I have been a satisfied Digitrax owner/user for over ten years. My first purchase was a Digitrax Radio Super Chief which came with a DT100R throttle. The Digitrax simplex radio has worked great and that DT100R is still in use on the layout. I expanded my radio throttles by purchasing DT100 and DT300 throttles on Ebay and then sent them to Digitrax for upgrade. The cost of the Ebay purchase plus upgrade was significantaly less than purchasing a new DT100 or DT300R. (Digitrax no longer upgrades these throttles.)
I am in the process of upgrading to the new Digital equipment and have purchased a UR92. I sent my existing DT400R to Digitrax for an upgrade ($65). I will be expanding my digital equipment the same way. I recently purchased a new DT400 on Ebay for $99. I will be sending it to Digitrax with $65 to have it upgraded to a DT402D, for significantly less that the direct purchase of a DT402D.
I have also picked up a cheep DB150 booster on Ebay because someone was getting rid of their Digitrax equipment to upgrade to another DCC system. Since I already have a DCS100 command station, this unit works great as a booster.
I purchased a MS100 several years ago for computer interface, and while I have a PR3 for use with my laptop, the MS100 is still in use on the layout, running Decoder Pro on my old desktop computer.
I am pleased that my Digitrax equipment has retaind its value over the years and appreciate Digitrax’s approach to upgrading with “add on equipment” rather than replacement. I am not intending to start a “flame war” over which DCC system is best. I know several model railoraders who have switched DCC systems several times. While a lot of DCC purchases are made on the user functions availble by the DCC system at the time of purchase, I see few discussions on the value of the DCC purchase over time. I beliv
Jim, it sounds like you have it well in hand…so-to-speak. [8D] You have saved yourself many hundreds of dollars over the years, upgraded, and still have perfectly useful components.
You’ve mentioned something that I’ve said for a long time - the purchase of a good quality DCC system should be seen as an investment and not as an expense. With the proper research into which system best fits your wants and needs, not only now but in the long term, your DCC system will last many, many years.
I also couldn’t help but notice how you’ve purchased numerous items off of eBay. You in fact state that one of the items purchased was from a seller who was switching systems. You’ve been able to take advantage of people who have decided to switch from Digitrax to another DCC system and are selling their Digitrax equipment to partially fund the purchase of their replacement system. I might disagree with you on your statement about how your Digitrax equipment “has retained its value over the years” since you’ve stated that you were able to purchase this equipment off eBay at significant savings. If something has retained its value of the years the savings wouldn’t be 'significant." I’d disagree with you about the approach to upgrading with “add on equipment rather than replacement” since the both the DT100 and DT300 throttles are no longer supported by Digitrax. In my dictionary that would make then obsolete and needing to be replaced, which contradicts your earlier statement. Your DT400s are upgradeable, but those earlier throttles which were the mainstay of the Digitrax offerings for years now need to be replaced since they can’t be upgraded.
Either way though I agree with your statement that purchasing a DCC system is an investment in something that should last a long term instead of looking at as an either an ‘expense’ or as something that you’re continually trading up to a better system, which is the advice often given here.
Sorry, but “Digital” was the wrong term. I should have said “Duplex Radio”. I have changed the Topic Header to read “Duplex” as in Duplex Radio System. As stated above it is all digital.
The Digitrax Chief is a great systim and it should serve you well for many years to come. I would highly recommend you get a PR3 computer interface. Not only can you program decoders with JMRI Decoder Pro, but you can use your computer as a throttle as well.