# For me the terminology can be confusing.



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

For me the terminology can be confusing. As I get it...

Command/Central Station: puts DCC signal on track (or to Booster)
Booster: applies power to DCC signal
Power supply: provides power to Command/Station and or Booster



Digitrax states:

*DCS100 is your system’s command station.* It generates the
information packets that tell the decoders what to do.

*• DCS100 is also a booster.* Boosters receive signals from the
command station, amplify them and put them on the track along
with the power from the power supply to run the locomotives.
You can have several boosters on your layout to provide additional
power to run more locos.

*DCS100 and DCS200*
The information in this manual applies to both the DCS100/DCS200 Command
Stations/Boosters unless specifically noted. *We will refer to the DCS100 in all
instructions, but they apply equally to the DCS200.* *The DCS100 is a 5 amp
booster and the DCS200 is an 8 amp booster.*

*Power Supply*
Digitrax recommends the PS515 power supply to power all DCS100s and the
PS2012 for DCS200s. *There are many other power supplies and power packs
that can supply the input power for the DCS100.*

This seemed to work out years ago when I connected a 1 amp LGB power supply (minimal power) to an LGB Central Station 1 (for the MTS/DCC signal) and fed the output to an MRC Power Station 8 (for 8 amp power output).

I then ran an LGB 2-4-0 under track power on the inside track and a Lionel 0-4-0 with a Digitrax decoder under MTS/DCC on the outer track.

The 2-4-0 was controlled by the 1 amp Power Supply and the 0-4-0 was controlled by an LGB Loco or Universal Remote. That was a long time ago and I've forgotten the details but it worked out well enough to take the layout to train shows and have a little display of track power and MTS/DCC.

The idea seemed simple enough but then there is the DCS100 for 5 amp and DCS200 for 8 amps which seems strange since neither actually have power but instead depend on an external source of power.

I guess the internal components of the DCS100 only have the capability of less than 5 amps passing through it while the DCS200 can withstand up to 8 amps passing through.










What appears to me to be unique to MRC is that they seem to imply that their Power Station 8 is independent of any particular brand and model of Central/Command Station:










If I understand this and other's comments correctly then I should be able to use a Crest 15 Amp Everest 24 volt regulated power supply to power any of them (perhaps using a Crest 15 amp Controller to lower the output to 20 VDC).

Does this make sense? Is it accurate?

Thanks,

Jerry


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## ntpntpntp (Jan 14, 2008)

From what I've read, the Power Station 8 "Includes built-in power supply and voltage adjustment knob.", so I guess it has inputs for low power DCC signal and outputs amplified signal at up to 8 amps of power? It doesn't need/have input terminals for it's power supply (it has a mains cable?) so you wouldn't need to connect your Crest to it?

A DCC "booster only" box should be ok with any brand of DCC command station, it's only job is to amplify the DCC signal up to the required voltage / current.

DCS100 is a combined command station and 5 amp booster, and DCS200 is also a combined command station and booster (8 amps). Hence they're NOT intended to be mixed with other brands of DCC command station. Yes they require an external power supply AC (up to 22V) or DC (up to 28V). If the Crest is 24V DC that should be fine as power supply for the DCS100.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

ntpntpntp said:


> From what I've read, the Power Station 8 "Includes built-in power supply and voltage adjustment knob.", so I guess it has inputs for low power DCC signal and outputs amplified signal at up to 8 amps of power? It doesn't need/have input terminals for it's power supply (it has a mains cable?) so you wouldn't need to connect your Crest to it?
> 
> A DCC "booster only" box should be ok with any brand of DCC command station, it's only job is to amplify the DCC signal up to the required voltage / current.
> 
> DCS100 is a combined command station and 5 amp booster, and DCS200 is also a combined command station and booster (8 amps). Hence they're NOT intended to be mixed with other brands of DCC command station. Yes they require an external power supply AC (up to 22V) or DC (up to 28V). If the Crest is 24V DC that should be fine as power supply for the DCS100.


You are right (I get confused when it comes to MTS & DCC).

My thought had been to use an MRC Power Station 8 with either a DCS200 or LGB Central Station (to get 8 amps) OR to use a Crest Everest 24 VDC regulated power supply with the DCS200 since there seems to be some reported incompatibilities with the MRC power station 8.

My purpose is to get the best results possible with the stuff I already own.

Programming the Digitrax decoders is a different issue but I think I can work it out since my only plan is to put them between the track and loco circuits.

At this point I just want to get the layouts and locos working with minimal effort and additional expense.

Thanks,

Jerry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The concepts of a "command station" and "booster" comes from the NMRA definitions (and probably earlier). The are functions that need to exist, but there is no rule against putting both of them in the same box.

command station without a booster cannot run trains, but can run programming track.

Oh, neither supply is a good idea... the Everest has an issue with powering some DCC systems, basically it's a hyperactive overcurrent circuit.

Lewis Polk gave a number of us these for use on DCC specifically, and they had nothing but issues... mine served as a doorstop for a while, and then was given to a friend. Another beta tester friend of mine still uses his as a doorstop.

(It's only the Everest that had these issues, not the other regulated supplies)

Greg


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I have had problems with Everests failing on analog track systems. I have a couple Elites that work fine but I have several Everests that were replaced or purchased later that may or may not have issues. I have not used them yet.

My main issue has been failure to recover when shorted. The 15 amp Controllers have not had any issues.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

To further explain, my friend sent his back to Aristo twice, they said that they changed something in the circuit breaker circuit, but it still exhibited the "hyper" sensitivity to inrush currents, and would shut off and you had to cycle power to get it on again.

My friend gave up after the 2nd attempt, since shipping alone was exceeding the value of the supply. Aristo originally wanted to promote the supply for use with DCC but later, quietly stopped that endorsement.

The 10 amp units seem to have no such problem with tripping the breaker under temporary surge conditions.

The funny thing is that the input surge that was causing the problem was minor, in several cases just the NCE DCC booster alone with no load on the output would trip the Everest.

Hope this helps.

Greg


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