Hello all,
After a very long hiatus I’m back and working on my layout again. I’m at the stage where the track roadbed is installed.
I have the NCE Powercab system and before I lay out the track I really would like some advice on the other possible NCE components to make this work properly.
I’m including an admittedly somewhat crude sketch of my HO track layout but it is reasonably (not to scale) accurate in terms of the placement of the track and switches. I hope that someone might make enough sense of it to be able to advise me on any other components that I might need.
Notice that this is not a large layout with the outside dimensions that I’ve shown. I built it into a very small spare bedroom and hence the layout shape.
Using Allan Gartner’s book on DCC, I would like to spit this into two power districts, likely split at the opening side of the swing-out gate with the truss bridge and again near the trestle bridges on the other side.
So far:
I have the NCE Power cab system
I need two NCE ECB (electronic circuit breakers) for power districts(?)
Would I need the NCE SB5 5 amp booster?
Will I need the NCE AR-10 auto reverser and circuit breaker combo? (confused about this application in my layout)
Any and all help and comments greatly appreciated!
Instead of a bridge at the opening, why not loop it at each side of the opening. Make each loop a reversing section so you can run trains in either direction to simulate coming and going, leaving and returning.
The Power Cab has some limitations as a 2 amp command station. A 5 amp booster essentially provides unlimited capabilities.
Hi Rich,
The double truss bridge on the gate is in place and wired for power at the hinge side.
Thanks for the comment on the 5 amp booster which I considered.
While you may not need the 5 amp SmartBooster, I would strongly recommend it, for a couple of reasons. First of all, no matter where you put the PowerCab panel, it looks like you’re going to have track up to 15’ away from it. Also, remember the PowerCab itself is the command station/booster when used in PowerCab mode, so you have the additional 7’ length of the PowerCab cable added to that length, giving you over 20’ from the command station booster to the furthest track from it (plus that PowerCab cable is smaller gauge than typical track bus wire). While there is no hard and fast rule on how far the track can be from a booster, a typical “rule of thumb” is 25’, which you are getting close to. It may not be a problem at all, but if it was me I would be more comfortable with the SmartBooster.
The second reason is just the length of the PowerCab cable versus the size of the layout. It doesn’t look to me like there is anywhere you could place the PowerCab panel and comfortably operate the entire railroad. You could get additional PowerCab panels and be able to move the PowerCab, but with it being the command station, when you unplug it to move it the train would stop.
Robert, I appreciate your feedback on the 5 amp booster.
I did wonder about the length of track and the amount of track that adds to it even though my layout is comparatively small. I’ll take your advice under serious consideration.
Thanks again to all for the help and comments. i really enjoy hearing your various opinions.
If you do decide to add the NCE SB5, it is pricey at around $250. I see one at Train Sets Only, an online seller that I have used before with satisfaction, for just over $200 on sale for a limited time.
Good to know about Train Sets Only. I’ve seen some good deals on their site, but something about the site has always made me a little leery of ordering from them.
Train Sets Only is strictly an online retailer with a warehouse presence in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. I have placed a number of orders with them over the past several years. I have a family member that lives close to the warehouse, so I once inquired whether local pickup was available but it was not. I was hoping to save the shipping.
