I have decided to go with the Digitrax DCC for my 4’ X 8’ N scal layout. I have read most of the DCC topics here on the forum, as well as Loy’s Tooys,and have had several conversations with my LHS.
I am stuck on which system to go with. Is it wiser to go with the Zepher now and expand; or bite the bullet and go with the Super Chief and be done?
I do not plan (at least now) to run more than 3 or 4 trains at any given time, but I like the fact that the Super Chief can report switch position. I intend in time to install stationary decoders on my switches. I understand that the Zepher will do what I need it to do now, and can be expanded in the future, but I think I will probably be money ahead in the long run just buying the Super Chief now.
I too have decided to go with Digitrax and will be buying the Zephyr for my 5x12 HO layout as I don’t plan to ever run more than 2 or 3 trains at a time. I plan to use a control panel for turnouts rather than DCC control.
I’ve got a shelf around the room LO. The turnouts are a mix of hand throw and switch machine. I like to walk around with my trains, and so the controls are scattered about close to the various turnout locations. I plan on DCC, am leaning towards the Zephyr, but really need walk around control. Is th eZephyr good for that?
I have the Zephyr and am happy with it. I also have a DT300 cab so I may have the best of both worlds. I am unsure about the inability of the Zephyr to show switch direction. It may be that my DT300 will do this, I don’t know. To me, unless you have a very large lay-out, with many operators, I think the Zephyr is all that is needed.
I have a 4’ X 8’ layout with a max ( so far ) of four trains running and my Digitrax Zephyr is all I need. It is a sweetheart of a DCC Command Station. [:D]
I just converted to DCC about a year ago with an Empire Builder system. But in less than a year decided to wire up all my turnouts to DS54 and got my PC hooked up to the system. Now I wished I had bought the Super Chief now. I plan on upgradeing the command station to the DCS100 to get the turnout feedback reporting and routes.
The DT400 throttle is also very nice, since it gives you two throttles at once at don’t have to switch the single control back and forth. You can also walk about your table with it.
For walk around, you can not beat a DT400R (radio), and you can use it with a Zephyr, you need some additional hardware to use the radio - a UR91 I believe.
Figuring out which Digitrax system to go with is all about current draw. The Zephyr is probably the best entry-level system on the market, but it only puts out 2.5 amps. That’s no big deal if you’re running all Kato or Atlas diesels, but it can be a big issue if you run some P2K diesels (the PA, especially) or are running steam with Pittman or other open frame motors that suck the juice.
As a knee-jerk reaction, I’d say go witht he Zephyr and a walkaround throttle, and only expand with other power districts if you need them. Believe it or not, the Zephyr is almost a better system than the Chief, since it allows programming on the fly. I’m leaning towards DCC using the Zephyr, if I can figure out if I can use it as a booster for a secondary power district once my entire layout is up and running.
My club preseident has a 30’ x 30’ layout in his basement. He invited us over for a meeting and afterwards we had 6-8 trains running at once. He has a zephyr. That sold me.
I think he does have either a booster or a powerpack to run his AC.
I was thinking about going with the MRC Prodigey Advance. But after looking at it, it doesn’t look like a very good system for a DCC newbie like me. When I saw the Zephyr, I was sold. And can you beat the price? $150.00 for a quality system like that, not bad at all.
As for the 2.5 Amps of power, you could always hook up a DC power pack to the Zephyr. I’m planning on hooking up my MRC Tech 4 220 to it. Does this increase the power, or does it just add another throttle?
I’m building a four-room layout in HO and have decided to get the Zephyr to start with, as I’ll be building one room at a time instead of the entire layout at once. The Zephyr should easily power the track for the first room (running Kato engines on the mainline and Athearn on the switches), I’ll probably never have more than six to ten engines per block. It’s cheaper and will get me up and running. When I expand I plan to get the Super Chief and move the Zephyr to the next room as a stationary throttle…after that just keep adding boosters and ir ports for the branches as I move into the smaller side rooms. I’m putting in the wiring as I go to install tortoises on all my switches, while the Zephyr won’t do much for me in that regard, when I hook up the Super Chief a few months down the road and plug in a computer I hopefully won’t have to do any additional wiring.
Just adds a throttle. You cna hook two DC power packs up to the Zephyr, so you can control three trains at once. By control I mean actuallybe in controlof speed and direction, of course you can always start a train and then select a different one, the first continus to run. But you have no control over it other than killing the track power if something goes wrong.
I’m not sure what need you have of the switch position reporting - if you were to build a dispatcher panel using PanelPro and JMRI, for example, it works just fine on ANY Digitrax system because the software is reading the switch feedback information fromt he Loconet, the command station has nothing to do with it.
I am on the fence as far as system size. I know I will need more than 2.5 amps of power, but I don’t know if I will need to control more than 10 locos. I already ahve the Zephyr - my next purchase will be a Super Empire Builder set to use the DB150 as a second booster and get the DT400 - it’s cheaper to buy the set. After that, I don’t know. If I need more than 10 locos, i will buy a Super Chief, or just a DCS100, if I don’t need a second DT400.
For the money (approx. $160) it’s hard to beat the Zephyr. If you need more power in the future, you can add another Zephyr as a booster. If you decide you want the added features of the Super Chief, you can use the Zephyr as a booster for that system.
My recommendation would be to go with the Zephyr to start and adapt to your expansion in the future.
The Digitrax Zephyr is a good starter unit, and it can be expanded. Additional boosters, throttles, etc can be attached just like any other Digitrax ‘Loconet’ system. Other than the maximum number of trains you can run at once, and the lack of the
built-in ‘fast clock’, it can be expanded to all of the high end features. I have a Chief system(late 90’s), with additional boosters, wireless DT400R throttles. I just bought a Zephyr(got a great ‘deal’ on it) for use when working in the study on models. Attaching one of my DT400R throttles and I can program very well with it. My layout takes up a 25 by 20 room in an ‘L’ shape, and I bet I could run the entire thing with just a Zephyr and a 5 amp booster(DB150). The Zephyr will bet someone into DCC with lots of expansion capability, and the basic ‘in the case’ controls will not intiminate first time users. I rarely get more than 4 trains going at once(usually with double headed P2K diesels, or a BLI steamer). I have had 3 sound equipped steamers running at one time and have not tripped the DCS100(and those BLI engines are notorious current hogs). I suspect that the Zephyr can handle 2 of the BLI engines at the same time.
I’m not too worried about the lack of fast clock, the built-in one on the DCS100 is hardly accurate anyway. If I want a fast clock, I’ll pick up one or more of the Logic Rail Technology Loconet Fast Clocks. With one of those as the master clock, you can use the time display in the DT throttles.
Brings up another nice thing about Digitrax - third party support. Logic Rail, Team Digital, CML, RR-CirKits, Zimo, and Uhlenbrock all make Loconet compatible accessories. Probably more that I missed, too. Plus all the guys on the Yahoo group Loconet Hackers making up add-ons.
I think im gonna go with the zephyr too, but its pretty much be only me operating and mabey 2 trains at a time. i have a midium size layout(im 15) and its a tough tackle
I love my Zephyr – more than enough power to run my layout, and keep 3-4 locos moving at the same time. I use DecoderPro to program the decoders through it. And I just added a barely-used DT300 hand-held throttle to it that I got off eBay (some guy had extras that he wasn’t using anymore, since his operators brought their own) for under $90, and I have to say that adding a hand-held makes the Zephyr perfect for my needs.
Don’t think you can go wrong with a Zephyr as a starter system.