I just purcahsed a set of ALCO PA-1 locomotives by TRIX (Maerklin's DC/DCC line). The problem is that they sometimes, but not always, start at some speed near max or so when I first apply power to the track. I use Digitrax DCC. The only way I seem to be able to defeat this is to put the command station into "Op" mode, then selecting loco 60 (that's the address coded to the PA-1s), making sure the speed is set to 0 and then selecting the locos I want to run. Once, however, I even noticed that, while it stayed put at power-up, it decided to start moving after some minutes of my operating other locos on the layout. That did it, I stopped using them.
TRIX tech support is just about non-existent; got no reponse to my e-mail. The manual shows very few CV values in a brief table, most of them using the NMRA standard values.
Does anyone have any ideas what may be wrong? Or what I might check next? I really like the locos and would love to get them to run reliably.
Tammo
The Trix decoders may be set to 14 speed steps by default, instead of 28/128 like most other brands. This can be corrected by adding 2 to the value that is in CV 29. For example, if CV 29 has a value of 4, change it to a value of 6. If the problem persists, then program CV 29 with a value of 2 to turn off DC Conversion.
If you have not tried it, reset the decoder.. I got a new Digitrax decoder that did the same thing, stop and warp speed.. so now I do reset first thing when I install one.
The most common setting for CV29 is 34
Having a loco take off at max speed is a common complaint and is usually caused by the DC mode of the decoder.
Here's a CV29 calculator.
http://www.2mm.org.uk/articles/cv29%20calculator.htm
Springfield PA
I have two Trix locos, a Mikado and a GG1. Both have a LokSound varient decoder. The LokSound decoders don't necessarily have the same CV's and settings for CV's that the more common ones found in the Big N. American manfucaturers's products.
-Crandell
Do they have a similar setting to turn off DC mode? His problem does sound like it.
The possible values are different, but moreover, CV50 has to be involved as well, I believe.