Considering Digitrax, MRC, and NCE Systems...Your Preference?

[CbarM]

I just ordered a NCE PowerCab set up to get started with. After all the reading on here about DCC systems, I determined that it was the best to get me going...less problems, most user friendly and affordable. Im pretty sure I saw a poll on this subject once here somewhere...maybe try a search...

While I am at it...I am in the process of wiring up a new layout. I assume that DCC is similar in wiring to DC where there has to be power to all rails on one side and ground to the other? So far I have been soldering all my joints and adding feeders every 5 feet and at all 3 sides of each switch...just want to make sure I am not doing it wrong...

 

[kbkchooch]

Alan,
Yeah, its the Mac vs PC thing, Ford vs Chevy, big bootie vs little bootie thing

I also use JMRI for diesel Tsunamis, steam Tsunamis , speed matching, and anything else I can use it for. One main reason? If your entire rosters settings are stored in your PC, if you do have a decoder die or go brain dead, it can be easily restored!!

Tuna... many polls have been taken,,just check the archives..the latest is maybe 6 months old!!

CbarM Sounds like a good start....just remember..you got questions, we got answers!! (and sometimes they're right!)

 

[kencunningham]

FYI, NCE is coming out with a new version for the powercab, i believe it is v1.28 now. I emailed them about getting a replacement eprom since my unit is about 6 years old, and they replied back that i should wait 1 or 2 months and a new version would be available. I have no idea what the uprades will be, the email just said to keep a eye on the website for updates. Hopefully i will be getting alot of new functionality, especially since mine is the v1.1 version.

O, the powercab is not hard to learn to use at all. I should know since ive only gotten into the train thing in the last 3 months. I have no knowledge of any other system, however i did notice that the local train club uses the digitrax.

 

[Cjcrescent]

...

I also use JMRI for diesel Tsunamis, steam Tsunamis , speed matching, and anything else I can use it for. One main reason? If your entire rosters settings are stored in your PC, if you do have a decoder die or go brain dead, it can be easily restored!!

That's one of the reasons I use the JMRI. I have to program many more locos than just my own. I believe that I have the locos of 6 different rosters on mine. I also have saved these to CD's to make sure if there is a "crash" I can still retrieve the info. Probably the most important reason I use it instead of the throttle, is pure convenience.

The most important thing I believe that JMRI does is speed matching. I have one set of 2 diesels that I run as a consist. One is a Atlas/Kato RS-1 and the other is a P2K FA-2. They are also matched to all my other diesels, (grand total of 6), in case they ever are run together. I have these locos well matched. It was easy to do on the computer. Try doing it on a throttle. I even have my steam speed matched when appropriate. I have speed matched my Bowser 2-8-0, for example, to a Bachmann 2-8-0, 2-10-0, and to an Overland SRR 2-8-0. All of my 2-10-2's 2 brass, and 1 Bowser, are matched to each other, and both my Artics are matched to each other. My 4-6-0's are all speed matched to each other.

While basic programming is easily done on a throttle, any throttle for that matter, some of the more "exotic" but still essential programming is so much easier on JMRI.

As to the polls, I did a search just on the past year, and two polls came up on system preference. In the oldest one Digitrax was preferred by 24, and NCE was preferred by 12.
The most recent one had Digitrax used by 44, and NCE was used by 39. Nothing can be inferred by these polls. They were totally informal with a small casusal group.

 

[Cjcrescent]

...I could have made the NCE work on Larry's layout, but I also would have ended up ripping about half of his wiring out in the process...

That was pretty much what I told him when he asked for my help with it, a long time before he got sick. I told him that by taking all the wiring out, and leaving just the feeders, I could get his layout wired appropriately for DCC in about 2 weeks. He refused. This is the biggest restriction that we have had to deal with on this beautiful layout. He still claims that there is nothing wrong with the wiring! Maybe I need to see if I can get him over to my layout to see how reliable a properly wired layout can be.