DCC in an N Intermountain Tunnel Motor!!

Hemi, The NCE decoders are a pain. A Digitrax DN163AO or DN146A will work, You just have to change the LEDs.
A note on the NCE decoders. Try putting a small dab of solder on each of the frame contact pads, And solder the motor tabs to the board. Mine works pretty good!

 

Hope adding DCC isn't that big a pain!!
I'm still waiting on 2 SP units and 6 DRGW units.
Although, I still have 9 Atlas locomotives I need to add hardwired decoders to. Frames already milled by Aztect decoders in hand from Litchfield Station. Just gotta find the time. Maybe Monday, if work day starts out bad. Another story for another time though.

 

Digitrax has a nice little DN163IO Decoder which I jsut installed a bout a week ago in my tunnel motor and it runs like a swiss watch. Took about 20 minutes to install. A real breeze..
Kent

 

Hi,
I have an opportunity to buy NCE N12A0e decoder for tunnel motors for half price of a Digitrax. So far, I only have Digitrax decoders for my SD40T-2 / SD45T-2.

Is the NCE decoder a good choice ? and can I safely operate locos with the Digitrax and locos with the NCE decoder all together in the same train?

Thanks for your advice.

 

I have a NCE decoder in one loco and it was a pain to install.:thumbs_down: Never did get the tabs in the slots. Ended up soldering short wires to the motor and then to the board. I have refused to purchase another one. If I have the choice between an NCE and Digitrax, I'll buy the Digitrax every time.

Once the decoders are installed and operating, it does not matter what brand is in what loco, in theory (the key word here is THEORY) the published standards make them work alike. Getting them installed and working is the problem or lack there of depending on the brand.

Gary

 

I have one of each Digitrax and NCE and both run good together and with other speed matched units. I don't get the tab issues, I simply opened mine up a bit or closed them if needed.
I do like the Digitrax better. They seem to run smoother.

 

I'm not a fan of the slot idea and, in defence, this was addressed in the N12A0 (standard mid-length board) with a version 2 of the boards without the slots, just the pads, back in 2006/7 (note Hemi's post is 03/04). I don't know if the N12A0e got the same treatment.

It should be noted a recent order I received of TCS AMD4's have the slot, too.

 

We swapped out two of the NCEs in favor of TCS Classic Ns with very favorable results.
Much better/ smoother motor control and the lighting choices are much better in the TCS programming.

 

I'm gonna put you on the spot here and ask what was more favorable about the TCS than the NCE? I sincerily would like to know.

If adjusted with the proper kick rate and other settings the NCE are nice runners, but in what way are the TCS better?

Please don't take this as challenging your possition, rather info to share.

 

Sorry for lagging so long on the reply. I don't come over to this board very often.

First off, I want to offer a disclaimer that these are my own opinions and observations and as such I am not trying to run down anyone's particular product or try to sway anyone toward a particular brand. If what you are using fits your needs and accomplishes what you want, by all means, stick with it. There are a lot of fine decoders out there.
It's kind of like going to a large car show and asking which works better, Ford or Chevy? Ask 20 people and you'll get 20 different answers.
There are a few variables to consider with decoders as well, such as price, availability, size, number of functions, type of programmer used, drop in or custom install etc.
OK, with all that said here are a few of my observations and since we were talking NCE I will give my $.02 worth based on my own experience. YMMV.

I find TCS boards to be more refined and sophisticated without being more complex to use.
Motor Control:
NCE uses kick rate to start a "sticky loco" with a single varable. It does just what it says.
TCS uses what they call Dither as one way to start the same sticky loco. Dither is broken into a couple of variables: amplitude and frequency. Basically how hard to "kick" the loco (like NCE) but also how often to kick it to keep it moving at a slow steady speed.
TCS revamped their entire lineup last year to include BEMF (back elecromotive force) on all of their decoders. You must choose either BEMF or dither when programming motor control and as good as dither works, I have found that their BEMF gives even better slow speed performance. A typical TCS install of say an Atlas GP40 will let you just about count the armature rotations at a throttle setting on 1 with a stock configuration.
Yes, NCEs can be made to run well, but that's my point. With TCS even though speed is totally adjustable, you usually don't have to unless you want to.

TCS lighting functions are similarly more adjustable.
We'll use the rotating beacon as just one example. Say you want function 3 to be a beacon.
NCE gives you the option of assigning "rotating beacon" to that function wire/ pad period. Blink...blink...blink
TCS allows you not only to assign "rotating beacon", but has variables for low, medium and high brightness as well as hold over time. You control how dim is dim, how bright is bright and how long it stays there which represents how fast the beacon is rotating.

These are just a couple of examples and if you haven't figured it out, TCS decoders work very well for me. However, I will repeat: if what you are using fits your needs, by all means, use them.
I think it was General Patton that said "If we're all thinking alike, someone's not thinking".
Have a great day,
Jim