Just for the record my PA I purchased about 6 months ago came with a 3 amp supply. It looks nothing like the one they show in the picture. I paid $185 for mine at the time from a hobbyshop seller on ebay. There is currently an ebay dealer named ScaledStructures that sells them for $194 and the handheld for $68. I bought one of the controllers from them- best price I've seen yet for them. Richard
Richard, Do you model N scale? Have you used a Lenz, NCE, or Digitrax? If so, what are your thoughts compared to the PA?
http://www.litchfieldstation.com/mrc/ $195 for PA (Was $175 for months till recently) & $64 for another PA handheld.
I just got 2 confusing emails. I don't think the DCC guys out there know enough yet. I think they need to get the smartbooster to see how it fits in/works. First from Tony: (sounds most promising - if correct) If correct, this would be great! I might upgrade for $6 more to the MF615, because in the NCE email back to me, they said they would not only have the smart booster, but also a "not so smart" 3 amp booster. So if I do need more, I got the power supply to power the smart booster, and the "not so smart" booster I may need to add. BUT, from Bruce at Litchfieldstation: I think I'm holding on buying till these guys get the smart boosters. from what Bruce says, there will be another "not so smart booster" - same as NCE emailed me. Since the smart booster is only $55 street, and if the other one is less, that would be great! especially because I could power both boosters districts off a single MF615 power supply for $36. but if what Tony's says is correct, I might be able to get by with a 1.7 amp and a 3 amp district. then add the 3 amp (dumb) booster in another district later if I need more. We will have to wait and see, but seems great either way. [ March 01, 2006, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: Kozmo ]
It is clear that they do not add together to a total of 4.7 amps to one track/district, but the question is can they both work together/but seperate in two different districts? We will have to wait till they get them to play with/see how they work. eitherway, if the future "dumb" 3 amp booster can add 3 more amps in another district for less than the price of the smart booster, then I'm sold. [ March 01, 2006, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: Kozmo ]
I just got another email back from Larry at NCE: oh, more recalls woudl be nice. we will see. I replied with: Larry, Can the 1.7 amps that comes with the PowerCab work WITH the 3 amp smart booster? Another words, not add together to see 4.7 amps on one track/district, but rather have two districts - a 1.7 amp (power cab) district and a 3 amp (smart booster) district? that would be a total of 4.7 amps total on the layout, but in two seperate districts, Never 4.7 amps in one spot/one district? OR do you basically plug the power cab into the smart booster rather than the 1.7 booster supplied with the PowerCab? OR is the 1.7 built in to the PowerCab hand held unit? and the smart booster only adds 1.3 amps? basicallly I want 5-6 amps split into 2 districts. I'm trying to figure out what I will need, and if PowerCab product will be able to get me there and for how much. Thanks, koz so I'll wait to hear more. [ March 01, 2006, 11:45 AM: Message edited by: Kozmo ]
Okay - no more confusion. I called NCE directly. Just got off the phone with a technical advisor. The powercab is no longer a 1.7amp system. It is 2.0 amps! The smartbooster has a 3.0A rating. If you wanted to have 2 districts you need to purchase one smartbooster and one dumbbooster (dumbbooster is actually what NCE calls it). Once you get one smart booster and install it, your powercab becomes essentially a procab. You cannot power 2 districts with one powercab and one smartbooster. I've pretty much made up my mind. I think I'll go with the NCE powercab myself. My LHS is actually getting 4 in about 2 weeks.
interesting. I can't imagine it becomes a full ProCab as $140+$55 is much cheaper than one. but it sounds like you need the smart booster to be able to expand and use other (dumb) boosters. unfortunately throwing away/losing 2 amps than comes with the PowerCab. But eitherway, still very cheap, as the smart booster and dumb booster can share one MF615 power supply to power both, the smart booster is $55 street and the dumb booster is suppose to be $20 MSRP less so maybe $45 street? If these prices are correct: (as the smart and dumb boosters are not yet released and the prices may change???) $140 PowerCab + $55 for a 3 amp smart booster +$36 MF615 power supply + $45 for a 3 amp dumb booster = $276 for 6 amps total layout power split into two districts with all the features of PowerCab and all the friendly interface of NCE. More recalls wodul be a bonus. The only thing missing IMO, would be the MRC Prodigy Advanced knob for yard work. but, I see NCE has some smaller/extra throttles with a big knob if I feel I need it. I beleive I too am sold on PowerCab.
I believe this would/could be our MRC PA style knob. CAB04E Engineer Cab with encoder. The CAB04e has all the features of the CAB04p above plus the ability to switch instantly between two trains. A large knob provides speed control through a Digital encoder with adjustable 'ballistic tracking'. The faster you turn the knob the faster it will ratiometrically increase or decrease the speed. they have another with a potentiometer rather than the encoder. I'd like the encoder rather than a potentiometer.
I think the thumbwheel style knob on the powercab will be easy to get used to. I won't need a smartbooster for a long while anyway so I'll have to get used to it in the end.
Sheldon: In response to your earlier question about needing a booster with a Tsunami decoder; I don't need boosters for my three Tsunami decoders using my Lenz 100 system. Stay cool and run steam..... [ March 01, 2006, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: Powersteamguy1790 ]
Kozmo: just to clarify, I said the powercab becomes essentially a procab - not a full procab (those were the NCE technician's words) Bob: Not sure that I asked about a Tsunami decoder... I wouldn't imagine a booster would be required just for a decoder would it?
Sheldon: You're correct. Kozmo asked me that question. No you don't need a booster for any decoder. This thread is becoming very difficult to follow. DCC is so easy..... Stay cool and run steam........ [ March 01, 2006, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: Powersteamguy1790 ]
yep, that was me. Why then does Tony's and others talk about needing them for locos with sound decoders? Just for the QSI? or for when you have two decoders in one loco? like a loco with one motion/power decoder in engine, one sound decoder in tender? Or because he/they want to sell power boosters? Maybe not in programming them, but reading the CVs on sound decoders? I think that is specificly what Tony was refering too in the NCE PowerCab pdf on his site. yeah, in retrospect, we probably shoudl have started a NCE PowerCab, or rename the title entry DCC systems, or?, or?, or?
You need a booster for BLI decoders. You don't need a booster for any decoders placed in N scale loco's. That includes two decoders in one loco. You need to get your info sorted out. Stay cool and run steam....
I'm trying. Please read page 3 of this NCE PowerCab review pdf from Tony's site. http://www.tonystrains.com/download/df-powercab-rev.pdf is this because he is using HO there? He specifically refers to Soundtraxx Tsunami. Bruce of Litchfield station says: I guess it is mostly a mute point, since I'm 99.5% decided on NCE PowerCab, but just trying to figure out why they say that and others say that is incorrect/not needed. That way I not only get my "info sorted out" but also correct. if it is scale dependent (O, HO, N) then that is what I'm wondering as well. as I don't want to pass along incorrect info in the future. [ March 01, 2006, 07:30 PM: Message edited by: Kozmo ]
Original topic: "Does MRC deserve the bad reputation it has". Am probably doing this wrong and don't want to interrupt any thoughts or conversations, but just received the latest issue of MR and on page #9 a short article describes a "universal command control" system made by SLF Control Industries - does anyone have information on this new system?
ya, ha ha, I read it is an april fools joke from model railroader mag. - I think I saw that one on the atlas forum. you use your hand to move the trains, and your mouth for sound. SLF Control = self control do we have a :kneeslapper: Instant Graemlin? Judging by the humor, they must of been accountants or computer techs at their previous job [ March 01, 2006, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: Kozmo ]
NCE PowerCab thought#2496 We all read that if you unplug the PowerCab everything stops/dies cause the power (Brain) is in the Cab, not the box. not a big deal to me. But, thought#2496, if you get the "smart" booster, can you unplug the main cab and move around without stopage?
