Model Railroading > How does Digitrax compare to?....

Hey Y'all,

I have a close friend who wants to get more serious with his Sn3 modeling and he is thinking about which DCC system would suit him best. He asked me my opinion on what I thought about DCC and the different systems being offered and I told him that I personally know absolutely nothing about DCC, but I knew of others who do. So I came here to this forum on Trainorders to ask you guys here what you think of Digitrax as compared to say, Bachmann Spectrum, MRC, or ?

I've been trying to get this man to join Trainorders but he has so many other irons in the fire that he's afraid that he'd get too distracted by Trainorders and would end up spending too much time here and this would be too big of a distraction to him and his book authoring would suffer as a result. Some of you would recognize right away who I'm talking about if I mentioned his name here. I will say though that he's a big fan of the SP narrow gauge.

Con

You'll get a lot of opinions here but most will tell you not to bother with Bachmann or MRC. I am starting out with EasyDCC by CVP and like it. They've been around for awhile; it's a solid set-up that doesn't get too technical but does most things that more advanced systems do. Digitrax is a good system but it's too technical for me. Tell your friend to seriously consider radio unless he has a very small layout.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/10 17:27 by wabash2800.

I've had a Digitrax Empire Builder system for 10 years and been completely satisfied with it. The only other brand I've ever mulled over replacing it with would be a PowerCab system from NCE. I've had experience operating with Lenz (and the old Atlas) as well as Easy DCC systems, and I prefer Digitrax over them.

The mark against EasyDCC is that CVP did not include, at the time, walkaround cabs as part of its basic system. You had to buy those separately after paying for two stationary cabs, which I found to be restrictive and wasteful.

However, the choice of a DCC system is subjective -- there is no one right answer.

The best way to pick a system is to use it. See if there are layouts in your area he can go to so he can try the different products. DCC can be very challenging for some and having local people who can help you in person is priceless.

Bruce

the clubs I have been too all use NCE, but personally I love the Digitrax I have owned, I have currently a Digitrax Zephyr

This subject comes up every once in a while, and my advice is always: Go with whatever is popular in your neighborhood. The major systems (Digitrax, NCE, Lenz, etc.) are all well engineered, but they all differ in various ways, and there is a bit of a learning curve with each system. If the guy down the street is using NCE, buy that, and let him help you through the teething stage. It doesn't take long to become comfortable with a DCC system.

That said, I've only used NCE (at the La Mesa club and on a friend's home layout). The club installed the system ten years ago, and we've been generally happy with it. At the time it was felt that NCE would be easier for a large number of people to learn (operations that took one button push with NCE required two button pushes with Digitrax). All the systems have grown up since then, and we might make a different choice today.

Winston Hill

I don't think that's good advice to buy something just because your neighbor did--especially a major purchase. ;0

But I do think it is good adicve to try out a system your neighbor is using and the other two if your other neighbors are using something different. And yes, it's nice to get help too but that still isn't a good enough reason for me to buy the same thing. My neighbor may be having problems with it or he may be a big geek and I'm not. He may like push button speed control and I don't. Or he isn't using sound or doesn't need many functions but I do. He may be into buying a cadalac priced product but I can't afford it or it's too big for my taste...

winstonhill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This subject comes up every once in a while, and
> my advice is always: Go with whatever is popular
> in your neighborhood.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/10 21:10 by wabash2800.

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think that's good advice to buy something
> just because your neighbor did--especially a major
> purchase. ;0
>
> But I do think it is good adicve to try out a
> system your neighbor is using and the other two if
> your other neighbors are using something
> different. And yes, it's nice to get help too but
> that still isn't a good enough reason for me to
> buy the same thing. My neighbor may be having
> problems with it or he may be a big geek and I'm
> not. He may like push button speed control and I
> don't. Or he isn't using sound or doesn't need
> many functions but I do. He may be into buying a
> cadalac priced product but I can't afford it or
> it's too big for my taste...
>


This makes sense to me, I'll pass all of this along to my friend, thanks to one and all for your responses to my enquery here.

Con

I would go look at a layout with the different types, I personally like digitrax. But if you want to use more than 8 reliable wireless throttles stay away from cvp/digitrax, those radio throttles are always sending signals to the command station where as digitrax only sends signals when you change speed or press buttons on them.

You'll find that Digitrax and NCE are the two most popular systems. I have my grievances against Digitrax, but still use it a couple of clubs I belong to (even have my own DT402D throttle), but my home system is a NCE PowerCAB. One of my current gripes about Digitrax is three clubs I belong to have Digitrax systems without program track boosters, so trying to tweak sound units away from home is out of the question.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Try a few systems out, and ask questions from local users if you know any. I use NCE and a club I used to belong to used NCE. I got used to it and knowing other people who used it, I had a quick resource without having to consult the manual or wade through all the stuff online. I tried a buddy's Digitrax system once, and I thought it was complicated, but I guess you would get used to it. With my NCE system I was up and running in no time.

The modular group I belong to uses Lenz, because one of the members is a authorized Lenz distributor. Personally, I find the Lenz a little complicated when it comes to running multiple locomotives in one consist. Granted, I only use it when we run at shows and there is always pressure to get a train out running on the layout. The Lenz manual uses slightly different terminology than NCE; I don't know if that is the result of the German techno-speak translation to English or not. But I will say this about Lenz. I love their decoders for my non-sound equipped locomotives.

aj

I own both NCE & Digitrax Systems. I find NCE easier to use than Digitrax, The Day I build a layout it will be NCE, The reason I own a digitrax system is that is the DCC standard for Free-mo. I feel Programing is alot easier with NCE. The Hobby shop I work at we sell More NCE power Cabs to people with other DCC systems just so they have an easy way to program their equipment. I always recomend try all the systems and buy what you like

Model Railroading is fun
Mike Slater

wc581 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I own both NCE & Digitrax Systems. I find NCE
> easier to use than Digitrax, The Day I build a
> layout it will be NCE, The reason I own a digitrax
> system is that is the DCC standard for Free-mo. I
> feel Programing is alot easier with NCE. The
> Hobby shop I work at we sell More NCE power Cabs
> to people with other DCC systems just so they have
> an easy way to program their equipment. I always
> recomend try all the systems and buy what you
> like
>
> Model Railroading is fun
> Mike Slater

I am confused here, are you saying I can take my NCE pro-cab to my club's Lenz controlled layout, consiste my units then run them on the Lenz controlled layout. I am assuming I can't you the NCE pro-cab on the main or run trains with it, right?

ajy6b Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wc581 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I own both NCE & Digitrax Systems. I find NCE
> > easier to use than Digitrax, The Day I build a
> > layout it will be NCE, The reason I own a
> digitrax
> > system is that is the DCC standard for Free-mo.
> I
> > feel Programing is alot easier with NCE. The
> > Hobby shop I work at we sell More NCE power
> Cabs
> > to people with other DCC systems just so they
> have
> > an easy way to program their equipment. I
> always
> > recomend try all the systems and buy what you
> > like
> >
> > Model Railroading is fun
> > Mike Slater
>
> I am confused here, are you saying I can take my
> NCE pro-cab to my club's Lenz controlled layout,
> consiste my units then run them on the Lenz
> controlled layout. I am assuming I can't you the
> NCE pro-cab on the main or run trains with it,
> right?


There are several DCC systems that have interoperabillity with the equipment IE throttles, boosters etc. Be careful though as not all are interchangeble. I currently use Digitrax because of Free-mo and I get baffled with Digitrax at times.
Charlie
MP 53 on the BNSF Topeka Sub

I think the best thing to do is have the person go and find similar systems and try them out. Each has drawbacks. So its good to learn which has what. Personally, I have the EasyDCC system, and for the most part, I throughly enjoy it, and it has been pretty rock solid. I bought mine early in the lifecycle of EasyDCC, after they started selling it already built. Biggest issue I have is I have an old system, and it does not do 2 -way communication (for the most part, as there is very rudimentary during programming on the programming track).

Admittedly, I am a Digitrax curmudgeon. The utility throttles (UT) are OK, but the DT series throttles are the pits. They pretty much work as advertised, but the learning curve of assigning locos, and programming is ridiculous. With EasyDCC 2 digit system I have, dial up the numbers, nothing else, and you've got your loco or consist. Having to drop, the reassign though several keystrokes is not intuitive to me. And when I am operating trains, I want to operate the train and do the railroading tasks I am trying to do, not operate the throttle. When I have to think what I am doing with a throttle, rather than intuitively using it, it takes away from the operation. Not only that, I hate using encoders as my throttle, especially when you unplug, and have to make sure the encoder is in the same position when you plug back in, or you lose control of your train. The other issue I have, is that on virtually every railroad controlled by a Digitrax system, there has been some sort of issue with the system during the session. I have operated plenty of times with the system, and I don't think its coincidental. Almost everyone has a Digitrax expert that have in their crew or helpers, its just not intuitive enough for the average owner/operator.

That being said, If you can get by the lack of straight forward operation, it does, for the most part, operate as advertised. Most of the systems do.

NCE is a good system too, and despite the statements to the contrary so is the MRC Prodigy Squared system. I have operated with that system, and its not that bad. It has some nice advantages. But uses an encoder. Unfortunately, EasyDCC's recently released wireless throttles are encoders, too, but they are out of my price range anyway.

Food for thought, but I do believe, regardless of my opinions, a person needs to experiment with someone else's system to get a handle on what they like, and the feature set.

ajy6b Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wc581 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I own both NCE & Digitrax Systems. I find NCE
> > easier to use than Digitrax, The Day I build a
> > layout it will be NCE, The reason I own a
> digitrax
> > system is that is the DCC standard for Free-mo.
> I
> > feel Programing is alot easier with NCE. The
> > Hobby shop I work at we sell More NCE power
> Cabs
> > to people with other DCC systems just so they
> have
> > an easy way to program their equipment. I
> always
> > recomend try all the systems and buy what you
> > like
> >
> > Model Railroading is fun
> > Mike Slater
>
> I am confused here, are you saying I can take my
> NCE pro-cab to my club's Lenz controlled layout,
> consiste my units then run them on the Lenz
> controlled layout. I am assuming I can't you the
> NCE pro-cab on the main or run trains with it,
> right?

You can mix cvp throttles to work with lenz, ctc 80, but if you plan on keeping your sanity dont mix dcc systems....

Our club uses an MRC system. Some on here don't like MRC, but I haven't had any complaints. We recently went wireless and its great. Excellent range and no need to unplug and plug in as your train moves around the layout. I don't care for the MRC decoders, but the Prodigy Squared system with wireless conversion works great for us.