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Missing Address on TCS Decoder

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  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
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Posted by tstage on Thursday, May 9, 2019 12:28 PM

And insulate those speaker wires before the next installation...

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, May 9, 2019 12:51 PM

SPSOT fan
Iv’e never had a decoder short-circuit, and am glad of it.

Just out of being curious, do you have a lay out up and running?  Use a clubs lay out? and what do use/have for locomotives that you run?

Mike.

  • Member since
    December 2001
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Posted by Stevert on Thursday, May 9, 2019 3:32 PM

mbinsewi

So tell me, did the DCS210 shut down track power after the reset, and you had to turn track power back on to complete the process?

That's the way my old DB150 does it, just wondering if the newer DCS210 works the same.

Mike.

I can answer that for you:

Your DB150 is unique among current and recently-produced Digitrax command stations in that it is the only one that doesn't have separate programming outputs.

On the other hand, the DCS210, like all other current and recently-produced Digitrax command stations, has programming outputs that are separate from the track power outputs.

Randy alluded to this in his earlier reply whan he suggested that the OP temporarily move his track leads from Rail A and Rail B to PGM A and PGM B.

Because they have separate outputs, track power is unaffected by programming.  You can continue to run trains while doing service-mode programming on a separate programming track.

Having said all that, for the decoders that require a power cycle, you still have to do that even when using the separate programming outputs.

  • Member since
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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, May 9, 2019 3:47 PM

Thanks Stevert, I have a small lay out, and when I'm programming a loco, it's usually the only one on the lay out.  If there are any more, I can turn that section of track off.

The only programming track I have, is up in my office, along with the lap top that has the JMRI on it, and the PR4.

I know on some systems, you need to rock one side of the loco to get the wheels off the track to complete the power cycle, and my DB150 shuts down the track power, and when you restart the power, it completes the cycle.

The first time I did this, and the track power went off, I though I did something wrong. Laugh  Then I figured it out.

Just wondering how the DCS210 works.

Thanks again!

Mike.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Thursday, May 9, 2019 5:19 PM

 The DB150 is the only Digitrax command station that turns ooff track power when programming. Because, as Tom said, it only has one set of outputs, and they double as both the main track and program track. All the other Digitrax command stations have 2 sets of outputs, one foor the main track and one for the program track. They all let you program AND keep running trains at the same time, too. NCE, even with dedicated program track outputs, insists on shutting off the main track power when programming. On the face of it, the microprocessor used in the NCE command station is theoretically more powerful than the one in the old Digitrax command stations like the DCS100, so it can't be that. I've not seen train response suffer on my Zephyr if programming while running trains.

                                --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
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  • From: Pacific Northwest
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Posted by SPSOT fan on Friday, May 10, 2019 12:13 AM

mbinsewi

 

 
SPSOT fan
Iv’e never had a decoder short-circuit, and am glad of it.

 

Just out of being curious, do you have a lay out up and running?  Use a clubs lay out? and what do use/have for locomotives that you run?

Mike. 

I have a loop of N scale track at the moment, though it’s not permanently attached to anything. It’s connected to a DC power pack on which I run an Arnold (Hornby) NP U28C. I also have some HO stuff in storage in the US, but I currently live overseas so it’s not with me right now. I hope to get it out when I go to the States this summer.

My experience with DCC comes from running my grandpa’s layouts when I visit him, which is a lot! I work a lot with his stuff, all DCC, when I’m there and have had to return engines to factory settings many times!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, May 10, 2019 6:42 AM

SPSOT fan
I have a loop of N scale track at the moment, though it’s not permanently attached to anything. It’s connected to a DC power pack on which I run an Arnold (Hornby) NP U28C.

Cool, at least you have something you can run a train with. Yes  I'll have to check out the Hornby.  I'm NOT familiar with them at all.

SPSOT fan
My experience with DCC comes from running my grandpa’s layouts when I visit him, which is a lot! I work a lot with his stuff, all DCC, when I’m there and have had to return engines to factory settings many times!

Yea, well that happens Smile, Wink & Grin  I confess, although I've mentioned on here many times, I still a few locos that are still on address 03, and a couple of them run great together for a consist, like the days of DC. Laugh

But I digress, 

Mike.

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