Just purchased a HO Santa Fe F3 ABBA fully powered set with NO dummy units. The Santa Fe used a two digit number followed by letters. Mine is numbered 26L 26A 26B and 26C.
I have a Lenz 3.6 system. I wish to program the CV(s) for engine numbers to create a consist, but have no clue what would work best as I have never had letters used before. Is it possible to program letters in DCC decoders? If one can only use numbers, what have all you Santa Fe owners used with such sets? This set we only be run as a fixed consist so do I need individual engine numbers other than the 0003 assigned from the factory to create this consist and then assign a number 18 to it? All help is appreciated---joeldee
If they are always going to be a fixed consist - number them all 26 and be done with it.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
This. Just set them all to 26. You'll also have to adjust CV29 on at least the one A unit so it runs in reverse direction. No sense messing with consists and other more complicated things if they will always run together.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
JDberlin Just purchased a HO Santa Fe F3 ABBA fully powered set with NO dummy units. The Santa Fe used a two digit number followed by letters. Mine is numbered 26L 26A 26B and 26C. If one can only use numbers, what have all you Santa Fe owners used with such sets?
If one can only use numbers, what have all you Santa Fe owners used with such sets?
Rich
Alton Junction
IF you number them all the same, you will probably have to remap the headlight on one of them. Otherwise, when you turn the headlight on, the headlight on BOTH A units will come on. The simplest method would be to configure the headlight on one for F0 and the other on a different function.
This also helps to give you a visual as to which direction is forward. Press F0 and whichever end lights, that end is "forward".
Why not just assign individual cab numbers (e.g., 261, 262, 263, 264)?
That gives you maximum flexibility.
Either / Or .... just throwing out the options ....
Though he did say they are always going to run together. Like my drawbar connected FT A-B set, should I give those individual numbers? I don't see the point. I can't swap them around without a visit tot he workbench, in which case I can reprogram the B unit if needed. For variety, I may do this once I have a layout up and running, the sets didn;t stay together their entire life, so 262A may have had 267B connected to it. In all cases, the powered B will get the same DCC address as the A unit it is connected to, just to keep operation simple.
I don't model Santa Fe, so I don't need an "L".
But I pretty much do as Rich has mentioned.
My GN F units all end in A, B, C, or D. And the numbers are, conveniently, 3 digit. For the letters, I replace them with numbers that reflect their alphabetical position. So 361C becomes 3613.
I've also just bought the new Athearn UP GP9's. Including 203B and 171B. In DCC talk, they are now 2032 and 1712. Their be-cabbed mates are entered as 0203 and 0171. Looks kinda funny (see last paragraph); but it's a system and it works.
I would be having problems with 4-digit plus letter, of course. I doubt that will happen.
I do wish that our DCC numbering system was comprehensive enough so that letters could be put in as letters. And that you could also put in the railroad. So a locomotive could be entered exactly as it is: GN 361C. or ATSF 4567. or RFP 3251..............
Ed
Buy an ESU EcoS DCC system and you can do that. You can use up to 16 characters and even upload a picture of your engine to the screen ! For example, I can actually use "D&H U23B 2307". To select an engine, I just scroll through the listings and tap on the one I want.
There are other control systems that are doing that now too. But I don;t see the point. It makes sense with European practice where the loco numebrs are too big to use as DCC addresses directly, but what about a roster of a himdred locos? You have to scroll through 100 pictures to find the one you want? Since North American practice typically does not have cab numbers that exceed the DCC address limit, it seems MUCH simpler to just key in the cab number to select a loco.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
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I never change BEMF when consisting, either Digitrax, which does not use CV19 and so those half things don;t apply, or when giving them the same number. My locos never fight. My FT pair is a TCS non-sound in the A and a Loksound Select in the B, I never made any CV changes to speed match them. Didn't have to. The TCS auto adjusting BEMF compensates pretty well. No sliding or spinning wheels (which they would have to - since the locos are coupled with a drawbar and can't jerk back and forth). My other common consist is 2 P2K Geeps and an Atlas Trainmaster in the middle. The Geeps are again TCS motor only decoders, the TM is a QSI. Again none of these BEMF issues. Sometimes I think the BEMF issues are caused by mixing decoder with inferior BEMF (Digitrax) which also are one of the few that automatically use a different BEMF value in Consist (the default actually turns it OFF in a CV19 consist) with a decoder that always has BEMF on. Probably also an argument for being consistent with the decoders and not flip flopping around between brands because one week Brand A is $1 cheaper and week 2 Brand B is $1 cheaper. The Atlas/QSI is my only oddball - any locos I have with sound have Loksound, any that are motor only are TCS. If the QSI acts up (and so far, no issues, I have no problms programming it even without a program track booster) it will be repalced with a Loksound. I don't run my MTH FA/FB because they are annoying with sound dropouts, they will be repalced with Loksound.
For permanently coupled units - if you give them the same address, just disable the functions you don;t want, like the bell on the B unit. No sense doing through all that CV21/CV22 stuff to enable or disable functions in consist. Headlights are an easy fix too - I've done the same on my Geep/TM consist, only the headlight on the Geep in the direction of travel comes on, the TM's headlights are disabled. F) settings are fairly standardized as far as the CV that controls which function operates the white or yellow wire, even if other functions are not so simple.
The Geeps/TM setup migth benefit from some other method of configuration since this could easily get broken up and changed, but on the club layout we do not allow any consisting other than the same address, because too many people are too fumble-fingered and grab other's locos right out of the middle of their consists (hint, if it asks you to Steal the address - SOMEONE ELSE IS ALREADY USING IT! STOP!). But locos like the FT that are drawbar coupled - silly to waste a consist address (since there are only 127 when using CV19), plus if they both just share the address of the A unit, this is a consist that is completely portable and will work on any DCC system.
Finally, it's not such a bif deal with Digitrax, since you can control two locos at once. For example, I have an F7 B dummy with sound (and big speaker) that has couplers at both ends, no drawbar. i can consist that with a Geep, or an F7 A, or whatever, and control the consist with one knob and specifically have the B unit dialed up on the second knob so I can blow the horn and stuff. It's really no worse than the sounds on a steam loco coming out of the tender - especially the whistle and bell. That way I can have the illusion of sound wiuthout putting a sound decoder in every single loco. Maybe someday, but I don;t see that happening anytime soon. A few of each type with the approriate sound to give the sense of sound by coupling a sound unit or two to one or two non sound locos. From any distance it sounds like they all have sound.
There is another reason that I prefer different cab numbers for each loco in a consist.
When you designate all four locos (ABBA or LABC) with the same cab number in a fixed consist, that may be all well and good while running, but what about yard operations, engine service facilities, etc?
On my layout, I break up the consist for turntable operations, repair shops, etc. If every loco in the consist has the same number, they are all going to be moving even if the consist is broken.
I go back to the OP who said they will always run together. Also my drawbar connected ones are only going to be seperated for service if I take them back to the workbench to undo the drawbar screws, at which point I can change the address if I am going to connect it to a different loco.
And I remain ever greatful that I do not model the SF or one of those other railroads that used the same number with 3 or 4 extra letters for cab units. In FT's, Reading bought them in AB sets, not ABBA. And originally they were all drawbar coupled, so i can have one address as one AB set, and a second address as another AB set, and MU those two together to make a 4 unit set. F7's they just bought A's and mixed them with the F3 B's.
rrinker I go back to the OP who said they will always run together.
I go back to the OP who said they will always run together.
Santa Fe, All The Way.