Good deal on Nce
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YES! I'm running the same system and am running 7 Loco's on 150+ feet of new track (HO) with just the one power hook up! NO drop feeders yet! GO FOR IT!
However, is this wireless or is this including a power supply? If not it seems a very normal price maybe even a bit high for the unit. I always hunt around for better deals, In fact I usually hunt until I find great deals. I paid much less than this for my wireless system.
I've shopped with Hogtrainsz before. They have the unit I think you are looking at for $365. http://www.hogtrainz.com/NCE.htm That would be free shipping too.
I got the 5 amp PH PRO R with a radio throttle new, was over 500 dollars, so if it has the wireless, for sure I think it's a good buy.
I had to order the power supply separately!
(That REALLY 'browned my biscuits'!) WHAT? A transformer was beyond their capability to include in a STARTER SET??? It's my only real beef with NCE so far! Everything else about their system I have liked! I think 'putting the squeeze' to ya for another 40-50 bucks on a 500+ dollar system was a bit BOGUS!
(This is also why none of the cruise liner ships sail under the American flag. Our rules and regulations are insane.)
Not including the power supply in many DCC systems became standard fare for most DCC manufacturers (not just NCE) from the beginning, but not because of regulations (after all, they do sell the power supplies), and not to get more money out of you. They did it to SAVE you money. DCC manufacturers are not in the business of building power supplies, they are in the business of building DCC systems. When they sell you a power supply, they just purchase it from another company and resell it to you. To do this, they would have to mark up the price of the power supply - even if they didn't make any money on it, they would need to cover having it shipped to them and the cost of handling them. In the early days of DCC when all the DCC manufacturers were low volume operations they couldn't get a much better price on a power supply than an individual, causing it to cost more for the buyer to purchase the power supply through them. Even now, by not forcing you to buy their power supply, you can often save money if you already have one on hand or can get one cheaper somewhere else.
With Ring Engineering, if you don't want to use their power supply you just buy the handheld controller - if you do want to use their power supply you buy the starter set, which is just the handheld controller plus the power supply, so yes the "starter set" does include the power supply.
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new guy
Active Member
YES! I'm running the same system and am running 7 Loco's on 150+ feet of new track (HO) with just the one power hook up! NO drop feeders yet! GO FOR IT!
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
The NCE PRO is one of the best systems out there. That is the base system of what we use at the museum.
However, is this wireless or is this including a power supply? If not it seems a very normal price maybe even a bit high for the unit. I always hunt around for better deals, In fact I usually hunt until I find great deals. I paid much less than this for my wireless system.
I've shopped with Hogtrainsz before. They have the unit I think you are looking at for $365. http://www.hogtrainz.com/NCE.htm That would be free shipping too.
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new guy
Active Member
I got the 5 amp PH PRO R with a radio throttle new, was over 500 dollars, so if it has the wireless, for sure I think it's a good buy.
new guy
Active Member
I had to order the power supply separately!
(That REALLY 'browned my biscuits'!) WHAT? A transformer was beyond their capability to include in a STARTER SET??? It's my only real beef with NCE so far! Everything else about their system I have liked! I think 'putting the squeeze' to ya for another 40-50 bucks on a 500+ dollar system was a bit BOGUS!
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
That way they don't have to deal with all the government regulations and licenses concerning selling 120V electrical equipment to consumers. No United Laboratories testing or approvals, etc. So from this thread I presume that Canada's rules are not so onerous and so they can include the power supply without incurring outrageous overheads.
(This is also why none of the cruise liner ships sail under the American flag. Our rules and regulations are insane.)
hirailer
Member
My RailPro starter set included the power supply. It is included in all their sales in US and Canada. Not including the power supply in DCC systems in just a way of the manufacturer keeping you buying extra stuff. For $300.00 US I got an excellent true wireless system that is all I need to run my 200 feet of track. The only extra cost is the locomotive modules.
Mel
Mel
CSX Robert
Member
Not including the power supply in many DCC systems became standard fare for most DCC manufacturers (not just NCE) from the beginning, but not because of regulations (after all, they do sell the power supplies), and not to get more money out of you. They did it to SAVE you money. DCC manufacturers are not in the business of building power supplies, they are in the business of building DCC systems. When they sell you a power supply, they just purchase it from another company and resell it to you. To do this, they would have to mark up the price of the power supply - even if they didn't make any money on it, they would need to cover having it shipped to them and the cost of handling them. In the early days of DCC when all the DCC manufacturers were low volume operations they couldn't get a much better price on a power supply than an individual, causing it to cost more for the buyer to purchase the power supply through them. Even now, by not forcing you to buy their power supply, you can often save money if you already have one on hand or can get one cheaper somewhere else.
With Ring Engineering, if you don't want to use their power supply you just buy the handheld controller - if you do want to use their power supply you buy the starter set, which is just the handheld controller plus the power supply, so yes the "starter set" does include the power supply.
arealgijoe
Member
Some DCC controllers STILL can use the old accessory AC outputs from regular analog controllers. I picked up a pair of used Bachmann EZ DCC units, very limited as far as DCC but functional/basic. I converted both of them to bi-polar DC power source via 2x std 9-volt batteries for portable use. It's also capable of running one DC loco as well a several DCC locos at a time.
I think the old MRC DCC controller also could use accessory AC power.
My NCE powercab came with a wall-wart power supply and my Digitrax Zephyr Xtra uses/came with what looks like a std off-the-shelf laptop power supply.
I think the old MRC DCC controller also could use accessory AC power.
My NCE powercab came with a wall-wart power supply and my Digitrax Zephyr Xtra uses/came with what looks like a std off-the-shelf laptop power supply.
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