A replacement for my CTC-16e

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

After transitioning to our retirement quarters, I have finally gotten around to unpacking the remains of the HO model railroad that my sons and I build in our last home. We were on the leading edge of DCC, we used the CTC-16e, building all of the components from parts. As my sons were interested in computers and electronics , the layout provided something for everyone.

They are now grown and have families of their own, so I’m glad to find that I can now buy my DCC system pre-built. I have read the links to DCC info, and I note that some posts allude to members being strongly supportive of certain brands, but I can’t get a feel for any preferences.

Mine will be a modest HO attempt, probably no more that a dozen engines and four operators max. Now the old system would handle that, but I want signaling (we used Dr. Chubb’s system ), computer control, automatic turnouts, sound …IOW, I want it all!

So, if you had it to do all over again, which system would you buy?

2

That is because they are all good. I don’t know the exact design of your CTC16e but I would guess the MRC Prodigy would be closest (it has a rotary dial for channel selection).

Digitrax has the best integrated signalling system at the moment.

to each their own but I think DCC turnouts is a step backward into toy traindom. And computer control - I want to run the trains not watch them run like they were on TV. I have computer simulation programs that can do that. I believe all of the systems have computer interfaces. Zimo might be the most sophisticated at the moment.

I would probably start with a CVP EasyDCC, and their wireless throttles. I like the panel mount key board. Which is the only reason I don’t like the NCE that big fat hammer head controller one has to hold. If I went with NCE I would immediately get some utility throttles to actually use to control the trains.

P.S. I used to have a CTC-16. I currently still have Railcommand, MRC-2000 DCC, Digitrax Zephyr, and a Lenz-100. All have been/are great systems. I don’t think there is really anyway to go wrong with any of the new DCC these days. Don’t buy an old used one looking for a deal.

3

I personally have a RailCommand system (for sale, BTW), and plan to go with the CVP EasyDCC in the near future. I COULD keep buying Railcommand decoders, but since they don’t even make the Railcommand system any more (just repair parts and decoders), and with factory installed DCC decoders with sound, it just makes more sense to switch now. I have 70+/- locos, only 4 currently have Railcommand decoders. Since I have a big conversion project ahead of me, it’s easy enough to justifiy the switch now. OTOH, if all these had Railcommand decoders installed, I would be hard pressed to switch, unless I could fetch a fair sum for the decoders and system, to offset the cost for a switch.

I’m not fond of Digitrax myself, even though they are made pretty much right up the street from my LHS and employer. Their throttles have those cursed “spin forever” knobs, I prefer mine to have definate stops at both ends. I’m also not fond of the NCE’s large handheld throttle. I prefer a smaller throttle. I simply like the simplicity of programming the CVP. Put your loco on the programming track, enter the address, and you’re done. Put it on the main, dial in the number, and away you go. I don’t care for Digitrax’s “icons” on their throttle, either. Sometimes, they don’t match up with the function they control.

The CVP system has a computer interface, and I do believe there is/are computer interface softwares available. Some are effectively just programming programs, I think there are 1 or 2 that can actually run trains as well. The capability is there. I do not know about this for other systems.

Many members say the best way to choose a DCC system is to find a way to “test drive” the ones you are interested in, then compare feature for feature.

Brad

4

Did you save any of your C/MRI gear? Most will work on DCC. SMINI, USIC, SUSIC, etc. all work on DC or DCC. There are now DCC occupancy detectors (DCCODs), but they use the same motherboard (ODMB) as the DC detectors. I don’t have turnout controllers, but they’ll probably work also.

Here’s his website: http://www.jlcenterprises.net/, and there’s a User Group on Yahoo at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CMRI_Users/./

He has a recently-updated User’s Guide, and is about to release an all-new Applications Manual.

And with a lot of the new computer capabilities, you may have all sorts of new options. There’s the JMRI stuff, mainly DecoderPro to simplify programming, and PanelPro that will let you make control panels on your computer screen using various hardware, including C/MRI. And it works on Windoze, Linux, and Macs. Best of all, it’s free: http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

Personally, I spent $99 for the Mac version of the REALbasic programming lingo, and use it to run my signalling system with C/MRI. It also will run some trains automatically, using the signal info, via my NCE system (although I usually do that only when the grandkids want to see a bunch of trains running!)

You might want a “starter” system initially, but if you do, be sure it’s upgradeable. 12 engines and 4 operators will require more than a small system. You’ll probably also want one that can be connected to a computer.

I’ve got the NCE PowerHouse Pro system, upgraded to wireless. If you’re interested in wireless, I’d give it a real close look – it will do everything wirelessly, whereas some of the other systems must have a cab plugged-in to acquire a loco or do any programming, even on the main. It’s radio is also full duplex, meaning when you do something on the cab, it’s display isn’t updated un

5

If you’re interested in signaling, computer control, various forms of automation you should also look into ZIMO/STP [:)]

Regards,

Art
ZIMO Agency of North America
www.mrsonline.net

6

what Texas Zepher doesn’t mention is that the digitrax signalling system can be run seperately from your dcc train control system , allowing you to use a different manufacturers dcc system with the digitrax signals . it would probably complicate things , i think each system would require it’s own connection to the computer . for example , to use decoder pro for setting up the decoders in your engines (connected to the dcc train control system) and panel pro to control the digitrax signal system . i have no idea how complicated setting this up would be . anyone out there doing something like this ?

7

I like big buttons. I think that was one reason I chose a Lenz-100 system. I also bought a Lenz-90 throttle, which has an analog speed wheel, but I hardly ever use it. The “feel” of the hand-held throttle is very important, since that’s how you interact with the system. If you can, try some out at a friend’s house, a club or maybe a shop. At least take them out of the box and hold them.

Technically, all of today’s systems are pretty good. There were a couple of older systems which were billed as “starter” systems, but they were not expandable. The good ones are, so you don’t have to toss your initial investment as you grow.

The DCC standards apply to the interface between the control systems and the decoders. The good news here is that any decoder should work with any control system, regardless of manufacturer. The not-so-good news is that other than that interface, there is very little in the way of compatability. You can’t plug one manufacturer’s throttle into another manufacturer’s control bus.

Just for completeness, the DCS system by MTH is not a DCC system, although it has basically the same concept of operation. It is totally incompatable - DCC decoders won’t work on DCS, and vice versa. There are a couple of exceptions. MTH makes a dual-mode decoder (installed in their HO-scale K-4) which will run on either system. (This is the only HO locomotive made by MTH, by the way, and to my knowledge the only HO locomotive that comes with a DCS decoder.)

You’re right about sound. It’s a great add-on, at least in my book. That’s another reason to get one of the more capable, newer systems. Early units did not support as many of the “function” controls which were originally provided for expansion, but which are now increasingly being used to make your Alcos rattle, your Hudsons hiss, and your

8

I appreciate your taking time to give me so much good info, I wasn’t aware that CVP was still a player. I’m about to crack open the big box labeled “Layout Electronics”; I’ll see what is still usable. Yes Zepher, all that automation makes it a bit toy-like, but then I loved those little vibrating cows that milled around the coral.

9

Actually, that doesn’t make it complicated at all. Assuming your computer has enough ports to connect all the different interface devices, PanelPro and DecoderPro would have no problem with a mixed system. A common setup is to have a C/MRI system for detectiona nd signals driving DCC stationary decoders to operate turnouts. No reason why you couldn’t have a Lenz system with Digitrax signalling and C/MRI detection all at the same time. Sensor inputs and device outputs inside PanelPro are referred to by a vendor-specific name internally (with optional ‘friendly’ name for the benefit of the human designign the thing), so a Loconet Turnout and distinct from a C/MRI Sensor is distict from a Lenz turnout

–Randy

10

thanks Randy , it’s great to have you (and others!) around to figure out these electronic and computer puzzles for the rest of us