Starter Systems Comparison
Summary: A comparison between various Digital Command Control Starter Systems.
This list relies on manufacturers publishing complete and up to date information about their products. Consult their websites or your local dealer for more details. Remember: This listing is compiled by volunteers.
Digital Command Control System Comparison Tables
This is by no means a complete and comprehensive listing. Some systems may not be listed as they are uncommon and information about them is hard to come by. For the most part the list is created from information publicly available on manufacturer websites and other sources. This listing is by no means complete and authoritative. Registered users can add or correct information. If you wish to add details or make corrections, and don't want to mess with the table formatting, you may leave your comments on the Talk Page for this article.
Starter Set Comparison Tables
Manufacturers
Digitrax
See
- Main article: DCC Starter Systems Comparison/Digitrax for a table with only Digitrax Systems
Lenz
See
- Main article: DCC Starter Systems Comparison/Lenz for a table with only Lenz Systems
NCE
See
- Main article: DCC Starter Systems Comparison/NCE for a table with only NCE Systems
Digital Command Control System Comparisons
There is an online listing in Google Docs available here: DCC System/Command Station Matrix. The DCCWiki makes no claims or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of this listing, as it is compiled and maintained by an outside source.
DCC Starter Systems Table
This table relies on manufacturers publishing complete and up to date information about their products. Consult their websites or your local dealer for more details. Remember: This listing is compiled by volunteers.
Not all systems are included in the table below. Some DCC Systems may be no longer available, they are listed because they appear on the used market at times. Systems from defunct manufacturers do not appear as they have been off the market for years and little to no information is available about them. Nonetheless some orphaned systems are still very capable.
Disclaimer
The DCC Starter Systems table is no longer maintained. See the Starter Sets List for more information. Registered Users can add to or update the Starter Set listing. The table below is being kept as a historical reference.
DCC Starter Systems
Last updated July 15 2020
| System Name | Maximum Throttles |
Throttle Type |
Speed Control |
Speed Steps |
Addressing |
Consists | Functions | Amps | Feedback | Communications Bus |
Programming Modes: Service or Ops Modes |
Programming Track | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | Digits | Maximum | Universal or Advanced | Available | Functions | ||||||||||
| Bachmann EZ Command | 24 | Base Unit | Knob | 14 | 103 | 2 | None | 10 | F0-F8 | 3 | No | X-Bus | Service | No | |
| ECos 50210 | ? | Base unit | Knob | 14, 28/128 |
9999 | 2/4 | ? | All | 20 | 6 | RailCom | ECOsLink | Ops | Yes | |
| ECos Cab Control 2 | 32 | Wireless6 | 16000 | ? | 28 | ||||||||||
| Roco LokMaus2 | 10 | Hand-Held | Knob, Centre Off | 99 | None | 4 | F0-F3 | 2.7 | ? | XpressNet | Yes | No | |||
| Lenz Compact/Atlas Master | 5 | Base Unit | Knob | 99 | ? | Advanced | 5 | F0-F4 | 2.5 | No | |||||
| Gaugemaster / MRC Prodigy Advance | 99 | Hand-Held | Knob | 9999 | 99 | Advanced | 9 | F0–F8 | 5 | Yes | MRC Throttle BUS | Yes | Yes | ||
| Lenz Set 90 | 31 | Hand-Held | Knob | 256 | All | 13 | F0-F12 | 5 | Yes | XpressNet | All | Yes | |||
| Lenz Set 100 | Buttons | ||||||||||||||
| Lenz Set 101 | Knob | 29 | F0-F28 | ||||||||||||
| Digitrax Zephyr (DCS51) | 10 | Base Unit | Lever | 9983 | 10 | All | 9 | F0-F8 | 2.5 | No | LocoNet | Yes , plus Blast Mode | Yes | ||
| Digitrax Zephyr XTRA (DCS51) | 20 | 30 | F0-F29 | 3.0 | |||||||||||
| Digitrax Zephyr Express (DCS52) | |||||||||||||||
| Digitrax Super Empire Builder/ SEB XTRA | 22 | Hand-Held | Buttons, Two Knobs |
22 | 9; XTRA: 30 | F0-F8/F0-F29 | 5 | All | No | ||||||
| Digitrax Super Chief/ SC XTRA | 120 | 120 | 13; XTRA: 30 | F0-F12/F0-F29 | 5/8 | Yes | |||||||||
| Digitrax EVO Advanced | 100 | 9000+ | ? | 30 | F0-F29 | 5/8 | ? | ||||||||
| Digitrax EVOD Advanced | |||||||||||||||
| Digitrax Evolution Express Advanced | 100 | ||||||||||||||
| Fleischmann Twin Center | 64 | Base Unit | 2 Knobs | 9999 | 8 | None | 9 | F0-F8 | 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NCE Power House Pro | 63 | Hand-Held | Buttons and Thumb Wheel |
127 7 | All | 29 | F0-F28 | 10 | Yes | NCE Cab Bus | Yes | Yes | |||
| NCE Pro Cab | |||||||||||||||
| NCE Power Cab | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| CVP Products | 99 | Base Unit | Knob | Unlimited | Universal | 13 | F0-F12 | 10 | No | EasyDCC | Yes | Yes | |||
| Zimo MX31 | 30 | Hand-Held | Slider | 128 | 10239 | 4 | Unlimited | Universal | 12 | 10 / 2@8 | Yes | 115 kbit/s CAN bus | Yes | Yes | |
| ZTC 511 | 0 | Base Unit | Lever | 14/28 | 9999 | 2/4 | ? | ? | 28 | 5 | No | Extended X-Bus | Yes | Yes | |
Notes
CVP and Zimo: Unlimited consists, to a maximum of 256 locomotives in a consist.
1) Due to patent and licensing agreements, Zero Stretching may not be available in every market.
2) ESU's Cab Control was developed for the North American and Australian markets.
3) Address 10, not recommended, see the manual.
4) Using a DC throttle connected to the E_Z Command.
5) Additional Optional Equipment may be required for read back capability.
6) ESU Cab Control (#50310) supports their own throttle, as well as smartphone throttles such as Engine Control.
7) NCE Power Cab supports only 16 advanced consists plus 4 old style consists with 2 locomotives each.
Detailed Table
Disclaimer
Due to changes in products offered, always check the manufacturer's website for the latest specifications and models. This list is by no means complete and authoritative with regard to what is offered at this time. Manufacturers may change specifications and product lineup without notice. Any specifications published here are from various sources, and are completely dependent on what the manufacturer/supplier publishes. E&OE