O/T - Lionel TMCCII Legacy Ok, ok... I am laughing while I type this since Lionel is about as far from Z and prototypical as Chucky Cheese is from Hooters. It took me 15 minutes to convince myself to even post this - but we are talking Digital here. Don't know if you guys have seen the new Lionel catelog or not, but the new TMCCII Legacy system actually looks pretty interesting. (Note: they wanted a longer name but couldn't decide between TMCCII Millenium Legacy Edition or TMCII Titanium Superior Edition or TMCII Arm and a Leg Edition - so it's TMCII Legacy for short. Oh yeah, doesn't Legacy mean "old". Humm...) Seriously though, it is interesting that Lionel thinks there is enough of a market to invest the bucks in an pretty elaborate outfit like the new Legacy system. And, if you buy the new Big Boy for $1700 it's free. Wow, what a bargin. Now if you can just afford the 1 mile of GarGraves track to run that TMCII Legacy outfitted Big Boy on you are all set! Anyhow... This got me thinking... do I invest in the NCE PowerCab or wait until the NCEII HFC (Hydrogen Fuel Cell) WiFi Legacy PowerCab system comes out? (Parting shot - Lionel can't make a prototypical fuel tank for their "Modern" motive power but CAN manage to create the HAL 9000+1 DCC system. What's up with that?!)
Yep, you're correct Rob. The PowerCab is an all-in-one 1.5A system that uses a wall-wart (attach to wall supply). Simple deal. Zmon, you won't any more current than that !!! That's about 15 locos in Z scale. You really don't get that many more features nor are you going to use the ones that you get with the more powerful Pro Cab seperate components. For either system, if anyone else has a Pro Cab or simpler display-less cab, they can plug them into your PowerCad.
I am thinking of going digital and after a lot of searching and head scratching I have settled on two to pick from NCE or Gaugemaster. I am not sure which I should go for.I have read up on both. I live in New Zealand. I was looking also which would be best when it comes to upgrading. I run NZR Sn3.5 kit built locomotives. Can you assist me on which way to go. Jim M
Welcome to Trainboard Jim. I cant help you with Gaugemaster. I have no knowledge in the system. With the NCE system, its very easy to use. The programming is a breeze. I highly recommend it.
Jim, this is easy. a system from NCE will be DCC. The Gaugemaster or any of the similar high-frequency products are ONLY for DC. Not for DCC !! (one more ! ). DCC has some unique advantages over plain DC (besides the unique loco addressing, control, direction, lighting effects, sound, etc. ). The basic design switches you motor on/off 10,000-32000 times a second at near full track voltage. So motors, any motor, runs great, just like a quality DC controller. You still have dirty wheel issues with DCC (extremely, extremely small issue) BUT the DCC Decoder in the loco has a little bit of power storage capacity which often carries that loco just far enough to get that loco over the tiny dirt spot, compared to plain DC. The Guagemaster (and similar) are designed to create extremely high voltage (extremely low current) when there is no electrical contact with a dirty wheel. It works on plain DC systems (does not, whatsover, make the motor run better) but is really more noticeable when running plain simple DC power packs. Advanced power packs with PWM (pulse width modulated) will already make a DC loco run better and overcome much of the dirty track issue. For you, the decisions is: Do you want to run several locos on the same track, any speed or direction, without all that block isolation/power switching or, run one train at a time on a single power pack? NCE PowerCab or MRC Prodigy Express: everything you need to get started in 1 package, except for the decoder(s) for the loco(s). .
Hi, I have been told that the Gaugemaster DCC system is made by MRC and uses the same parts under the Gaugemaster name for the UK outlets. Jim M
It appears that Gaugemaster is a UK company that markets a DCC system that appears to be the same unit as the MRC Prodigy controllers (with different face plate). I would add that I have an NCE system. One of my reasons for getting the NCE unit was the wealth of knowledge in the system in Z scale and locally here in California. Maybe you should also be asking what people are using on your side of the world. Mark
I have 2 Gaugemaster units. These devices need to be used with a DC power pack like the MRC 1200 or the Marklin ones. What they do is inject a 2K-3Kv spike into the DC going to your track. The spikes tend to burn off crud and make the motor run better at slower speeds. They work well with Marklin motors. I used mine for several train shows without any I'll effects other than getting a mild shock now and again. I never used them with coreless motors because I switched to DCC when tiny decoders became available about the same time. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
To be clear, Gaugemaster is a brand name, not a specific product. They do sale electronic track cleaners that are for DC and go between the power pack and the track. They also sale DCC systems - the Gaugemaster Prodigy line - as mentioned, repackeged MRC systems.
