track booster

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


I couldn't see why not. I've got a DB100a (4.5 amp) that I use with my Free-mo module. At our last setup that one unit was powering a 35' district with up to four trains running on it.
 
I'm not sure I understand your question. A booster will not allow you to read CV's in the OPS mode any more than the standard Zephyr. You should be able to write almost any CV to an engine on a relatively small layout without the need of a booster. Why exactly do you want to buy a booster and what do you hope it will do for you?
 


Absolutely false.
I have six locos with QSI sound, some factory installed, some Revolution decoders, and they ALL program just fine using my NCE Powercab.
 
Well, do you program on the main or on a programming track? If you program on the main, then I guess it isn't a problem.
 
There were some systems that would not program/read QSI sound decoders on program track without powerpac of sort wired into the program wires.

Older Lenz only needed a 10 ohm resistor in series in one of the prgm wires.

Newer Lenz(v3.6) don't as NCE powercab and ECOS do not either.

Soundtraxx Tsunami's also needed a powerpac with some systems on prgrm track.
Lenz, Zimo, ECOS did not need anything.

Ian
 
I normally use a program track, but can also use the main.

I only have one Tsunami and have not encountered any difficulty with it either.
 
Scott, you should not need a booster for the track on a 12x3 layout to run your locos and a track booster does not have anything to do with programming capability. Programming is entirely a different animal and if done using Ops mode while on the main(digitrax), again you shouldn't need a booster of any kind. In the Ops Mode, there is plenty of juice for programming on the main (track power).

However, when programming on a "programming track" using Page Mode, some decoders may need a "Programming Track Booster" that will provide about 160 ma of power instead of ~60ma. Some people have needed this booster for older QSI's and I needed one for the older Tsunami.

Unless something has changed, Digitrax does not allow a read of the CV's unless you are in Page Mode. That mode is always used with a programming track and not the mainline.
 
Last edited by a moderator:


Digitrax allows a read-back of CVs on page and direct mode. (and maybe hex mode too, but I'm not sure since I never use it)

Some sound decoders require read-back to be programmed.
 
I am not able to program my QSI decoder or mrc on my programing track, From what i hear I need a booster, because there is no enough juice to read the decoder. I am only running it with the default address. I get the error saying it can't read the decoder.
 
As per the D'trax manual, OPS mode can read back CV's IF you have transponding decoders AND transponding detectors. For a "normal" setup, only Page Mode will read CV values and requires the use of the programming track, as noted by Rex.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top