have numerous tenshado(sp?) twin coil sw. machines on my layout and am in the process of going to digitrax dcc system.
would like to hear from any of you who are using the stationary decoders and how they work out on your sw. machines and are they capable of the current spikes tthat occur with twin coil machines?
appreciate any input you can offer. Thanks,
Tom C.
I haven’t used the Digitrax stationary decoder, but I know that CVP’s AD4 stationary decoder can handle those switch machines because you can add a capacitor to it that turns it into a capacitive discharge unit. My suggestion is that you download the documentation for the Digitrax decoder from their Web site and read through it. That should tell you whether or not it will handle a Tenshodo twin-coil machine.
Those Tenshodo machines sold under a variety of names, too, such as NJ International and others, so they are fairly common and are still available.
Check on Tony’s Train Exchange, they have a comparison article on various stationary decoders. Slightly out of date now, but I expect them to add newer products as they become available.
Look for a decoder with a capacitor discharge built in to it, those will throw heavy twin-coil machines without problems. There are a variety of choices from various manufacturers, and they will all work with a Digitrax system.
–Randy