Can anyone tell me if there is another, or cheaper way around the expensive power boosters for DCC? Can you use one company’s booster with a different company’s system?
My layout is an HO 4 x 18 ft double track main line with lots of yards. I have the Prodigy DCC System. MRC’s power boosters are just out of sight. They cost more than I paid for the whole system with a decoder included.
Is there another way around this booster??
Bob
I don’t think you can use one company’s booster with a diffent company’s system unless is allowed by both companies themselves (you probably read it on the manuals).
anyway, why do you need a booster if you purchased a complete system? doesn’t it have a booster included?
you mean you need more power?
Denny,
Yes, I do need more than one Booster. The one that came with the system is only 4 amps.
oh, ok 
do you really need more than 4A or is just because you want to have power districts? with 4A you can run 5 maybe 6 loco at exactly the same time at full speed.
anyway unless someone tell you a different solution, I think you have to buy that expensive booster… 
Denny,
Power Districts would be nice, but my real problem is my OLD fleet of Athern engines drawing a lot of current. Maybe it would be cheaper to upgrade my locos?
Well friends, I thank all of you for your comments and help. From what I am seeing on this forum, Prodigy is not the way to go. So, I have made up my mind to go with the Digitrax Zepher. This I decided on my own after several of you have taken the Prodigy back to the store. I don’t need a headache like that to start with.
Thanks again.
Propgator
with digitrax you can easily expand your system. you have loconet to connect your handheld controllers in different place around your layout. also, you should consider replace your old athearn engines if they really draw too much current, because if I don’t go wrong the zephyr booster is only 2.5A - and buying a digitrax additional booster could be expensive, too.
Could always buy replacement motors for them and just upgrade the motor to be less of a power hog.
Jay.
Stall voltage for a loco should be far less than 1 amp. My athern loco’s have a stall voltage around 1/2 amp. By lubrication and removal of flash from the gear trains of the locos, you might get better results
Potential (Volts) equals Current (Amps) times Resistance (Ohms).
Your statements do not make sense.
Stall current by convention, is measured by applying 12V to the locomotive, and preventing the motor from turning.
You could build your own…It is no more than a high current amplifier, with some protection circuitry. DCC operates in the 6 to 10 KHz range.
See also: http://www.dcctrains.com/tonystips/1998/100698.htm
http://www.dcctrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/components/booster.htm
You should have no trouble using any power station with any command station as long as they both comply with NMRA RP9.1.2
http://www.dcc.info/standards_rps/rp912.html