I picked up a pair of Bachman FA-2s with DCC and sound. Im using a NCE DCC system. I have a programing track dedicated for programing locomotives. I put the two FAs on the programing track and set them up to run in a consist. programed them and everything worked correctly, bell, horn, lights, sound, everything. Put them on the layout and selected the loco number for the consist and the engine sound came on but no bell, horn, or lights. Like always, when I set up a consist, i had to enter a loco number for each loco, no problem. Here's where it gets quirky. The only way I can get the sound to work properly is to enter one on the loco numbers that is in the consist and then I get the sounds to work properly, however I lose the ability to control the speed of the lococmotives (picture a runaway locomotive). Tried several different was to consist the engines and nothing seems to work. Used the advanced method, got speed control but no sounds other than engine. Tried what they refer to as "old style" but then only one engine would respond and drag the other around. Any thoughts????
Thanks Jim
What number are you assigning to the consist?
I have a Bachmann 45 tonner and it does weird things if don't pet it and talk nicely to it every other day. I frequently have to reset the decoder (and it doesn't even have sound)
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
When I use the "advanced" consist method the DCC system assigns 126. putting the locos on the layout and selecting 126 using the controller allows me to move the consist forward or backward and control the speed. I just cant access bell, horn, or lights.
Most (all?) sound decoders are set at the factory to not respond to the bell, horn etc. function buttons when they are in a consist and not the lead unit. My guess is, because of the way your DCC system is doing the advanced consist, both engines are getting information saying they're not the lead engine. Perhaps they're reading the consist ID (126) as the lead engine's ID...so like engine 100 and 200 both think they're trailing units in a consist lead by engine 126.
You can adjust the CVs to allow the sound functions to work even when in a consist, but not in the lead. You'd have to check the manual / website of the decoder manufacturer.
You should be able to add one engine's ID no. to a regular consist under the other's ID - engine 100 added as trailing unit to engine 200 as lead unit - which should then have both running together but only the primary one (200) allowing bell, horn etc.
There are CV's associated with this. Lookup consist in your owners manual.
There is a reason why they do this:
Every piece of motive power in the consist does not behave in the same way in regards to sounds and lights. For example F7A-F7A would have two forward headlights, but only the lead loco would have it's headlight on and blare it's horn and ring it's bell. So unless you program in which is the lead, you won't get those functions to work. Every DCC chip does it a different way. QSI for example allows you to assign a consist engine as tail, middle, helper, or lead and auto sets the sounds and lights for you. Soundtraxx has dedicated CV's for assigning which actions respond to functions.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Thank you for the information
Jim
jeep35Like always, when I set up a consist, i had to enter a loco number for each loco, no problem.
I got the impression from that statement that you were familiar with consists. Did you solve the problem?
Nomally when I make up a consist it is only two locomotives, usually one has sound or neither has sound. This was my first attempt at using two sound equipped engines. I haven't had time to solve the issue. I'm going to try to work on it this evening.
Well, was not able to correct the issue. In fact the more I fooled with it the worse I made it. One loco now has no engine sound but does have bell and horn and somtimes lights. It does take off like a rocket as soon as you apply voltage. As an added bonus when I take off the programing track and put it on the layout it takes off all by itself. I tried to reset the decoder using the "recovery mode" on my throttle but it didn't seem to help. Is there a way I can reset the decoder to the factory settings. I was able to find all the CV values on Bachmans website, but when I tried to change values there didn't seem to make any difference. Any suggestions?
Is this an NCE Pro Cab or Power Cab? The Power Cab is better at programming reluctant locos without boosters and resistors. You may need a 1000 ohm 1/4 resistor accross the programming track.
Recovery mode. Randy has stated many times that does not work on non NCE decoders. I just reread the instructions and it claims to work with most "other" decoders.
I believe you have a version of the Soundtraxx decoder in the Bachmann. Sometimes the versions produced for manufactures work differently than the ones we can buy, however the Soundtraxx help page says reset is accomplished by setting CV 8 to 8 and cycling power.
It also has suggestions for dealing with a consist that has no lights or sound, but runs. http://www.soundtraxx.com/support/troubleshooting.php?1=pro
All the recovery mde does is set several NMRA defined CVs to their default values. It doesn't do an actually decoder reset - depending on the decoder, most use CV8 or CV32 as the reset. Sinc eit varies by decoder manufacturer, it's hard to put that right in the DCC system.
I guess I don't really understand the problem, as I always thought NCE took care of all the details for you. Only the lead loco should sound a horn or bell, so as long as you put the loco in as the lead loco in the consist, and the peper ones as the last, and fill in any others - it is supposed to just work. And when you flip it around and swap the lead and trailing locos, it should now direct horn and bell to the former trailing, now leading, 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.
I was able to reset the decoders using CV 8. Randy, as you stated this is usually not an issue. Program in the lead loco, then the rest, and everything is fine. For some reason with these locomotives it's not functioning as normal. I'll try again later.
The soundtraxx link above said:
Locomotive runs in a consist, but without lighting or sound
Wasn't that your initial problem, they ran without lights or sound?
Thank you for all your help and suggestions, I will venture into the basement this evending and give it another tr.
jim