Wiring A Program Track Booster

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

My NCE Powerhouse Pro normally can read CVs from my on layout program track but I understand needs a booster for reading high number CVs on the LokSound Selects. So I’m adding a PTB100.

It occurs to me I could simply put it in series an have it always on when the layout is powered up. Or I could only use it when needed for those odd CVs by having it in parallel, with a DPDT, to the NCE program track direct output. So I could leave it off normally and turn it on and switch it in the path only when needed.

The simple option has it always powered. And other items like auto reversers are always powered. The PTB has its own power supply and I suppose that’s the part more susceptible to longevity issues.

Suggestions on how you would install this?

2

Have you actually tried it? I’ve not seen a need to use a program track booster with any Loksound decoders with any of my Digitrax stuff which is also usually cited as needing a booster to work with Tsunami and QSI decoders. Reading or writing high number CVs is a limitation of the command station itself, if it can access high numbers directly, it will work, if it can’t, no program track booster will fix that. Instead, ESU has an alternative way to access high CVs with indexed CVs, like most of the other sound decoders.

–Randy