Programming Track Wiring...


MikeOwnby said:
Are you on the programming track or on the main?

I only use direct and ops programming myself, but Digitrax defaults to paged mode. To change the modes use ONE of the following:

Step 3a: For direct mode (programming track), press Program twice more so that "Pg" (looks like "P6" actually) in the display changes to "Ph" and then to "Pd"
Step 3a: For operations mode (programming on the main), press Program three more times so that it changes from "Pg" to "Ph" to "Pd" and finally to "Po". Note that if you are programming on the main, you will have to select the CURRENT decoder address before entering program mode (LOCO, Select #, ENTER as steps 2a, 2b and 2c if you will). You can then proceed with the other steps.

Maybe that'll fix things up.
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Mike,

Because I can't seem to get a stand alone programming track to work, I have been doing everything on the main. I'll try again and see what happens and thanks for the instructions - hopefully this time.

Lynnb said:
Should follow MikeOwnby's directions but also all you have to do is put loco on program track and get to Pg mode and once in Pg mode if you simply hit enter it should read the address of the loco and give you its present address and you can then re address it to what ever you want. Digitrax has a real learning curve and takes lots of practice to get to know the ins and outs. Wait until you decide you want to change a horn or bell etc , then it gets to be fun. You may find this shortcuts card handy.View attachment 45118
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Thanks for the "cheat card, haven't seen one of them until now. Changing bells whistles etc - your kidding me right! Not a hope in hell of me even thinking about doing that let alone trying it. Think I'll just pass on the fun, for the time being :)
 
Tony you need/ have to be able to program on program track. I need a booster on my program track because many of my steam engines have psunami decoders. If you can get a read back of one of your locos on the program track the rest is pretty straight forward with the correct documentation per loco manufacturer. If you can read and address back in Pg mode of your controller you can now give that loco either a short or long address and you have half the battle whipped, don't let this dcc stuff intimidate you.
 
Lynnb,

"...don't let this dcc stuff intimidate you..."
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I think it is starting to do just that, if not that maybe just starting to get the better of me! Time for a break away from it for a little while I think, even for a day and think about other things instead.

To be honest, I think I am just trying to do too much at once, wire everything up properly, correct mistakes made when laying the track (insufficient gaps of the insulated variety) doing scenery to feel as though I am achieving at least something and god knows what else.

Yeah, time to put it all to one side for a day and get out on the bike...!
 
wombat457 said:
Well, that presents a problem for me than as I don't have a Loco Net cable to run from my DCS 100 to my computer. Go figure huh. I'm just NOT suppose to do anything with this Digitrax stuff I guess :(

Addendum, regardless of anything, I did download JMRI 3.6 as it is compatible with NCE gear as well. All I need to do now is get the cable to run from my digitrax gear and one to run from my firth coming NCE gear. ONE of them has to work.
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I have programmed hundreds of locomotives with just the throttle on many different systems (Lenz, NCE, CVP). It hasn't been all that hard. The only decoders I have had an issues with are the original QSI. On these one has to go into CV programming just to change the address. The other decoders are, of course, the junky MRC decoders where it isn't the programming it is the decoder not responding properly. In the bigger picture. I'm afraid that JMRI is going to be just as confusing as programming via the throttle because it has bunches and bunches of options that you probably don't care about at this point. I found it very intimidating the first time I used it and I am a computer professional.

I have learned the first time doing something it is not a good plan to read step one, attempt to do step 1, read step 2, etc. Instead I recommend reading the instructions completely through at least twice before you attempt to follow them one step at a time.

You are getting the NCE-Power cab correct? The Power cab "programming track" works a bit different from other systems. It took me by surprise the first time I was trying to help someone using that system because I have the NCE-PRO. They are different.
 
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Tony it defiantely sounds like your doing to much at once. Try first to just get your track all wired up, gaps or no gaps as this will not make a difference. Put drop feeders to the main buss from each rail then run one dcc loco on the track and once you have verified that you have no shorts by running a drop feed to the wrong side of the buss you can then test your ability to program an address into a loco and then you can test your track work by first running a loco by itself then by pulling a few cars. After the track work is good you can then start with scenery and let the imagination go wide open. Hope this helps.
 
I thought of this earlier today. Had to get home. I thought this might put some perspective on the DCC intimidation and keep it simple thoughts from all these running threads. Below is a picture of my last programming track. Yup, that is right, I only set one up when I need it. Sometimes on a table, but in this case the tables were all full of the stock car weathering project and the 900 square foot diorama project, so the programming track went on the floor.

Used alligator clips to jump from the programming track output of the DCC unit to a 3' long section of Bachmann EZ track. Programmed the locos I needed. Put the alligator clips back in the electrical tool box and the track back in the closet.
IMG_4739.jpg
 
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Iron Horseman,

Why does that look so so simple. All you have is the two wires from the ProCab Programming terminals to the track. Why on earth then, does mine not work when doing the same thing with my Digitrax ... baffling.

Basically, what you do is what I want to do, a piece of track I can drag out when I need to program a loco, then put it all away when it is done. If only.......

Lynnb,

What you described is pretty much what I am now going to be doing. In fact, I already have about 60% of my track powered and cleaned and usable. If nothing else, I can run trains back and forth on the front portion of the layout, and that is more than I could do when I started this thread.
 
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Okay, now another issue, go figure right?

I have a DCC w/sound equipped BLI Paragon2 Pacific 4-6-2 number 2919, which no longer appears on the BLI website which is a worry. Anyway, for the past couple of days when I have placed it on the tracks and powered things up, the engine seems to be shorting the track out. I remove it from the track and power returns to any other engines that may also be on the track.

I have checked and double checked the the plug between the engine and the hopper is secure, more times than I can count. I have tried (in vain) to reset the thing back to factory default settings in case I messed something up when trying to change its address. Interestingly enough when I try to reset it, I get a message on the DCS100 indicating that there is no decoder present?

Have I gotten a lemon or is it possibly something else?
 
wombat457 said:
Okay, now another issue, go figure right?
I have a DCC w/sound equipped BLI Paragon2 Pacific 4-6-2 number 2919, which no longer appears on the BLI website which is a worry. Anyway, for the past couple of days when I have placed it on the tracks and powered things up, the engine seems to be shorting the track out. I remove it from the track and power returns to any other engines that may also be on the track.
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Did it ever work?

I had a BLI engine (another model) that appeared to be shorting out the track.

Turns out it was.

Sent it back for repair and they found a wiring error.

Took a while to get it back but they corrected the problem.

So if it happened once (a wiring error from the factor) it can happen again.
 
fcwilt,

Thanks for the information. As for your question, I'm not sure but think it did run the first and only time I ran it, when I first bought it a few months back. The problem with buying stuff but not using it for some time after the purchase.
 
Do not connect the loco to the tender. Place the loco on the track and see if there is a short. Then take it off and place the tender on the track by itself. That will at least let you know if it is one, the other, OR only happens when they are connected.
 
Iron Horseman,

Thanks, I'll give that a try and let you know.

Okay, I disconnected the tender from the engine and placed both on the track, one at a time. There was nothing from either the tender or the loco. Both appeared to be dead.

Then placed both on the track (unattached) and still nothing.

I then connected the tender to the engine and my DCS100 beeped three (3) times then nothing.

Placed another loco on the track, and nothing from that one either.

Disconnected the tender from the engine on the BLI and the "other loco" came alive.
 
Rico,

Do you mean the plug connecting to the engine? If so, I don't think so, it seems to only connect to the engine one way. Good thought though.
 
By reversed, I think what was meant was turned 180 degrees. The wheels of the tender are insulated on one side. If you look closely at the inside of the wheel you will see one wheel on each axle is insulated from the axle by a rubber or plastic ring. One truck picks up power from one rail, the other from the other. If one truck gets rotated 180 degrees, it will cause a short. Also all the insulated wheels must be on the same side of the truck. You didn't perhaps remove one of the wheels and get it installed backwards, did you?
It definitely sound like the tender is the issue.
 
flyboy2610,

Okay but have never had the wheels off of it. Pretty much took it out of the box and put it on the track. Anyway, it does look as though one of the trucks may have "reversed itself" as now when I move the tender along the track (by hand) every now and then I will get power to it, or more to the point I get a quick burst of sound from it but nothing more.

All my other engines run fine on the part of the track I am using to "test" this BLI loco.
 
Is it possible that one, or both, of the trucks are able to turn 180 degrees? Try it, if you can rotate them, do one, see if it helps, if not, turn it back and then do the other, if not, turn the first one as well, if that doesn't help, put them both back how you started.

If you have a multimeter, check to see if there is continuity between the two sides somehow.


Sent from my Vic20 using Java Moose
 
Hmmm, my post from last Friday seems to have vanished. At that time I said sort of what FLC2117 said. My guess is that BOTH the trucks of the tender had gotten reversed making it the opposite polarity of the loco. If only 1 truck was reversed then the tender would short when it is all by itself on the track. From the description you posted above this is not the case.
 
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