Hey Pappy-
I agree with everyone whose advice is to read the manuals, and I understand your frustration. Those things are written in a cold, stiff style and they read like poorly translated Mah Jong instructions, but if you follow them word-for-word most problems seem to disappear.
Glad to hear that things are working. Now you can go back to being Happy Pappy. Good luck.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
Thanks to all of you for giving me the encouragement and advice to get me through my dilemma. I understand that my issues were solvable by using info in the manual, but reading something in the manual with the technical terms was not as clear to me as following the instructions that you have given me. Everything is working great!!!
I suspect the prblem is that the loco with address 80 has it set as a long address (AD4 on the throttle when programming). That is a no-no with Digitrax, 80 has to be a short address (AD2). Only when programming an address of 128 or higher should you select Yes for the AD4? prompt when programming.
Simplest thing is to hook up a piece of track to the program track terminals and folow the steps to program a decoder again. If the cab number on this loco is 80, then when you put in the address and get the AD4? prompt, press the N key. The move the loco to the main track and you should be able to press Loco, 80, and Enter and then run the loco.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
And the procedure that Paul just gave you, is good, and, found in the manuals that came with your EVO set. Maybe you need to go through things, read and do, and follow the info that is given.
There is a Digitrax group that is in Yahoo, you can get a lot of your questions answered in detail, there.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Digitrax/info
But you still need to go through the manuals.
Believe me, at one time I was as frustrated as you. When I built my current layout, I wired it like I was going to use DC, with cab control, only knowing I was going to DCC, I gapped both rails. I can still use DC, if and when I want to.
Mike.
My You Tube
Pappy,No problem. I went through the same thing back in 1999 when my club transitioned to Digitrax DCC after 61 years of being a DC analog club. Only I really didn't have anyone to ask as the internet was rather young in those days and there weren't as many Digitrax experienced users online at the time. I eventually became one of the "gurus" at the club and have helped dozens of guys figure out what went wrong. Many times it was a simple step that got missed, but occasionally something gets fried and can't be fixed, only replaced.
The thing to realize is this: be patient. It has a learning curve, but so does a computer or cell phone or driving a car. Anything can be mastered with enough practice.
Also, once you figure something out, do it again, then again, and again once more. Don't just do it once and think, "I've got it." You probably don't. I have seen my fellow members "qualify" with a throttle when they join the club, then not touch one for months until the next Open House. They go to run a train but they've forgotten something and they get frustrated. Seriously, play with your DCC system daily (if possible) for a week or two. Just get in the habit of selecting a DCC address, running the engine, turning on the headlights, making and breaking an MU, and so on. Start with the book open in front of you, then try it without the book. It's the only way to really learn it. After that, try it out at least once a week for a couple months after that to keep those skills fresh in your head. After a while, you won't even need to think about it; it'll be like jumping on a bicycle.
And by all means, keep posting your questions here or over on the Digitrax users group on Yahoo. You'll find many people who like to answer questions.
For your troubles with loco #80, I would set up a programming track. A 3' length of flex track will do; just use alligator clips to connect the track to wires that go to PROG A (PA) and PROG B (PB) contacts on your DCS210. Once you do, read the address on loco #80. To do that, put the engine on the programming track and push & release the "PROG" key on your DT500 (your throttle should be plugged in to the LocoNet at this time). There will be 4 programming modes to choose from; you want "PG" (Page Mode) as it will appear on the throttle display (low and centered). The other modes are "Po" (Ops Mode), "Pd" (Direct Mode) and "PH" (Physical Register Mode). Keep hitting the PROG key until "PG" appears on the display.Once you're in PG mode, turn the left knob counterclockwise until the display reads, "Ad2=???" Once you see that, hit & release the "ENTER" button. The system will now attempt to read the loco's address on the programming track. The cursor should flash where the question marks were. Shortly, the display will either day "NoAk" (no acknowledgement), "No-d" (no decoder), or will display your 2-digit number on the loco in question. It should say "080". If it doesn't, turn the right knob until it does, then hit "ENTER" to program 80 into the loco.
After that, you should read CV029 by turning the left knob clockwise 'til the display reads "CV029=???". A "CV", or configuration variable, is how a decoder knows what to do. CV029 is the same across all DCC decoders; it's part of the NMRA Standard for DCC (CV001 is the 2-digit address, CV002 is starting voltage, CV003 is starting momentum, CV004 is coasting momentum, etc.; all are NMRA Standard CV's). CV029 does a bunch of things all at once. Remember that DCC is based on almost 30 year old technology and memory was tight back then. So depending on the number programmed into CV029, it can make a loco do the following: sets Normal Direction of Travel (NDOT), selects the 2-digit or 4-digit address, turns on or off analog mode, selects a programmed 28-step speed curve or uses CV's 002, 005 and 006, and sets the number of speed steps at 14 or 28/128.
If you want to run your loco #80 on DC and DCC, CV029 should equal 006. When you turn the left knob to CV029, hit the "ENTER" button when you see the "???". The system should read CV029 and it should be "CV029=006". If it isn't, use the right knob to change the value of CV029 to 006, then hit "ENTER". The system should then program the CV.
At this point, your #80 should run on analog and on DCC as #80.Hope this helps...
I really appreciate the time and effort both Paul and Robert have given to me. I am an old school CC guy that is desperately trying to convert to DCC, but the learning curve is a lot bigger than anticipated. After doing what both of you suggested, my system is now working, but I do not understand how it happened. However, I now have another issue. I have 2 locos that have decoders, 01 and 80. 01 operates perfectly, both in DCC and analog. 80 only runs when it is on a track fed from an old-time power pack. I have tried to reprogram it on both the layout and the program track. When I place 80 on the dcc layout, the correct address appears on the throttle, but the loco does not move. I tried to operate it with the 00 address, but no luck. I can run other non-decoder locos using the 00 address. When I first installed the digitrax system, 80 did work on dcc. Does this mean that the decoder may now be bad? How can I check this out?
Frustrated Pappy
Paul3 Are you certain you have the right addresses in your engines or on your throttle?
Are you certain you have the right addresses in your engines or on your throttle?
This was my first thought also. The OP says he reprogrammed everything. I don't know what that means. He also said the display is correct. I don't know what that means either. Maybe he forgot the address and he thought he reprogrammed it again, but he didn't finish the programming sequence. Maybe he tried to program a 4-digit address in 2-digit mode. Maybe he is still in programming mode and not in running mode. He didn't say anything about whether he programs on the layout or on a separate program track. He didn't say anything about whether he tried to read back whatever is written on the decoder. Six months ago he might have programmed some address he didn't intend to and can't remember or find it today.
A million things it could be. A lot more info is needed. I tend to think the old address is still there and is waiting for DCC instructions.
So I'll wait until OP comes back.
Ok, so the dot is steady on. Is the throttle a radio throttle, and are you plugged in? (this is just for diagnosing)
Can you run an analog loco on address "00"? You should be able to unless you've turned off that option on the system's brain.
BTW, have you looked in your manual on page 111? It's the troubleshooting guide.
Press "function" and then "loco". Get the correct/current address for the decoder you're attempting to control on the display, click the encoder knob, and you should be in business once the address stops flashing.
pappys trains Thanks to both Randy and Paul3 for your responses, but your recommended solution doesn't work. That dot in the upper right corner is steady. I've tried the PWR and On/Y+ buttons, as well as the PWR and N/- buttons, several times without success. Is there anything else I could try? Frustrated Pappy
Thanks to both Randy and Paul3 for your responses, but your recommended solution doesn't work. That dot in the upper right corner is steady. I've tried the PWR and On/Y+ buttons, as well as the PWR and N/- buttons, several times without success.
Is there anything else I could try?
Have you tried pressing the Y/+ and the N/- AT THE SAME TIME? Exactly the same time? Your throttle might be locked. See page 77 of the booklet.
Yup, exactly what it sounds like. There is power on the rails, hence the analog loco 'singing' and it probably has its lights go on, as well. But there is no actual DCC commands being sent, so DCC locos will not respond even though the throttle allows you to select them. PWR then On/Y/+ should get you back in business.
To me, it sounds like you are on "Pause" mode. Look at Page 16 in your DT500 manual: http://www.digitrax.com/media/apps/products/throttles/dt500/documents/DT500_manual_rev.1.pdf
In the upper right corner of your throttle display should be a small steady black dot. If the dot is not there, then track power is off. To turn track power on, push and release the "PWR" key in the lowest left button, then press and release the "Y +" button (2nd row down from the top).
If the dot is there but it is blinking, that means the track power is on, but all throttle commands are "paused". This is "Pause Mode". To get back to normal operations, do the same as above: press and release the "PWR" key, then press and release the "Y +" button. The "Y +" button, after hitting the "PWR" key, both pauses and un-pauses the track power. Just cycle it.
The other way to enter Pause Mode is to have your throttle set to "Global Stop" instead of "Local Stop". See page 20 in the DT500 manual. It comes from the factory set for "Local Stop", which means that when pushed, the EMRG STOP button only zeroes out the active throttle. Pressing it again zeros out the second, non-active throttle. However, if the throttle is programmed to be a Global Stop EMRG STOP button, it will put the layout into "Pause Mode" and will not actually zero out either throttle. However, it will stop all trains until the layout is un-paused.
I purchased a DS210 Booster with a DT500 Throttle several months ago. When I first received it, I did program one of my locos and everything ran smoothly. I have been away for six months and now that I am back, I cannot control any locos, either digital or analog. I have reprogrammed everything and replaced the battery twice. All of the screen info is correct, but the engines will not move. When I place an analog loco on the track, it sings, so their is power to the track. Digitrax Help is away until 1/2/18, but I was hoping to solve this before then. Does anyone have any suggestions?