RBus or Loconet?

[WIMorrison]

I am going to buy some Digikeijs dr4088 to do the block detection with my Z21 and notice they have a RBus and LocoNet version and I wonder which is better to get for future compatibility and expansion?

 

One if the potential future additions is the sigm20 which is Loconet which forces me down that route (I think) and other than RBus being the Roco standard I am not sure there is an advantage to using it?

 

I also wonder about Railcom as I don't think these devices work with it, possibly not something I will miss, but again are there any real advantages to having it as it does seem to be a problem for a lot of kit and in many cases you are advised to have it switched off.

 

Rambling questions, hopeful sensible though - are there any thoughts around that may clarify my confusion?

 

Many thanks

 

Iain

[WIMorrison]

I am wondering about the value of Railcom at all since I have yet to see a good reason for it - other than the ability to read CVs whist doing POM with the Z21, and given compatibility issues should I avoid using it at all?

[Suzie]

Railcom simply means that you don't have to run a separate feedback bus - you just use the DCC track feed (or accessory feed) for feedback without having to run any more wire.

 

I am sure that in time it will be very effective on the smaller layout once products (especially feedback encoders) become readily available!

[WIMorrison]

I have seen that Digikeijs are launching a DR5088RC in November this year which is the same as the DR4088LN but it has railcom incorporated within it which means if I wait I can have both Loconet and Railcom for another €20

 

edit - https://www.digikeijs.com/dr5088rc-digidetect.html

I therefore think me original quandary has been resolved by events as I will now simply buy Loconet and get what I want and I can work out how railcom benefits me as I go along.

Edited October 2, 2017 by WIMorrison