Can my power cab operate a DC engine, EDITED: 11/17/09

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

Hi Guys

I bought my grandson a powered Thomas engine and I was wondering if my power cab will operate it. I can’t find anything in PC manual. Will I have to put a decoder in the Thomas? [%-)]

Thanks

Lee

2

Power Cab cannot run a DC loco. You need to install a decoder. TCS is very good.

Ideas.

http://www.trainbuddy.com/Reference/Decoding%20Engines/thomas.htm

From these forums found in Google search.

http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/154604/1711774.aspx

Rich

3

Lee,

Only Digitrax, Bachmann, and maybe CVP can operate DC locomotives with their systems. So, yes - you’ll need to install a decoder in Thomas for your Power Cab.

Tom

4

And the very original, there’s probably only one in the world, and I have it, Prodigy!

5

I forgot to ask, Is the Thomas DC V or AC V? I’m not into the toy trains but some one told me the toy trains are AC V.

Thanks

Lee

6

If it is a Bachmann, it should be DC.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=476

Our Club has at least two of them. They seem to have three speeds: stopped, very fast, and derailed. Someone tried re-motoring one, but that didn’t help. Because the kids like to see them run at our annual open houses, we eventually stripped the motors out, added some weight, and then put them in the lead of whatever train was next out of the yard. The effect was the same, and the kids were happy.

7

A couple years ago at a model railroad show in West Springfield MA, a layout exhibit for and by young people had a HO Thomas being run by young engineers using radio control. The loco ran real nice, a little fast but still under control.

Rich