Lashing in DCC

[Anonymous]

How do you get two locos (powered to move at the same time? If I had two diesels and wanted to get them going together how would I do this?

[Big_Boy_4005]

Start by reading the instructions that came with your system, if you have one. The theory is simple, either assign both engines to the same channel for a more permanent solution, or get the command station to "tell" both engines to do the same thing. Of course you could try gluing them together. And now a question for you, can you run trains in hyperspace, and do their headlights work?

[cacole]

With DCC, this is called "consisting." You don't say what brand of DCC command station you have, but that doesn't really matter because they should all be the same as far as CVs are concerned. CVs 20 through 24 control consisting options. Read through your documentation on setting up consists. It can sound very confusing at first, because you must first set up a consist with a unique address, and then assign individual locomotives to that consist. Some of the CVs mentioned above can be set to control special lighting and sound options, such as turning off the headlight on all except the lead locomotive, ringing the bell on only the lead locomotive if they are sound equipped. etc. The only reference I have ever found that explains what values need to be programmed into these CVs to control the various options is the Broadway Limited Imports manual, which can be downloaded from their Web site. Until I found that manual, I didn't know what values to program into these CVs to turn the headlights off when consisting locomotives. Another option that I have used successfully is to give all of the locomotives that you want to run together the same digital address. The drawback to this is that the headlights on all of them are on, which is not realistic. I have "consisted" up to seven Proto 2000 GPs this way. Of course, they must all be the same model so they run at the same speed.

[mls1621]

The terminology your looking for is "Consisting".

I have a Digtrax system with DT300 throttles. The DT400 makes this operation much simpler.

The Operators Guide goes through the proceedure is detail, but the short form is this:

Select the Lead or Primary locomotive on the Right throttle. Select the Trailing locomotive on the Left throttle. IMPORTANT NOTE: be sure that both locomotive are set to run in the same direction. I always power the trail to couple with the lead before consisting just to be sure. It doesn't matter which way the locomotive is facing, just that it's moving in the same direction as the lead.

With the Left throttle active, (DT300) press the Mode Key twice. "CONSIST" will appear on the display for a second and the "+ = ADD / - = REMOVE" appears. Press the "+" Key to add the locomotive. The DT400 has a Key labeled "MU", Multiple Unit. Pressing this key with the previous conditions met, allows you to Consist your locomotives.

Once Consisted, all locomotives added to that Lead, will run together when the lead locomotive is selected.

Other considerations: Do the units run well together, you may have to speed match the units your consisting for good operation. If both are of the same model, from the same manufacturer, that shouldn't be an issue.

Good luck, I hope this was helpful.

Mike
St Louis

[Anonymous]

Pardon my stupidity, but what exactly is a CV?
Reed

[Anonymous]

Reed: CV is a DCC term that stands for "Configuration Variable". There are a bunch of CVs which are numbered sequentially and are contained in memory in each decoder. When you initially program your locomotive, you set values into the CVs to control how your locomotive operates. For example, CV01 is the locomotive's address. CV03 sets the locomotives acceleration rate. And so on. Your DCC manual will explain all that.

[Anonymous]

The people who responed with an explanation of "consisting" were absolutely correct. However, there is an easier way to do this *IF* your locomotives are going to be permanently coupled, for example an F7 A/B pair.

1) Put the two locomotives on the track and program them together. This way they will both have the same address plus all the other CVs will be identical.
2) Make sure all wheels of both locomotives are wired together. This will insure that both decoders get the same voltage all the time and will avoid any problems caused by one locomotive having clean wheels and the other dirty wheels.

I used this technique with an Athearn Genesis F7A/B pair with great success. One unit has a Soundtraxx decoder and one has a Digitrax decoder. All the CVs having to do with motor performance are identical, although the lighting and sound CVs are of course different. All 16 wheels are used for electrical pickup, and each set of 8 wheels is connected together.

[RhB_HJ]

Consisting is dead easy or akin to black magic depending on the DCC system.

I use ZIMO and adding engines to a consist is absolute child's play. One can add as many as 10 engines to a consist.