DCC Info from NMRA

[John]

SOME NEWS PRIOR TO THE CONVENTION

Automatic Credit Card processing at Litchfield Station means faster service for you. Currently available for MC and Visa – adding AmEx and Discover soon.

New Products at Litchfield Station:
# Grizzly Mountain Engineering – cams, connectors and wipers
# Bachmann E-Z Command DCC System stations – very low cost entry system
# Bachmann E-Z Command DCC & loco combos – get into DCC for about $125
# Kato UniTrack sets in HO – have a smooth running layout quickly

CONVENTION NEWS

Aztec Manufacturing - New Products – Machined frames for N scale sound with MRC decoders, as shown in Model Railroad News recently now available on an exchange basis for:
# Atlas PnP GP38, GP40, GP40-2
# Atlas PnP SD35
# Atlas PnP SD7, SD9, SD24, SD26
# Atlas PnP B23-7, B30-7, B36-7
# Atlas PnP Dash 8-32BW/BWH, Dash 8-40B, Dash 8-40BW
# Kato non-PnP SD40/45
# Atlas PnP U25B
# InterMountain PnP SD40T-2, SD45T-2
# Atlas U23B

Blackstone Models
# The final batch of the K-27 locos have landed in Los Angeles.
# New Products - Flat Car and Caboose due after the stock and box cars.

DCC direct - Finally, the ability to use a decoder in many modes:
# DC control and power from the rails
# DCC control and power from the rails
# DCC control from the rails with battery power
# Radio control with track power
# Radio control with battery power

# One version demonstrated: Lenz Gold Maxi decoder
# Hybrid (battery) drive
# QSI AirWire radio receiver

Digitrax - New Product – LocoNet Repeater
# Isolate LocoNet sections and diagnose problems
# Use with 25 or more LocoNet devices per circuit
# Boosts LocoNet power to overcome losses due to line length and attached devices
# Runs diagnostics on LocoNet signal
# A "must have" for N-Track and FreeMo users
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about August 15
# MSRP $69.99; LS $55.89

JMRI – Production version 1.8 released

Lenz
LE1000 series discontinued – limited to stock on hand at LS

New Product – Standard decoder
# Replacement for discontinued LE1000
# Lenz’ regular 10 year warranty, including 90 day replacement by Litchfield Station
# 1-amp (hard stall) BEMF silent drive
# 0.6 inch x 1 inch x 0.2 inch
# 3 functions
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about August 1
# MSRP $29.95; LS $23.89

New Product – Silver21 decoder
# Newest entry into the Silver line
# Plugs directly into the 21 pin sockets common in European locos
# 0.61 inch x 0.8 inch x 0.17 inch
# 4 functions @ 0.1 amp each; 0.4 amp total
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about August 15
# MSRP 35.95; LS $28.89

New Product – Power3 power module for Gold Maxi decoders
# Maximize the “hold over” possibilities with your Gold Series decoders
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about August 15
# MSRP $59.95; LS $47.89

LH090 software update to V 3.5
# Improved loco acquisition
# Menu shortcuts – easier address programming
# Functions to F12
# Ability to set any function F1 to F12 non-latching on a per loco basis
# Send directly to Lenz Agency in MA
# Call in advance to schedule for minimum down time
# $10 shipping and handling (USA), $20 in Canada

NCE
They are moving to a new building in the next few weeks
They plan to move one section at a time with 2 days down time for each section, resulting in less than a week’s loss of production overall.

USB adapter
# In beta test with the JMRI (DecoderPro) folks
# Expected MSRP $50 or less
# Will work with the PowerHouse sets to run the layout or program on the mains – since it operates on the CabBus, not on the Control Bus, it cannot access the programming track on the PowerHouse sets.

QSI in the Garden
New Product – Aristo-Craft Plug-in DC and DCC capable decoder
# 2.7 amps running
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about August 15
# MSRP $149.95; LS $119.89

New Product – Screw Terminal DC and DCC capable decoder
# 2.7 amps running
# Shipping from Litchfield Station in September, we hope!
# MSRP $179.95; LS $143.89

New Product – QSI AirWire receiver (See DCC Direct section)
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about September 15
# MSRP $99.95; LS $79.89

SoundTraxx
# New Pick-And-Place assembly robot coming in about a week.
# Production limited for a few weeks here during fit-up and training.
# Expect to be fully operational by September with as much as 10 times the current production capacity.
# Expect to see 4 and 8 amp Tsunamis coming off the new machine
# Editing work continues on the Tsunami diesel sounds

[Zox]

Digitrax - New Product – LocoNet Repeater
# Isolate LocoNet sections and diagnose problems
# Use with 25 or more LocoNet devices per circuit
# Boosts LocoNet power to overcome losses due to line length and attached devices
# Runs diagnostics on LocoNet signal
# A "must have" for N-Track and FreeMo users
# Shipping from Litchfield Station about August 15
# MSRP $69.99; LS $55.89

Interesting. Going by the prices on powerwerx.com, 250 feet of 16-gauge wire, plus one of these repeaters, costs less than 250 feet of 12-gauge wire alone. You save about $20, even at the MSRP for the repeater.

Clubs that use Digitrax DCC might want to re-think the 12-gauge wire specified in the new NTrak DCC RPs. (The PowerPoles are still a good idea, though.)

[John]

Rob .. I don't believe this has anything to do with the power distribution buss on the layouts ..

I think this device is more like a LAN repeater .. which would be good for larger layouts .. where you can bring down the voltages on the loconet when you plug in more throttles ..

12 Guage is still a good practice ..

[Zox]

Rob .. I don't believe this has anything to do with the power distribution buss on the layouts ..

I think this device is more like a LAN repeater ..

Okay. I thought the primary reason for going with such heavy wire (heavier than most house wiring!) was signal loss, not voltage drop. But I can't find a reference to back me up, so I may be mistaken.

If voltage drop is the primary problem, then obviously my idea is bogus. Sorry...

[bsoplinger]

SOME NEWS PRIOR TO THE CONVENTION

SoundTraxx
# New Pick-And-Place assembly robot coming in about a week.
# Production limited for a few weeks here during fit-up and training.
# Expect to be fully operational by September with as much as 10 times the current production capacity.
# Expect to see 4 and 8 amp Tsunamis coming off the new machine
# Editing work continues on the Tsunami diesel sounds

This is welcome news. I picked up one of the new Micro-Tsunamis and its well worth the price over the MRC steam offering, there really isn't any comparison, even with the small speakers in an N-scale tender.

Not to mention the fact that I've been waiting on a pair of their less expensive LC line to do a pair of HO diesels for someone for over 2 months, it would be nice if they actually made some more of these too.

And diesel in a 16 bit (vs the 8 bit sound samples in most other products) would be really nice. I heard they went so far as to get a person to specifically do diesel sounds and they really are trying to get it right. Of course, just because they are trying doesn't mean they will, but it sure seems to beat some of the very puzzling releases of new items we've had over the last year. The Life-Like GP38-2 without a sight glass with those marshmallow fans and the holes for a winterization hatch or the 'modeler' version of the MP metal shelled F units come to mind. Those products seemed to be made without even a minimal effort to 'do it right.'

[mmyers]

Interesting. Going by the prices on powerwerx.com, 250 feet of 16-gauge wire, plus one of these repeaters, costs less than 250 feet of 12-gauge wire alone. You save about $20, even at the MSRP for the repeater.

Clubs that use Digitrax DCC might want to re-think the 12-gauge wire specified in the new NTrak DCC RPs. (The PowerPoles are still a good idea, though.)

Rob,
The repeater is for Loconet.  Some users with large numbers of loconet devices and connections have reported trouble with drooping voltage/current on the network cable. The repeater will boost the signal on the net so it can be run longer distances and handle more devices. A couple of these in the large layout planned for Derby City Express next year should make for a more reliable Loconet.
The cables and connectors used to power the track are part of the track bus. Still need to keep voltage drop at a minimum at the rails.

Martin

[Walkercolt]

Because DCC works at a relatively high frequency, there is the "skin effect" where the signal travels on the edge(skin) of the conductor, therefore causing a greater signal loss over smaller wire than would normally be anticipated. Learned this working on USAF aircraft using 400Hz AC power. Voltage loss at 12-15 volts is always an issue too. "Grasshopper, bigger wire is always better..."