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Thanks! Up Date:

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  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Thanks! Up Date:
Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, March 4, 2016 7:17 PM

I want to thank everyone for their help with my DCC problems!!!!
 
With your help I finally have my two E7 diesels working better on DCC than DC.  The two kitbashed locomotives are built on Athearn SD40-2 frames re-motored using Mashima motors with Cary E7A & E7B bodies.  Each locomotive weighs 2½ pounds and have massive drawbar towing ability.
 
I have a second E7B dummy that powers the LED lighting in my 10 over weight Athearn Streamlined Daylight passenger cars from a Lithium battery.
 
The two powered E7s will now easily tow my heavy Daylight up my 3½% grade at a little over idle without having to increase the throttle setting.
 
The two things I wanted the most from my DCC System is good sound and better speed control, I now have both.  Once I set the throttle speed it remains the same going either up or down my steep 3½% grade.
 
It took awhile for me to get past the “learning curve” of the JMRI software but it was well worth all the pain and anguish.  The end result is fabulous!
 
For all of you MRC doubters out there my Prodigy Advance² System with MRC 1730 decoders Run and Sound perfect.  The older steam decoders worked plug-n-play so they have always worked great, I didn’t need to do the consist thing with steam.
 
I want to thank all of you for your patience getting me over the hump with DCC programming.  I even tweaked a Digitrax DH126 to work the way I wanted it to work too.
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,932 posts
Posted by Stevert on Friday, March 4, 2016 7:24 PM

Congratulations, Mel! 

It's great to hear you got everything working to your expectations.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,879 posts
Posted by maxman on Friday, March 4, 2016 9:00 PM

Gee, it would really have been nice if you remembered what you did to correct the problem.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, March 4, 2016 9:20 PM

I have no idea which CV “fixed” my problem.  The Digitrax and TCS decoders behaved the same way so the fix worked on them also.
 
I’m very happy using the JMRI software so another Thanks Guys for putting me on to that too.
 
I’m far from proficient using JMRI but I’m getting better, it’s going to be a slow process.  I’m an Old Dog but I can be taught if you have enough patience.
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, March 19, 2016 7:17 PM

UPDATE:
I thought I’d give you an update on my problem MRC 1730 decoder.  I returned the defective decoder to MRC after talking to Doug in Customer Service on February 22nd.  I received a decoder today March 19th with a no charge invoice stating that it had been repaired.
 
Looking at it very closely it does appear to be the same decoder that I returned with new heat shrink.  The 1730 has a dongal TO-220 transistor that is the same one I returned by evidense of my Goop glue that held it in my locomotive.  I removed one of my working decoders and installed the returned decoder and it works.
 
I haven’t attempted to program it yet for fear of dinging it again.  When I get more familiar with JMRC I’ll give it a try.  I have successfully programmed two other 1730 decoders using JMRI but after dinging this one earlier I’m going to proceed very slowly with it.
 
Again I want the thank everyone for your patience and help with my problem.  With your help I have all my decoder equipped locomotives operating correctly.
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

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