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Athearn DCC Ready and my Santa Fe GP 60

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  • Member since
    April 2021
  • 3 posts
Athearn DCC Ready and my Santa Fe GP 60
Posted by elmertc19 on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 11:58 AM

Good morning,

I'm looking for a solution to an issue I'm having with my locomotive.  I purchased an Athearn DCC ready Santa Fe GP 60 from a local retailer.  It came with a dummy plug installed and worked on my set up using the analog address on my Digitrax Zephyr.

I recieved my decorder (Digitrax DH126D) in the mail and tried installing it this morning.  I used the quick decoder set up on a programming track.  The decoder seemed to program when using the read function on the throttle.  Everything responded the way I would expect it to.

When I put it on the main track, there is no response from the locomotive.  The lights do not come on and the locomotive does not move.  I experimented with another decoder, the lights did come on and respond directionally, but still the locomotive still does not move.

I understand that the issue might be a defective decoder, but what should I look for when I put a decoder that I know is working into the plug and the locomotive does not move?

 

Thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

 

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • 383 posts
Posted by Billwiz on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 6:47 PM

Have you tried resetting the decoder and running as loco. 03? If it runs, then reprogram. 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 7:10 PM

(deleted entire message to satisfy Big Daddy)

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 8:34 PM

richhotrain
The first thing that I do when I purchase a DCC Ready loco is to test it on a piece of track that is wired up to a DC power pack

He did that

elmertc19
It came with a dummy plug installed and worked on my set up using the analog address on my Digitrax Zephyr.

elmertc19
I recieved my decorder (Digitrax DH126D) in the mail and tried installing it this morning. I used the quick decoder set up on a programming track. The decoder seemed to program when using the read function on the throttle. Everything responded the way I would expect it to.

That sounds ok.  From what I seen on the internet, there is no plug on this decoder, it is a hard wire job.

Now we have 2 decoders and one activates lights but neither make the loco move.  I am suspicious of the installation..

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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