1st timer trying to set up DCC

[Anonymous]

I'm not only new to DCC, but new to model railroading. I bought the WGH Atlas True-Track layout, added a 3 x 8 switching yard, we've painted, landscaped, built buildings, etc. I bought the Digitrax Zephyr yesterday ( I know.....nothing like waiting until the last minute) and now I'm trying to program an Atlas GP-40 and a Stewart EMD F7. I have a single piece of track hooked up to the programming slots of the Zephyr via terminal joiners. Unfortunately, all I'm getting when I try to read the address of the engine is the "d nd" error message. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

That message means the Zephyr isn't getting a response from the loco. Check the connections -- maybe one of the wires going into the programming inputs isn't making a good connection, or it may be miswired (not hard to do [;)]). If those connections are ok, then maybe the terminal joiners aren't making good contact -- give them a squeeze with a needle nose pliers to tighten them up.

What kind of decoders do you have in the Atlas and Stewart?

[rrinker]

And make sure the wires to the programming track are int he right pins ont he back of the Zephyr - the programming track lines are seperated in the middle by the Ground pin, they are not right next to each other.

If that Atlas is a dual-mode locomotive, it may have a jumper plug inside that has to be switched from DC to DCC for it to work in DCC mode, a lot of the Atlas dual mode units aren't auto-sensing, they use the jumper instead.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Maybe this is too simple an answer, but are you sure the loco's have DCC decoders instaled?
Many boxes say "DCC ready" That dosn't mean they are installed.

[Anonymous]

I have run into this problem with a Bachmann DCC equipped loco that I purchased with their entry level DCC starter kit. My local hobby shop guy talked me into the Zephyr. When I try and program the Bachmann decoder, it tells me "d nd" as well. However, all my Digitrax equipped locos program fine.

[rrinker]

Those are some fairly low-end decoders (in the Bachmann engines), so try one fo the other programming methods. The Zephyr supports 3 different ways to program ont he programming track, if Direct mode does not work, try Paged or Physical Register (Pg Pag and Pg Phys on the display).

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Should have gotten the best DCC out there the Lenz systemn [;)]

[rrinker]

And that would help program the cheap low-end decoder in the Bachmann loco HOW? Oh yeah, that cheap decoder is made by Lenz... [;)]

[simon1966]

----Snipped from an e-mail response to my same question off the digitrax list--------

I called Digitrax customer support when I was unable to program the
decoder in an Atlas locomotive using the Digitrax Zephyr DCC system
that we use (along with DCC systems from the other major DCC
manufacturers) for testing here at Atlas. I was told by the Digitrax
technician that I should connect a 1000 ohm resistor across the Prog
A and Prog B programming track outputs of the Zephyr whenever I
needed to program a DCC decoder that was designed by Lenz. This
resistor provides an extra current load on the programming track that
the Zephyr system apparently needs to program such decoders. I was
also told to disconnect this resistor when I was not programming a
decoder. After I got off the phone, I tried the suggestion that I had
just gotten from Digitrax, and it worked; I could now program
succesfully (from the Zephyr) Atlas DCC decoders on the program track.

I also concur with the suggestion that Direct Mode, not Paged Mode,
be used for programming Atlas and Lenz DCC decoders.

[BRVRR]

Craig,
I had the same problem with Lenz decoders and the Zephyr. I got the same answer from Digitrax support on my problem as Simon got. They also said to turn off the 'funcitions" on the loco, meaning lights, etc. It worked for me too! [:D]
If you like I can provide a photo of the 1k ohm resistor on my programing track.

[Bikerdad]

I found the Zephyr/Lenz solution here, and it works. I just soldered a 1000ohm resistor to a pair of small 'gator clips, hooked it to the track, and voila, I was able to program my two Atlas Dash8s.