MRC Prodigy Advance²/Digitrax Decoder Compatibility?

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I’m changing my passenger train lighting. Over the last year I have been using an E7B dummy as the power source for my 11 car SP Daylight passenger trains. The battery powered lighting has worked out even better than expected. I use a single rechargeable Lithium battery for power with a rail powered chip charger and a micro relay to turn on and off the lights in all 11 cars.

My Daylight passenger train consists of a powered E7A + powered E7B + dummy E7B battery unit. The micro relay in the dummy E7B is controlled by the powered E7B DCC decoder (function F3). Both powered E7s have the same DCC address, not a consist in the Prodigy controller. Works great!

I want to replace the E7B dummy with a Athearn Streamlined 72’ Baggage car as the lighting power unit. Using the powered E7B decoder works OK but I would like to install a function decoder to control the lighting in the baggage car.

Both of the powered Daylight locomotives have MRC 1730 decoders operating off my MRC Prodigy Advance² controller using the same DCC

2

I’m feeling a little rusty with my DCC recall and MRC was my least used system when I operated on layouts, but I don’t see why you can’t give it the same address and control it the way you suggest. Of course, if your E7 consist starts smoking, well…I did I meantion I was a little rusty?

3

What’s so different about your other installations, other than this one won’t connect to a motor? No reason why your MRC wouldn’t work with a Digitrax decoder, especailly as you have others and they work fine. That’s the beauty of DCC, all decoders work with all systems. I don’t run ANY Digitrax decoders on my Digitrax system - don’t like them.

–Randy

4

Thanks Guys, I put one on order.

Mel

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.