Assuming an Empire Builder system (DB150). Track power does not get shut off while programming with a Chief (DCS100) or Zephyr (DCS50). You can be programming on the program track while running locos on the main with those systems.
The only time track power should be getting into the suspend mode is if you hit the e-stop button or switch the command station to sleep mode. I prefer to completely shut my system off when not is use, I also do not change the OpSw that allows the system to power up with track power on - that's askign for either an accident as a loco takes off because the throttle wasn;t set to stop, or a busted noggin as something starts to move as soon as you flip the power strip on and you jump up quickly to see what it is, forgetting you're partway under the benchwork. From a cold start like that you should only ever have to press Power-Y once to get power.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
You may not have had to reset the decoder. You mentioned a Digitrax system. There's a little black dot on the display that indicates track power status. I tell club members to turn on F11 and F12 on their DT400. The dot is located between the 11 and 12 on the display.
Track power has three stages.
No dot: Track power is off
Flashing dot: Track power is in Suspend mode
Solid dot: Track power is on
The Flashing dot is the key. When in suspend mode there is full track power but no DCC packets are being sent. Lights will stay lit but motors will not turn. Solution:: press Power then the Y/+ button. each press of the Y/+ button will cycle to the next tarck power status. Just press it until the dot is on solid.
I suspect that when resetting the decoder, track power was restored as that is one of the steps that the command station does when programming CV's.
Martin Myers
SUCCESS!
Re-setting CV8 did the trick. I'm back to lovin' life!
Thanks, guys, for your quick and helpful responses.
I was hoping this was something simple, but was fearing the worst. Thanks to your advice, I peeked behind the "CV curtain" for the first time ... and liked what I saw. Took about 1 minute of reading and about 1 minute of doing. CV trepidation vanquished. (And engine running like a dream.)
Thanks again.
Thanks, Rich. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
JTG Thanks for the rapid response. According to the manual, I can re-set by either setting CV8 to a value of 8 or holding down the re-set button on the sound circuit board while turning on track power. I've never messed with CVs before (I was still using factory defaults), so I was thinking of going for the manual re-set. I also hesitated because I don't have a program track set up, but I see now that this decoder allows programming on the main. I assume my Digitrax Zephyr will do this. So I guess I'll try re-set first, then re-write the address if that fails. Thanks again.
Thanks for the rapid response. According to the manual, I can re-set by either setting CV8 to a value of 8 or holding down the re-set button on the sound circuit board while turning on track power.
I've never messed with CVs before (I was still using factory defaults), so I was thinking of going for the manual re-set. I also hesitated because I don't have a program track set up, but I see now that this decoder allows programming on the main. I assume my Digitrax Zephyr will do this.
So I guess I'll try re-set first, then re-write the address if that fails.
JTG,
Do the reset by setting the value of CV8 to 8. It happens to me quite often with BLI. Don't know why it happens, but I get the same symptoms you get.
Following reset to factory defaults, you will need to re-program the long address. I don't have Digitrax, my system is NCE, so I cannot walk you through the fix, but it is no big deal.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hi all,
Either I'm overlooking something incredibly obvious, or I've got a fried decoder on my hands. I'm hoping someone can tell me which.
I'm very new to DCC, and completely new to N scale. My first loco purchase a few months ago was a Broadway Limited E7A with sound. I threw down a piece of flex track and fired it up when I first got it. Beautiful engine, looks great, ran great, sounded great. I ran it back and forth in forward and reverse several times, but since I had no layout, it went back in the box.
Last week I finally started work on my first N scale layout. Got the roadbed down, then three pieces of flex. Wired up the track, put the E7 on the rails and started 'er up. Same great slow speed creep, great sound. Everything's cool. The engine made it to the end of track, and I stopped her and put it in reverse. It started out fine, then stuttered and stalled. I nudged it. It went a little bit, then stuttered a few times and stalled. I took it off the track and returned it to a point near the feeder wires. No go.
And that's where I'm stuck. The headlight comes on, and I can sound the bell, whistle and etc., but I can't get the darned thing to budge. No movement at all. And yes, I have the brake off.
Could I inadvertently have done something to cause this predicament? Is the fact that the headlight and sound work an indication that I haven't fried the decoder somehow? Any suggestions?
If all else fails, I'll take the shell off and re-set, but I'm not crazy about doing it. (Accidents happen, and I'd hate to crack the shell or something else stupid.) Any knowledgeable suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm using a Digitrax system.
Thanks in advance.