Digitrax

Bruce.

Thank you for thorough run  down on Digitrax 210 .As I am the proud owner of a super chief duplex (only had I 1 year) and still struggling with the manual . I appreciate all your assistance you have given to the MRH site so the people  who are (lost,frustrated, angry ,confused,& just down right MAD) Can come to grips with Digitrax manual.

I've had my rant,

Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year .

Smokey Dawson      Australia 

Thank you

I'm still on the fence as to which booster to get, the DCS210 or 240. I want the USB connection and for the $50 more for the 240, I think it's worth it.

Command station isolation?

Maybe I missed it but isn't this "all in one" system going the opposite direction than desired? I would rather have an isolated or protected and isolated command station that can keep a consistent DCC signal on the Loconet. This way any track power would be removed from the command station entirely keeping it safe. Am I reading it all wrong? It seems the best recommended practice is to isolate the command station from shorts so the rest of the layout can continue to operate is a major priority. That said a command only unit might be in order. Of course my shovel may be overflowing and that's not new.

All that said does this unit do all this?

Nice article, wanting to

Nice article, wanting to upgrade my Empire Builder system. I wish they would have redesigned the throttle though.

More on the USB Interface

Great article as usual, Bruce.  I'm interested to hear more on the USB interface and if it takes the place of the LocoBuffer USB I'm using now.  Some areas of interest are what drivers would need to be loaded, are they available for Mac, Windows, Linux, etc, and how well it performs.

More importantly, I'm sorry to hear about your loss of your Father.  I lost mine a few years ago.  He got me started on trains, as most fathers do, and every time I build something new for my layout, I think about how he'd enjoy seeing it.  

DCS240

  I just completed the install of a DCS240 at out club.  The original configuration was as follows:

• DCS200 Command Station - Powered by a PS2012
• DCS200 in Booster Mode - Powered by a PS2012
• DB200 Booster - Powered by a PS2012
• An old Win XP tower unit running JMRI vas a LocoBuffer II(with a serial converter)

  This hardware has been in place for 12 years.  With some money in the coffers, we decided to upgrade before we had a major H/W failure.  Here is what we purchased:

• DCS240 Command Station - Powered by it's original PS2012($300)
• New HP Desktop Unit(Win 10/3 gHz quad core/8 GB memory/1 TB disk) - A return from Walmart($140)
• UPS - Something we did not have($40).  In a rural area, we get a lot of power glitches...

  I setup the new stuff at home, and downloaded all of the PR3/DCS240/DT402D firmware(and left copies in the hard drive so we can update throttle/UR92 firmware at the club(no Internet connection).  At the club I updated the firmware on the UR92 and one members DT402D.   Here are my observations:

• Decoder Pro runs so much faster with the new computer!  
• Right now, we have no way of monitoring the slots above 120(JMRI is working on adding this function).  
• Also this was the first time I transferred the roster(over 400 engines) and there was little documentation on how to do this.  At least the JMRI Yahoo Group walked me through my failed first attempt to success!  

  This Wednesday I am planning on fine adjusting the track voltage using the new Digitrax trim procedure.  We ran last Wednesday and no one noticed any speed change issues at the Power District gaps, but the retired engineer in me wants to 'try it out'...

Jim

Isolation

JP,

  What you are looking for is a Command Station that only feeds the LocoNet, and separate boosters actually provide track power?  A good concept, but I suspect all of the individual parts may get rather expensive.  One can feed the DCS240 with an 18v/2 amp wall wart(what I did at home) and that worked fine.  Just run LocoNet cables to the boosters that are actually suppling track power.

Jim

Jim

So you are implying that one could isolate the command station yet still utilize the track power from the command station unit. That is not what has been preached for man years for reliability. The optimum set up is an isolated command station with only boosters for track power.

I understand that the best short protection should be in place to protect the command station and allow the track power to be used off a DCS100, but it is not optimal. I am simply pointing out that it does not seem applicable on large set ups that the DCS 240 would be ideal.

Can we get a reasonably inexpensive command station only unit and run the track power off boosters?

Digitrax new toys...

Bruce,

Welcome back! Always look forward to the info on DCC. Big help in learning about the  different systems, and how each one can offer the  best operating choices for his or her railroad, thank you!

Merry Christmas and may the new year be kind, take care!

Thank you all ...

for the kind wishes. Hope to make you all happy.