Rich, What about controlling other peoples DCC? It says nothing about that. However, I know for a fact that my Digitrax throttle will not work with an NCE system or even your Protoge system. I agree that running the units on another systemvwith that throttle would have been nice to see.
Michael Ostertag -- Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity. richgajnak <[email protected]> wrote: Just to butt in a little here, This is also the first I've heard of Rail Pro. There are some things to merit the Rail Pro system and I probably would look into it in more depth if I was starting fresh with command control. But, I've established my comfort level with my MRC Prodigy 2 system, which I'll admit, also has some drawbacks when compared to NCE, Digitrax or others. As Bill mmentioned, there doesn't seem to be any statement about decoder current capacity. Also, they say you can download new sounds, but I haven't found a listing of what's available on their site. Plus, according to their website, their non-sound decoder isn't available yet. As to the controller, there's no mention of batteries or how long you can expect them to last driving the display. And yeah, I also like a big, meaty controller in my hand. I also prefer function buttons to menues. But, look at the other side of the coin. There are folks out there who feel the need to control their trains with an i-phone, i-pad or i-whatever for some odd reason. The Rail Pro controller seems to be geared to them. However, as also mentioned earlier, there also is the proprietary trap. It's the same trap the 3-rail O gaugers are in, although MTH does have the hardware availble to control some of Lionel's command control features. And yet, both companies have discovered they will have to be compatible with DCC if they expect to sell product outside the 3-rail universe. Rail Pro says you can bring your controller and locomotive with to a friend's DCC layout and still control your Rail Pro loco. But, it's sort of like bringing your own place setting for dinner... Still, it would have been nice if they had demonstrated this on their video. Rich G(ajnak) --- In [email protected], Michael Ostertag <wsmwrr@...> wrote: > > Bill, > > I agree. The "complexity" that they mention is really not that big of a > deal. Even to the DCC beginner. I am usually only running one unit at > a time (since my layout is only going to be a switching layout so to > speak), so that isn't a big deal right now for me either. I caught on > to their plug and play technology right away. I like to hard wire my > decoders and I'm pretty good at it. So plug and play for me is almost > useless. It usually takes me about 10 minutes to program an engine in > decoder pro, however, most of that is checking the lighting and making > sure things are running the way I want them too. > > I guess time will tell if it really takes off. Right now, I will stick > with the archaic complexities of DCC. > > Michael Ostertag > On 8/25/2012 11:59 PM, Bill Lane wrote: > > > > Michael, > > > > The 1 thing that neither of us previously mentioned is capacity. I > > gave a good surf around and did not see ONE thing about system output > > or decoder capacity. That would be important to most people. They seem > > to be concentrated on pretty new locomotives in HO only, that can plug > > their decoder in easily. Not very flexible or accommodating to me.... > > I LIKE the big NCE handle! Most buttons do 1 thing most of the time. > > Where is the emergency stop on Rail Pro? > > > > As for the speed matching it was someone interesting but that is not a > > problem for me. I usually run like units together and set them all to > > the same address -- no consisting is needed. Like units are > > prototypical for me since I am not in "couple up and run it" Penn > > Central.... If I am running different locomotives together I use > > separate handles like the real thing with head end and helpers. Maybe > > Rail Pro could license the speed sensing programming to NCE and call > > it a day! > > > > There is some learning curve to DCC. I have said that you usually wind > > up with the brand or DCC system that your closest friends have. I > > don't think I have ever revisited a decoder to do extensive custom > > programming once the first 45 second programming was done so that > > negates the "complexity" issues touted by Rail Pro. > > > > Thank You, > > Bill Lane > > > > Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1988 > > > > See my finished models at: > > http://www.lanestrains.com <http://www.lanestrains.com/> > > Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! > > > > See my layout progess at: > > > > http://www.lanestrains.com/My_Layout.htm > > > > Custom Train Parts Design > > http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm > > > > PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded > > (Trading is MUCH preferred) > > http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls > > > > ***Join the PRR T&HS*** > > The other members are not ALL like me! > > http://www.prrths.com <http://www.prrths.com/> > > http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf > > > > Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society > > It's FREE to join! http://www.prslhs.com <http://www.prslhs.com/> > > Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL > > > > >
