Back to the NCE

 I got an email last week saying my NCE PowerCab was in the mail.

This was welcome news, but rather unexpected since I had not received any word at all about it since I sent it in. I checked on the tracking number and the post office said it would be here Saturday. So today I went out to the mailbox and there it was!

I opened the box and the job sheet was the first thing I saw. Reading the job sheet showed that they had indeed found a faulty component that would keep the Cab Bus from operating, and on top of that they replaced a faulty potentiometer for the speed knob and threw in a new book for the 1.65 firmware upgrade.

I plugged the PowerCab into the left socket on the WFD31, turned the power on, and when the PowerCab booted up the light went from red to purple! Success! I connected my cell phone to the WFD31 network and for the first time the PVRR was wireless!

I plugged the Cab06 in and checked it out, and it works as well. So now I have both wireless operation and a throttle for my future yard. For now I have one locomotive programmed into the PowerCab and one programmed into the Cab06 so I can run them both at the same time without having to punch the Recall button.

I was a little put out that I had not gotten any updates while they had my system, I was at least expecting a "We found this wrong and it will cost you this much to fix it" but I can't argue with the results. The Cab Bus is up, the thumbwheel operation is flawless, and it only cost me shipping to Webster NY.

Fun little detail, I had sent it to New York in the original box all wrapped up with brown paper, and to send it back to me they unfolded the box and turned it inside out. I unfolded it and turned it back right side out and I'm using it to store my new manual and the extra cords.

One day soon I'll break out the Dynasis system and do a side by side by side comparison with it, the PowerCab and the Digitrax systems. Until then I have some trains to run.