Recently I've been having to re-boot (or restart) My Super Chief system after turning on track power.
The locos make their stationary sounds (blow off, etc.) but don't respond to F1, F2, etc. without let turning off my system and restarting it. I not iced yesterday that my battery was low at 7-8 volts. Even plugged into the jack they would not respond. I pulled the battery (and I think...) that resolved the problem once.
Replacing the battery with a fresh 9 volt seemed to fix the problem another time. The radio w/battery function is completely independent from the plug in panel "direct" mode, correct?
This seems to be an intermittent problem and I haven't had enough time yet to take notes and see what and when the problem arises. Any ideas or suggestions?
Once things ARE restarted/rebooted (not sure of the difference) everything cooperates just fine.
Thanks!
Jim
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Oh...should probably add that I'm going through a UPS box but that's been since day one before this "mystery" began. Didn't know if it mattered...
Thanks again.
Radio is independent of plug in, so even if there is a radio problem, it should work fine plugged in.
Does speed and direction work, even if the functions don't?
What you might try is plugging the throttle into the DCS100 and setting the mode switch to OPS. Select switch address 39 and close it. Then turn off power and restart (and put the mode back to RUN). This will do a full system reset (see the back of the manual) and clear everythign out. If that still doesn;t fix things, it might need a vacation to Florida.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi Randy. Thanks for your advice. No, the speed and direction aren't working. The locos just sit there making the stationary sounds. I'll try the switch address 39. What usually causes a need to do a full system reset? I'll have to wait until after tomorrow, probably, as a buddy and I are installing Tortoises and hooking up the lst control panel at the moment. I'll try resetting a.s.a.p.
Randy, I also thank you as I was also starting to have some weird happening. I think resetting it may just be the answer.
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.
Well, the command station IS a computer, and wierd things can happen over time especially if they are never shut down. I've never been one to leave ANYTHIGN turned on in my train room when not there. Even so, my DB150 acted up one day, it would not turn on track power no matter what (it's configured as a booster to my Zephyr command station). THe solution was to unplug it from Loconet and do the OpSw 39 reset. I've had no problems since, and nothign special happend before it acted up, like a lot of shorts or any ops mode program attempt. It just turned on that way. My stuff is plugged into two different outlets, but controlled by a pair of X10 appliance modules set on the same address so they turn on together.
Are you sure it's not just at track idle?
Every once in a while mine does that and all I have to do it hit the yes key a couple of times or the no key and then the yes key again. I also occasionally have to reselect the loco if it was already selected when I turned it off. I just hit the loco key twice and everything then works fine.
Randy:
I may try that reset for the programing problem we talked about yesterday.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Change the CMOS battery in the DCS100. You will need a 2032 coin cell battery. Instructions are in the manual.
Martin Myers
Randy, yes! That's exactly what I've been doing to get going (besides restarting//rebooting when the Power, Yes key doesn't do the trick.
I'll have to look back in the manual and see if there is a low battery indicator light, etc.
Recovering, though, at the moment from a 7 hour Tortoise install marathon so don't have the energy left to experiment tonight.