get any simpler than that . Here is a video where I'm trying to run 3 locos on my small test track at the same time with a throttle I built for under $50 but I could of used my phone or a tablet to do the same thing. The command station could handle it and a few more but I personally was limited in pulling it off on the small track. Sumner
Are you new to DCC? Do you belong to a club or have a club near you? If you do, see what they run. There's nothing like a live breathing person to help you with your questions and understanding and you will have questions and MISunderstanding. Also, do you plan to run your trains at shows? What do people use there? Nothing like getting a system where you can't play with other people, unless you are a lone wolf. All DCC systems now a days can do all the basic stuff that allows you to run multiple trains, do consisting, program CVs, etc.
The Digitrax EVOX is a nice system which will give you the program track and a nice 602 throttle. The 602 throttle is the key improvement over just a DCS52 as you can do many things with it and it's tethered. The 602 throttle has some menu driven tasks which help make things easier. If you are looking at the price point the NCE Powercab is your best choice for the programming capabilities, easy advanced consisting as the default, and enough power for your 10x6 project. This subject often gets very deep so focus on your immediate needs vs where you think you may be many years later. All systems are expandable. I have the Duplex version of the EVOX and was a committed NCE user in the past. I still like NCE, but my friends play with Digitrax. My garage sized layout project has the EVOX(210) as the command station and an old DB150 for accessories, but I will soon need a booster for additional track district power needs. The best thing you can do to help make a decision is to gain experience with each system.
I've been looking at Digitrax DCS52 for a smallish track. It's good enough to run 20 locos. It can also power a seperate programming track. If I add a Digitrax LNWI with a simple cable I can control the trains via my phone with WIThrottle or Engine Driver. Its very basic and no JMRI. I've also been considering Sumners favourite system DCC-EX, ............. and I did solder something electrical together over the last few days (a miracle). I'll tell you what it is if it gets the OK to put power through it.
Just so you know the DCC-EX command station also powers two track outputs stock. Either can be a programming track or either can be separate mains or joined as one main. Also either can be a DC track at the same time the other is a DCC track and you can run a DC engine on one and a DCC engine on the other at the same time with an android phone running EngineDriver (the phone doesn't have to have a service plan). You can also use an Apple phone but don't know how easy it is to change track outputs with it between DC and DCC and main and program. If you are Apple I'd highly recommend getting a cheap non-service Android and using Peter's EngineDriver app as it has so many features. A large number of clubs now use phone throttles so the same throttle should work on their layout also (check). Either can be set for up to 5 amps of power. I set mine at 2 amps being N scale and you can run a lot of locos at the same time on 2 amps but you have a choice as to what amperage you want to operate at. For $40 you can add a second motorshield that plugs right into the top of the command station and have two more track outputs available. This would give you 4 separate power districts with all able to run as DC or DCC at the same time. You can switch between one or the other with EngineDriver on an Android phone (the phone doesn't have to have a service plan). The phones and other commercial WiFi or home-built throttles connect via WiFi. The WiFi is in the command station (not an add-on that costs more). On another note.....my test track is small and up to now I use a DPDT switch to change it back and forth between DC and DCC as I have a lot of locos I bought for my time period that were never DCC and need to be hardwired to decoders to convert them to DCC. I've done a number but have more to go than I'll probably ever be able to convert. I've used an older Tech II throttle on the small layout for DC control. Even on the small layout I really like being able to use a wireless handheld throttle and not be tied to the fixed position Tech II. Now I can run DC locos there with the handheld WiFi throttle if I want. I'm changing the large layout with 8 power districts over from DCC boosters to all DCC-EX boosters so I will be able to run a DC loco on any part of the large layout. For you DC only guys you could use this command station as your command station for your present DC layout and be able to run multiple DC locos on it with a phone throttle in different districts at the same time with a phone or some other WiFi throttles. If you wanted to try a DCC loco at some point the phone throttle will change any of the districts to DCC to run that loco on. How convenient would that be for $150? Sumner
Thanks for all of the input! With it's price point and capabilities it seems to me like DCC-EX is the way to go. @Sumner - I'm assuming if you're running DCC-EX in DC mode it operates just like any other DC system in that any DC locomotive on the track is going to go. Is that correct? I plan to have all of my locos be DCC since I'm starting from scratch and can buy them that way, but I'm just curious. Actually, the Kato starter kit that's being delivered today has a DC loco but I'll convert it to DCC once I get the layout up and running.
That is correct, if there are 3 locos in that power district they are all going to move like any DC system. If you have more than one you have to remove it or move it to a track where you can turn the power off for that track. Another advantage with DCC, only the loco that you call up on your throttle will move. With the DCC-EX in DC mode for a power district you assign a number like what you would do for a loco to that track. Then with the throttle you call up that number like it was a loco on your roster. Then the throttle treats the track as a DC loco and sends more or less voltage to the track like a DC throttle would along with changing the polarity of the track for direction. Lots more info on it here.... https://dcc-ex.com/trackmanager/index.html#gsc.tab=0 Sumner
The DCS52 has the USB interface where the older units do not. Also, you could easily add a tethered 602 to use with it to gain the easier menu driven tasks. From what I have read the programming power is still lacking compared to the Powercab or the 5 amp Digitrax systems.
One of the nice plusses with DCC EX is to be able to push out EX Track Manager DCC or DC modes via routes on Engine Driver. While I run 99% DCC its nice to have option to run DC Locos. eg my simple screen. The 4th route -- Loco 1111 is actually assigning the track segment attached to the command station's B output (default is program track) to DC. Essentially, the track segment is numbered rather than the loco as in DCC. Not only can you control throttle but via EngDrv + DCC EX can do throttle labels, turnouts and lighting pretty easily too! 4 separate screens snipped.
I have used the NCE PowerCab since 2021 when I converted from HO. I typically run 6 engines at a time on the layout with another 6-10 idling in the yards. The total current draw ranges between 800mA to about 1Amp depending on the length of the trains I am running- well within the 2Amp rating of the PowerCab. I have expansion plans when we relocate later this year. When I had 15 engines idling and 6 running, the output voltage did drop a bit to about 13.5 to 13.7V, instead of ~14.2V. I talked to Ed at NCE last week. He suggested simply adding the NCE SB5 booster if I need additional current in the rails. I have the JMRI connection hard wired into the layout, but have not bothered using it in about 18 months.
Start with a starter set from Digitrax or NCE etc. You can expand these systems as you wish. All common decoders can be programmed. Everything is open to expansion. It's just a question of money.
There are additional, very good choices in off-the-shelf, commercial DCC systems out there beyond NCE and Digitrax, which support NMRA-standard RailCom transponding* (where the loco communicates back to the command station while running or programming.) TCS has sold drop-in DCC locomotive decoders for many different locomotives for a long time, but they also have a handheld, wired DCC system/throttle similar to the PowerCab, and a larger 5 amp system with wireless throttles, plus available 5 amp boosters. TCS' wireless throttles are quite popular, and compatible with either JMRI, or NMRA-Std LCC, WiFi throttle protocols. TCS command stations and decoders support RailCom transponding*. MRC (Model Rectifier Corporation) also offers DCC systems, but I don't know a lot about them. I have heard enough problems with their decoders to avoid those. However, they are reportedly working on a new DCC system with RailCom support. Their DC power packs are legendary. ESU, a European provider, also provides DCC systems and locomotive decoders. They are best known for their excellent LOK-sound decoders for locomotives, but they also make Lok-Pilot non-sound locomotive decoders. Their DCC systems and decoders also support RailCom transponding*. Their decoders have fantastic motor control, especially for very slow (scale walking speed) performance. Zimo, another European DCC system provider, also offers DCC systems and decoders with sound and excellent motor control, but are not as well supported in the US as ESU is. Zimo decoders also support RailCom*. No matter what DCC system you use, I strongly recommend free JMRI software, which makes programming (configuring) locomotive decoders SO MUCH EASIER! JMRI also remembers your locomotives' programming, so that restoring a decoder to its previous state is much easier. Plus, JMRI provides plain language descriptions of registers and their sub-fields, what they do, etc. *RailCom transponding provides feedback from the locomotive's decoder to the command station (similar to Digitrax transponding, but in an NMRI-standard way.) With properly wired and equipped layouts, RailCom can provide train location information back to the command station (as can Digitrax with their transponding system.) Railcom is also used during decoder programming to provide much faster decoder readback during programming-on-the-main, even while other locomotives are running. Neither NCE nor Digitrax support Railcom.
i have not been here in a while but i too am very partial to dccex system it just works great . i built my own system with lots of help from sumner and others. its cheap and works great. now its even better you can buy a prebuilt system you just plug and go..