EZ-Track and NCE Powercab


NorthTexasRailroad

NorthTexasRailroad

Well-Known Member
I'm currently running DC on my layout, but I want to switch to DCC for a variety of reasons. NCE Powercab seems like the way to go for an entry-level DCC system, but I wasn't sure how well it will work with connecting to EZ-Track. I read elsewhere on a blog to simply cut the wired connector that comes with EZ-Track (see link below) to splice into the NCE Powercab and then plug the other end into the EZ-Track terminal rerailer. Anyone had experience doing this? I could get the Bachmann DCC controller, but it doesn't seem very good and I may switch to a different track for a future layout.

Rerailer wire
 
I have NCE, and like it very much. I didn't know hardly anything about DCC when I first started out with using NCE, but it was (and still is) very user friendly and quite easy to learn. Hush, I'll let you in on a little secret if you promise not to tell anyone else........ NCE's PowerCab is a totally full-featured system! The only thing that makes it entry level is the small transformer that limits the amount of locos you can run at one time. Outside of that, it'll do absolutely everything it's bigger brethren will do!!! Cool, huh? :cool:👍

Thoughts and experience with a few other brands: I have used and read a little about Digitrax DCC control, but in my opinion, it just doesn't seem quite as intuitive as NCE. For instance, it seems like Digitrax might have 10 pages of instructions to explain one feature, whereas NCE does it in two or three sentences. Bachmann DCC is a very rudimentary DCC system and fairly limited in what in can do. I haven't ever been around the MRC Prodigy DCC system, but I understand it is a lot like the NCE system, and therefore also easy to learn and use.

And not a problem at all in splicing your EZ track connector to an NCE PowerCab (or any other DCC controller). Whether you have just a plain old DC power pack or else a hi-tech DCC controller, the main goal is to simply hook two wires up to the track - one wire to each rail. And how you go about hooking those two wires up is totally up to you. Just make sure you end up with good, solid electrical connections, and you'll be good to go! :)👍
 
Glad to hear it won't be too hard using a Powercab with EZ track. With a 5x12 foot size layout, will I need a lot of feeders to the track? It seems that I've people say you need them every few feet and then others have said with a small layout they are not needed. Thoughts?
 
On a layout of that size, two feeder hook-ups should be enough, but four would be better. You could use additional rerailer tracks or simply solder wires to the track, although I don't know how easy that is with EZ Track,, since I don't have any experience with it.
 
NorthTexasRailroad said:
I'm currently running DC on my layout, but I want to switch to DCC for a variety of reasons. NCE Powercab seems like the way to go for an entry-level DCC system, but I wasn't sure how well it will work with connecting to EZ-Track. I read elsewhere on a blog to simply cut the wired connector that comes with EZ-Track (see link below) to splice into the NCE Powercab and then plug the other end into the EZ-Track terminal rerailer. Anyone had experience doing this? I could get the Bachmann DCC controller, but it doesn't seem very good and I may switch to a different track for a future layout.

Rerailer wire
Click to expand...
You say you are currently running DC locomotives on you layout. A WORD OF CAUTION: You CANNOT run your DC locomotives with DCC! You would burn out the DC motors UNLESS you install DCC decoders wired between the DC motors and the DCC pickups, PLUS insulating the motors from the frames.

When I added DCC with sound to my DC layout, I had far too many DC locomotives to convert, either for cost or time. (Been in HO scale for 68+ years!) I already had my latest layout set up for block system, so each block had its own set of two-rail wiring. What I did was to add a master control consisting of a Double Pole-Double Throw (DPDT) toggle switch to my main control panel. This is wired as if it were two Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT switches side-by-side, NOT wired like a reversing switch. Connect the center terminals to the main bus bar leading to the tracks. Connect of set of terminals to the DC power pack, and the other to the NCE Power Cab. (Keep in mind that some DPDT toggles are wired internally so that when the toggle points to the left, the internal wiring may connect to the righthand terminals, and when the toggle points to the right, the left terminals are the ones connected. You may have to test this out with a ohmeter.

Now, you may ask how you can run a DC-only locomotive with a DCC locomotive, and the answer is...YOU CAN'T...unless you install a decoder in the DC engine. As I said, I have too many old DC engines to convert. But, since I am only one person, who may have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time, I just keep the DC engines separate from the DCC. I have converted a few, however. It really isn't much trouble to do it this way!
Best of luck!
 
Not to worry, I certainly realize that I won't be able to run DC on a DCC layout. I only have the starter set loco (DC) currently, but I decided that I will upgrade to a DCC system going forward. I plan to get DCC locos going forward. Just have to save up for my loco and the NCE Powercab to run it. I could potentially convert my DC locomotive, although I'm not sure if the one that comes with the Bachmann Rail Chief set is DCC ready.
 
santafewillie said:
On a layout of that size, two feeder hook-ups should be enough, but four would be better. You could use additional rerailer tracks or simply solder wires to the track, although I don't know how easy that is with EZ Track,, since I don't have any experience with it.
Click to expand...
Would a couple feeders per long side of the loop plus one each on the sidings work?
 

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NorthTexasRailroad said:
Not to worry, I certainly realize that I won't be able to run DC on a DCC layout. I only have the starter set loco (DC) currently, but I decided that I will upgrade to a DCC system going forward. I plan to get DCC locos going forward. Just have to save up for my loco and the NCE Powercab to run it. I could potentially convert my DC locomotive, although I'm not sure if the one that comes with the Bachmann Rail Chief set is DCC ready.
Click to expand...
If you're up to the challenge, you can always install hard-wired decoders in non-DCC ready locos. Most of my N-scale fleet was done this way.

While to this day I still don't mind installing hard-wired decoders, if a loco I want is available DCC ready, it doesn't hurt my feelings. 😁
 
NorthTexasRailroad said:
Not to worry, I certainly realize that I won't be able to run DC on a DCC layout. I only have the starter set loco (DC) currently, but I decided that I will upgrade to a DCC system going forward. I plan to get DCC locos going forward. Just have to save up for my loco and the NCE Powercab to run it. I could potentially convert my DC locomotive, although I'm not sure if the one that comes with the Bachmann Rail Chief set is DCC ready.
Click to expand...
I can't find anything that says it's DCC ready, just that it has an operating headlight, but most locomotives are DCC ready, to convert it isn't very difficult, unless it's a split chassis, that's also quite easy, just more involved to do.
 
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