With DC Loco DS52 will Not Oper Switchs - Sort of Newbie

[okane]

I am returning to this hobby after 20 years. I have set up a small test layout ( N Scale) using Kato Unitrack, switchs, and Digitrax DCC ( 150 Booster DT 400 Throttle). I am attempting to becoming familiar with this technology before proceeding further with the big plan. DCC is quite a change from the old days.

Anyway I have two DCC equiped lococ's which move around the track with no problems. I inherited a number of older 2o to 25 year old locos some which would not run, except for a Southern Pacific with 5 passenger cars. I parked the DCC locos and put the SP Loco on the layout. The loco runs with no problems.

However the DS532 will no longer operate the switchs!!!

Any ideas or comments would be appreciated.

[rrinker]

Did you maybe accidently reprogram its address? Try going through the address programming procedure for it and see if that fixes things.

--Randy

[okane]

Hum - I did check that. Everthing is okay with address.

I put the DC loco on the layout and the switchs stop working. I take the DC loco off and about 2 secounds later the switchs begin to work again.

[rrinker]

Are you running the DC loco using address 00 with the Digitrax, or did you connect a regular DC power pack to the track to run this loco? You definitely can not operate stationary decoders with a DC supply, but using address 00 to run a DC loco, the worst that should happen is a slight delay in the commands causing the action - usually not noticeable unless there are a lage number of locos running under DCC at the same time as the one analog loco.

--Randy

[okane]

The LHS informed me that I nneded to have a second DCC booster to operate the turnouts. I have such a small N scale test track about 35 Ft in total I did not buy into that one.

I called Digitrack and found out that the DS52 I purchased ( The ones with Two PC boards small one on top) will in fact shut sown when a DC loco is placed on the track. They have a new one which corrects the problem, I will try to get the model or part number this week and post here. I also want to pass this on to the LHS so they can order three more of the right ones.

Digitrax offered replacements as soon as I send them the ones I have.