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On ESU Loksound Decoders can You Reprogram The Engines Road Number?

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On ESU Loksound Decoders can You Reprogram The Engines Road Number?
Posted by Engi1487 on Monday, June 22, 2020 10:54 AM

 I project idea of mine I wish to do once I get my model railroading skills up to pare is to create my own fleet/roster/series of Canadian National Heritage units using HO scale Tier 4 ET44ACs made by ScaleTrains in the modern CN scheme by painting over them and creating my own custom decals for it in Affinity designer, a graphic design program.

 However I need to know if its possble to reprogram the original units number it was given to a new one. I will explain.

 One example of a heritage unit, is a CN ET44AC in the 1954 green, black and yellow livery that CN introduced on their passanger GMD FP9A diesel units with their bulldog style nose hood.

 I learned that in CNs roster of ET44Acs there is one such unit numbered #3054. 1954 was then the livery was introduced, so that will serve as a clue as to the year this livery was started in. Plus it looks offical and thats its in the actual CN roaster list.

 However would it be possible to renumber the locomotives road number/address to the number I despire? If not I could just stick a label on the bottom of the fuel tank of what the actual number painted over was or have a list do I dont forget when track programing it.

So, what do you think and is it possible?

 

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Posted by wjstix on Monday, June 22, 2020 11:00 AM

The basics of ESU decoders are the same as any other decoder, so if you have a way currently to change CVs, like engine address, top speed, momentum etc. it will work with the LokSound decoder too.

The only thing you can't do without the LokProgrammer is change the sounds the decoder produces - you can change the volume of individual sounds, or change the horn/whistle and bell type using CVs, but you can't reprogram say a decoder loaded with diesel sound files into one with steam sounds, or change say a decoder loaded with an Alco diesel sound file package into a GE one.

Stix
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Posted by trevorsmith3489 on Monday, June 22, 2020 11:02 AM

Yes.

My Scaletrains locos out of the box use address 3 on the decoder.

I changed my decoders to use the locos 4 digit number  eg; from address 3 to address 3093.

How you do this will depend on your DCC system. 

I use Lenz and its a simple matter of putting the loco on a programming track and using the propmpts on the handheld control to get to the address screen and then typing in the new number.

Trevor

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, June 22, 2020 11:23 AM

I understand him to be asking 'if you change the engine number can you reprogram the decoder to use the 'new' number as the address?'  I am no authority on LokPilot, but it seems pretty clear from the manual that if you set bit 5 in CV29 to 'long addressing' you can put anything in CV 18 and 19 that fits and the system will address it by that number.  
Note that there were restrictions on how high a number you can use AND on numbers 127 or lower, but neither of those should concern typical CN locomotive numbering.   More to the point I don't see why changing any of these CVs would affect or delete any other settings on the decoder or require it to be wiped like an iPhone to allow its 'ownership' to be changed.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, June 22, 2020 11:34 AM

Changing the road number is the one thing that everybody does.  I'll bet every current decoder produced by ESU, Soundtrax, TCS, Digitrax and NCE allows you to change the number.
A Kalmbach book on DCC may be helpful for you because there is much about DCC that is not intuitive.  Whatever DCC system you have or may get, you will need to put a hold on your Man Card and read the manual.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by Engi1487 on Monday, June 22, 2020 1:20 PM

BigDaddy

Whatever DCC system you have or may get, you will need to put a hold on your Man Card and read the manual.

 


Well, I do have the starter NCE Powercab system which is good. I onlyu used it once, but I am starting to sue it more to become more framilier with operating it.
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Posted by Engi1487 on Monday, June 22, 2020 2:18 PM

BigDaddy

Changing the road number is the one thing that everybody does.  I'll bet every current decoder produced by ESU, Soundtrax, TCS, Digitrax and NCE allows you to change the number.
A Kalmbach book on DCC may be helpful for you because there is much about DCC that is not intuitive.  Whatever DCC system you have or may get, you will need to put a hold on your Man Card and read the manual.

 


Now that you say that, I have some research to do and experiance to gain. Thanks.
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Posted by Bayfield Transfer Railway on Monday, June 22, 2020 2:22 PM

RTFM.

(Read The Manual)

 

 

Disclaimer:  This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.

Michael Mornard

Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, June 22, 2020 2:26 PM

 I don't think there is ANY DCC decoder sold today, or ever, that didn't allow the address to be changed. It kind of defeats the purpose of independent train control if all the locos have to have the same address.

 Notice I said DCC decoder. MTH is NOT DCC, it just (mostly) works on DCC. They tend to be limted to using either default address 3 or the cab number of the loco with DCC - however, the DCC address can be changed if you know someone with a DCS system to do it for you.

 The PowerCab will have no problem changing the address. If you already set it to the cab number it came lettered for, the process is exactly the same, just key in whatever number you want.

                                         --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 Engi1487 on Monday, June 22, 2020 3:01 PM

Bayfield Transfer Railway

RTFM.

(Read The Manual)

 



Thanks I will be sure to do that. Dont worry I am starting to like sarcasm. I understand what your saying

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, June 22, 2020 4:15 PM

Bayfield Transfer Railway
RTFM.

Unix geeks are so last-century.

The advice is succinctly correct but in this modern age it's advisable to link the FMs:

A bunch of NCE PowerCab stuff (I don't know what version he has):

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201565799-Power-Cab-Manuals?mobile_site=true

A version of the LokPilot manual to give him some insight into what LokSound decoders are designed to have:

http://www.esu.eu/uploads/tx_esudownloads/51982_LokPilot_V40_Family_ESUKG_EN_User-manual_Edition_3_eBook.pdf 

 All y'all with better material and sources, tell him where to find what he'll benefit from without having to learn obsolescence and take wrong steps.

 

 

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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, June 22, 2020 4:27 PM

If he doesn't have a 1.65B, he should upgrade to one.  The B manual is just an addendum, the 1.65 manual is more useful.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by UpNorth on Monday, June 22, 2020 4:58 PM

"  My Scaletrains locos out of the box use address 3 on the decoder. "

And this is a pretty much standard across the industry, address 3 at delivery. SO will need to learn how to change the address at some point.

Right from the NCE web site :

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001082573-Super-Easy-Programming-on-the-Main-POM-

Marc

NOTE to site moderator:  The publicity popping up across bottom of page is a PITA.  About as annoying as the female garment pubs showing up on left hand side. 

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Posted by chenxue on Monday, June 22, 2020 6:04 PM

Overmod

Unix geeks are so last-century.

 

Smile, Wink & Grin I have no idea what that means...Laugh  I must be last century also...

I get the impression from this OP that he is just dreaming. 

Cid    (Memphis, Tennessee)

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Posted by Bayfield Transfer Railway on Monday, June 22, 2020 6:29 PM

Random_Idea_Poster_6263
Bayfield Transfer Railway

RTFM.

(Read The Manual)

 

Thanks I will be sure to do that. Dont worry I am starting to like sarcasm. I understand what your saying

 

Then perhaps this will amuse you:

 

RTFMA - Read the manual SIR

 

Big Smile Just funnin' with ya

Disclaimer:  This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.

Michael Mornard

Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!

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    April 2012
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Posted by Bayfield Transfer Railway on Monday, June 22, 2020 6:31 PM

UNIX?  Try OS/360

Disclaimer:  This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.

Michael Mornard

Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!

  • Member since
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Posted by Engi1487 on Monday, June 22, 2020 7:33 PM

Thanks Overmod I will take a look at these.

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Posted by OldEngineman on Monday, June 22, 2020 10:06 PM

I installed ESU 53614 [non sound] decoders in 3 of my locos (Rivarossi U25c and 2 Bowser c430's).

Procedure:

Put loco on track. Go to programming screen on my tablet running Roco z21. Tap the "read number" button. "3" (the default) is displayed. Type in the desired 4-digit number in its place. Touch the program button. Done.

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Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 7:48 AM

This page intentionally left blank

Not sure what Roco instructions have to do with it, the OP indicated he has a PowerCab. But the basic steps are the same for all DCC systems.

                                       --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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