Good Morning,
Once again, I need your help ..................................
I've put together a Stewart FT ABBA set, with the As powered and the Bs with sound/power. I installed NCE decoders in the As, and programmed them to address 1000, and they work like a charm. FYI, I'm running a Digitrax Super chief system, and the layout has an isolated programming track, and the throttles are DT-400s (wired).
The b units have the new Bowser power chassis with the sountraxx tsunami installed (#691-1214). Using loco ID # 3, they run and sound beautifully (after I altered the speaker enclosure).
When I went to program the B units (also to address 1000), it would not take. I tried all sorts of 2 and 4 digit combinations but "no dice".
So then I look at the enclosed flyer in the chassis box. It says: "to change address use soundtraxx PTB-100 (which I don't have). It then goes on to say you can also program it via Mainline Ops mode, and gives some pretty complicated (to me - a relative novice) instructions.
I waited a long time to put this consist together, and after the various gliches I've run into, I am very frustrated - to say the least.
Please, is there anyone out there that can help with straight forward instructions and guidance?
Thank you!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
David,
YOU are a Godsend - it works!!!
I do have a couple follow up questions............
- I originally wanted to get the locos number 100, but try as I might, I was only successful in coding in 1000 or 10 - and ended up using 1000. Any thoughts on why couldn't I load 100 (I even tried 0100). BTW, my reasoning for wanting the "100" was the original ATSF FT freight sets were in this number range and I don't yet have a specific number applied to the loco.
- In order to have a proper ABBA consist (direction wise), one A/B combo needs to be in the reverse direction of the other combo. Do I simply put it on the programming track and adjust CV 29?
Again, I thank you for the help - you made a frustrating situation tolerable!
Or a DCS50 or a PR3 - both have programmed my Tsunami equipped Bowser loco with no problems. PR3 read it back with no problem, too, since I was bored I did a read all sheets in DecoderPro and about 15 minutes later I had the settings loaded for every CV. Once I got it home and put the shell on, I knew what cab number it was, so I put it on my Zephyr's program track and just used pagedor direct mode from my DT402 and it set the address and CV29 just liek any other decoder. No Blast Mode, either. The only locos I haven't be able to program on the pprogram track are ones with QSI OEM decoders. There does seem to be something slightly different about the Zephyr's program track vs the DCS100.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
David, Randy,
You guys are amazing! Thank you!
Kind of funny, over the last year I installed my first decoders, and managed to do a number of CV changes for power and sound, consisting, etc. Yup, I knew I had a lot to learn, but felt I had - what I had - under control. And then I put these really neat sounding B units on the track and find "I don't know nothing". Yikes.
Thanks again!
Ahhh, for my next trick I've got TCS decoders coming for two Stewart diesel switchers - which should be an easy install - IF I can get the shells off.
And, I've got two early Stewart ABBA consists (all units powered - no sound) that I'll do my first hard wire installs using NCE DASRs.
They can be a bear to get apart, those switchers. The toothpick trick can help so that when you get one tab free it doesn;t snap back on while you workont he next one. You can't really pry as they are almost right under the trucksGently squeezing the body right above the walkways and gently rockign it back and forth seems to get them to let go. I hve some picture on my web site how I just bent the leads of a couple of golden-white LEDs and clipped them in the stock mounts so I could have properly headlights instead of yellow ones. A TCS T1 with the standard 8 pin harness fits, I just coiled the excess wire around to it stayed out of the way.
Thanks,
I "played" with both switchers and realized that the shell removal was not an easy thing to do. As I wasn't ready for them (Tony's trains just mailed the DP2x decoders), I gently put them back in the box.
The instructions David gave for programming the Tsunami decoder/motor locos worked like a charm (thanks again David). I understand that they are adapted to program "on the layout" via operational mode, as opposed to on the programming track like my P2Ks, Stewarts, BLIs. I wonder why Tsunami chose to do it that way? It sure works, but seems to go against the grain.
BTW, it was relatively easy for me to program "on the layout" as I installed on/off toggles to the staging tracks and loco service facilities - which is where all the other locos were housed. I originally thought those toggles would be "nice to have", but I know realiize that they are very, very helpful.
Soundtraxx chose not to make sure current inrush was not limited, or not limited enough, so there are problems with some systems programmign on the programming track. Hey, why add a couple of cents of components (a resistor and diode) to each decoder when you cna sell a $100 accessory programming track booster instead? The programmign on the main is an alternative way to do it, byspassing the need for a booster. Some systems program the Tsunami just fine on the program track - my Zephyr did, it programmed the address just like any other decoder, withotu manually calculating CV17, 18, or 29. I never had any luck with the OEM QSI decoders in the older Brodway Limited locos, instead I had to resort to the ops mode workaround. But I did install a Revolution decoder for someone and it programmed just fine on the program track. I never had a problem ont he program track with the Loksound 3.5 decoders in my PCM T-1's. I have an older Soundtraxx LC decoder that works fine on the program track, but it has no keepalive capacitor. I thought about adding one, but it runs fine aroudn my layout at crawl speeds without any sound interruptions so I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
The DP2X should fit in the Stewart switchers, I THINK there is enough room above the board. It might be tight. TCS recommedns an MC2 with a short harness, but a full size T1 fits too and is cheaper. I use the DP2X in the AS16's, the circuit board is tight agaisnt the top of the shell and the decoder plug hangs down over the drive mechanism.