MRC Prodigy vs. Digitrax Zephyr

Basically the answer is very simple, the Digitrax Zephyr is expandable and will work with all the other Digitrax products. The MRC system is not expandable and has a very limited capability. But then again it depends on what you want. If you are only going to build a coffee table layout and never use sound and that's the maximum layout you will ever do then you might consider the MRC system. When we give clinics on DCC and the like _all systems_ are rated as very good except for one. Take a guess!

So getting the super Empire Builder would be an even better selection? I plan on expanding.

plan on expanding.<

While I use Digitrax I feel that all the top level system are good. As DCC is growing every day and if you can afford it I would buy in at the top. The new Soundtraxx Tsunami is pushing the use of functions as are the BLI engines, with sound! I bought in with a Chief many years ago and have never regretted it. With the addition purchase of a DT400 I have 12 functions that are supported. I think other systems (if you buy in at the upper levels) have the same expandability. But you need to do the research on them. Also after you have had you system for awhile you will learn that a programming track is a very important item. Like before if you have a coffee table and only a couple of engines it doesn't matter but beyond that certain things start to get important.

Thanks Jon! Does the Throttle or the Command Station do the programming? So would the DT400 (R) or DB150 support a programming track that you speak of?

Ok if we are talking about Digitrax the DT300 or DT400 have the buttons to do the programming (so to speak) but the command station does the actual programming. Only the Chief and Zephyr have a separate programming track (output of the box) but all the command stations can do programming. Only the Chief and Zephyr have "readback" and that's because they have a separate programming track. The DB150 can program but you need a switch to toggle between a piece of track and the layout or every engine on the layout will get programmed at the same time. It's probably a good idea to get some DCC books if you haven't already. There are a couple that are very good, "Big Book of DCC" (by Digitrax) or "Digital Command Control" (a comprehensive guide to DCC by Stan Ames, Rutger Friberg & Ed Loizeaux). Both these books are available from most of the mail-order guys and are well worth read.

In my opinion NO. The Zephyr has 2 features that the EB doesn't have that you will come to learn you can't live without; a separate programming track which you can use while the layout runs, and the ability to read back the contents of CVs.

You will probably want more than one throttle even to begin with and you can use a DT300 or DT400 or even a radio version of either if you add a UR91 with your Zephyr. Later you can expand with a DCS100 to get the expanded command station capabilities and still use the Zephyr as a 3 amp booster. The additional throttles you buy now will continue to work with your new DCS100.

Dale.

Kev> So getting the super Empire Builder would be an even better selection? I

Ok, so isn't AMPs on these systems important. The EB has a 5 AMP the Zephyr has 2.5 AMP. I guess I can always expand the 2.5 ?

Amps are not really that important in HO or N scale with the Zephyr. I have had a Z since it came out last year. You will run out of "slots" long before you run out of amps if every engine has a different address (especially if you are using loco models made in the last 10 years or so; new engines pull a lot less amps). A "slot" in DCC terms is an address that the "brain" of the system can "talk" to. The Z can only talk to 10 loco addresses at the same time. Therefore, the Z has "10 slots". When you dial an address into the Z's throttle or any other Digitrax throttle (DT100, DT300, DT400, UT-1, etc.), it takes up one slot. When engines are only sitting there, and have not been "addressed", they do not count against the slot as there is no throttle assigned to that loco. Unless they are part of a consist, then they remain active until they are un-consisted. The way around this is that when you make consists (or "MU's"), you program the second, third, whatever, locos in the consist to the same address as the lead loco. Then, all 2, 3 or 4 engines will only use up one slot. Then it's possible to run up against the 2.5 amp barrier. I have used 10 engines at one time on my layout, and at no time did I have amperage problems. My engines were mostly LLP2K and Atlas.

Paul A. Cutler III

Kevin, One think you need to do is have a rough idea of what your layout will look like. Or maybe just a idea of the square footage you have available. It's then easier to just guess the amount of track and engines that might be included. Current available from one booster is not a limit as you can always divide the layout into a couple of block and add another booster. You are looking for somewhere to start and the Zephyr is as good as any. If you have the funds available then start with the Chief. I started with a Chief (as I said, long ago) and bought used DB100a's on ebay for additional power blocks. You could (if funds dictate) start with a Zephyr and add a DB150 (or DCS100) later. You would then simple make the Zephyr a booster and the DB150 the command station. The only item that Digitrax made that's not usable with all the rest of the system is a very early throttle (and you can buy an interface for that if you want).

Excellent, thanks for all the feedback. I'm fairly certain I'm going to start with the Zephyr and then add on as time goes... Zephyr seems to offer quite a bit for the money. I've seen 159.99 as the best price so far, anyone found anything cheaper?