To clarify the differences between the various throttles, I have put together a table that summarizes their features. In some cases, the information below conflicts with what is on Digitrax's own specification sheets from their web site. In such cases, this is because I have determined the values in the table from direct observation.
This table is not intended to describe the specific features in detail-- it is a comparison table, not advertising material or user instructions.
An "advanced" throttle is any Digitrax throttle that has the ability to make up and break down consists, control stationary decoders and program decoders.
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1 |
The Zephyr, Zephyr Xtra and Zephyr Express are designed,
first and foremost to be command stations. They are listed here because
they include integrated throttles. Properly configured, they can be
used as an additional stationary throttle on a LocoNet-equipped layout
where the Zephyr, Zephyr Xtra or Zephyr Express is not being used as
the command station. The feature specifications listed in this table
apply only to the built-in throttle capabilities. |
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2 |
The DT200 contains command station firmware to serve
as a command station as part of the former Digitrax Big boy starter
set, much in the same way that an NCE PowerCab can act as its own command
station. When A DT200 is connected to another command station, it simply
acts as another throttle on the system. |
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3 |
The earliest DCC decoders only supported addresses from
0 to 127. Because of how these were represented internally in the decoders
(and partially because some early DCC systems only supported addresses
up to 99), these were referred to as "two-digit" addresses.
The DCC standard was soon extended to be able to support addresses to
just over 10,000. Most DCC systems marketed in the US can support addresses
up to about 9999, as four-digit locomotive numbers are common in the
US. Digitrax command stations treat all addresses below 128 as "two-digit"
addresses, and all addresses above 127 as "four-digit addresses."
Other brands' command stations handle this distinction in their own
ways. |
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4 |
On this chart, I count reversible headlights
(controlled by Function 0, by default) as a single function. Some people
prefer to count them as two functions, since you can set the behavior
of the forward headlight and the reverse headlight separately on most
decoders. In that case, you would increase the function count by one.
From a throttle perspective, though, both are still controlled by F0,
by default. |
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5 |
When functioning as a throttle, the DCS50 only offers
access to 13 functions. When used as a command station, any external
throttle connected to it can control as many functions as the external
throttle supports. |
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6 |
While the other "infra-ready" advanced throttles
all came factory-equipped for infrared remote control, the original
DT100s did not. In the DT100 line, only the DT100IR model has infrared
capability. |
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7 |
This row indicates whether the throttle was ever sold
with that capability, or whether a radio upgrade was available at one
time. Digitrax no longer offers upgrades to convert existing throttles
to have simplex radio capability. |
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8 |
While the DCS50 and DCS51 can
only accept CV numbers up to 255 on their built-in keypads, any advanced
throttle plugged into them can be used to read or program CVs up to
the throttle's own limit. For example, a DT300 plugged into a DCS50
or DCS51 can program CVs up to CV number 255, but a DT402, DT500 or
DT602 plugged into a DCS50 or DCS51 can program CVs up to CV number
1024. If you use a PC connected to a DCS50 or DCS51 through a PR3
or PR4, with programming software such as JMRI, the software can program
the entire range of CVs, as well. |
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9 |
Digitrax's first two "Advanced"
throttles, the DT100 and DT200 used an LCD display that had a limited
number of digits and had an internal processor with a very limited
amount of memory. To accommodate these, it was often necessary to
enter values into the throttle using hexadecimal notation (base 16-
where numbers are made up of the digits 0-9 and the letters A-F).
This particularly affected decoder addresses from 100 to 127, which
were entered in an unusual hybrid form. Similarly, values being programmed
into CVs in decoders had to be entered using hexadecimal. This was
not intuitive to most people outside of the computer engineering community,
and contributed to early Digitrax equipment having a reputation for
being overly difficult to use.
Since the release of the DT300- and DT400-series
throttles in 2000, it has not been necessary to use hexadecimal notation
when using Digitrax equipment on a day-to-day basis, although some
users of other systems occasionally will drag out the outdated "Digitrax
requires you to use hexadecimal" line when justifying their choice
of system. Throttles from the DT300-series forward, default to using
familiar base ten (decimal) numbering, but still can use hexadecimal
values for programming CVs in decoders. The Throttle ID number in
the DT402- and DT500-series throttles is a hexadecimal number, but
since this is an ID tag, rather than a value that has any meaning
other than to be different from throttle to throttle, this is not
a signficant burden. Otherwise, since 2000, use of hexadecimal numbers
has not been a requirement to run trains using Digitrax throttles
or perform decoder programming. |
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10 |
Starting with the DT300-series throttles, it was possible
to customize some of the characteristics of an Advanced throttle. This
included setting the intensity of the LCD backlighting, setting whether
turning the control knobs makes a clicking sound, and several other
features. The DT300- and DT400-series throttles only referred to their
options by an "option number" that didn't have any intuitive
relationship to the feature the user was trying to change, and required
the user to calculate a numeric value to set the desired behavior. Starting
with the DT402-series throttles, setting up the throttle options is
now done using descriptive text-based prompts and answering Yes/No-type
questions (where appropriate) or entering simple numeric values. |
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11 |
The LCD display on the DT300-, DT40x- and DT500-series
throttles has the elements to display cab signal indications, however
only the DT402- and DT500-series throttles have the internal software
to actually support this. Implementing cab signaling requires that each
throttle be given its own Throttle ID number, and requires the use of
third-party or homebrew computer software. Automated cab signaling usually
requires installing additional detection hardware as well. The signal
indications are represented by a semaphore head in each of the upper
corners of the display. Each semaphore head can show one of three indications:
the blade horizontal, vertical, or at a 45-degree angle. Digitrax has
not released any products of its own that directly support this feature,
and there is no apparent support for it in the DT602-series throttles. |
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12 |
Input Mode is a feature that permits DT500-series throttles
to query the status of a detection section, as reported by a BDL168,
BD4, BXP88, BXPA1, or similar LocoNet-enabled block detector. This can
be very useful for setting up and testing detection. |
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13 |
Slot Zeroing is a feature that allows a DT500-series
throttle to force the speed to 0 for all locomotives currently occupying
slots in the command station. Generally it would be used at the end
of an operating session, when all other throttles have been shut down.
The DT500 can perform this with any Digitrax command station. The DT602
implements this function as well, but calls it "Soft Clear." |
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14 |
Device Query is a feature of a DT500-series throttle
that allows a user to look up and scroll through statistics stored by
an Advanced LocoNet device. At this writing, only the DCS52, DCS210,
DCS210+ and DCS240 command stations and DB210 and DB220 boosters are
Advanced LocoNet devices. At this writing, there is no indication, in
documentation or on the throttle, that the DT602-series throttles support
Device Query. |
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15 |
This is the "Steal?=Y" message on DT300-series
and later throttles, the "STLo" message on the DCS50 and DCS51,
and the "ST:3x" message on DT100-series throttles.
Pressing the "Y" key gives the throttle control of the locomotive,
but it may also leave another throttle with control of that address,
too, which can cause erratic operation. For this reason, I always recommend
pressing the "N" key, and finding out which other throttle
is already set to control that address. Once located, you can either
use that throttle, or dispatch the address off of it so that you can
acquire it with the throttle you started with. The moral of the story
is to always dispatch a locomotive's address when you are done using
it on a throttle, as part of "putting away one's toys." |
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16 |
Expanded Slots Mode is a feature of the DCS240 command
station that permits it to support more than 120 throttles in use on
a layout at once. While up to 120 older throttles can be used when Expanded
Slots mode is being used, any throttles beyond that 120 throttles must
currently be DT402-, DT500-, UT6- or DT602-series throttles (DT402 throttles
require version R21 or later firmware). Each of the DT402- or DT500-series
throttles must be manually assigned its own Throttle ID value (once)
for this to work. DT602-series and UT6 throttles have their own ID numbers
built-in. Expanded Slots Mode supports throttles that
are tethered or using Duplex radio. Expanded Slots Mode is not supported
for Simplex radio or infrared operation. |
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17 |
StealZap is a feature that can be used to prevent multiple
throttles from taking control of the same locomotive address at once.
It only works in Expanded Slot Mode (which requires a DCS240 command
station), and requires that the throttles each be given their own Throttle
ID number. For DT402 throttles, this requires firmware version R21 or
later. |
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18 |
Changing the LocoNet Throttle ID number to give each
throttle a unique value makes it possible for other LocoNet devices,
such as the command station or signaling accessories, to distinguish
between different throttles and to direct LocoNet commands or messages
to specific throttles. If you intend to use Expanded Slots Mode or cab
signaling, you must give each of your DT402- or DT500-series throttles
its own (unique) Throttle ID number. DT602-series and UT6 throttles
have their own ID numbers built-in. |
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19 |
Some early decoders supported only 2-digit addresses.
With both a DT100 or DT200 throttle and a DCS100 or DCS200 command station,
it was possible to define a 4-digit number (matching the number on the
locomotive's cab) as an alias for a 2-digit address. Once this was done,
the user would not need to remember the 2-digit address of the decoder,
but could simply call up the locomotive by the number on the locomotive's
cab. This functionality is not supported by any command stations except
the DCS100 and DCS200. |
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20 |
DT400-, DT402- and DT500-series throttles have an option
switch that can be set so that the F2 key behaves in a pressure-sensitive
mode that allows one to vary the intensity of the whistle sound on sound
decoders that support variable or "quillable" whistle effects. |
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Digitrax Advanced Throttles
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