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.

  1. The Control Bus or booster network uses a four-wire cable between boosters and the command station.
  2. 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.
    1. The 6P6C is specifically for the Power Cab.

Systems Employing the Cab Bus

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 also 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)
  • 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.

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.

PH Pro

  • Total supported is 63 (2 – 64)
    • Includes any Cab Bus accessory devices

Pro Cab with Radio

  • Addresses 2 – 17 are available.
  • Intermediate radio cabs should be assigned to addresses 19 – 49