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Loksound consisting headlight function in reverse

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  • Member since
    January 2011
  • 893 posts
Posted by PennCentral99 on Sunday, October 16, 2016 3:46 PM

For the record (and not to steal the thread, but to give the OP reasonable comparison), I have 3 separate MU's, all locos are back-to-back, all with advanced consisting, all have CV 22 programmed with 61

MU 1 = 2 Soundtraxx Tsunami's, one I installed and 1 with factory install, the head light is on with the direction of travel, the rear light is never on.

MU 2 = One Soundtraxx Tsunami (I installed) and 1 with factory install (Atlas brand loco, I believe it's a QSI decoder), the head light is on with the direction of travel, the rear light is never on.

MU 3 = 1 Soundtraxx Tsunami (factory install) and 1 ESU Loksound (factory install), the lead loco (tsunami) has the head light on when traveling forward and the second loco (Loksound) has rear light on. When consist is in reverse, the second loco (Loksound), the rear light goes out and the head light comes on, the lead  loco (tsunami), the head light goes out and the rear light is never on.

This, by no means, is meant to be negative towards ESU Loksound. They make a wonderful decoder. It's a slight snafu, that will surely be worked out. I'll be patient and have fun in the process.

Terry

Inspired by Addiction

See more on my YouTube Channel

  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Sunday, October 16, 2016 1:16 PM

 Although as described it sounds liek no lights EVER come on in the trailing loco, just the lead loco reverses its lights as expected if it were running alone. So it can't hurt to see what's going on with CV22. CHeck the current value, if it's 0, try setting it to 2 both both locos. If it's currently something else, like maybe 63, subtract 2.

                           --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, October 16, 2016 12:14 AM

PennCentral99
Much to my relief, he stated it was a progamming issue with the decoder, they forgot to program this feature into the decoder, but are working on a fix for the next release.

If this is the case, the OP might have better luck explaining his issue on the Yahoo Loksound group.  There are some pretty sharp people there, and Matt visits frequently.

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Posted by PennCentral99 on Saturday, October 15, 2016 9:54 PM

For years, I have been doing my own decoder installs and used Soundtraxx Tsunami. One of my loco purchases was an ES44AC from Intermountain with Tsunami already installed. I had "zero" problems using advanced consisting with a loco having a previously installed Tsunami, included light functions you desire.

When Intermountain switched to Loksound, I bought another ES44AC. When I did the programming for the advanced consisting, I followed the same procedures and CV's as I did for my Tsunami. All loco functions and performance was exactly the same, except for the forward/reverse light function for the trailing loco. I tried everything, but the reverse light is on all the time, no matter what number the CV is programmed to.

This past August, I went to the RPM in St Louis, MO. ESU had a booth, staffed by Matthew Herman, General Manager for ESU. I talked to him and described my "progamming problem" with the trailing loco (in reverse, running forward in advanced consisting) and the light on all the time, no matter what the CV is programmed to.

Much to my relief, he stated it was a progamming issue with the decoder, they forgot to program this feature into the decoder, but are working on a fix for the next release. So, it may not be you, but the lack of programming in the decoder. You can't program it for something that's not there.

Terry

Inspired by Addiction

See more on my YouTube Channel

  • Member since
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  • From: Oregon
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Posted by 5150WS6 on Saturday, October 15, 2016 4:20 PM

Randy,

Ok so here's how it currently works.  With the  <-123-+-456-> set up....with 123 being the lead loco.  When I run now, engine sound comes out of both.  But only lights, bell and whistle come out of 123.  Period.  No bell, whistle or lights come on with the 456.  No matter what direction. 

So when I reverse, 123 acts as though there is no loco behind it and turns on it's reverse light.  Obviously I'd like the front light on 456 come on when the consist is going in reverse since it's the last loco in the chain. 

And this happens no matter how many locos are in a consist.  If I have 5 locos, 123 still being the lead, all sounds and lights come from that loco exclusively.  No other sound or lights come on with any other loco no matter the direction. 

Ultimately I would like the two outter locos to have the sound and lights when they are going in the respectable direction.  If I have <A+B+C+D+E> and A is the lead loco, I want all sound and lights to come from that A unit. (Other than engine sounds of course).  But then just the opposite, when I'm running in reverse I would like the E unit to have all the bells, headlight and horns.

As it is now that 123 unit or whatever unit I make the "lead" unit is the only one that has the functions.

And in all honestly I'm ok with the bells and horns coming out of that "lead" unit.  But it would be nice to have the lights work correctly.

That make sense?

Mike

 

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Posted by rrinker on Thursday, October 13, 2016 4:53 PM

 If it's already cutting the horn and bell, the system must be adjusting CV21. You can probbaly manually change CV22 to disable the backup lights on the two and see if that works or if it gets reset by the system when adding to the consist. Kind of surprised it doesn;t take care of that since it already does the sounds and you specifically tell it which unit is the lead - I suspect when you reverse it, so that the one that was trailing is now leading, the horn and bell now work on that one and the other one keeps quiet. Don't be afraid to experiment, worst case is you get no lights in any direction, in which case you just put back the old value and it should revert to operation as before.

 Save the Lokprogrammer for if you have to actually change the directionality of the headlight on the second unit. Which way does it work now? Say you have the locos <-123-+-456-> so 123 is the lead unit, moving forward - which lights are on? 123's headlight only, or is 456's backup light on too? And then if you reverse direction - NOT flip the consist, simply run backwards like backing on to a train, so 123 is still the lead unit, but you are moving to the right in my illustration. 456's headlight should be on - if 123's backup light is on, then simply adjusting CV22 will fix your issue of the in between lights being on.

                   --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
    March 2015
  • From: Oregon
  • 188 posts
Posted by 5150WS6 on Thursday, October 13, 2016 11:33 AM

Thanks Randy!

I'm using the NCE PH-Pro 5 amp wireless powercab system.  Sorry forgot that plays a factor in things.  I also have the Loksound programmer in case I forgot to mention that as well.

What's weird is the consist works perfectly other than the lights.  The bell and horn are automatically disabled on all other units and only go on the lead unit which is perfect.  I just can't get the lights right whether I'm using 2 or 8 in a consist.

What all is involved with the reprogramming of the light settings?  That might be what I need to do?

Mike

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 7:44 PM

 What DCC system? It matters because of how functions in consisting are handled. If it's like NCE and uses CV19 to consist, you need to adjust CV21 and 22 to control which functions operate when in consist. CV22 controls the light functions, you can disable F0R on both locos so the lights in the middle of the pair don't come on.

 If you are using command station consisting like Digitrax, or just give them both the same number like I do for sets that always run together, you completely disable FoR on both units so the backup light never comes on, and the lead unit gets the normal headlight configuration, and the rear unit gets set so that FoF is on in the reverse direction. This does mean reprogramming the light settings when you seperate them so the front and rear lights work normally The CV22 values only take effect when CV19 is other than 0, ie the locos are in a CV19 consist, and if you reset CV19 to 0, ie take them out of consist, the headlight operation will revert to normal. You might want to also look at CV21 and disable the horn and bell on the trailing unit.

                             --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
    March 2015
  • From: Oregon
  • 188 posts
Loksound consisting headlight function in reverse
Posted by 5150WS6 on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 5:33 PM

Hey guys,

Here's what I want to do that I'm unable to figure out.  For this example, two Kato C44, Loksound decoders, running in a consist.  One loco forward, the other connected backwards.

When I go forward I want the lead loco headlight on.  When in reverse, instead of the back light on the lead loco coming on, I want the headlight for the rear locomotive to come on. 


I've got the Loksound programmer but have yet to be able to figure out how to accomplish this.

Thanks,
Mike

 

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