FAQ:Cab Bus Addresses
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In addition to NCE, Wangrow's System One and PSI's DYNATROL also employed the Cab Bus protocol.
Cab Bus
There are two physical forms of Cab Bus wiring.
- The Control Bus or booster network uses a four-wire cable between boosters and the command station.
- Cab Bus connections between throttles and the command station or throttle network use a 6P4C or 6P6C RJ connector, which can use four or six conductors in the cable.
- The 6P6C is specifically for the Power Cab.
Additional Cab Bus power should be added every 40 feet, depending on the number of cabs installed.
Systems Employing the Cab Bus
- North Coast Engineering (NCE)
- Wangrow Electronics Inc.
- PSI Dynatrol Digital
Cab Addressing
Available Cab Addresses are related to the NCE DCC System in use.
- Cab addresses 0 and 1 are reserved.
- Cab 0 is the broadcast address of the command station.
- Cab 1 is reserved for future applications.
- Cab 2 is the Master cab.
- Other Cab addresses allow modification a Cab/Throttle's capabilities.
When assigning addresses, leaving the range above 48 for Cab Bus devices avoids possible conflicts.
Power Cab
The Power Cab, NCE Twin and SB3/SB5 Smart Boosters limit the available Cab Bus addresses to ten. Software such as JMRI is aware of these limitations.
- Default is 2
- Valid throttle (Cab) addresses are 2 through 5
- Cab ID 5 available with firmware 1.65 or better only
- The Power Cab will default to address 2 whenever plugged into a Power Cab Panel (PCP)
- Valid throttle (Cab) addresses are 2 through 5
- Addresses 6 and 7 are reserved
- Cab bus devices should use addresses 8 through 10
The NCE USB interface defaults to Cab Bus Address "3".
NCE Twin
- Default addresses are 0 and 1
- Addresses 2 through 7 are available for Cabs
- Cab bus devices should use addresses 8 through 10
Multifunction Decoders programmed on Throttle A will be set to an address of 3. Those programmed on Throttle B will be set to address 4.
Smart Booster
SB3/SB3A
- Valid Cab addresses are 2 through 5
- Cab Id 5 available with firmware 1.65 or better.
- Addresses 6 and 7 are reserved
- Cab bus devices should use addresses 8 through 10
SB5
- Valid Cab addresses are 2 through 7
- Cab bus devices should use addresses 8 through 10
Power Pro
Power Pro, PH-Pro, Powerhouse, CS02
- Addresses 1 though 63 are available for throttles
RB02
- Supports up to 16 Pro Cabs when using Radio
- Radio Equipped Pro Cabs should use addresses 2 through 17
- Other radio throttles can use 2 through 47, it is recommended to use 18 through 47 to reserve those addresses for the Radio equipped Pro Cabs.
Hint: Use addresses 18 – 49 for engineer cabs (Cab04/Cab05/Cab/06), keeping the lower addresses available for wireless Pro Cabs.
RB02 Notes
- Use addresses 2 – 17 for Radio-equipped Pro Cabs due to heavy memory usage by the LCD Display. All other wireless throttles can use addresses 2 – 47.
- Avoid addresses above 48 due to possible conflicts with Cab Bus Devices such as the AIU.
Available Addresses on the Cab Bus
Power Cab
- Maximum of 4 cabs supported, on addresses 2, 3, 4 and 5.
- Three additional Cab Bus devices are supported
- AIU,
- USB, and/or
- Mini Panel
PH Pro
PH Pro / PH10 (Up to 2014)
- Total addresses supported is 63 (2 – 64)
- Includes any Cab Bus accessory devices such as the AIU, RB02, and Mini Panels
Pro Cab with Radio
- Addresses 2 – 17 are available.
- Intermediate radio cabs should be assigned to addresses 19 – 49