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DT-400 Throttle

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  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2 posts
DT-400 Throttle
Posted by Suncook Valley Signal on Friday, May 22, 2009 12:14 PM

Has anyone had a similar problem?

I have a simple folded dogbone continuous loop, no turnouts or sidings yet,  powered by a Digitrax Super Empire Builder.  When I accelerate or I am just cruising with a sound equipped loco and train, my DT-400 all of a sudden will drop to zero speed and stop. Other trains running on the DT-400 are not affected, and I can immediately start up again. It does not appear to be with any one loco either.

Am I somehow overloading the throttle or could there be a problem with the DT-400?  

Curt

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, May 22, 2009 1:30 PM

Did you mean that the throttle display reduces by itself to show "00" or that the engine slows to a stop by itself while the display does not change?

And, welcome to the forum.

-Crandell

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Friday, May 22, 2009 2:06 PM

It's probably not a lack of power, more like there may not be enough feeder connections to the track to distribute the power. As the electricity goes thru the track over a distance, it loses power to resistance. Sound engines can use a lot of juice, if you don't have power connections wired to the track at least every 4-6 feet, the engine may not get enough power and will shut down as you describe. I had a similar problem when I first added a section to my 'under construction' layout and tested it. A sound engine would get to the end of track and start to die and restart. I added feeders to the new section and now it works fine.

Stix
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, May 22, 2009 5:19 PM

 If the speed displayed actually goes to 0, then indeed you have the same loco selected on another throttle and not dispatched, or it's in a consist that's still seelcted on another throttle or just not dispatched. See the back section of your manual for instructions on how to clear the 'slots' in your command station, this will resolve the problem. And rememebr to follow the instructions for releasing or dispatching a loco when you are done runnign it to avoid future problems.

                                --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
    February 2002
  • From: Westchester NY
  • 1,747 posts
Posted by retsignalmtr on Friday, May 22, 2009 5:57 PM

you've probably got the same loco address running at the same time due to one of them not being properly dispatched as a previous replyer stated. you can also use the db150 option switch #39 to clear the memory in the command booster. look in the db option switches in the back of the manual.

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